Cube corner geometric structures in a substrate formed by both replicating and machining processes
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsKenneth L. Smith, Gerald M. Benson
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Abstract
A cube corner article having a structured surface of geometric structures, each geometric structure having a plurality of faces at least some of which are arranged as a cube corner element, is made by providing a first substrate having a plurality of grooves therein, replicating the first substrate in a second substrate, and forming a second plurality of grooves in the second substrate. Geometric structures in the second substrate are formed in part by replication of the first plurality of grooves and in part by the formation of the second plurality of grooves.
Claims3
A unitary substrate having a plurality of faces therein defining a plurality of geometric structures, at least some of which comprise cube corner faces that are approximately mutually perpendicular, at least some of the cube corner faces being formed by replication and at least other of the cube corner faces being formed by direct machining.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.