Vapor permeable retroreflective garment
Assignee3M Innovative Properties Company
InventorsRino A. Feduzi, Robert L. Jensen, Jr., Jeanine M. Shusta
Life of this patent
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Abstract
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.
Claims18
An article comprising:
- a first material;
- and
- retroreflective material formed on at least a portion of the first material in a non-continuous pattern to define retroreflective regions and non-retroreflective regions arranged such that vapor permeability through the at least a portion formed with retroreflective material is substantially equal to vapor permeability through the first material without retroreflective material.
A garment comprising:
- an outer layer;
- and
- retroreflective material formed over a portion of the outer layer in a non-continuous pattern to define retroreflective regions and non-retroreflective regions 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.