Stock material or miscellaneous articles – Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and...
Reexamination Certificate
1994-01-04
2001-11-06
Le, Hoa T. (Department: 1773)
Stock material or miscellaneous articles
Nonparticulate element embedded or inlaid in substrate and...
C012S1460BR, C012S1460BR, C036S103000, C036S112000, C036S137000, C036S136000, C036S02500A, C036S03000A, C428S147000, C428S327000, C428S331000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06312782
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
Structure for shoe soles and footwear comprising fluorescent and reflective safety particle chips, pieces, and shapes, embedded, bonded, or mixed in a pattern or at random within, throughout and integral to the bonding material comprising natural or synthetic rubbers, thermo plastic elastomers, vinyls “(by which is meant polyvinylchloride plastics in transparent or translucent forms)”, plasticized vinyl, butyl rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, GSR, urethanes and all similar flexible transparent or translucent mediums with said materials throughout and integral to the structure to the surface and system to make same. The structure maintains its reflective fluorescent capacity despite wear or abrasion and provides the reflective fluorescent capacity throughout its entire structure life.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
Polymer and elastomer materials are widely used in shoes, decorative and recreational objects. In most cases a transparent or translucent polymer or elastomer is used since the materials are often colored to match fashion needs or to make them more attractive.
An examination of the marketplace reveals that, although there are reflectors and individuals have embedded or bonded metallic foils within the core of a rubber ball, the use of such structures is unknown in areas other than toys. The only applications seen provide reflective light which is limited by the opalescent medium within which it is mixed. Because of the nature of the metallic material this metal foil can create more of a hazard to people and there is no benefit from the reflective qualities as the surface of the ball or other shape is abraded. There is a need for an attention getting addition to plastics and elastomers that do not rely upon reflective light. It would also be an advantage to eliminate metallic particles, or foils from play objects.
There is also a need for an improved visibility in the footwear, shoes, shoe soles, shoe sole extensions, clothes and accessories of children so that night visibility is improved.
There is a further need for a system that has particles that are fluorescent, thereby solving a need to provide safety in clothing, shoes, tires, because of enhancement of incident light return.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention teaches an enhanced safety material where macrosized particles of a flourescent material are embedded in a matrix of polymer that is transparent or translucent. The macrosized particles provide enhanced visibility when excited by electromagnetic radiation. The invention specifically is advantageous for shoe soles where the shaped parts or chips containing fluorescent pigments or dyes within the polymer matrix provide patterns due to the nature of flow of the viscous polymers. The invention is applicable to both thermoset and thermoplastic materials. In thermoplastic materials, the materials may be easily formed if the melting point of the macrosized shaped parts or chips containing fluorescent pigments or dyes is above the processing temperature of the polymer that forms the translucent or transparent matrix.
It is accordingly the general object of the present invention to provide an improved reflective surface in and within such natural or synthetic rubbers, thermo-plastic elastomers, vinyls, plasticized vinyl, butyl rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, GSR, urethanes and similar flexible transparent or translucent mediums with said materials throughout and integral to the structure to the surface where reflectability is a desirable feature.
Another object of the present invention is to provide increased safety for children using rubber or synthetic rubber shoes or apparel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an inexpensive highly fluorescent reflective structure that will be both decorative but more importantly increase safety factors wherever it is used to enhance the visibility of a person or object wherein a flexible translucent or transparent medium can be used, embodied in, made a part thereof or connected to that would be durable and resistant to natural elements without losing or diminishing its fluorescent reflective capability.
The opalescent material through which are exposed the first layer of reflective fluorescent chips which may be of several size ranges from micro to macro including plastic fluorescent pigmentation which can be placed at random or induced patterning and no matter how it is used provide the enhanced light refractive qualities derived from fluorescence within a protected wear resistant medium.
Another object of the present invention is to provide improved safety by increased visibility within rubber bicycle tires, off-road vehicles and truck mud guards without causing a blinking effect by mirroring substantial red light to the viewer.
This invention provides a material and a system or method for combining materials not now used in industry that improves visibility, is easy to fabricate, and would be popular as a fashion statement. Fluorescence is critical to the invention.
Fluorescence results from the excitement of the fluorescent material by a relatively wide band of radiation and reradiation in the visible band. The use of this material in the particular shapes and in the manner described following provides an increase in the total available visible light resulting in better safety by adding easily visible objects to the attire of children and adults.
The use of fluorescence cures safety flaws common to materials that solely depend on reflective light rather than enhanced fluorescent light. It provides visibility without depending on wet chemical reactions such as the common light sticks or electrical devices. This invention thus eliminates the use of glass ampules or other hard breakable materials. The amount of visible fluoresced light is greater than the amount of visible spectrum light used to excite the fluorescent material, thereby making this structure different than and more effective than a mere reflector. There are many circumstances where such conditions are desirable, as, for example, for safety purposes at night or with limited light source availability.
There is a need for further safety which is achieved by the use of the product or products which are the object of this invention.
There are many needs for safe and visible surfaces. Automobiles are constructed with reflective lenses, runners are urged to wear reflective clothing and bicycles have lights or permanently-affixed plastic reflective shields attached within the spokes to the structure or to the pedals.
In this invention, a system of embedding or bonding reflective fluorescent particles or chips in and within the structure of natural or synthetic rubber materials, thermo plastic elastomers, vinyls, plasticized vinyl, butyl rubber, styrenes butadiene rubber, GSR, urethanes and similar flexible, transparent or translucent mediums with said materials throughout and integral to the structure to the surface is shown that will provide additional reflectability surfaces to shoe soles for walkers and runners. The invention is also applicable to bicycle tires for increased visibility and for any application where it is useful or desirable to have luminescence or reflective ability in a flexible or moldable and pliable surface as are presently used for rubber shoes, sneakers, rubber or synthetic rubber body suits, clothing or strips to be applied to fixed objects that require flexibility to either wrap around or be bonded to a curved or regular surface.
Examination by these inventors has disclosed that reflectors become inefficient when the surface of the reflector unit is broken, scratched, marred or worn and they recognized a need to provide reflectability to increase the visibility of the user. Accordingly, there is a need for higher degrees of reflectability that are not affected by damage to the surface or wear patterns on the surface that result in decreased reflectability. The reflectability of the structure as described within this invention or made by the methods in this invention is not decreased by damage to or w
Goldberg Kenneth M.
Goldberg Rochelle L.
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