Avery Dennison Corporation

Stimsonite Corporation

Liviu A Coman

Sidney A Heenan

Dennis I Couzin

Anthony J Montalbano

Robert M Pricone

Edward V Nick

Michael E Flader

Loren M Lundtveit

By Ronald Sandler, Executor

Sidney A Heenan, Deceased

Jeffrey Tidaback

A method for tooling a pattern of retroreflective microcubes, which pattern can be subdivided into smaller increments within which there are straight line tooling paths, none of which pass through an otherwise solid part of the incremental pattern. The tooling paths within the various increments need not be parallel to a common plane. Various adaptions of the method enable the tooling of a number of specific microcube shapes and for modifying such optical properties of the microcubes as entrance angularity, incidence angularity, orientation angularity, observation angularity, percent active aperture and retroreflectance. Specific techniques govern the pre-selection of cube parameters such as cube axis cant, cube apex decentration, and cube boundary proportions, which parameters can be adjusted independently of each other. Designs tooled by the method can have 100% active aperture at near zero degrees entrance angle. The method involves providing a plurality of plates of micro thickness, each plate having at least one end comprised of a material that can be tooled with polished surfaces by means of an appropriate tool, tooling on said end of each plate an increment of the pattern, and assembling the plates together in various ways to form a master. Retroreflective articles made by means of this technique are expected to provide superior performance when used in pavement markers, highway signs and other applications.

Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for forming microcubes

A pavement marker comprising a base member and a signal device for sending a light signal to a driver of an oncoming vehicle further includes a longitudinally extending tire directing hood member that directs tire contact away from the upper edge, upper portion, and upper generally corner portions of the signal device front face, while allowing tire contact with the lower portion of the signal device front face. The signal device front face is at a predetermined recess depth in said pavement marker, and is at a predetermined angle with respect to the roadway surface. The marker can be either a snowplowable marker or a sun country marker. The signal device optionally can be mounted on a base member by a mechanical interlock. Optional drainage channels can be provided in the base member to allow drainage of fluid from in front of the lower portion of the signal device.

Controlled tire impact pavement marker

Retroreflective articles having microcubes, and tools and methods for

Growing community of inventors

Des Plaines, IL, United States of America

Liviu A Coman