Irradiation marking of retroreflective sheeting

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10082609-B2
Application number	US-201013509222-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 10, 2010
Priority date	Nov 12, 2009
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

A method of marking prismatic retroreflective sheeting includes providing prismatic retroreflective sheeting having a front side and a back side, the back side having prismatic features and directing a radiation source at the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting and irradiating a plurality of the prismatic features. The radiation forms a mark in the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of marking prismatic retroreflective sheeting, comprising:
providing prismatic retroreflective sheeting having a front side and a back side, the back side comprising cube corner elements;
directing a radiation source at the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting and irradiating a plurality of the cube corner elements; wherein the radiation forms a mark in the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is a laser source.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directing step comprises directing the radiation source at a plurality of the cube corner elements at the same time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation source changes the structure of the plurality of cube corner elements.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mark is selected from a group consisting essentially of a shape, figure, symbol, design, letter, number, alphanumeric character, and indicia.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directing step comprises directing the radiation source through a mask and onto the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directing step comprises directing the radiation source directly onto the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the directing step comprises directing a laser at the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting and the laser irradiates a plurality of cube corner elements at the same time.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a reflective coating on the mark and prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is an ultraviolet radiation source.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the radiation source is an infrared radiation source.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the prismatic retroreflective sheeting comprises a reflective coating.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a license plate.

14. A method of marking prismatic retroreflective sheeting, comprising:
providing prismatic retroreflective sheeting having a front side and a back side, the back side comprising cube corner elements;
directing a laser at the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting and irradiating a plurality of the cube corner elements; wherein the laser forms a mark in the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the laser changes the structure of the plurality of cube corner elements or alters the flatness of the plurality of cube corner elements.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the mark is selected from a group consisting essentially of a shape, figure, symbol, design, letter, number, alphanumeric character, and indicia.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the directing step comprises directing the laser through a mask and onto the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the directing step comprises directing the laser directly onto the back side of the prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

19. The method of claim 14 , further comprising providing a reflective coating on the mark and prismatic retroreflective sheeting.

20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the prismatic retroreflective sheeting comprises a reflective coating.

21. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
forming a license plate.

Assignees

• Orensteen Bruce D
• Smithson Robert L W
• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Orensteen Bruce D
• Smithson Robert L W

Classifications

• B60R13/10

  Registration, licensing, or like devices · CPC title

• G09F13/16

  Signs formed of or incorporating reflecting elements or surfaces, e.g. warning signs having triangular or other geometrical shape · CPC title

• G02B5/124 Primary

  plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet · CPC title