Patent ID: 7111949

Claim:
A process for manufacturing retroreflective printed material comprising a viewable surface, the process comprising: a) providing a composite comprising a temporary support sheet with a layer of microspheres partially embedded in the temporary support sheet such that the surfaces of the microspheres are partially exposed; b) applying a reflecting layer on the layer of microspheres such that the entire layer of microspheres is covered with the reflecting layer; c) applying a priming layer either on the partially exposed surfaces of the microspheres or on the reflecting layer such that the entire layer of microspheres or the entire reflecting layer is covered with the priming layer; d) transferring a printed design layer from a transfer medium on the priming layer and separating the transfer medium from the printed design layer; e) applying a binder layer on the printed design layer such that the entire printed design layer is covered with the binder layer; and f) applying a base fabric on the binder layer and completely separating the temporary support sheet from the layer of microspheres, thereby creating the retroreflective printed material; where the printed design layer completely covers the priming layer; and where the reflecting layer is either applied on the microsphere surface of the composite between the priming layer and the microsphere surface of the composite, or is applied on the printed design layer between the printed design layer and the binder layer.