Retroreflective stickers and forms
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsDavid J. Grubish, Thanh-Huong T. Do, Paul J. Northey
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present application generally relates to the formation of a microsphere-based laser-receptive retroreflective sheeting having a thickness of less than 0. 161 mm that exhibits reduced incidence of curling during and after printing. The reduced incidence of curling results from placement of an anticurl coating on at least a portion of the retroreflective sheeting. After curing, the anticurl coating includes a cross-linked acrylic acid resin. This resulting microsphere-based, laser-receptive retroreflective sheeting can, for example, be adhered or placed adjacent to a substrate to create a form.
Claims19
A form, comprising:
- a substrate;
- a release coating on at least a portion of the substrate;
- a printable, microsphere-based retroreflective sheeting adjacent to at least a portion of the release coating, the laser-receptive retroreflective sheeting having a first major surface and a second major surface and a thickness between the first major surface and the second major surface of less than about 0.161 mm;
- and
- a cross-linked acrylic acid resin anticurl coating on at least a portion of the printable retroreflective sheeting.
A printable retroreflective sheeting, comprising:
- a layer of microsphere-based retroreflective sheeting having a thickness of less than 0.161 mm;
- and
- a cross-linked acrylic acid resin anticurl coating on at least a portion of the printable retroreflective sheeting.
A method of forming retroreflective sheeting that exhibits improved resistance to curling when printed, comprising:
- providing a printable, microsphere-based retroreflective sheeting having a first major surface and a second major surface and a thickness between the first and second major surfaces of less than about 0.161 mm;
- coating at least a portion of one of the first and second major surfaces with a cross-linkable acrylic acid resin coating and a cross-linking agent;
- and
- curing the cross-linkable acrylic acid resin coating and the cross-linking agent to form a cross-linked acrylic acid resin coating.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.