Combined phosphorescent, retroreflective and fluorescent article

1 . A combined phosphorescent, retroreflective and fluorescent article comprising a substrate, a phosphorescent layer on at least one side of the substrate and a retroreflective and fluorescent sheet provided over the phosphorescent layer, wherein the phosphorescent layer is formed from multiple phosphorescent sub-layers and wherein the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet is configured so that at least 5% of visible area of said one side is phosphorescent.

2 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet comprises a plurality of openings for exposing the underlying phosphorescent layer.

3 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the openings are in the form of lines which partially extend across the width of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet.

4 . An article according to claim 3 , wherein the line openings extend from one longitudinal edge of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet and terminate before reaching the opposite longitudinal edge of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet.

5 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet comprises straight line openings, L-shaped line openings or line openings in the form of a chevron.

6 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the openings are in the form of lines which extend across the full width of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet.

7 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the line openings have a width of 0.2 mm to 1.5 mm.

8 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the line openings are spaced 1 mm to 15 mm apart.

9 . An article according to claim 2 , wherein the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet comprises an open area of 15-38% per cm 2 .

10 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent layer is visible along one longitudinal edge of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet to define a single phosphorescent border or wherein the phosphorescent layer is visible along each longitudinal edge of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet to define two phosphorescent borders.

11 . An article according to claim 10 , wherein the width of the phosphorescent borders is 1-10 mm.

12 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet has a thickness of 10 to 35 μm.

13 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein a top coat is provided over the phosphorescent layer.

14 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein the phosphorescent layer is provided in stripes and the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet is provided between the phosphorescent stripes.

15 . A method according to claim 14 , wherein the pre-determined pattern of openings is in the form of one or more lines that extend partially or fully across the width of a region covered by the retroreflective and fluorescent materials or the width of the retroreflective and fluorescent sheet.

16 . An article according to claim 1 , wherein the article has a luminescence of 690 to 2200 (mcd/m 2 ) after a decay time of two minutes.

17 . A method of manufacturing the combined phosphorescent, retroreflective and fluorescent article according to claim 1 , the method comprising the steps of:

I. Coating at least part of one side of a substrate with a mixture of an adhesive and a phosphorescent pigment;

II. curing the coating; and

III. applying retroreflective and fluorescent materials over the phosphorescent layer, wherein the phosphorescent layer is formed from multiple phosphorescent sub-layers and at least 5% of visible area of said one side is phosphorescent.

18 . A method according to claim 17 , wherein a pre-determined pattern of openings is formed in the retroreflective and fluorescent materials or in a retroreflective and fluorescent sheet for exposing the underlying phosphorescent layer.

19 . A garment or object comprising the article according to claim 1 .

20 . A garment according to claim 19 , wherein the garment is a firefighter turn out garment.