3m Innovative Properties Company

Thanh-Huong Thi Nguyen

Terry R Bailey

Bruce Brandon Wilson

Thomas F Look

John W Frank

Larry K Stump

Dale H Haunschild

Naoki Nakayama

Craig A Schmidt

Michael G O'Reilly

Michele H Kelley

Dave G Schueler

A method of making a retroreflective article comprising on the top surface thereof a retroreflective sheet that comprises a monolayer of retroreflective elements wherein first portions of the monolayer are arranged in a contoured profile and second portions of the monolayer are arranged a substantially planar position.

Method of making profiled retroreflective marking material

A method of thermal mass transfer printing a colorant including a binder media from a ribbon onto a first surface of a web having a non-homogeneous thermal conductivity, a non-planar printing surface, a non-homogeneous structure or chemical incompatibility. The first surface of the web is preheated prior to thermal mass transfer printing. The surface of the ribbon containing the colorant is positioned opposite the first surface of the heated web at an inner face. A thermal print head is positioned at the interface on the side of the ribbon opposite the colorant. The web is moved relative to the thermal print head. Printing is completed by selectively applying localized heat to the ribbon from the thermal print head and pressure at the interface to cause the transfer of colorant from the ribbon to the heated web.

Method and system for thermal mass transfer printing

Growing community of inventors

Oakdale, MN, United States of America

Thanh-Huong Thi Nguyen