Retroreflective articles and devices having viscoelastic lightguide

An optical device comprising:

• a light source and an optical device, the optical device comprising:
• a viscoelastic lightguide, wherein light emitted by the light source enters the viscoelastic lightguide and is transported within the lightguide by total internal reflection;
• and
• a retroreflective film suitable for retroreflecting light and comprising
• a layer of transparent microspheres, and
• reflective material associated with each transparent microsphere and disposed in back of each transparent microsphere;
• wherein the viscoelastic lightguide is disposed in front of the layer of transparent microspheres such that light being transported within the viscoelastic lightguide is extracted from the lightguide and retroreflected by the transparent microspheres,
• wherein the viscoelastic lightguide comprises a pressure sensitive adhesive;
• wherein the light emitted by the light source is transported within the pressure sensitive adhesive of the viscoelastic lightguide;
• and
• the reflective material associated with each transparent microsphere forms an individual image, a composite image is formed by the individual images such that the composite image appears to the unaided eye to float in front of the layer of transparent microspheres, and the composite image has more than one color.

An optical article, comprising:

• a first light source;
• a second light source;
• a first viscoelastic lightguide, wherein light emitted by the first light source enters the first viscoelastic lightguide and is transported within the lightguide by total internal reflection;
• a second viscoelastic lightguide, wherein light emitted by the second light source enters the second viscoelastic lightguide and is transported within the lightguide by total internal reflection;
• a first retroreflective film suitable for retroreflecting light comprising
• a layer of transparent microspheres and
• reflective material disposed in back of the layer;
• and
• a second retroreflective film suitable for retroreflecting light comprising
• a layer of transparent microspheres and
• reflective material disposed in back of the layer;
• wherein the first viscoelastic lightguide is disposed in front of the layer of transparent microspheres of the first retroreflective film such that light being transported within the first viscoelastic lightguide is extracted from the lightguide and retroreflected by the transparent microspheres of the first retroreflective film;
• wherein the second viscoelastic lightguide is disposed in front of the layer of transparent microspheres of the second retroreflective film such that light being transported within the second viscoelastic lightguide is extracted from the lightguide and retroreflected by the transparent microspheres of the second retroreflective film;
• and
• wherein both the first retroreflective film and the second retroreflective film are disposed between the first viscoelastic lightguide and the second viscoelastic lightguide.