Retroreflective article

• US 6,890,634 B1
• Filed: 09/08/2000
• Issued: 05/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Shanjin Optoelectronics Company Limited
• Original Assignee: LG Chem Limited (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yoon, Seok-Il, Baek, Jong-Soo, Choi, Seok-Cheol
• Primary Examiner(s): Hess, Bruce H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DICUS, TAMRA
• Application Number:
  US09/786,847
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 359/529, 428/221, 428/323, 329/518
• US Class Current: 428/221
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/249921 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles

Abstract

A retroreflective article includes a flat front surface, and a structured rear surface displaced from the flat front surface. The structured rear surface is provided with arrays of sets of three mutually perpendicular lateral triangular sides, and a plurality of trigonal linear prisms. The three lateral triangular sides have a common apex and uncommon linear base edges. The linear prisms are disposed along at least one of the linear base edges of the three lateral triangular sides.

Claims

1. A retroreflective article comprising a flat front surface and a structured rear surface, the structured rear surface comprising:

a continuous arrangement of three triangles, wherein the three triangles are mutually perpendicular and comprise one common point, three common edges, and three uncommon edges, wherein each common edge is shared by two triangles, and wherein each uncommon edge belongs to only one triangle; and

a continuous arrangement of trigonal linear prisms, wherein each trigonal linear prism is disposed along one of the uncommon edges, each trigonal linear prism having a first surface and a second surface which define an apex edge, a first base edge, and a second base edge, wherein the first surface and the second surface of each trigonal linear prism are tilted relative to the flat front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein a polyhedron optical axis extending from the common point to the front surface of the retroreflective article is tilted by −

15°

to 15°

to an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein angles between the polyhedron optical axis and a surface of each of the three triangles are the same.

2. The retroreflective article of claim 1 wherein the uncommon edges among the sides of the three triangles lie in a common plane or different planes.

3. The retroflective article of claim 2 having an index of refraction of about 1.4-1.7.

4. The retroreflective article of claim 2 wherein a plurality of the trigonal linear prisms are disposed along one uncommon edge.

5. The retroreflective article of claim 2 wherein the uncommon edges along the sides of the three triangles differ in length from each other.

6. The retroreflective article of claim 1 having an index of refraction of about 1.4-1.7.

7. The retroreflective article of claim 1 wherein a plurality of the trigonal linear prisms are disposed along one uncommon edge.

8. The retroreflective article of claim 1 wherein the uncommon edges along the sides of the three triangles differ in length from each other.

9. The retroreflective article of claim 1, wherein the continuous array of linear trigonal prisms comprises two trigonal linear prisms sharing a common base edge.

10. The retroreflective article of claim 1, wherein a trigonal prism optical axis extending from the apex edge to the front surface of the retroreflective article is tilted relative to an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein an angle between the trigonal prism optical axis and the first surface and an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the second surface are the same.

11. The retroreflective article of claim 1, wherein an angle between a trigonal linear prism optical axis and an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article is different from an angle between a polyhedron optical axis and an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein the trigonal linear prism optical axis extends from the apex edge to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the first surface and an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the second surface are the same, wherein the polyhedron optical axis extends from the common point to the front surface of the retroreflective article, and wherein angles between the polyhedron optical axis and a surface of each of the three triangles are the same.

12. A retroreflective article comprising a flat front surface and a structured rear surface, the structured rear surface comprising:

a continuous arrangement of three triangles, wherein the three triangles are mutually perpendicular and comprise one common point, three common edges, and three uncommon edges, wherein each common edge is shared by two triangles, and wherein each uncommon edge belongs to only one triangle; and

a continuous arrangement of trigonal linear prisms, wherein each trigonal linear prism is disposed along one of the uncommon edges, each trigonal linear prism having a first surface and a second surface which define an apex edge, a first base edge, and a second base edge, wherein the first surface and the second surface of each trigonal linear prism are tilted relative to the flat front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein the uncommon edges among the sides of the three triangles lie in a common plane or different planes, and wherein a polyhedron optical axis extending from the common point to the front surface of the retroreflective article is tilted by −

15°

to 15°

to an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein angles between the polyhedron optical axis and a surface of each of the three triangles are the same.

13. The retroreflective article of claim 12 having an index of refraction of about 1.4-1.7.

14. The retroreflective article of claim 12 wherein a polyhedron optical axis extending from the common point to the front surface of the retroreflective article is tilted by −

15°

to 15°

to an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein angles between the polyhedron optical axis and a surface of each of the three triangles are the same.

15. The retroreflective article of claim 12 wherein a plurality of the trigonal linear prisms are disposed along one uncommon edge.

16. The retroreflective article of claim 12 wherein the uncommon edges along the sides of the three triangles differ in length from each other.

17. The retroreflective article of claim 12 having an index of refraction of about 1.4-1.7.

18. The retroreflective article of claim 12 wherein a plurality of the trigonal linear prisms are disposed along one uncommon edge.

19. The retroreflective article of claim 12 wherein the uncommon edges along the sides of the three triangles differ in length from each other.

20. The retroreflective article of claim 12, wherein the continuous array of linear trigonal prisms comprises two trigonal linear prisms sharing a common base edge.

21. The retroreflective article of claim 12, wherein a trigonal prism optical axis extending from the apex edge to the front surface of the retroreflective article is tilted relative to an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein an angle between the trigonal prism optical axis and the first surface and an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the second surface are the same.

22. The retroreflective article of claim 12, wherein an angle between a trigonal linear prism optical axis and an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article is different from an angle between a polyhedron optical axis and an axis normal to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein the trigonal linear prism optical axis extends from the apex edge to the front surface of the retroreflective article, wherein an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the first surface and an angle between the trigonal linear prism optical axis and the second surface are the same, wherein the polyhedron optical axis extends from the common point to the front surface of the retroreflective article, and wherein angles between the polyhedron optical axis and a surface of each of the three triangles are the same.