Reflective Material for Signage, Buildings and Vehicles

• US 20100101126A1
• Filed: 10/23/2008
• Published: 04/29/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Keil
• Original Assignee: Stanley Keil
• Inventors: KEIL, Stanley
• Granted Patent: US 8,112,922 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 40/582
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2037/246 Vapour deposition
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2038/0092 Metallizing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/06 Embossing
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 38/10 Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/136 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary body G02B5/124 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/16 Signs formed of or incorporating reflecting elements or surfaces, e.g. warning signs having triangular or other geometrical shape
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1031 with preshaping of lamina

Abstract

A reflective sheet material for use on exterior signs and exposed surfaces includes a sheet member having a series of adjacent, parallel primary grooves extending across at least one surface. Each group is defined by first and second elongate facets forming an angle of at least 90 degrees in a plane perpendicular to the surface and to the length of the facets. A thin opaque, reflective layer extends over the surface in the region of the grooves and conforms to the series of grooves so as to form a series of associated angular grooves. A transparent material extends over and substantially fills these angular grooves, thereby forming a substantially smooth outer surface which is located at or close to the top edges of the grooves. The sheet material can be flexible or rigid.

Claims

1. A reflective sheet material for signage, vehicle surfaces, and building surfaces, comprising,

a. sheet member having a series of adjacent parallel primary grooves extending across at least one surface, each primary groove defined by first and second elongate facets forming an angle of at least 90 degrees in a first plane perpendicular to the at least one surface and perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of the facets, said grooves having a depth which is less than the thickness of the sheet member;

a thin opaque reflective layer extending over and attached to said at least one surface in the region of said series of primary grooves, said reflective layer conforming to said series of primary grooves so as to form a series of associated angular grooves defined by elongate reflective facets; and

a transparent material extending over and substantially filling said associated angular grooves in the reflective layer, wherein said transparent material forms a substantially smooth outer surface of said sheet material located at or close to top edges of said angular grooves.

2. A reflective sheet material according to claim 1 wherein said sheet material is flexible, and wherein said sheet member and transparent material are both made of flexible plastics material.

3. A reflective sheet material according to claim 1 wherein said reflective layer is made of thin metal foil.

4. A reflective sheet material according to claim 2 wherein each first facet has a width extending in the first plane substantially shorter than a corresponding width of the second facet, said first facet extends at an angle ranging between 60 and 80 degrees to a second plane defined by top edges of the groove defined by the respective facets, and said second facet extends at an angle ranging between 10 and 30 degrees to said second plane.

5. A reflective sheet material according to claim 1 wherein said sheet material is substantially rigid and said sheet member is made of glass or acrylic plastic.

6. A reflective sheet material according to claim 3 wherein said sheet material is substantially rectangular when the material is laid out flat and has two opposite, parallel end edges and wherein said primary grooves and associated angular grooves extend at a substantial acute angle to said end edges.

7. A reflective sheet material according to claim 3 wherein said metal foil comprises aluminum or gold.

8. A sign comprising:

a reflecting substrate made of the sheet material of claim 1, and

an opaque cover layer extending over and connected to said substrate and having at least one opening formed therein defining at least one indicium, a portion or portions of the reflecting substrate being revealed through said at least one opening,

wherein said associated angular grooves face towards said cover layer.

9. A sign according to claim 8 wherein said cover layer is a vinyl sheet which is bonded by adhesive to the smooth outer surface of said sheet material formed by said transparent material.

10. A sign according to claim 8 wherein said angle formed by the first and second facets of each groove is an obtuse angle, said first facet extends at an angle ranging between 60 and 80 degrees to a plane defined by top edges of the groove defined by the respective facets, and said second facet extends at an angle ranging between 10 and 30 degrees to said plane defined by the top edges.

11. A sign according to claim 8 wherein said primary grooves have a uniform maximum depth which does not exceed 40 per cent of the maximum thickness of the sheet member.

12. A method of producing reflective sheet material, comprising:

molding a plastic sheet member having a series of adjacent, parallel grooves extending across a front surface thereof, each groove defined by first and second elongate facets forming an angle in a plane perpendicular to the facets, said grooves each having a maximum depth loss than a maximum thickness of said sheet member;

applying a thin reflective foil layer to said front surface so that said foil layer conforms to and is shaped by said series of grooves and thereby forming a series of associated angular grooves defined by pairs of elongate reflective facets;

applying a transparent, hardenable material in a liquid or plasticized state to said foil layer so as to fill said angular grooves; and

allowing said transparent material to harden and form a smooth front surface of the sheet material, the hardened transparent material having a maximum thickness which is equal to or not substantially more than the depth of said angular grooves.

13. A method according to claim 12 wherein said grooves are shallow in depth relative to the thickness of the sheet member and said angle formed by said first and second facets is an obtuse angle.

14. A method according to claim 13 including applying a layer of adhesive to a rear surface of the sheet member for the purpose of attaching the sheet member to a supporting surface.

15. A method according to claim 12 wherein said angle formed by said first and second facets of each groove is an obtuse angle and said sheet material is flexible.

16. A method of manufacturing reflective sheet material, comprising:

providing a sheet member having a series of adjacent, parallel grooves extending across a front surface thereof, each groove defined by first and second elongate facets forming an angle in a plane perpendicular to the facets, said grooves having a maximum depth less than a maximum thickness of said sheet member;

forming a reflective metallic layer on said front surface so that said reflective layer conforms to and is shaped by said series of grooves and thereby forming a series of adjacent angular grooves defined by pairs of elongate reflective facets;

applying a transparent, hardenable plastics material in a liquid or plasticized state to said metallic layer so as to fill said angular grooves; and

allowing said plastics material to harden and form a smooth front surface of the sheet material.

17. A method according to claim 16 wherein said sheet material is substantially rigid, said sheet member is made of a rigid material selected from the group comprising glass, acrylic plastic, and polycarbonate, and said parallel grooves are formed in said sheet member by laser etching.

18. A method according to claim 16 wherein said reflective metallic layer is formed by vacuum deposition of a metallic powder selected from the group comprising aluminum powder, gold powder, copper powder, and silver powder.

19. A method according to claim 16 wherein said reflective metallic layer is formed by providing an adhesive layer on the facets of the parallel grooves and then applying a metallic powder to said adhesive layer, said metallic powder being selected from the group comprising aluminum powder, gold powder, copper powder and silver powder.

20. A method according to claim 16 wherein the hardened plastics material has a maximum thickness which is not substantially more than the maximum depth of said angular grooves in the metallic layer.

21. A method according to claim 16 wherein the hardened plastics material has a maximum thickness which is about equal to the depth of said angular grooves in the metallic layer.