Vapor permeable retroreflective garment
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRino A. Feduzi, Robert L. Jensen, Jr., Jeanine M. Shusta
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vapor permeable retroreflective material for use on protective garments. The material may be formed in a non-continuous pattern that provides a high-level of retroreflective brightness, yet also provides adequate permeability to prevent exposure to trapped thermal energy and heated moisture. The non-continuous retroreflective pattern may include retroreflective regions and non-retroreflective regions arranged such that thermal decay through the protective garment is not substantially decreased in the regions corresponding to the retroreflective material. Rather, vapor permeation and thermal decay through the garment may be substantially the same as if the retroreflective material was not present.
Claims16
A garment comprising a protective outer layer having a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion comprises a patch attached to the protective outer layer, wherein the patch is formed with a non-continuous retroreflective pattern of retroreflective material defining retroreflective regions and non-retroreflective regions, and further wherein the vapor permeability through the first portion of the protective outer layer is substantially equal to the vapor permeability through the second portion.
An article comprising:
- a first material;
- and
- retroreflective material formed on the first material according to a non-continuous stripe-like configuration defining retroreflective regions and non-retroreflective regions, wherein the non-retroreflective regions comprise stripe-like regions that separate the retroreflective regions, wherein the retroreflective material also includes fluorescent material, and further wherein the retroreflective material is arranged such that it does not substantially decrease vapor permeability through the article.
A garment comprising:
- a protective outer layer;
- and
- retroreflective material formed over a portion of the protective outer layer in a non-continuous stripe-like configuration to define retroreflective regions and non retroreflective regions, wherein the non-retroreflective regions comprise stripe-like regions that separate the retroreflective regions, wherein the retroreflective material is also fluorescent, and further wherein the retroreflective material is arranged such that vapor permeability through the portion formed with retroreflective material is substantially equal to vapor permeability through the protective outer layer without retroreflective material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.