Retroreflective fabrics and method of production

Abstract

A retroreflective fabric having a print or coating having retroreflective pattern areas of aligned, hemispherically coated retroreflective microbeads. In one implementation of the invention a breathable and/or moisture management fabric has adhered thereto one or more arrays of dots each comprising a plurality of aligned, hemispherically coated retroreflective microbeads in such a way that the fabric is exposed for breathability and/or moisture management at interstices between the dots. In an alternative implementation, a breathable fabric has adhered thereto one or more arrays of dots each comprising an area of fabric surrounded by an area of aligned, hemispherically coated retroreflective microbeads adhered to the fabric in such a way that the fabric is exposed for breathability and/or moisture management in the dot areas.

1 - 39 . (canceled)  
   
   
       40 . A method for making a retroreflective fabric, comprising the steps of: 
 (i) producing a sheet having a layer of microbeads hemispherically metallised on their faces away from the sheet; and    (ii) transferring said metallised beads to a fabric, metallised face to said fabric, in pattern areas;    and performing at least one of the steps of:    (a) re-using said sheet for at least one additional transfer of said metallic beads to a further fabric or to a different section of said fabric, a transfer pattern being selected to require bead transfer only from areas of said sheet left beaded after said at least one previous transfer; and    (b) after said at least one transfer, recovering beads from said sheet.    
   
   
       41 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said beads are transferred in a dot pattern or a reverse dot pattern.  
   
   
       42 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said transfer is effected through adhesive applied to said layer of microbeads on said sheet or to said fabric in such a way that said transfer is effective to apply said microbeads to said fabric to produce at least one patterned area in which parts of said fabric are exposed for at least one of the group consisting of: breathing and moisture management.  
   
   
       43 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said beads are transferred selectively from said sheet to said fabric.  
   
   
       44 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said fabric is printed with a pattern of transfer adhesive and said sheet is pressed against said fabric so that beads transfer from said sheet to said fabric.  
   
   
       45 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said sheet is printed with a pattern of transfer adhesive and pressed against said fabric so that beads transfer from said sheet to said fabric.  
   
   
       46 . The method according to  claim 44 , in which said transfer adhesive is a heat activated transfer adhesive, and said sheet and said fabric are pressed together with heat to activate said transfer adhesive.  
   
   
       47 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said transfer adhesive is a polyurethane, polyamide or plastisol adhesive.  
   
   
       48 . The method according to  claim 47 , in which said transfer adhesive is a polyurethane or polyamide adhesive that cross-links at elevated temperature.  
   
   
       49 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said sheet comprises a paper substrate.  
   
   
       50 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said metallised beads are attached to said sheet by a linear low density polyethylene adhesive.  
   
   
       51 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which a thin primer is applied over said metallised beads before transfer to said fabric.  
   
   
       52 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which bead recovery is effected by bending said sheet, whilst travelling, over a small radius.  
   
   
       53 . The method according to  claim 52 , in which said sheet is chilled for said small radius bending operation.  
   
   
       54 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which said beads on said sheet are metallised selectively such that some beads are metallised and others are not.  
   
   
       55 . The method according to  claim 54 , in which, following metallisation, said sheet carries areas of light transmissive beads which are metallised and areas of light transmissive beads which are not and in which both metallised and non-metallised beads are transferred to said fabric.  
   
   
       56 . The method according to  claim 55 , in which said non-metallised beads are associated with at least one of the group consisting of: colorant and light reflective material.  
   
   
       57 . The method according to  claim 56 , in which said colorant and said light reflective material is incorporated in an adhesive used to adhere said beads to said fabric.  
   
   
       58 . The method according to  claim 40 , in which a non-water-based transfer adhesive is used for bead transfer to said fabric.  
   
   
       59 . The method according to  claim 40 , said fabric being having a width selected from the group consisting of: at least 1 metre and at least 1.5 metres.  
   
   
       60 . The method according to  claim 45 , in which said transfer adhesive is a heat activated transfer adhesive, and said sheet and said fabric are pressed together with heat to activate said transfer adhesive.