3m Innovative Properties Company

Michael D Currens

Vera L Lightle

Moses Mekala David

Terry R Bailey

Chester A Bacon, Jr

Kanta Kumar

Seth M Kirk

James E Lasch

Paul J Wang

Raymond L Lucking

Jeffrey D Janovec

Jaime R Ojeda

Osei A Owusu

Michael A Essien

Chester A Jr 3M Center Bacon

Osei A 3M Center Owusu

Seth M 3M Center Kirk

Moses M 3M Center David

A prismatic retroreflective article has a transparent body portion and a layer of internally reflecting cube-corner optical elements having an open air-exposed rear surface at least a portion of which is more hydrophobic, more oleophobic, or both more hydrophobic and more oleophobic than the underlying cube-corner optical element. The article may be made by providing a transparent body portion bearing a layer of internally reflecting open air-exposed cube-corner optical elements; treating or coating at least a portion of the cube-corner elements to make the treated or coated portion more hydrophobic, more oleophobic, or both more hydrophobic and more oleophobic than the underlying cube-corner optical elements; and leaving such treated or coated portion exposed to the open air.

Prismatic retroreflective article and method

Retroreflective articles having multilayer films are useful for commercial graphics and retroreflective products, such as roll-up signs for highway transportation safety. The articles comprise multilayer films having at least one layer of polyurethane and at least one layer of a copolymer of alkylene and at least one non-acidic, polar co-monomer. Articles having the new multilayer films provide the same or improved performance, are less expensive, and offer improved methods for manufacturing, when compared to prior articles.

Retroreflective articles having multilayer films and methods of manufacturing same

A process for making a retroreflective article that includes the steps of providing a device (tool or a mold) having a first structured surface; applying a reflective layer on the first structured surface resulting in a first adhesion value between the reflective layer and the first structured surface, the reflective layer having an exposed surface; applying a molding polymer to the exposed surface of the reflective layer resulting in a second adhesion value between the reflective layer and the molding polymer. The second adhesion value is higher than the first adhesion value. The device is separated from the molding polymer to yield a retroreflective article that has a second structured surface that is the reverse image of the first structured surface. The separation causes a transfer of the reflective layer from the first structured surface to the retroreflective article. The method allows the reflective layer to be formed during the separation step, rather than being formed independent of creating the second structured surface. The method can yield a article that has a second structured surface coated with an aluminum reflective material having aluminum microstructures that are predominantly amorphous on a first side (the side near the second structured surface) and predominantly crystalline on a second side, which is opposite the first side.

Method of making a retroreflective article and a retroreflective article having an aluminum reflector

Method of making a retroreflective article

Growing community of inventors

Eagan, MN, United States of America

Michael D Currens