Glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting

Description

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting showing the new design. The "stars" that are shown in this Figure and in FIG. 2 represent glitter that is displayed by the article when exposed to light. The terms "glitter", "glitters", or "glittering" are used herein to mean a multiplicity of discrete regions of light that appear as distinct points of light, each of which may be noticed by the unaided eye of an ordinary observer when light is incident on the sheeting, but which points of light disappear or become unnoticeable to the eye of the same observer when either the angle of the incident light source to the sheeting, the angle of observation, the sheeting's orientation, or a combination thereof are changed. The term "retroreflective sheeting" means a sheeting that reflects substantial quantities of incident light--which light otherwise would be reflected elsewhere--back towards the light source.

FIG. 2 is a reduced scale top elevational view thereof.

FIG. 3 is a bottom elevational view thereof, showing a cube-corner element array.

FIG. 4 is a front side elevational view thereof. The rear side elevational view is the same as the front side elevational view; and,

FIG. 5 is a left side elevational view thereof. The right side elevational view is the same as the left side elevational view.

In the drawings, the broken lines form no part of the claimed design and indicate that the glittering retroreflective sheeting has indeterminate length and width.

The combination of diagonal surface shading and stippling in FIGS. 1-2 represents a glittering reflective surface effect.

Claims

The ornamental design for a glittering cube-corner retroreflective sheeting, as shown and described.

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Inventors:	Marecki; Paul E. (May Township, MN), Shusta; Jeanine M. (Mahtomedi, MN)
Assignee:	3M Innovative Properties Company (St. Paul, MN)
Appl. No.:	D/078,887
Filed:	October 31, 1997

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Current U.S. Class:	D5/99
Current International Class:	0506
Field of Search:	;D5/22,41,47,53,57,61,62,99 ;D29/101 ;156/245 ;264/1.1,1.6,1.9 ;359/529,530,900 ;428/40.1,156,199,400,904.4

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References Cited [Referenced By]

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U.S. Patent Documents

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5948488	September 1999	Marecki et al.

Foreign Patent Documents

	1 516 686		Jul 1978		GB

Other References

US. Design application No. 29/078,756, entitled Glittering Retroreflective Sheeting filed Oct. 31, 1997. . U.S. application No. 08/640,326, entitled Glittering Cube-Corner Retroreflective Sheeting filed Apr. 30, 1996. . U.S. application No. 08/640,383, entitled Mold For Producing Glittering Cube-Corner Retroreflective Sheeting filed Apr. 30, 1996. . U.S. application No. 08/641,126, entitled Formed Ultra-Flexible Retroreflective Cube-Corner Composite Sheeting With Target Optical Properties And Method For Making Same filed Apr. 30, 1996. . Page from Top Tape & Label Ltd. 96/97 Catalogue. . Traffic Vest No. WS-9811, Lab Safety Supply Safety Essentials Catalog, 1994 Fall/Winter Edition, p. 152., Oct. 1993.* . Vest W/Scotchlite.TM. No. 05-200, Direct Safety Catalog, p. 193, Aug. 1995.* . Colorful Specialty Mesh Safety Vest No. 05-805, 806, & 807. Direct Safety Company 1996 Master Catalog, p. 75., Jun. 1996..

Primary Examiner: Spear; Robert M.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hofmann, Jr.; Rudolph P.