Patterned surface articles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for making a substantially cylindrical tool from a substantially planar substrate, wherein the tooling has at least one patterned surface. The resulting tooling includes a patterned surface with a sufficiently strong weld that is capable of producing an article having a pattern surface that has a relatively narrow and preferably cosmetically pleasing seam line. Such articles include retroreflective sheeting, structured abrasive articles, adhesive articles suitable for use in personal care products, and the like.

1 . An article comprising a sheet having a patterned first surface and an opposing second surface facing away from the patterned first surface, wherein the patterned first surface comprises: 
 an array of three dimensional elements formed from polymeric material, wherein the array comprises a plurality of sub-arrays separated by seams, where each sub-array comprises a plurality of the three dimensional elements that are not separated by seams;    wherein the seams separating the sub-arrays within the array have a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm.    
   
   
       2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the three dimensional elements comprise cube corners.  
   
   
       3 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the seams are present only on the patterned first surface of the sheet.  
   
   
       4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the sheet is formed by applying flowable resin to a tooling surface manufactured by a method comprising: 
 providing a substantially planar tooling having a first end and a second end opposing one another, a patterned side, and a back side opposite the patterned side;    placing the opposing ends together to form a substantially cylindrical shape forming a lumen therein, wherein the back side faces the lumen; and    welding the ends together from the lumen such that at least the opposing ends of the back side are joined along a welded seam;    wherein the patterned side of the tooling forms the tooling surface and wherein the welded seam forms the seam of the patterned first side of the sheet.    
   
   
       5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the welding comprises joining the opposing ends with less than 100% penetration of the welded seam through the tooling.  
   
   
       6 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the welding produces a joining line having a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm on the patterned side of the tooling.  
   
   
       7 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the tooling surface comprises more than one tooling segment such that the tooling surface comprises more than one welded seam with a joining line having a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm on the patterned side of the tooling.  
   
   
       8 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the method of manufacturing the tooling surface further comprises placing a heat sink adjacent to the patterned side of the tooling before welding the opposing ends together.  
   
   
       9 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the step of placing the opposing ends together results in a joint selected from the group consisting of a butt joint, a wedge joint, an overlapping joint, or a raised ridge joint.  
   
   
       10 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein providing the substantially planar tooling comprises assembling a plurality of tiles, thereby forming lay-up lines between adjacent tiles, wherein the lay-up lines correspond to the seams separating the sub-arrays on the patterned first surface of the sheet.  
   
   
       11 . An article comprising a sheet having a patterned first surface and an opposing second surface facing away from the patterned first surface, wherein the patterned first surface comprises an array of three dimensional elements formed from polymeric material, wherein the array comprises a plurality of sub-arrays separated by seams, where each sub-array comprises a plurality of the three dimensional elements that are not separated by seams; 
 wherein the sheet is formed by applying flowable resin to a tooling surface manufactured by a method comprising:    providing a substantially planar tooling having a first end and a second end opposing one another, a patterned side, and a back side opposite the patterned side;    placing the opposing ends together to form a substantially cylindrical shape forming a lumen therein, wherein the back side faces the lumen; and    welding the ends together from the lumen such that at least the opposing ends of the back side are joined along a welded seam;    wherein the patterned side of the tooling forms the tooling surface and wherein the welded seam forms the seam of the patterned first side of the sheet.    
   
   
       12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the three dimensional elements comprise cube corners.  
   
   
       13 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the seams are present only on the patterned first surface of the sheet.  
   
   
       14 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the welding comprises joining the opposing ends with less than 100% penetration of the welded seam through the tooling.  
   
   
       15 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the welding produces a joining line having a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm on the patterned side of the tooling.  
   
   
       16 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the tooling surface comprises more than one tooling segment such that the tooling surface comprises more than one welded seam with a joining line having a width of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.2 mm on the patterned side of the tooling.  
   
   
       17 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the method of manufacturing the tooling surface further comprises placing a heat sink adjacent to the patterned side of the tooling before welding the opposing ends together.  
   
   
       18 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the step of placing the opposing ends together results in a joint selected from the group consisting of a butt joint, a wedge joint, an overlapping joint, or a raised ridge joint.  
   
   
       19 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein providing the substantially planar tooling comprises assembling a plurality of tiles, thereby forming lay-up lines between adjacent tiles, wherein the lay-up lines correspond to the seams separating the sub-arrays on the patterned first surface of the sheet.