IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,196,987
Granted Patent B2
US 12,196,987 · App. 17/498,533 · Granted Jan 14, 2025

Retroreflective composite reflective microspheres and reflective inorganic material

Inventors: Adam Bartel (St. Paul, MN); Kurt Heikkila (Marine on the St. Croix, MN); John Kroll (Blaine, MN)
Assignee: Tundra COmpoistes, LLC
G02B5/128B05D5/063B29D11/00605C03C12/02C03C25/46
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,196,987
App. No.
17/498,533
Granted
Jan 14, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A robust sintered retroreflective composite comprising, a core bead, a peripheral bead, and an interphase coating. The bead can be used in typical retroreflective indicia and uses.

Claims (22)

1. A sintered retroreflective composite comprising

a core bead having a diameter of greater than 500μ; and on a core bead surface,

a plurality of peripheral beads having a diameter of less than 400μ and having a refractive index greater than about 1.8; and

a sintered interphase coating having a thickness of about 10 to 100 μm; wherein the retroreflective composite comprises the core bead and the peripheral beads bonded with the interphase coating comprising an inorganic pigment, a glass particulate, and an interfacial modifier.

2. The composite of claim 1 wherein the inorganic pigment comprises mica.

3. The composite of claim 2 wherein the inorganic pigment comprises a combination of mica and TiO 2 .

4. The composite of claim 3 wherein the inorganic pigment comprises mica with a surface coating of TiO 2 .

5. The composite of claim 1 wherein the core bead comprises a spherical core bead.

6. The composite of claim 1 wherein the core bead comprises a transparent core bead.

7. The composite of claim 6 wherein the core bead comprises a soda lime glass.

8. The composite of claim 6 wherein the core bead has a diameter of about 1 to 2.5 mm.

9. The composite of claim 6 wherein the core bead has a diameter of about 1.2 to 2 mm.

10. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral bead and the glass particulate are similar in in a chemistry of the composition.

11. The composite of claim 1 wherein for every part by weight of the interfacial modifier there is about 1 to 100 parts of glass particulate and 1 to 100 parts of inorganic pigment.

12. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral bead has a diameter of about 10 to 100μ.

13. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral bead has a refractive index of about 1.8 to 3.

14. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral bead has a refractive index of about 1.8 to 2.6.

15. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral bead is a hollow glass microsphere.

16. The composite of claim 1 wherein the peripheral beads form a complete single layer of peripheral beads on the surface of the core bead.

17. The composite of claim 1 wherein the glass particulate is a finely divided glass particulate having a particle size of less than 100μ.

18. The composite of claim 1 wherein the interfacial modifier comprises an organo-metallic compound.

19. The composite of claim 1 wherein the bead comprises aluminum oxide, zirconium oxide, silicon dioxide, carborundum, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, or tungsten carbide.

Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63136603 · Jan 12, 2021
Related Publication 20220221628A1 · Jul 14, 2022
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