Retroreflective apertured fabric and garments

Abstract

A breathable high-visibility garment comprising a porous fabric and a non-occluded, unsupported retroreflective laminate adhesively bonded to a major outer surface of at least one region of the porous fabric.

Description

Background Technology

[0001] Reflective materials have been developed for a variety of applications. These materials are often used as high-visibility decorative materials, for example, in clothing, to increase the wearer's visibility. For instance, they are frequently added to clothing worn by firefighters, rescue workers, road workers, and others. Summary of the Invention

[0002] In summary, this document discloses a breathable, high-visibility garment comprising a perforated fabric and a non-occlusive, unsupported reflective laminate bonded adhesively to the main outer surface of at least one region of the perforated fabric. These and other aspects will become apparent in the following detailed description. However, this broad summary should not in any way be construed as limiting the subject matter protected by the claims, whether such subject matter is presented in the claims of the originally filed application, in the claims of the amended application, or otherwise in the course of the application. Attached Figure Description

[0003] Figure 1 This is a front view of an exemplary high-visibility garment with a retroreflective laminate in a selected area of ​​the garment.

[0004] Figure 2 This is a side sectional view of a portion of an exemplary fabric of a garment with an exemplary retroreflective laminate.

[0005] Figure 3 This is a side sectional view of a portion of an exemplary perforated fabric of a garment having an exemplary retroreflective laminate in a region of the fabric.

[0006] Figure 4 yes Figure 3 An enlarged side sectional view of an exemplary opening.

[0007] Figure 5 This is a front view photograph of a portion of an exemplary perforated fabric of a garment with an exemplary retroreflective laminate in a selected area of ​​the clothing.

[0008] Figure 6 These are front view photographs of an exemplary sample and a comparative example of a retroreflective sheet of another porous fabric with an exemplary retroreflective laminate, both samples being bent around a cylinder.

[0009] Figure 7 These are close-up front view photographs of an exemplary sample of a porous fabric with an exemplary retroreflective laminate and a comparative retroreflective sheet, both of which are bent around a cylinder.

[0010] Figure 8This is a 50X SEM image of an exemplary opening in a fabric, showing the flange of an exemplary retroreflective laminate that has been wrapped into the opening.

[0011] In all figures, the same reference numerals denote the same elements. Some elements may exist in the same or equal multiples; in such cases, one or more representative elements may be designated only by reference numerals, but it should be understood that such reference numerals apply to all such identical elements. The non-photographic figures and illustrations in this document are not all drawn to scale and have been chosen for the purpose of illustrating different embodiments of the invention. The dimensions of various parts are described in illustrative terms only, and relationships between the dimensions, relative curvatures, etc., of various parts should not be inferred from the illustrations. In particular, for ease of illustration, the thickness of the reflective layer, which is proportional to certain other articles, has been exaggerated.

[0012] As used herein, when applied to clothing, fabrics, retroreflective laminates supported by such fabrics, terms such as “outward” or “external” refer to the side from which the item will be observed; that is, the side away from the wearer’s body. Terms such as “inward” or “facing inward” refer to the opposite side; that is, the side facing the wearer’s body. Terms such as “upward” and “downward” have the general meaning with respect to the vertical axis established by the upright garment wearer (i.e., the person). (The inward-outward direction (io) and the upward-downward direction (ud) are shown in different figures.) Even for specific items and components (e.g., adhesive layers, bonding layers, etc., which are part of a retroreflective laminate), unless otherwise stated, the term refers to the garment as a whole, not to the specific item.

[0013] As used herein, as a modifier of a property or attribute, unless otherwise specifically defined, the term “approximately” means a property or attribute that will be readily identifiable by a person skilled in the art without requiring a high degree of approximation (e.g., within + / - 20% for quantifiable properties). Unless otherwise specifically defined, the term “generally” means a high degree of approximation (e.g., within + / - 10% for quantifiable properties). The term “substantially” means an extremely high degree of approximation (e.g., within + / - 2% for quantifiable properties); it should be understood that the phrase “at least substantially” includes specific cases of “exact” matching. However, even “exact” matching, or cases described using terms such as identical, equal, consistent, uniform, constant, etc., will be understood as being within ordinary tolerances or within measurement errors applicable to the specific case, rather than requiring absolute precision or a perfect match. The terms “constructed to” and similar terms are at least as restrictive as the term “suitable” and require the actual design intent to perform the specified function, not merely the physical capability to perform such function. All references to numerical parameters (sizes, ratios, etc.) in this document are to be understood as being able to be calculated using the average of multiple measurements derived from the parameter (unless otherwise stated). Unless otherwise indicated, all averages referred to herein are number averages. Detailed Implementation

[0014] This document discloses a perforated fabric 10 and a highly visible, breathable garment 1 that can be made from this fabric. Garment refers to an article worn and carried by a person in normal use. By definition, the term garment does not include any article to be attached to clothing to be worn and carried by a person. Therefore, the term garment does not include the general type of "decorative" articles described later herein.

[0015] exist Figure 1 An exemplary highly visible, breathable garment 1 in the form of a vest is shown. Typically, such garments can take the form of, for example, vests, jackets, shirts (long-sleeved or short-sleeved), trousers, jumpsuits, etc. Such garments will include a primary outer surface 12, most or all of which is visible when the garment is worn; and a primary inner surface 13, which faces the wearer's body and is most or all of which is invisible when the garment is worn.

[0016] Such garment 1 will include one or more reflective areas 14 to provide high visibility. In many embodiments, some areas 14 of the fabric 10 of garment 1 may be reflective, while other areas 15 of the fabric 10 may not be reflective. For example, the reflective areas 14 may take the form of one or more vertical stripes 51 and one or more horizontal stripes 52, such as... Figure 1As in the exemplary design. At least some of these retroreflection regions will be provided by retroreflection laminate 50, as defined and described in detail herein.

[0017] In some embodiments, the reflective laminate 50 present on the garment may take the form of a continuous structure with dimensions of at least 50 square centimeters, 100 square centimeters, 150 square centimeters, or 200 square centimeters. For example, such a continuous structure may take the form of... Figure 1 The general type of horizontal or vertical stripe shown is used. (In various embodiments, such stripes may include a width of at least 25 mm, 35 mm, or 50 mm.) In other embodiments, the retroreflective laminate can take the form of a number of relatively small structures, such as each occupying an area of ​​less than 50 square centimeters, 30 square centimeters, 20 square centimeters, 10 square centimeters, 5 square centimeters, 2 square centimeters, or 1 square centimeter. In some embodiments, such small-scale structures may be “discrete islands” of the type described in co-pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63 / 082616, entitled Fabric and Garment Comprising Discrete Islands of Retroreflective Laminate, Attorney General’s File No. 83387US002, filed on the same day as this application, and implemented by using a template in the lamination process in the general manner disclosed in application 83387US002. These small-scale structures can be arranged close to each other such that they collectively occupy a large area of ​​the garment. For example, small-sized structures in the form of small strips can be arranged to collectively form a large-sized strip, as illustrated in U.S. Patent 8,256,025. Figure 3 The general appearance is shown. Many variations of these arrangements are possible. For example, the retroreflective laminate can take the form of a large-scale structure (e.g., strips at least 35 mm wide) that is a collection of discrete portions of a "continuous" rather than a retroreflective laminate, but which is still patterned to represent the interior space in which no retroreflective laminate exists. (This patterned structure can, for example, be similar to that of U.S. Patent 8,256,025.) Figure 4 ).

[0018] In various embodiments, some of the retroreflective regions 14 provided by the retroreflective laminate 50 may be separated from each other by areas in which the original (e.g., fluorescent) fabric 10 is visible; or, the retroreflective regions may be closely adjacent to another other retroreflective region (e.g., such as...). Figure 1 The vertical and horizontal retroreflection strips 51 and 52 shown, and Figure 5The photograph of the working example sample shown depicts two retroreflective areas (14). In some embodiments, the retroreflective areas may extend continuously, for example, around the sleeves, trouser legs, or other parts of the garment. Many such arrangements are possible.

[0019] In various embodiments, the retroreflective regions 15 provided by one or more retroreflective laminates 50 may collectively constitute at least 2%, 4%, 8%, 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% of the total area of ​​the main outer surface of the perforated fabric of the garment. In other embodiments, the retroreflective regions 15 may account for up to 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 45%, 35%, 25%, or 15% of the total area of ​​the main outer surface of the perforated fabric of the garment. (In some embodiments, substantially the entire outer surface of the fabric may be retroreflective.)

[0020] Porous fabrics

[0021] The fabric 10 disclosed herein is a perforated fabric. A perforated fabric is a fabric comprising a plurality of openings that collectively occupy at least 3% of the opening area percentage. (This assessment will be based on the main portion of the fabric and will exclude any small portions that may be covered, such as seams, where some of the openings may be covered.) In various embodiments, such openings may occupy at least 5%, 10%, 15%, or 20% of the opening area percentage. In other embodiments, such openings may occupy up to 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, 25%, 18%, 13%, or 8% of the opening area percentage. Generally, the upper limit of the opening area percentage can be determined by the desired visibility to be achieved by the fabric, which will become apparent from the discussion below. In particular, if it is desired that the fabric meets the standards set forth in ANSI ISEA 107-2015, the U.S. National Standard for High Visibility Safety Apparel and Accessories (hereinafter referred to as "ANSI 107-2015"), the percentage of opening area may need to be below a certain limit to meet the luminance requirements of the ANSI 107-2015 standard.

[0022] An opening refers to a through-opening that extends from the outer surface 12 to the inner surface 13 through the thickness of the fabric 10. For example... Figure 3 An exemplary general representation of the opening 11 is shown. This opening 11 will include, as also... Figure 3 The sidewall 22 is shown. By definition, in order to achieve the quality of an "opening", such a through hole must exhibit a size (area) of at least 0.3 square millimeters.

[0023] In general, such openings 11 can be provided in two general ways and of two general types. The first type is an opening that inherently exists as spaces between filaments (the term "filament" broadly includes threads, strands, yarns, etc.) of a textile fabric (e.g., woven or knitted fabric). In other words, in some embodiments, the fabric can be, for example, a loosely woven textile in which at least some spaces between the warp and weft yarns are large enough to serve as openings. (When viewed along the inward-outward axis of the fabric, such an opening can be, for example, approximately square in shape, depending on the specific nature of the weave). This type of opening will be referred to as a "gap" opening, which will inherently be produced by the fabric manufacturing process and will not necessarily require any type of post-processing to form the opening. (However, it should be noted that only openings exhibiting the aforementioned minimum size (area) will be used as "openings"). Any fabric that includes gap openings of a certain size to serve as gap openings will be referred to herein as a "web". In any real-life web, some openings may be large enough to serve as openings, while others may not be usable as openings.

[0024] The second type of opening is a perforation, which, by definition, is an opening formed in the fabric through a post-processing procedure performed after the initial production of the fabric (e.g., by weaving). This post-processing can be, for example, mechanical perforation (e.g., by punching), waterjet cutting, laser cutting, needle punching, etc. In this case, the shape of the opening can be determined by the specific methods and equipment used, such as circular, elliptical, square, hexagonal, etc. In some embodiments, a combination of gap openings and perforations can exist (in other words, in some embodiments, the "mesh" can be perforated). The opening 11 of the perforated fabric 10 is... Figure 3 It is generally indicated in the middle (therefore it can be a gap opening or a perforation); Figure 5 The openings in the fabric photograph are perforations, with an average size of about 1.4 square millimeters and occupying about 7% of the opening area percentage.

[0025] In various embodiments, the openings 11 of the perforated fabric may have to exhibit a size of at least 0.5 mm², 1.0 mm², 1.5 mm², or 2.0 mm²; in other embodiments, the openings may exhibit a size of up to 20 mm², 15 mm², 10 mm², 8 mm², 6 mm², 5 mm², 4 mm², 3 mm², or 2.5 mm².

[0026] In various embodiments, the openings 11 of the perforated fabric can exhibit an average aspect ratio of less than 8.0, 6.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.5, 2.0, 1.5, or 1.1. The aspect ratio is the ratio of the maximum size of the opening to the minimum size of the opening along a direction perpendicular to the inward-outward axis of the fabric. (A perfectly circular opening would have an aspect ratio of 1.0). In some cases, the openings can be slightly elongated (e.g., Figure 5 The opening 11 has an aspect ratio of approximately 2.9. However, as will be discussed later herein, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the opening not to have an extremely high aspect ratio (e.g., more than 6.0); in other words, in some cases, it may be advantageous for the opening not to be very long and narrow.

[0027] In various embodiments, the openings 11 of the perforated fabric can exhibit an average aspect ratio less than 1.0, 0.6, 0.4, 0.2, or 0.1. (The minimum aspect ratio can be, for example, 0.05 or 0.02). The length of the opening refers to the “depth” of the opening; that is, the distance along the opening in the inward-outward direction from one main face of the fabric to the other main face of the fabric. The “width” refers to the average diameter of the opening (or the equivalent diameter of a non-circular opening). The length “l” and width “w” of the exemplary opening 11 of fabric 10 are... Figure 4 As shown below, this will be discussed in detail later. As will be discussed later herein, in some embodiments, it may be advantageous for the opening to have a relatively low aspect ratio; that is, relatively short and low and wide, rather than tall and narrow. The thickness of the perforated fabric can be any suitable value (e.g., combined with the opening size to give the opening the desired aspect ratio). In various embodiments, the perforated fabric 10 may exhibit a thickness of at least 0.2 mm, 0.3 mm, 0.4 mm, 0.5 mm, or 0.6 mm. In other embodiments, the perforated fabric 10 may exhibit a thickness of up to 2.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 1.0 mm, 0.8 mm, 0.55 mm, or 0.45 mm.

[0028] fabric breathability

[0029] Fabric 10 will be breathable. This means that pores 11 will occupy at least 3.0% of the open area to allow air, especially water vapor, to pass through the fabric. In some embodiments, breathability may be further enhanced by the composition of the fabric (e.g., if it is cotton or a cotton blend) and / or by the space between the filaments, which is too small to be used as an opening in the sense defined herein, but still allows some air and / or water vapor transmission.

[0030] Fabric 10 itself can be any suitable composition and can be made by any suitable method. For example, fabric 10 can be made of, for example, polyester, polyester / cotton blends, cotton, nylon, etc. If it is desired that the fabric exhibits heat resistance and / or flame retardancy beneficial to a particular application, the fabric can include or be made of known materials, such as products available under trade names KEVLAR and NOMEX, CELAZOLE and PBI-LP. In some embodiments, such fabric can be, for example, textiles, such as woven textiles or nonwoven textiles or similar materials. However, broadly speaking, any sheet material suitable for use as clothing, manufactured by any method, can be used as a fabric.

[0031] In many embodiments, garment 1 may include fabric 10, which exists as a single layer on at least 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, or 95% of the total area of ​​the garment. That is, apart from areas where seams, cuffs, collars, belts, linings, etc., may be present, the majority of the garment may be in the form of a single layer of fabric 10. This single layer will differ from garments comprising multiple layers of fabric stacked together. (However, in this document, a single layer of fabric will include, for example, a coated fabric layer, for waterproofing purposes.) In some embodiments, the fabric may be a multi-layered fabric, for example, in which individual, pre-prepared fabric layers are attached to each other, for example, by lamination. In such embodiments, the fabric layers should be arranged or treated (e.g., by common perforation of the layers after they have been attached to each other) such that the openings of the layers are aligned with each other to maintain sufficient breathability.

[0032] In many embodiments, the fabric 10 may be fluorescent. "Fluorescent" means that the fabric (and the garment 1 made therefrom) will exhibit a brightness (minimum brightness factor) that meets the standards set forth in ANSI 107-2015. Those skilled in the art will know that this minimum value varies depending on the specific fluorescent color (e.g., a fluorescent yellow fabric must have a minimum brightness factor of 0.70). This can be achieved, for example, by incorporating one or more fluorescent additives into the fabric (e.g., into the filaments forming the fabric). Such fluorescent additives and fabrics are widely available. In such embodiments, the garment may exhibit, for example, bright yellow, orange, or green fluorescent areas scattered with reflective areas (e.g., stripes). [The image appears in the original text.] Figure 5 In the working example sample, the region 15 on fabric 10 without retroreflective laminate 50 exhibits the bright fluorescent yellow of the original fabric, although this is in... Figure 5 Not visible in the grayscale photograph. In this sample, region 14 shows a bright silver color (in ambient light), which is characteristic of many retroreflective layers.

[0033] Retro-reflected layer

[0034] As disclosed herein, at least one retroreflective region of garment 1 will be provided by a retroreflective laminate. Figure 3 The side sectional view (depicted in an exemplary general representation) depicts a retroreflective laminate 50 disposed on a region 14 of the perforated fabric 10, while no retroreflective laminate 50 is present on another adjacent region 15 of the fabric 10.

[0035] Figure 2 It is a part of fabric 10 with an exemplary retroreflective laminate 50 (between the openings, such that...) Figure 2 An enlarged view (opening not shown) is shown. In many embodiments, this laminate 50 may include an adhesive layer 60, transparent microspheres 70, and an adhesive 63. The adhesive 63 can be conveniently configured as follows: Figure 2 The adhesive is provided in the form of a continuous layer; however, in some embodiments, this adhesive may be provided discontinuously, for example, by spraying.

[0036] This laminate 50 will provide a plurality of retroreflective elements spaced apart along the length and width of the front side of the adhesive layer 60. Each retroreflective element will include a transparent microsphere 70 partially embedded in the adhesive layer 60 such that a portion 71 of the microsphere 70 is partially exposed. The adhesive layer 60 holds and retains the transparent microspheres 70 and presents them in such a way that they can perform a retroreflective effect and provide the retroreflective laminate 50 with sufficient mechanical integrity for processing and handling.

[0037] Each transparent microsphere 70 has an embedded portion 72 located within the adhesive layer 60. A reflective layer 73 is disposed between the embedded portion 72 of the microsphere 70 and the adhesive layer 60. The microsphere 70 and the reflective layer 73 cause a large amount of incident light to be reflected back towards the light source. That is, light that encounters the outer side of the retroreflective composite enters and passes through the microsphere 70 and is reflected by the reflective layer 73 to re-enter the microsphere 70, thereby redirecting the light back towards the light source in the general manner indicated by the term "reflection".

[0038] The retroreflective laminate 50 includes the adhesive 63 as described above. Figure 2 In the exemplary depiction, the main inner surface 64 of the adhesive layer 63 contacts the main outer surface 12 of the fabric 10. The main outer surface 65 of the adhesive layer 63 contacts the main inner surface 61 of the adhesive layer 60. In the depicted embodiment, the main outer surface 62 of the adhesive layer 60 will provide the main outer surface 53 of the laminate 50 (ignoring the protrusions 71 of the microspheres 70); the main inner surface 64 of the adhesive layer 63 will provide the main inner surface of the laminate 50.

[0039] As described above, the retroreflective component disclosed herein is a retroreflective laminate 50. A laminate refers to a pre-existing stack (e.g., including an adhesive layer 60 with microspheres and an adhesive layer 63 as described above), which is adhesively bonded to the fabric 10 as a whole by the adhesive layer 63 of the laminate. By definition, the adhesive layer 63 is a component of the retroreflective laminate 50 prior to contact with the fabric 10. Therefore, this arrangement differs from methods such as applying an adhesive to the fabric (e.g., by screen printing) and then contacting the retroreflective article with the adhesive. Those skilled in the art will understand that the method disclosed herein (where the adhesive layer is a pre-existing component of the retroreflective laminate) will cause the resulting product (a fabric layer with the retroreflective laminate) to exhibit at least some characteristics that distinguish it from products obtained by, for example, applying an adhesive layer to the fabric by screen printing or other means. The retroreflective laminate disclosed herein will also differ from retroreflective articles formed, for example, by directly coating a retroreflective layer onto a fabric.

[0040] Unsupported

[0041] By definition, the reflective laminate 50 is unsupported. This means that the laminate 50 does not include any kind of supporting substrate, layer, membrane, etc. (except for the adhesive layer 60), which is used to provide mechanical integrity at the expense of increasing the thickness of the laminate. In particular, the unsupported laminate 50 does not include any fabric layer, etc. In this respect, the method disclosed herein is significantly different from many conventional methods of providing reflective garments. For many years, garments have been given reflectivity by providing one or more reflective items in the form of "decorative" elements; that is, in the form of reflective layers disposed on supporting fabric layers. "Decorative elements" are attached to the garment, for example, by sewing, by ultrasonic bonding, by adhesives, etc. The result is the presence of two layers of fabric (the garment fabric and the decorative fabric). This can reduce the breathability of the garment, increase the local stiffness of the garment, etc.

[0042] In contrast, in this method, the retroreflective laminate 50 is applied directly to the fabric of the garment without the need for any additional supporting fabric layer. This method eliminates the extra thickness imparted by a fabric support layer, minimizes any impact on breathability and stiffness, and minimizes the rough edges typically present by retroreflective “trimming.” (In some cases, such as Figure 3The edge 55 of the retroreflective laminate 50 shown may be so fine that a person might be able to move their finger along the fabric and not easily discern when they encounter the edge of the laminate. Therefore, in some embodiments, the retroreflective laminate mounted on the fabric of a garment can provide a “low-profile” retroreflective region, wherein the local thickness of the retroreflective region (the combined thickness of the garment fabric and the retroreflective laminate) may be less than 1.5 times, 1.3 times, or 1.2 times greater than the thickness of the garment fabric alone. As a specific example, in some embodiments, the thickness of the perforated fabric may be, for example, 0.4 mm–0.5 mm, and the thickness of the retroreflective laminate to be laminated to the perforated fabric may be, for example, 0.10 mm–0.15 mm.

[0043] Therefore, in summary, unsupported retroreflective laminates disclosed herein will not include any kind of supporting substrate, such as fabric layers. In some embodiments, such laminates may consist essentially of two main layers or of two main layers: an adhesive layer and an adhesive layer that attaches the laminate to the fabric of the garment. Hereinafter, the main layers are considered structural layers, which by definition include both the adhesive layer and the adhesive layer. By definition, the main layers do not include optical layers, such as retroreflective layers (e.g., vapor-coated metal layers), etc. (such layers will be referred to herein as secondary layers). The condition that the laminate may consist of these two main layers does not preclude the presence of other components (e.g., microspheres), and / or other layers that are considered secondary layers herein.

[0044] By definition, a retroreflective laminate as disclosed herein will comprise more than one master layer. For example, in many embodiments, an adhesive layer 60 and an adhesive layer 63 will be present. The adhesive layer 63 and the adhesive layer 60 are separate layers with different compositions and functions, wherein the adhesive layer provides the retroreflective element, and the adhesive layer is used to hold the adhesive layer in place on the desired fabric. This arrangement differs from arrangements that use a single master layer (e.g., an adhesive layer that itself provides the retroreflective element). Discrete articles providing the retroreflective element (e.g., transparent microspheres) are not considered to constitute a “layer” herein.

[0045] In various embodiments, the retroreflective laminate (in the absence of any lining) may exhibit a thickness from its outer surface 53 to its inner surface 54 (e.g., from the outer surface 62 of the adhesive layer 60 to the inner surface 64 of the adhesive layer 63, excluding any microspheres protruding above the adhesive layer) of about 20 micrometers, 40 micrometers, or 60 micrometers to about 300 micrometers, 200 micrometers, 150 micrometers, 100 micrometers, 80 micrometers, or 50 micrometers. In various embodiments, the thickness of the retroreflective laminate from its outer surface 53 to its inner surface 54 (e.g., from the outer surface 62 of the adhesive layer 60 to the inner surface 64 of the adhesive layer 63, excluding any microspheres protruding above the adhesive layer) may be about 5%, 10%, 20%, or 30% to about 80%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 35%, 25%, or 15% of the thickness of the fabric to which it is attached.

[0046] The laminate 50 is adhesively bonded to the main outer surface 12 of the perforated fabric 10 using an adhesive 63. The adhesive 63 can be any suitable type that allows for lamination. In some embodiments, this adhesive 63 can be a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) at room temperature (21°C). By definition, such a PSA will meet the well-known Dahlquist standard, exhibiting a value greater than 1 × 10⁻⁶ at 21°C. -6 cm 2 / Dyne's one-second creep flexibility.

[0047] In other embodiments, this adhesive 63 may be a material that does not exhibit PSA properties at room temperature but can be heated to the temperature at which the adhesive bonds to the fabric (e.g., by lamination in a hot press as described later herein). Some such embodiments may have the advantage that if the adhesive is sufficiently non-sticky at room temperature (and at all temperatures the adhesive may be exposed to during storage, transport, and handling), the adhesive may not need to be covered by a non-stick lining.

[0048] In some embodiments, the adhesive can be a material that can be heated to a temperature (e.g., a so-called hot melt adhesive) at which it can be flowably deposited (e.g., coated or extruded) onto an adhesive layer, after which the adhesive can be cooled to form an adhesive layer. The resulting laminate can be held until it is desired to attach the laminate to the fabric, at which point the adhesive can be heated (e.g., in a flat press as described later herein) to a temperature sufficient to bond the laminate to the fabric.

[0049] In some embodiments, the adhesive may be a thermoplastic material in the form of, for example, a film or sheet, which can be applied to the adhesive layer by thermal lamination rather than by completely melting the adhesive material, thereby applying it to the adhesive, for example, by coating. The resulting laminate can then be used in a manner similar to that described above for hot-melt adhesives used for flowable deposition. Such materials may have thicknesses of, for example, 25 micrometers, 50 micrometers, or 75 to 150 micrometers, 125 micrometers, 100 micrometers, or 75 micrometers, and may have a softening point in the range of, for example, 100°C to 150°C.

[0050] Therefore, in some embodiments, a suitable adhesive can be applied to the adhesive layer, whether by, for example, liquid coating, spraying, extrusion, or lamination, and the resulting article (with or without a non-adhesive lining on the adhesive, depending on the properties of the specific adhesive) can be stored until it is desired to laminate the article to the fabric. In other embodiments, as part of the lamination process (e.g., just before the resulting article is laminated to the fabric), a suitable adhesive can be applied to the adhesive layer, for example, by liquid coating, spraying, extrusion, or lamination.

[0051] Various PSAs, heat-meltable adhesives, and heat-activated adhesive films are widely available. These materials can be made from or include substances such as ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, acrylate polymers and copolymers, natural rubber polymers, polyolefins, polyamides, polyesters, polyurethanes, polycaprolactone, polycarbonates, styrene block copolymers, etc. These materials are available from suppliers such as 3M, Bostik (Arkema), Lubrizol, Bemis, Huntsman, Woorthen, and Celanese. In some embodiments, the composition of the adhesive can be selected based on the fabric to be bonded. For example, if the laminate is to be bonded to a fabric containing polyester, cotton, polyester-cotton blends, etc., an adhesive including polyester can be used. Although many of these adhesives can be thermoplastic as described above, in some embodiments, thermosetting adhesives, such as reactive hot-melt adhesives based on, for example, polyurethane or polyolefins, can be used. This adhesive is available from companies such as Buhen Adhesive Systems.

[0052] Non-blocking

[0053] The retroreflective laminate 50 is non-occlusive, meaning that the laminate 50 does not block (close) the openings 11 of the fabric 10, such as... Figure 3As shown. That is, the bonding of the laminate 50 to the fabric 10 does not cause the laminate 50 to "bridge" or otherwise fill the opening 11. Those skilled in the art will understand that in actual production, the opening 11 may occasionally be bridged or otherwise filled by the laminate, as is statistically possible in any actual production process; however, in general, the vast majority of openings 11 will remain open. This can be seen from... Figure 5 As can be readily seen, the figure illustrates a perforated fabric 10 of an exemplary working example, wherein region 14 has a retroreflective laminate 50 bonded thereto. Essentially, all openings 11 covered by the laminate 50 in region 14 of fabric 10 remain open. Furthermore, the presence of the laminate 50 does not appear to significantly reduce the size of the openings 11. Therefore, in various embodiments, the average size (in square millimeters, measured when viewing the opening along an inward-outward axis) of the openings 11 in region 14 of fabric 10 with the retroreflective laminate 50 can be at least 40%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 85%, or 90% of the average size of the openings in region 15 without the laminate 50. (This average size of the openings in region 14 refers to the size defined by the retroreflective laminate present in the openings, not the original size of the openings in the fabric itself.) The percentage of open area of ​​the openings in region 14, and the air permeability and breathability exhibited by that region, will remain considerably similar to that of region 15.

[0054] It should be noted that this non-closed state only applies to through holes in fabric 10 large enough to function as openings. In many cases (especially if fabric 10 is already...), Figure 5 The fabric 10 is typically a perforated mesh, where smaller openings (e.g., gaps between filaments, fibers, threads, etc.) can be filled and blocked by an adhesive. The arrangement disclosed herein allows this to happen, provided the openings are not blocked, allowing the fabric to remain breathable.

[0055] The above discussion clearly shows that the openings 11 of the fabric layer 10 and the corresponding openings 56 of the retroreflective laminate 50 will be aligned with each other along the inward-outward direction of the assembly, for example, as Figure 3 As shown and as Figure 5 It is evident. However, it will also be clear that this arrangement can be distinguished from an arrangement in which the retroreflective laminate and the fabric are attached to each other through openings and then introduced through the two articles in one operation (e.g., by co-perforation).

[0056] In this method, a pre-formulated retroreflective laminate 50, comprising at least an adhesive layer 60 and an adhesive layer 63, is placed together with a perforated fabric 10 such that the adhesive layer contacts the main surface 12 of the perforated fabric 10 in the desired area 14 of the fabric. (Other areas 15 of the fabric may remain as is, without the retroreflective laminate being applied therein). For example, heat and / or pressure are applied to bond the adhesive 63 to the fabric 10.

[0057] The process of bonding the laminate 50 and the perforated fabric 10 together using appropriate heat and / or pressure can be achieved, for example, by a pair of laminating tools. In some embodiments, the pair of laminating tools may take the form of rollers in a pressure roller device. Such a device may include a first backing roller supporting the retroreflected laminate and a second backing roller supporting the fabric, wherein a suitable gap is established at the point where the surfaces of the first and second backing rollers are closest to each other. The surface of each backing roller may be selected to have any suitable hardness; for example, the surface may be steel or other metal, or may be, for example, equipped with a coating or sleeve of, for example, silicone rubber of any suitable thickness and hardness.

[0058] However, in some embodiments, lamination can be performed by placing the retroreflective laminate and the perforated fabric together in a flat press and pressing them together at a suitable temperature and / or pressure. This process will be a batch process rather than a roll-to-roll process. This method may be advantageous in allowing the use of fabric that has already been at least partially cut into garment shape, which could be difficult for pressure roller systems. Incidentally, the fabric sheet with the retroreflective laminate attached (typically a multi-sheet laminate) can itself form a garment, for example, after any final cutting or finishing process. However, in some embodiments, a garment can be formed by taking two or more sheets of fabric (at least one of which has one or more retroreflective laminates) and joining the fabric sheets together, for example, by sewing. The methods disclosed herein cover any such arrangement.

[0059] When using a flatbed press, one or two press plates can be controlled at the desired temperature (e.g., 160°C-180°C). The press plates can be joined together with appropriate pressure (e.g., 40 psi-60 psi) and appropriate time (e.g., 5 seconds, 10 seconds, or 15 seconds, up to 60 seconds, 40 seconds, or 20 seconds). The press plates can then be separated, and (after waiting for the article to cool sufficiently to establish a sufficient bond between the adhesive and the fabric) the perforated fabric with one or more retroreflective laminate sheets bonded thereto can be removed. A suitable press for this operation can be of the general type, for example, available from Yourway Machinery Co., Ltd., Taiwan, China. If desired, the laminating equipment and method can be configured such that the retroreflective laminate is set on the perforated fabric in the desired pattern. This can be achieved, for example, by using a suitably patterned template, by depositing a heat-resistant masking material in the desired pattern onto the adhesive layer of the laminate, or by any similar method.

[0060] As detailed herein, the methods disclosed herein relate to the production of perforated fabrics having retroreflective laminates thereon without blocking (filling) the openings with the laminates. This can be achieved, for example, by combining various methods and process conditions.

[0061] A general method has been discovered that yields favorable results. This involves using a sacrificial substrate positioned on the side of the perforated fabric opposite to the retroreflective laminate (i.e., on the side of the fabric that will become the final garment). It has been found that when the retroreflective laminate is pressed against the outward surface of the fabric during lamination, the laminate can deform (expand) into the openings of the fabric. This can be done such that the surface of the adhesive layer of the laminate can contact and bond to the surface of the sacrificial substrate exposed at the inner end of the opening. When the lamination process is complete and the sacrificial substrate separates from the fabric / laminate assembly (e.g., when the substrate is peeled from the inward main surface of the perforated fabric), the adhesive regions bonded to the sacrificial substrate (along with the adhesive on top of these adhesive regions) are removed together with the substrate. That is, these regions of adhesive and adhesive material separate from the adhesive and adhesive material surrounding them respectively, such that these localized regions of the laminate remain bonded to the sacrificial substrate. As a result, the separation of the sacrificial substrate from the perforated fabric removes the laminate from the inward opening of the opening and leaves the opening in a position such that... Figure 3 The image shows an unblocked state.

[0062] The composition, physical properties (e.g., stiffness), and especially surface properties of the sacrificial substrate can be selected to enhance the adhesive's ability to bond to the substrate surface, thereby achieving the aforementioned effect. The sacrificial substrate can be any suitable material, such as fabric, polymer film, etc.

[0063] In many implementations, the sacrificial substrate is not pre-attached to the perforated fabric prior to the lamination process. (Instead, both layers are placed inside a flat press during lamination.) This arrangement differs from, for example, methods in which the sacrificial substrate is attached to the perforated fabric before either of these articles is fed into the lamination process.

[0064] As briefly mentioned earlier in this paper, it is now understood that it may be advantageous for the aperture 11 to be relatively short and wide (rather than having a high aspect ratio) and to have a relatively low aspect ratio. That is, this condition allows the laminate to deform more easily and penetrate through the aperture far enough to contact the sacrificial substrate. At this point, the various dimensions and ratios previously proposed in this paper have been found to be sufficient.

[0065] It has been discussed that the retroreflective laminates disclosed herein will be unsupported, meaning they do not include any support layers, such as polymer films or fabric layers. It is now understood that the absence of such a support layer will allow the laminate to deform more easily into and through the openings in the fabric. (The composition of the adhesive and binder layers can also be chosen, for example, to be relatively elastic, deformable, etc., to further enhance this capability.) Furthermore, the lamination process can be carried out with “unlined” retroreflective laminates. That is, any lining present on the received laminate will be removed prior to the lamination process. This obviously includes any lining that may already be present to protect the adhesive (e.g., if the adhesive is viscous enough that a lining is required for handling and storage).

[0066] However, if a "back" liner is present (i.e., a liner on the side of the adhesive layer opposite to the adhesive, i.e., a liner on the outside of the retroreflective laminate), it must also be removed before lamination. (If the liner is not removed before lamination, the space occupied by this liner will be...) Figure 2 (This is indicated by reference numeral 74 in the accompanying drawings.) This contrasts with conventional practices in the production of retroreflective articles and their bonding to fabrics. Typically, retroreflective articles containing microspheres as disclosed herein are constructed starting with a liner (often referred to as a carrier). In conventional practice, this liner is softened (e.g., by heating) and multiple transparent microspheres are partially embedded within it. A reflective layer (e.g., a metallic coating) is then applied to the exposed portions of the microspheres. An adhesive precursor (e.g., a polymeric resin) is then coated onto the liner, covering the exposed portions of the microspheres, and hardened to form an adhesive layer. An adhesive layer is then deposited on top of the adhesive layer. The resulting article is then stored until it is attached to a fabric.

[0067] To perform the bonding, the article, still with the lining, is placed on the fabric, bringing the adhesive into contact with the fabric. The resulting stack is then heated to bond the adhesive to the fabric. This entire process is typically carried out while the original lining (carrier) is still present. The lining / carrier is removed only after the article has been bonded to the fabric.

[0068] As is conventionally known in the art, this method has the advantage that the liner / carrier stabilizes the retroformed article and, in particular, minimizes any stretching or warping of the retroformed article during processing. This consideration can be important for large-scale operations, such as roll-to-roll processing involving retroformed articles. However, the present invention has disclosed that, for lamination operations of the type disclosed herein, any such liner / carrier can be removed from the retroformed laminate before the laminate is bonded to the fabric without causing undue deformation or damage to the laminate. Furthermore, this discussion clearly demonstrates that the absence of any such liner / carrier on the laminate will significantly reduce the stiffness of the laminate and will make the laminate more susceptible to deformation into and through openings in the fabric.

[0069] If the retroreflective laminate is particularly weak or difficult to handle without a backing / carrier, a slightly modified lamination procedure can be used. For example, the laminate can be placed on the desired perforated fabric with the backing still in place. Mild heat and / or pressure can then be applied to adhere the laminate in place. Once the laminate has adhered to the fabric in this manner, the backing can be removed, after which a full lamination process can be performed (using the temperature and / or pressure as described herein).

[0070] In addition to the guidelines discussed above regarding selecting a suitable sacrificial substrate, choosing appropriate opening sizes, and laminating in the absence of a liner / carrier, another method has been found to produce particularly favorable results. This involves using a compliant pad behind the retroreflected laminate during the lamination process. It has been found that the presence of this compliant pad significantly enhances the laminate's ability to deform and pass through the fabric openings. (In other words, the compliant pad helps to push the laminate into the openings).

[0071] A compliant pad is a pad exhibiting a Shore OO hardness of 100 or less. In various embodiments, such a pad may exhibit a Shore OO hardness of less than 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, 30, or 20. In some embodiments, such a pad may exhibit a Shore OO hardness of at least 5, 10, or 15. Such a compliant pad may be made of any suitable material, such as silicone rubber, to ensure that the adhesive (and transparent microspheres) does not adhere to the pad under lamination conditions. In various embodiments, such a pad may be a dense material (e.g., silicone rubber lacking voids or porosity); or, the pad may be, for example, a foam or fibrous material, such as woven or nonwoven fabric or leather, as long as it exhibits the necessary flexibility. The aforementioned Shore values ​​will be measured at room temperature (21°C). It should be understood that the actual hardness of any such pad may vary with temperature; for example, the pad may become slightly softer at the temperature used for lamination. Any such phenomenon will be taken into account when selecting a pad with a specific room temperature Shore value.

[0072] In some embodiments, the lamination process disclosed herein can be performed using a flatbed press. In this case, a sizing pad can be placed between the reflective laminate and the press plates of the laminator, i.e., on the outer side of the laminate that will become the finished garment. In such lamination processes, either or both of the press plates (the plate behind the laminate and the sizing pad, and / or the plate behind the sacrificial substrate) can be heated. If the press plates behind the laminate and the sizing pad are heated, it may be advantageous for the sizing pad to have a high thermal conductivity (e.g., higher than that of conventional silicone rubber) so that heat can be transferred through the pad. Sizing pads with enhanced thermal conductivity (e.g., by incorporating thermally conductive fillers into silicone rubber) can be obtained from many sources. Such sizing pads include, for example, various products available under the general trademarks TG-A and TG-AK from T-Global Technology, Lutterworth, UK. This pad can exhibit a thermal conductivity, for example, in the range of 2 W / mK to 18 W / mK (in contrast to conventional silicone rubber, which typically exhibits a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.2 W / mK to 0.4 W / mK). If the platen behind the sacrificial substrate is heated, the compliant pad behind the retroreflective laminate does not necessarily need to exhibit high thermal conductivity, although this can be configured as needed. In various embodiments, the total thickness of this pad can be at least 1.0 mm, 1.5 mm, 2.0 mm, 3.0 mm, 4.0 mm, 6.0 mm, or 8.0 mm. In other embodiments, the pad can be up to 10 mm, 7 mm, 5 mm, or 2.5 mm thick. The thickness of the pad can affect the thermal conductivity that the pad may require; that is, a relatively thin pad may not require very high thermal conductivity.

[0073] This arrangement can be varied as needed. For example, two compliant pads can be used, one behind the retroreflective laminate and one behind the sacrificial substrate. Either or both plates can be heated, and conventional compliant pads can be selected accordingly, along with compliant pads with enhanced thermal conductivity. It is possible that the compliant pad behind the sacrificial substrate can be used to advance the sacrificial substrate into the opening for easier contact with the adhesive of the retroreflective laminate, thus enhancing the effects disclosed herein. However, work to date has shown that a single (thermally conductive) compliant pad behind the retroreflective laminate can provide excellent results. In some embodiments, one or more compliant pads can be inserted into the embossing machine along with the laminate and fabric to form a stack. In some such embodiments, the pad can be used multiple times (e.g., more than 10 times). In other embodiments, the pad can be used only a few times (e.g., 10 times, 5 times, or 2 times, or even a single use), for example, the pad can be in the form of a sheet of compliant fabric that is used and then disposed of or recycled. In some implementations, it is possible to attach the softening pad to the press platen of the press, allowing the pad to be used multiple times without being removed from the press. The composition of the pad (or at least the composition of the main surface of the pad that will face the adhesive layer) can be selected such that, under conditions used for laminating the retroreflective laminate to the fabric, the pad and the adhesive layer will not adhere to each other (and / or any adhesive that may come into contact with the pad will not adhere to the pad).

[0074] The factors discussed above can be combined, for example, to achieve particularly favorable results. (While not wishing to be limited by theory or mechanism, the use of a compliance pad during lamination can be particularly helpful in this regard.) This favorable result is... Figure 4 The figure is presented in a generalized and representative manner. Figure 3 A magnified view of one of the openings.

[0075] As discussed in detail above, the lamination method described above can place the retroreflective laminate 50 on the main surface of the perforated fabric 10 without blocking the openings 11 of the fabric, such as... Figure 4 As shown. However, the present invention has disclosed that the method disclosed herein can not only place the retroreflective laminate 50 on the perforated fabric 10 without blocking the openings 11 of the fabric, but such an arrangement can actually provide, at least for some of the openings 11, that the "flange" portion 81 of the retroreflective laminate 50 can be... Figure 4 The general method shown actually "wraps" inward into opening 11. Although in Figure 4 The entire flange is not visible in the center, but it is believed that this flange will typically extend around the entire opening 11; for example, if Figure 4 If the opening 11 is circular, then the flange 81 will take the form of an annular ring. In some embodiments, the flange 81 will define the circumferential boundary of the opening at least at one location 84 along the "length" of the opening 11, such as... Figure 4 This is shown in an idealized manner. This means that at such a position 84, the actual diameter of the opening will be defined by the reflective material of the flange and will be slightly smaller than the original diameter of the opening defined by the fabric sidewall 22.

[0076] It can also be seen that, at least in some cases, the lamination process can adhesively bond the flange 81, which wraps inward into the opening 11, to the sidewall 22 of the opening via the adhesive layer 63 of the laminate. Therefore, see, for example, [reference needed]. Figure 4 A portion of flange 81 can be bonded with adhesive ( Figure 4 (Not specifically shown) For example, it is adhered to the sidewall 22 at least at position 23.

[0077] Furthermore, the present invention discloses that the flange 81 of the retroreflective laminate 50 can be inwardly wrapped into the opening 11 such that, at least at some locations on the flange 81, the outer surface 53 of the retroreflective laminate faces a direction deviating from the inward-outward axis of the perforated fabric. In other words, the action of deforming the flange 81 of the retroreflective laminate into the opening can cause the outer surface 53 of the flange to no longer be parallel to the outer surface 53 of the retroreflective laminate at other locations. (At other locations, such as not near the opening 11, the outer surface 53 of the retroreflective laminate is generally parallel to the principal plane of the fabric 10).

[0078] This situation is Figure 4 The general representation is shown in the figure. The offset between the direction of the outer surface 53 of the laminate facing the flange 81 and the inward-outward axis of the assembly can be characterized by axis 82, which is drawn locally perpendicular to the plane of the outer surface 53 at position 85 on the flange 81, as shown in the figure. Figure 4 An exemplary implementation is shown in the diagram. This offset is the angular difference between axis 82 and the inward-outward axis of the component. (In...) Figure 4 In this context, the offset is in the range of approximately 70-75 degrees. In various embodiments, this offset can be at least 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, or 70 degrees. In other embodiments, this offset can be at most 90, 80, 65, 55, 45, 35, or 25 degrees. This offset can be experimentally characterized, for example, by cutting a cross-sectional sample of the opening and associated flange and performing optical or scanning electron microscopy. The offset can vary at different locations; for example, for a deeper portion of flange 81 within the opening 11, the offset can be larger. For the offset to qualify as greater than a certain value, it is only necessary that the offset exceeds that value at any location within the opening.

[0079] Local deviations in the direction facing the outer surface 53 of the flange portion 81 of the retroreflective laminate 50 can be very useful, as revealed in the following discussion. Those skilled in the art will understand that many retroreflective articles exhibit excellent retroreflectivity (e.g., exhibiting a very high retroreflectivity coefficient) at substantially frontal light (i.e., at low angles), but can exhibit a sharp decrease in retroreflectivity at very high angles (often referred to as "glancing" or "grazing" angles). This is a natural consequence of the optical path established by the arrangement used (e.g., a set of reflective microspheres). The present invention has revealed that the presence of an inwardly wrapped flange 81 within the opening of the retroreflective laminate can provide significant retroreflectivity enhancement at high angles (such angles can be relative to incident light, viewing angle, or typically both).

[0080] This is Figure 6 and Figure 7 This has been confirmed. Figure 6 These are photographs (taken with an iPhone X) of a working example sample of a porous fabric 10 with retroreflective laminate 50 and a comparative example sample 90 of a retroreflective film. Both samples were mounted (wrapped) on a 3-inch diameter cylinder. As expected, both samples exhibited excellent retroreflectivity in areas 91 (comparative example sample) and 92 (working example sample) viewed more or less from the front. (No special attempts were made to control the lighting conditions except by using the iPhone's flash to illuminate the samples.) The retroreflectivity of the comparative example sample decreased almost entirely at the edges of the sample, where the edges were at very high (grazing) angles. In fact, area 93 at the edges of the sample was almost entirely dark.

[0081] In contrast, even at very high grazing angles at the edges of curved samples, the retroreflectivity of the working example samples was remarkably well maintained, such as... Figure 6 As shown in region 94.

[0082] These results are in Figure 7 More significantly, the figure is presented in relation to... Figure 6 A magnified view of the edges of the working embodiment sample and comparative sample 90, which are similarly bent in the same manner. Again, it is evident that the retroreflectivity of comparative sample 90 almost completely disappears at the high-angle position 93. In contrast, the working embodiment sample still exhibits significant retroreflectivity at a similar high-angle position 94. Furthermore, in this magnified view, it appears that most of the retroreflectivity retained at high angles is provided by the flange 81 of the retroreflective laminate 50 that has been wrapped into the opening 11. That is, in Figure 7 In the middle, the flange 81 that appears to exist on the sidewall 22 is visible as a bright, slender patch in the high-angle region 94.

[0083] This appears to suggest that the advantageous retention of retroreflectivity at high angles is at least partially or even substantially attributable to the flange 81, which is enclosed in the opening 11 and thus faces a different direction (inward-outward) than that of most of the retroreflective laminate 50. This enhances retroreflective performance at high angles without unacceptably reducing performance at low angles.

[0084] In addition, such as Figures 5-8 The photographs shown, along with other observations in this invention, suggest that flange 81 appears capable of penetrating quite deeply into opening 11. That is, referring to... Figure 4 The flange 81 does not appear to be limited to wrapping only around the outer entrance portion 21 of the opening 11. Instead, the lamination process appears to enable the flange 81 to penetrate deeper into the opening in order to cover most of the sidewall 22 of the opening 11.

[0085] Figure 4 The general illustration shows a flange 81 that has penetrated approximately 20% of the total length (depth) of the opening 11 in the fabric 10. However, the present invention has shown that in some cases, the flange 81 can penetrate even deeper into the opening 11. Thus, in various embodiments, the flange 81 can penetrate, for example, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, or even more of the total length of the opening 11. This penetration will be measured from the main outer surface 12 of the fabric to the deepest end 83 of the flange 81 and will be provided as a percentage, proportional to the fabric thickness from the main outer surface 12 to the main inner surface 13.

[0086] Therefore, it is evident that in some cases, a considerable portion of the area of ​​the sidewall 22 of the opening 11 can be occupied by the retroreflective laminate 50. At higher viewing angles, an increasing amount of this retroreflective material can effectively contribute to the observed retroreflectivity and thus help enhance the retention of the aforementioned high-angle retroreflectivity. In fact, it has been found that the working example samples have been able to pass the “32-angle” retroreflectivity test (as described in Table 5 of ANSI 107-2015), which takes into account retroreflective performance at high angles.

[0087] Figure 8 Further evidence for the above phenomenon is provided in the image, which is a 50X scanning electron microscope photograph of a representative opening 11 of a porous fabric 10 on which an exemplary retroreflective laminate 50 is laminated. At this magnification, the microspheres 70 of the retroreflective laminate 50 are readily visible. Figure 8 It is clearly visible that the flange portion 81 of the retroreflected laminate 50 not only wraps around the entrance 21 of the opening 11, but also appears to have penetrated very deeply into the opening in order to cover most of the sidewall 23 of the opening.

[0088] The initial objective of this invention is to achieve the lamination of an unsupported retroreflective laminate 50 onto a porous fabric 10 to prevent clogging of the fabric's openings 11, thereby maintaining the fabric's breathability. (Reference) Figure 5 The photographs of the working embodiment samples, comparing the appearance of opening 11 in region 15 without retroreflective laminate with the appearance of opening 11 in region 14 with retroreflective laminate, reveal that this has been achieved. However, a further result has been achieved: enhanced retroreflectivity retention at high incident angles and / or viewing angles. This is a surprising result, as no teaching in the art indicates that lamination of the type described herein can result in an unsupported retroreflective layer “wrapped” in the opening of a perforated fabric and / or that this condition can enhance high-angle retroreflectivity.

[0089] What is particularly surprising is that it both avoids clogging the opening and encapsulates the retroreflective layer within it, thereby enhancing retroreflectivity. That is, surprisingly, the retroreflective layer is pushed into the opening and positioned on the sidewall of the opening; and this can be achieved without unacceptably clogging the opening. However, Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7 The photos presented in the document testify to this achievement.

[0090] Furthermore, it is evident that a large portion of the aforementioned flange 81 can be bonded to the sidewall 22 of the opening 11 by the adhesive layer 63 of the retroreflective laminate. This is evidenced by the wash durability exhibited by the working example samples. Specifically, any decrease in retroreflective properties of the working example samples after multiple washes appears to have a similar magnitude to that observed characteristic of conventional retroreflective articles. (A sharp decrease in retroreflective properties is expected if portions of the retroreflective laminate are continuously removed with each wash.) This apparent bonding between the flange 81 and the sidewall 22 of the opening 11 during lamination is also a surprising result.

[0091] Additional descriptions of various components (such as adhesives, transparent microspheres, etc.) will be provided briefly. However, such components are described in detail in many patent documents and will therefore not be described in detail here.

[0092] As previously described, the adhesive layer 60 holds and retains the transparent microspheres 70 and presents them in a manner that allows for a retroreflective effect. The adhesive layer 60 also imparts sufficient mechanical integrity to the retroreflective laminate 50, allowing it to be processed and handled, for example, laminated to a fabric, without any additional support layers. In various embodiments, the adhesive layer may exhibit an average thickness, for example, from 30 micrometers to 250 micrometers. Under the lamination conditions disclosed herein, the adhesive layer 60 will soften and become deformable to the extent that the effects described herein are permitted. Specifically, the adhesive layer should be able to deform into the opening in the manner described; and the adhesive layer must be able to separate at the location where a portion of the adhesive adheres to the sacrificial substrate and a portion of the adhesive remains within the opening to form a flange. Therefore, in many embodiments, the adhesive should be a thermoplastic rather than a thermosetting material (although in some specific embodiments, it may be a thermosetting (mesh) material that is weak enough at the lamination temperature to allow the adhesive to deform and separate in the manner described herein).

[0093] Adhesive layer 60 may have any suitable composition. In some embodiments, adhesive layer 60 may be a composition of the general type disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 785326 and PCT Application WO2020 / 136531, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such compositions may comprise, for example, a styrene block copolymer combined with one or more suitable tackifiers (e.g., tackifiers comprising non-carbon heteroatom functional groups). In some embodiments, adhesive layer 60 may be a composition of the general type disclosed in U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 785344 and PCT Application WO2020 / 136567, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Such compositions may comprise, for example, at least one tackifier, and at least one elastomer selected from at least one of natural rubber and synthetic rubber (e.g., an elastomeric styrene block copolymer).

[0094] In some embodiments, the adhesive layer 60 may be a composition of the general type disclosed in the following patent applications: U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 522279 and the resulting PCT application WO2018 / 236783, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62 / 527090 and the resulting PCT application WO2019 / 003158, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. These documents describe various curable (meth)acrylate formulations that can be used to form an "embedded bead adhesive layer" (e.g., an adhesive layer). For example, US'090 describes a composition that may comprise polymeric units derived from one or more (meth)acrylate monomers of an alcohol containing 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and at least one of an urethane acrylate polymer or an acrylic copolymer. US'279 describes a composition that may comprise polymeric units derived from one or more (meth)acrylate monomers of an alcohol containing 1 to 14 carbon atoms, and a polyvinyl acetal resin. Other potentially suitable adhesive compositions are described in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2017 / 0276844, 2020 / 0264352 and 2020 / 0264349, all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0095] The adhesive layer 63 of the retro-reflection laminate can be of any suitable type, as described earlier herein. Various adhesives are described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017 / 0276844, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. It should be noted that the composition of the sacrificial substrate used in the lamination process can be selected based on the composition of the adhesive 63 of the retro-reflection laminate. For example, if the adhesive 63 is a polyester-based adhesive, the sacrificial substrate can be a polyester base material (e.g., a polyester fabric). This ensures that the adhesive 63 will bond to the sacrificial substrate at the bottom of the openings in the perforated fabric in the manner described herein. In some embodiments, it may only be necessary that the surface of the sacrificial substrate has a composition compatible with the adhesive of the retro-reflection laminate. For example, if the adhesive 63 is a polyurethane-based adhesive, the sacrificial substrate may include a polyurethane surface coating.

[0096] It is desirable to select the composition of the various materials such that the bond between adhesive 63 and adhesive layer 60 is strong enough (e.g., stronger than the bond established between adhesive 63 and the sacrificial substrate) that adhesive 63 will not separate from adhesive layer 60. In other words, the goal is for both adhesive 63 and adhesive layer 60 (not just adhesive 63) to transfer to the sacrificial substrate, thereby leaving unblocked openings in the fabric.

[0097] The transparent microspheres 70 used for retroreflective laminates can be of any suitable type. The term "transparent" is generally used to refer to a bulk (e.g., glass microspheres) or substrate that transmits at least 50% of electromagnetic radiation at or within a selected wavelength range. In various embodiments, the transparent microspheres may be made of, for example, inorganic glass, and / or may have a refractive index of, for example, 1.7 to 2.0. In various embodiments, the microspheres may have an average diameter of at least 20 micrometers, 30 micrometers, 40 micrometers, 50 micrometers, 60 micrometers, 70 micrometers, or 80 micrometers. In various embodiments, the microspheres may have an average diameter of up to 200 micrometers, 180 micrometers, 160 micrometers, 140 micrometers, 120 micrometers, 100 micrometers, 80 micrometers, or 60 micrometers. The vast majority (e.g., at least 90% by quantity) of the microspheres may be at least generally, substantially, or substantially spherical in shape. However, it should be understood that microspheres produced in any realistic, large-scale process may include a small number of microspheres exhibiting slight deviations or irregularities in shape. Therefore, the use of the term "microsphere" does not require that the shape of these items must be, for example, a perfect or precise sphere.

[0098] In various embodiments, in the retroreflective laminate 50, microspheres 70 may be partially embedded in the adhesive layer 60 such that, on average, 15%, 20%, or 30% of the microsphere diameter is embedded in the adhesive layer to about 80%, 70%, 60%, or 50% of the microsphere diameter. Typically, although occasional microspheres may come into lateral contact with each other, the microspheres will be at least slightly laterally spaced from each other. In various embodiments, the microspheres may be present on the adhesive at a bulk density of at least 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, or 70%, and / or at most 80%, 75%, 65%, 55%, or 45%.

[0099] In some embodiments, the secondary reflective layer 73, which operates in conjunction with the transparent microsphere 70 to provide a retroreflective element, may comprise a single or multiple layers of a metallic layer, such as a vapor-deposited metal (e.g., aluminum or silver) or a metal alloy. In some embodiments, the secondary reflective layer may take the form of a dielectric reflective layer comprising an optical stack of pairs of high-refractive-index sublayers and low-refractive-index sublayers arranged sequentially along an optical path to combine and provide reflective properties. In various embodiments, one, two, three, or more pairs of high / low refractive-index sublayers may be present. Dielectric reflective layers are described in further detail in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2017 / 0131444, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0100] In some embodiments, at least some of the retroreflective elements of the retroreflective article 50 disclosed herein (e.g., transparent microspheres combined with a reflective layer) may include at least one secondary color layer. The presence of a color layer in at least some of the retroreflective light paths of the retroreflective article allows the laminate to include at least some regions exhibiting colored retroreflected light, regardless of the color exhibited by these regions (or any other regions of the laminate) in ambient (non-reflective) light. Color layers are described in further detail, for example, in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 675020 and the resulting International Patent Application Publication WO2019 / 084297, both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. All optical layers (such as color layers and reflective layers, and their sublayers) will generally be extremely thin (e.g., less than 5 micrometers) and unstructured, and will therefore be considered “secondary” layers as discussed earlier herein. In some embodiments, the retroreflective laminate may be configured to exhibit a specific color in ambient (non-reflective) light, regardless of any color exhibited in retroreflected light. This can be achieved, for example, by filling the adhesive layer with any desired pigment, dye, etc.

[0101] Various products comprising an adhesive layer with transparent microspheres and a reflective layer, and an adhesive layer but without any support layer, are commercially available and can be used as retroreflective laminates as disclosed herein. Such products include, for example, products available from 3M Company, St. Paul, MN, under the trade names SCOTCHLITE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL TRANSFER FILM C725, C750, C750R, C790, 8712, 8725, 5510, and 5807. Some of these products may include an adhesive-side liner that will be removed prior to lamination. Some of these products may include a backing (outer) liner. As disclosed herein, this liner should be removed prior to lamination (or, the product may be lightly bonded to a perforated fabric, after which the backing liner is removed for complete lamination, as described elsewhere herein).

[0102] After the production or acquisition of the retroreflective laminate 50 as disclosed herein, the laminate can be stored in any suitable form and / or further processed as needed. In some convenient embodiments, a temporary carrier (lining), if present, can remain in place until it is removed prior to lamination as discussed above. The retroreflective laminate can, of course, be cut into any desired shape, for example, in preparation for lamination onto a perforated fabric.

[0103] In many embodiments, one or more retroreflective laminates 50 can be directly laminated to the perforated fabric 10 that will provide garment 1. However, the methods disclosed herein (in particular, allowing lamination to a perforated fabric without blocking the openings, while still allowing the flanges of the laminate to wrap around the openings) are not necessarily limited to placing the laminate “directly” onto the garment. Thus, in some cases, the methods disclosed herein can be used, for example, to provide articles in the form of “trimmed” pieces of the aforementioned general type. In such embodiments, such “trimmed” pieces, comprising a perforated fabric with a retroreflective laminate as described herein, can be attached to the garment (or any other object) for example by sewing, by using an adhesive, or by any other suitable method.

[0104] A retroreflective laminate is a laminate that exhibits a retroreflection coefficient of at least 50 candela / lux / m² when measured according to the procedures outlined in U.S. Patent Application Publications 2017 / 0276844 and 2017 / 0293056 (at an observation angle of 0.2 degrees and an incident angle of 5 degrees). In various embodiments, when tested according to such procedures, such retroreflective laminates may exhibit a retroreflection coefficient of at least 100 candela / lux / m², 200 candela / lux / m², 250 candela / lux / m², 330 candela / lux / m², 350 candela / lux / m², or 450 candela / lux / m².

[0105] In various embodiments, retroreflective laminates (and / or garments with such laminates) as disclosed herein can meet the photometric and / or physical property requirements for retroreflective materials according to ANSI 107-2015 and / or ISO 20471:2013. (In particular, the fabric of such garment can exhibit a minimum brightness factor, such that the fabric is considered fluorescent as defined herein.) In many embodiments, retroreflective laminates as disclosed herein meet the minimum retroreflection coefficient requirements shown in Table 5 of ANSI 107-2015 (i.e., the so-called “32-angle” test).

[0106] In some embodiments, the reflective laminates disclosed herein can exhibit satisfactory or excellent wash durability. In some embodiments, this wash durability can be manifested as a high R-value after multiple (e.g., 25) wash cycles performed according to ISO 6330 Method 2A (as outlined in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2017 / 0276844). A Retention rate (R after washing) A R before washing A(The ratio between). In various embodiments, the retroreflective laminates disclosed herein can exhibit at least 10%, 30%, 50%, or 75% R after any of the washing methods listed above. A Retention percentage. In various embodiments, the retroreflective laminates disclosed herein can exhibit any of these retroreflective retention properties with an initial Rreflectance of at least 100 candela / lux / m2 or 330 candela / lux / m2 as measured above. A (A combination before any washing)

[0107] Example

[0108] Test methods

[0109] Retroreflection measurement

[0110] According to the method described in U.S. Patent Application Publication 2020 / 0264350 (the entire patent application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety), the candela / lux / square meter (candela / lux / meter) can be obtained. 2 The reflectance coefficient is reported in units (RA at 0.2° viewing angle and 5° incident angle). In some cases, the minimum reflectance coefficient of a sample can be evaluated in the “32-angle” test, using combinations of 32 angles as described in Table 5 of ANSI 107-2015, which is often used to evaluate, for example, safety clothing.

[0111] Color measurement

[0112] The color coordinates under ambient light conditions (Y, x, y for fluorescent yellow, or L*, a*, b* for other colors (such as white)) can be determined according to the procedure described in the aforementioned US'350 publication.

[0113] Washing durability test

[0114] Wash durability is reported as follows after 25 wash cycles (calculated as R after washing) as indicated by the method in ISO 6330 2A (e.g., 25 cycles). A R before washing A The ratio between them (measured at an observation angle of 0.2 degrees and an incident angle of 5 degrees, respectively) is R. A Percentage retained. If R is positive after the wash durability test. A Percentage of residues retained (based on R after washing) A R before washing A If the ratio between the two values ​​is greater than or equal to 10%, the sample is considered "wash-durable" under the indicated scheme.

[0115] Representative working examples

[0116] The working example sample was prepared according to the following procedure. A fluorescent perforated fabric was obtained by cutting a fluorescent yellow (ANSI 107-2015 compliant) high-visibility safety garment (vest) obtained from 3M. The vest fabric (e.g.) Figure 5 The fabric (as shown) is approximately 0.5 mm thick and includes openings (perforations) with an estimated average size of 1.4 square millimeters, occupying approximately 7% of the opening area (therefore, according to the standards provided herein, the fabric is breathable).

[0117] A reflective laminate in the form of SCOTCHLITE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL TRANSFER FILM 8725 is obtained from 3M. This product comprises an adhesive layer and a binder layer with partially embedded reflective transparent microspheres. The product is an unsupported laminate (excluding, for example, any type of fabric layer). The binder layer is a polyester-based thermoplastic material (approximately 75 μm thick) believed to have been thermally laminated onto the adhesive layer. The binder layer is non-adhesive at room temperature and there is no binder-side lining. If a back lining is present (8725 is available in two forms, unlined and with a back lining), this back lining is removed. The thickness of the laminate (including the adhesive and binder, without any lining) is approximately 0.15 mm. (The ratio of the laminate thickness to the thickness of the porous fabric is therefore approximately 0.3).

[0118] A sacrificial substrate in the form of a polyester blend fabric is obtained. A piece of sacrificial substrate is placed on the lower platen of a flatbed press, followed by the perforated fabric. The retroreflective laminate is then placed on top of the perforated fabric, adhesive side down. A thermally conductive compliant pad (a few millimeters thick, believed to be made of silicone with thermally conductive additives) is then placed on top of the retroreflective laminate to complete the stack.

[0119] A flatbed press is a type in which the upper (moving) platen is heated while the lower (fixed) platen is not temperature-controlled. Heat the upper platen to a stable set point of approximately 160°C. Then lower the upper platen and press the plates together to approximately 60 psi. Hold this position for approximately 20 seconds, then turn on the press. After a short wait for the stack to cool, remove the stack from the press.

[0120] After sufficient cooling, the sacrificial substrate was peeled off from the porous fabric. It was observed that discrete points of the laminate (adhesive and binder layers) had adhered to the sacrificial substrate and were therefore separated from the rest of the laminate.

[0121] The working example sample produced in this way is a fluorescent porous fabric with an unsupported retroreflective laminate bonded thereto by adhesive. Many samples of this general type were prepared. A photograph of one such sample is shown. Figure 5 In. Figure 5 In the specific sample shown, two retroreflected laminates (simultaneously, in the same lamination operation) are laminated to the fabric at right angles to each other, with the end of one laminate closely adjacent to the edge of the other laminate.

[0122] Close visual examination of this sample revealed that the flange of the laminate was at least partially "wrapped" within the opening. However, as Figure 5 It is clearly visible that openings 11 remain open in regions 14 where the retroreflective laminate 50 is present. In fact, they look very similar to openings 11 in regions 15 where the retroreflective laminate 50 is absent. Therefore, it is clear that the openings remain unblocked and actually exhibit a very close percentage of open area (7%). In other words, even though the flange of the laminate appears to have indeed wrapped around the opening to extend along at least a portion of the sidewall of the opening, the flange does not appear to significantly reduce the diameter / size of the opening. Therefore, the fabric remains breathable even in areas covered by the retroreflective laminate.

[0123] The retroreflectance coefficients (RA, at observation angles of 0.2° and incident angles of 5°) of various samples of the retroreflective laminates set on perforated fabrics as described above were evaluated. Generally, the laminates exhibited excellent retroreflectivity (i.e., significantly higher than 330 candela / lux / meter). 2 Furthermore, and specifically, due to the presence of pores, the retroreflectivity of the discontinuities currently present in the retroreflective laminate did not show a significant decrease. In fact, representative samples subjected to the “32-angle” test as described above meet the standards required in ANSI 107-2015.

[0124] Additional working examples

[0125] Additional working example samples were prepared in a manner similar to that described above. For some of these samples, a different perforated fabric was used. This fabric was not fluorescent and exhibited openings approximately 1.1 square millimeters in size, occupying approximately 30% of the open area. The fabric thickness was approximately 0.30 mm.

[0126] A retroreflective laminate in the form of SCOTCHLITE REFLECTIVE MATERIAL TRANSFER FILM C725 was obtained from 3M. This product is an unsupported laminate similar to the aforementioned 8725 product, but softer and more stretchable, and therefore less easy to handle without a liner, requiring a slight modification to the lamination procedure described below. The thickness of this laminate (binder plus adhesive) is approximately 0.12 mm.

[0127] The sacrificial substrate and thermally compliant pad are combined with the perforated fabric and retro-reflective laminate in a manner similar to that described above to form a stack. Before placing the retro-reflective laminate into the stack, the adhesive-side liner is removed, but the backing liner (on top of the adhesive layer, on the opposite side of the adhesive layer) remains in place. A pre-pressing operation is performed using temperatures and pressures similar to those listed above, but with the dwell time reduced to 5-10 seconds. The article is then removed from the press and unfolded. The laminate has been sufficiently bonded to the perforated fabric, allowing the backing liner to be removed now. The stack is then reassembled and fully laminated (under conditions similar to those described above, including the dwell time).

[0128] The press was then turned on and the stack removed. After sufficient cooling, the sacrificial substrate was peeled off the porous fabric. It was observed that discrete points of the laminate (adhesive and binder layers) had adhered to the sacrificial substrate and had separated from the rest of the laminate.

[0129] The working example samples produced in this way are unsupported retroreflective laminates to which a porous fabric is adhesively bonded. Many samples of this general type were prepared. Figure 6 and Figure 7 The image shows two such samples.

[0130] Close visual examination of this sample revealed that the flange of the laminate was at least partially "wrapped" in the openings. However, the openings in the areas where the retroreflected laminate was present remained open and did not appear to decrease in size drastically. Therefore, the fabric remained breathable even in the areas covered by the retroreflected laminate.

[0131] Representative samples were wrapped around a 3-inch diameter cylinder to allow for qualitative evaluation of their retroreflectivity at various angles. Following the working example samples, comparative examples, in the form of pristine C725 retroreflective material not laminated to the fabric, were similarly wrapped around the same cylinder for comparison. (See from...) Figure 6 The examination clearly showed that, compared to the comparative sample, the working example sample exhibited significantly greater retroreflectivity retention at high angles (i.e., at the extreme edges of the cylinder). Furthermore, Figure 7The magnified images appear to suggest that, as discussed earlier in this paper, the flanges of the retroreflective laminate already wrapped around the sidewalls of the opening significantly contribute to this maintained retroreflectivity at high angles. A 50X SEM image of a representative opening is shown below. Figure 8 As discussed above, this provides further evidence that the flange of the retroreflected laminate has wrapped around the sidewall of the opening. Representative samples subjected to the “32-angle” test as described above meet the standards required in ANSI 107-2015.

[0132] Variant

[0133] Various other working embodiment samples were prepared by changing the components and / or process conditions. For example, some such samples were prepared using a modified procedure as discussed earlier herein. For these samples, a pliable pad (which does not necessarily have to be thermally conductive) was placed on the bottom (unheated) platen of a press. A retro-reflective laminate was then placed on top of the pad, adhesive side up. A perforated fabric was then placed on top of the retro-reflective laminate, and then a sacrificial substrate was placed on top of the perforated fabric. A movable hot press platen was then placed downwards onto the stack for the usual residence time. This method was found to be as effective as or better than the method described above.

[0134] Various samples were also prepared using different perforated fabrics. For example, some of these fabrics were approximately 0.63 mm thick and had openings occupying about 30% of the open area. The method described above successfully provided laminated reflective regions for various samples of this type.

[0135] The wash durability of some samples was tested according to the above procedure. These samples met the standards of ISO 6330 2A regarding initial reflectivity and reflectivity retention after 25 wash cycles.

[0136] The above embodiments are provided merely for a clear understanding of the invention and should not be construed as unnecessary limitations. The tests and test results described in the embodiments are intended to be illustrative rather than predictive, and variations in the testing process may yield different results. All quantitative values ​​in the embodiments should be understood as approximations based on generally known tolerances involved in the processes used.

[0137] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the specific exemplary elements, structures, features, details, configurations, etc., disclosed herein are modifiable and / or combined in many embodiments. The inventors intend that all such variations and combinations are within the scope of the conceived invention, and not merely those representative designs chosen for illustrative purposes. Therefore, the scope of the invention should not be limited to the specific illustrative structures described herein, but should extend at least to the structures described by the language of the claims and their equivalents. Any element positively referenced as an alternative in this specification may be expressly included in or excluded from the claims in any combination as desired. Any element or combination of elements referenced in this specification in open language (e.g., including and its derivatives) is considered to be additionally referenced in closed language (e.g., consisting of and its derivatives) and in partially closed language (e.g., substantially consisting of and its derivatives). While various theories and possible mechanisms may have been discussed herein, such discussions should in no way be used to limit the subject matter protected by the claims. In the event of any conflict or contradiction between the disclosures in this written specification and any documents incorporated herein by reference, the written specification shall prevail.

Claims

1. A breathable, high-visibility garment comprising: a foraminous fabric comprising a plurality of openings occupying a percent open area of 3% to 40%, and a non-occlusive, unsupported retroreflective laminate that is a stack comprising an adhesive layer and a binder layer with microspheres, and is adhesively bonded to a major outer surface of at least one region of the foraminous fabric by the adhesive layer, wherein for at least some of the openings, a flange of the retroreflective laminate is wrapped inward into the opening such that at least 20% of the total length of the opening is penetrated.

2. The breathable, high-visibility garment of claim 1, wherein for at least some of the openings of the foraminous fabric, a flange of the retroreflective laminate is wrapped inward into the opening such that a circumferential boundary of the opening is defined at least at one location within the opening.

3. The breathable, high-visibility garment of claim 2, wherein for at least some of the openings, the flange of the retroreflective laminate is wrapped inward into the opening such that at least at some locations on the flange, an outer surface of the retroreflective laminate faces in a direction that is offset at least 20 degrees from an inward-outward axis of the foraminous fabric.

4. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 2-3, wherein for at least some of the openings, the flange of the retroreflective laminate wrapped inward into the opening is adhesively bonded to a sidewall of the opening at least at some locations on the flange by the adhesive of the retroreflective laminate.

5. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 2-4, wherein for at least some of the openings, the flange of the retroreflective laminate is wrapped inward into the opening such that at least 30% of the total length of the opening is penetrated.

6. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-5, wherein the openings of the foraminous fabric occupy a percent open area of 5% to 30%.

7. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-6, wherein openings of the foraminous fabric in the at least one region of the major outer surface to which the retroreflective laminate is adhesively bonded exhibit an average size that is at least 70% of an average size exhibited by openings in regions of the foraminous fabric to which the retroreflective laminate is not adhesively bonded.

8. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-7, wherein the openings of the apertured fabric exhibit an average size of 1 mm 2 to 4 mm 2 , an average aspect ratio of less than 2.5, and an average length-width ratio of less than 0.

4.

9. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-8, wherein the foraminous fabric is a mesh fabric, wherein at least some of the plurality of openings are in the form of interstitial through-holes.

10. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-9, wherein at least some of the plurality of openings are in the form of perforations.

11. The breathable, high-visibility garment of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the retroreflective laminate exhibits a coefficient of retroreflection (RA) of at least 330 candelas per lux per square meter (cd / Lux / m2) at an observation angle of 0.2° and an entrance angle of 5°. 2 ) of at least 330 candelas per lux per square meter (cd / Lux / m2) at an observation angle of 0.2° and an entrance angle of 5°.

12. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-11, wherein the retroreflective laminate comprises a layer of adhesive on the exterior of the adhesive of the retroreflective laminate, and comprises transparent microspheres partially embedded in the layer of adhesive so as to present portions exposed outwardly and embedded portions and comprising a reflective layer on a major surface of the embedded portions.

13. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-12, wherein the apertured fabric is fluorescent.

14. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-13, wherein the garment does not comprise any retroreflective elements in the form of a supported retroreflective laminate attached to the garment, and does not comprise any of the following retroreflective elements: a directly-coated retroreflective layer, a transparent adhesive layer with microspheres, or a retroreflective layer bonded to the garment by an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer being disposed on the garment prior to the retroreflective layer being bonded to the adhesive layer, and wherein the retroreflective laminate provides a plurality of the retroreflective elements spaced apart across the length and width of the face of the layer of adhesive.

15. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-14, wherein at least 70% of the at least one area of the apertured fabric to which the retroreflective laminate is bonded is in the form of a single layer of apertured fabric, without the presence of other layers of fabric that are apertured or non-apertured.

16. The breathable high-visibility garment of any of claims 1-15, wherein the garment is a vest, shirt, jacket, pants, or coverall that meets all the requirements of ANSI 107-2015.

17. A method of adhesively laminating a retroreflective laminate to a major surface of an apertured fabric, the method comprising: disposing a stack in a hot press, the stack comprising: an apertured fabric, a non-backed, unsupported retroreflective laminate, the retroreflective laminate being a stack comprising an adhesive layer and a layer of adhesive with microspheres, wherein the adhesive layer is positioned in contact with a first major surface of the apertured fabric, a sacrificial substrate positioned on a side of the apertured fabric opposite the retroreflective laminate, and a compliant pad having a Shore OO hardness of 100 or less, the compliant pad being positioned between the retroreflective laminate and a platen of the hot press; closing the hot press under pressure such that the compliant pad pushes a portion of the retroreflective laminate that overlies an aperture in the apertured fabric into and through the aperture so as to contact a surface of the sacrificial substrate exposed at a bottom of the aperture, adhesively bonding a portion of the adhesive layer of the retroreflective laminate that is in contact with the first major surface of the apertured fabric to the first major surface of the apertured fabric; and adhesively bonding a portion of the adhesive layer of the retroreflective laminate that is in contact with the exposed surface of the sacrificial substrate to the exposed surface of the sacrificial substrate; and ​ opening the hot press and separating the sacrificial substrate from the apertured fabric, such that the portion of the retroreflective laminate adhesively bonded to the sacrificial substrate is removed with the sacrificial substrate, leaving the apertures in the apertured fabric as unobstructed apertures by the laminate, wherein for at least some of the apertures, the flange of the retroreflective laminate wraps inward into the aperture such that at least 20% of the total length of the aperture is penetrated.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the compliant pad is a thermally conductive compliant pad having a thermal conductivity of at least 4.0 W / mK, and wherein the hot press is configured such that heat is supplied at least through the platen of the press in contact with the thermally conductive compliant pad.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the compliant pad has a thermal conductivity of less than 0.2 W / mK, and wherein the hot press is configured such that heat is supplied at least through the platen of the press in contact with the sacrificial substrate.

20. The method of any of claims 17-19, wherein the apertured fabric is a piece of fabric that has been at least partially cut into a garment form prior to being placed in the hot press; and, wherein the method does not include the step of attaching the apertured fabric with the retroreflective laminate bonded thereto to a separate piece of fabric that is larger than the apertured fabric and that has been at least partially cut into a garment form.

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