Orafol Americas Inc.

Steven Scott

Arthur J Davis

A method for forming a retroreflective prism in a substrate includes inserting and retracting a single point diamond tool through a surface of the substrate while moving the single point diamond tool, the substrate, or both the single point diamond tool and the substrate in a direction of travel along at least one axis to generate a facet in the substrate having a facet face parallel to the direction of travel of at least one of the single diamond point tool or the substrate. The facet face has an angle defined by a chiseling edge of the single point diamond tool. The inserting and retracting is repeated at a plurality of locations on the substrate to form an array of retroreflective microstructures on the surface of the substrate. At least one of the array of retroreflective microstructures is a retroreflective prism having a polygonal projected aperture.

Methods of fabricating retroreflector prisms with polygonal apertures and devices thereof

Methods for producing tooling and sheeting using laser writing techniques, and corresponding products thereof, are presented. In one embodiment, a seamless sheet having a plurality of microstructures formed in a continuous microstructured pattern is provided. In the methods described herein, a substrate having a photosensitive coating on a surface thereof is provided. A surface-relief microstructured pattern is produced in the photosensitive coating by selectively exposing the photosensitive coating to a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The exposed portions of the photosensitive coating are developed to form a microstructured pattern on the surface of the substrate. The microstructured pattern is then transferred into retroreflector tooling comprising the microstructured pattern on a surface thereof. A sheet containing the microstructured pattern on a surface thereof is then formed from the retroreflector tooling.

Methods for fabricating tooling and sheeting

Methods for producing retroreflector tooling and retroreflective sheeting using laser writing techniques, and corresponding products thereof, are presented. In one embodiment, a seamless retroreflective sheet having a plurality of retroreflectors formed in a continuous retroreflective microstructured pattern is provided. In the methods described herein, a substrate having a photosensitive coating on a surface thereof is provided. A surface-relief microstructured pattern is produced in the photosensitive coating by selectively exposing the photosensitive coating to a beam of electromagnetic radiation. The exposed portions of the photosensitive coating are developed to form a retroreflective microstructured pattern on the surface of the substrate. The retroreflective microstructured pattern is then transferred into retroreflector tooling comprising the retroreflective microstructured pattern on a surface thereof. A retroreflective sheet containing the retroreflective microstructured pattern on a surface thereof is then formed from the retroreflector tooling.

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Avon, CT, United States of America

Steven Scott