3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

Stephen L Lieder

Kenton D Budd

Eugene H Carlson

Matthew D Wilding

Kenji Matsumoto

Chikafumi Yokoyama

James A Laird

Joseph D Engebretson

Hirohiko Ono

Toshinori Naruse

Moses Mekala David

James P Endle

Gregg A Patnode

Kyung H Moh

The disclosed retroreflective element includes a polymeric core that is loaded with a plurality of first beads and second beads distributed at the perimeter of the core. The first beads are different than the second beads. Because of the beads in the core, the retroreflective element remains useful for returning light even after portions of the core begins to wear away. Further, when the retroreflective elements get wet, water will settle to the bottom of the perimeter of the core. Therefore, using the second beads with a refractive index suited for wet conditions, while the first beads have a refractive index suited for dry conditions allows the retroreflective element to be useful in both wet and dry conditions even while the retroreflective element wears during use.

Durable retroreflective elements with a blend of beads

The disclosed retroreflective element includes a highly durable core with an ionic copolymer and a plurality of beads. These disclosed retroreflective properties remain intact even after continued application of external forces and stresses. Further, the ionic copolymer allows for beads to be loaded into the ionic copolymer of the core, securely disposed around the perimeter of the core, or both.

Durable retroreflective elements with an ionic copolymer core

The present disclosure generally relates to non-conformable thermoplastic pavement marking tapes comprising a backing and an adhesive layer adjacent to the backing. In some embodiments, the backing includes an ionic copolymer. In other embodiments, the non-conformable backing has an inelastic deformation of less than 10% at 25&#xb0; C. In some embodiments, the pavement marking tape is heat-moldable.

Thermoplastic pavement marking tapes

Transparent solid, fused microspheres are provided. In one embodiment, the microspheres contain alumina, zirconia, and silica in a total content of at least about 70% by weight, based on the total weight of the solid, fused microspheres, wherein the total content of alumina and zirconia is greater than the content of silica, and further wherein the microspheres have an index of refraction of at least about 1.6 and are useful as lens elements.

Transparent beads and their production method

Encapsulated electroluminescent phosphor particles and a method of making same. Each electroluminescent phosphor particle is encapsulated by a substantially transparent metal oxynitride coating. The coating provides the phosphor particle with reduced sensitivity to humidity accelerated decay.

Oxynitride encapsulated electroluminescent phosphor particles

Growing community of inventors

Wyoming, MN, United States of America

Stephen L Lieder