Optically active sheets including a mark indicating a preferred sheet orientation

Abstract

One exemplary optically active material includes a mark that facilitates identification of a preferred application orientation of the material without significantly affecting the optical properties of the material. Another exemplary optically active material is wound into a roll including multiple, individual strips of pre-measured tape. Adjacent strips are separated by a separation line that can be, for example, a perforated separation line or a complete cut that fully separates the adjacent strips.

1 . A method of applying a piece of optically active pavement marking tape to a desired surface, comprising: 
 providing a piece of pavement marking tape;    detecting an application orientation indicating mark formed on or through at least a portion of the piece of pavement marking tape;    orienting the piece of pavement marking tape on the desired surface in accordance with the mark; and    applying the piece of pavement marking tape to the desired surface.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the pavement marking tape is in the form of a roll that includes multiple pieces of pavement marking tape each of which is separated from an adjacent piece of pavement marking tape by a separation line.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 2 , in which the separation line includes a plurality of perforations, cuts, slits, or variegated holes.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 2 , in which the separation line completely separates adjacent pieces of pavement marking tape.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mark is embossed on the pavement marking tape.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mark is an alphanumeric character.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which a mark color differs from a pavement marking tape color.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the mark is a score mark.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the piece of pavement marking tape is retroreflective.  
   
   
       10 . An optically active pavement marking tape, comprising: 
 a mark formed on or through the pavement marking tape that facilitates identification of a preferred application orientation of the pavement marking tape without significantly affecting an optical property of the pavement marking tape.    
   
   
       11 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 10 , in which the mark is embossed in the pavement marking tape.  
   
   
       12 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 10 , in which the mark is one of an alphanumeric character, a score mark, an arrow, the shape of a strip of the pavement marking tape, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       13 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 10 , in which the mark has a mark color that differs from a pavement marking tape color.  
   
   
       14 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 10 , in which the pavement marking tape is retroreflective.  
   
   
       15 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 10 , in which the pavement marking tape is wound in a roll that includes a plurality of individual strips of pavement marking tape each of which has a length and a width and each of which is separated from an adjacent strip of pavement marking tape by a separation line that extends along the width of each strip.  
   
   
       16 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 15 , in which the separation line includes a plurality of perforations, cuts, slits, or variegated holes that partially separate adjacent strips of pavement marking tape.  
   
   
       17 . The pavement marking tape of  claim 15 , in which the separation line completely separates adjacent strips of pavement marking tape.  
   
   
       18 . In an optically active sheet that can be viewed from a first direction and from a second direction and in which a degree of brightness of the sheet is greater when viewed from the first direction and is less when viewed from the second direction, an improvement comprising: 
 a mark on or through the optically active sheet, the mark facilitating identification of the    first and second directions, the mark being visually accessible without significantly impacting the optical properties of the optically active sheet.    
   
   
       19 . The sheet of  claim 18 , in which the sheet is selected from a group consisting essentially of pavement marking tape and reflective sheeting.  
   
   
       20 . The sheet of  claim 18 , in which the mark is one of embossed onto or cut into the sheet.  
   
   
       21 . The sheet of  claim 18 , in which the mark is an alphanumeric character, a score mark, an arrow, the shape of the sheet, or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       22 . The sheet of  claim 18 , in which the mark has a mark color that differs from a sheet color.  
   
   
       23 . The sheet of  claim 18 , in which the sheet is retroreflective.  
   
   
       24 . A roll of pavement marking material, comprising: 
 a plurality of individual strips of pavement marking material each of which is at least partially separated from an adjacent strip of pavement marking material along a separation line, each strip having a length and a width and the separation line extending along the width of each strip.    
   
   
       25 . The roll of pavement marking material of  claim 24 , in which the individual sheets are completely separated from one another.  
   
   
       26 . The roll of pavement marking material of  claim 24 , in which the separation line includes a plurality of perforations, cuts, slits, or variegated holes.  
   
   
       27 . The roll of pavement marking material of  claim 24 , in which each strip has a length that is at least double the width of the strip.