Complex Retroreflective Bead

• US 20200132896A1
• Filed: 10/24/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tundra Composites, LLC.
• Original Assignee: Tundra Composites, LLC.
• Inventors: Heikkila, Kurt
• Granted Patent: US 11,467,324 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 12/02 Reflective beads
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/008 comprising a mixture of materials covered by two or more of the groups C03C17/02, C03C17/06, C03C17/22 and C03C17/28
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/465 having a specific shape
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/475 Inorganic materials
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/524 Reflecting elements specially adapted for incorporation in or application to road surface markings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/13 plural curved refracting elements forming part of a unitary body

Abstract

A retroreflective composite bead for highway marking having high retroreflectivity both when initially installed and over the bead lifetime, allowing vehicle drivers to see highway marking lines at night and in adverse conditions during nighttime. When installed the retroreflective beads essentially retroreflect the base color of the highway marking material in which the retroreflective beads are embedded. The beads comprise a larger bead with a coating of smaller particles heat bonded to its surface.

Claims

1. A retroreflective article comprising:

a. a glass central bead component coated with an interfacial modifier; and

b. a plurality of peripheral smaller globular glass components, wherein each peripheral glass component forms an array on the glass central component with the other peripheral glass members to make the retroreflective bead article with no adhesive.

2. The article of claim 1 in which the central component is in the range of from about 0.6 to about 2.0 mm and the peripheral component are in the range of from about 40μ

to 200μ

.

3. The article of claim 1 wherein the central component and peripheral components are heat bonded and volatile components are removed.

4. The article of claim 1 wherein the central component is of a generally spherical configuration.

5. The article of claim 3 wherein the peripheral components are of a generally spherical configuration.

6. The article of claim 1 wherein the interfacial modifier coating is applied to the central component at 0.2 to 2 wt. % based on the central component.

7. The article of claim 1 wherein the interfacial modifier coating is applied to the peripheral component at 0.2 to 2 wt. % based on the peripheral components.

8. The article of claim 1 wherein the interfacial modifier coating the central component comprises a continuous layer having a thickness of less than about 0.5 micron.

9. The article of claim 1 wherein the interfacial modifier coating the peripheral components comprise a continuous layer having a thickness of less than about 0.5 micron.

10. The article of claim 1 wherein a ratio of diameter of globular central component to the peripheral globular glass components is greater than 10:

1.

11. The article of claim 1 wherein a ratio of diameter of globular central component to the peripheral globular glass components is greater than 15:

1.

12. A kit comprising a plurality of heat bonded retroreflective glass bead articles in a packaged unit, the beads comprising:

a. a generally globular glass central component coated with an interfacial modifier; and

b. a plurality of peripheral smaller globular glass components, wherein the peripheral glass component are heat bonded to the glass central component and to the other peripheral glass members to make the retroreflective article with no adhesive.

13. The kit of claim 13 further comprising the packaged unit to contain different sizes of the retroreflective bead articles.

14. A method of making a heat bonded retroreflective article comprising:

a. Selecting a size for a generally globular glass central component;

b. Coating the generally globular central component with an interfacial modifier;

c. Selecting a size for peripheral smaller globular glass components,

d. Mixing the peripheral smaller globular glass components with the interfacially modified coated globular central component;

e. Arraying the peripheral smaller globular glass components and the interfacially modified coated globular central component to form an initial array; and

f. Heat bonding the glass central component to the peripheral glass members to make the retroreflective bead.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the interfacial modifier coating is applied to the central component at 0.2 to 2 wt. % based on the central component.

16. The article of claim 14 wherein an interfacial modifier coating is applied to the peripheral component at 0.2 to 2 wt. % on the peripheral components.

17. The article of claim 14 wherein the interfacial modifier coating the central component comprises a continuous layer having a thickness of less than about 0.5 micron.

18. The article of claim 14 wherein the interfacial modifier coating the peripheral components comprise a continuous layer having a thickness of less than about 0.5 micron.

19. The article of claim 14 wherein the ratio of diameter of globular central component to the peripheral globular glass components is greater than 10:

1.

20. The article of claim 14 wherein the ratio of diameter of globular central component to the peripheral globular glass components is greater than 15:

1.