High brightness durable retro-reflecting microspheres and method of making the same
AssigneeBrite-Line Technologies, Inc.
InventorCharles W. Wyckoff
Life of this patent
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Abstract
High brightness durable retro-reflecting microspheres for retro-reflection and related uses (and a novel method of forming the same) is provided embodying a retro-reflective vitreous glass microsphere encapsulated in a hardened clear non-vitreous metal-oxide ceramic shell of substantially the same index of fraction as the microsphere.
Claims8
A method of imbuing retro-reflective vitreous glass microspheres with increased surface protection and hardness and without substantially impairing the retro-reflective brightness thereof, that comprises, encapsulating the vitreous glass microsphere by layering thereabout with a non-vitreous clear metal-oxide-derived ceramic sol-gel;
- controlling the encapsulating thickness and hardening the same into a clear ceramic shell surrounding and adhered to the microsphere, with the thickness controlled to such degree as to permit the focusing of incident light entering the front surface of the microsphere, through the adjacent portion of the shell, thereby to enable retro-reflection brightness substantially the same as before the encapsulation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.