Patents by Inventor Gary J. Gauer

Gary J. Gauer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 7371339
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure includes a retroreflective sheeting having an array of transparent prisms formed into pairs of prisms. Each prism includes a base aperture and three intersecting lateral faces meeting at an apex. Each of the lateral faces includes a base edge which forms a portion of the perimeter of the base aperture. The base edge of each lateral face intersects the base edge of a contiguous lateral face to form a base point, the first face of at least one prism in the array including a first face first planar surface and a first face second planar surface. The first face first planar surface and the first face second planar surface are contiguous along an edge having a first and second end points, wherein the apex, the first end point, and a first base point are coplanar and form a continuous edge from the first base point to the apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao-Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer, David A. Jacob, Erich Minier
  • Patent number: 6877866
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure is disclosed that has cube corner retroreflective elements. The structure includes a first array of retroreflective elements oriented in a first direction within a plane and a second array of retroreflective elements oriented in a second direction within the plane, wherein said second direction being about 90° to said first direction. The structure further includes a third array of retroreflective elements oriented in a third direction within the plane, wherein said third direction being about 180° to said first direction and a fourth array of retroreflective elements oriented in a fourth direction being about 270° to said first direction. In one embodiment, the retroreflective structure includes the retroreflective elements having cube corner elements having a pitch between elements in the range of between about 0.0035 and 0.0045 inches (0.088 and 0.114 millimeters).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2005
    Assignee: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Nilsen, Xiao Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer
  • Publication number: 20040135272
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure includes a retroreflective sheeting having an array of transparent prisms formed into pairs of prisms. Each prism includes a base aperture and three intersecting lateral faces meeting at an apex. Each of the lateral faces includes a base edge which forms a portion of the perimeter of the base aperture. The base edge of each lateral face intersects the base edge of a contiguous lateral face to form a base point, the first face of at least one prism in the array including a first face first planar surface and a first face second planar surface. The first face first planar surface and the first face second planar surface are contiguous along an edge having a first and second end points, wherein the apex, the first end point, and a first base point are coplanar and form a continuous edge from the first base point to the apex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 23, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao-Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer, David A. Jacob, Erich Minier
  • Patent number: 6626544
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure includes a retroreflective sheeting having an array of transparent prisms formed into pairs of prisms. Each prism includes a base aperture and three intersecting lateral faces meeting at an apex. Each of the lateral faces includes a base edge which forms a portion of the perimeter of the base aperture. The base edge of each lateral face intersects the base edge of a contiguous lateral face to form a base point, the first face of at least one prism in the array including a first face first planar surface and a first face second planar surface. The first face first planar surface and the first face second planar surface are contiguous along an edge having a first and second end points, wherein the apex, the first end point, and a first base point are coplanar and form a continuous edge from the first base point to the apex.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao-Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer, David A. Jacob, Erich Minier
  • Publication number: 20020196542
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure is disclosed that has cube corner retroreflective elements. The structure includes a first array of retroreflective elements oriented in a first direction within a plane and a second array of retroreflective elements oriented in a second direction within the plane, wherein said second direction being about 90° to said first direction. The structure further includes a third array of retroreflective elements oriented in a third direction within the plane, wherein said third direction being about 180° to said first direction and a fourth array of retroreflective elements oriented in a fourth direction being about 270° to said first direction. In one embodiment, the retroreflective structure includes the retroreflective elements having cube corner elements having a pitch between elements in the range of between about 0.0035 and 0.0045 inches (0.088 and 0.114 millimeters).
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Publication date: December 26, 2002
    Applicant: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Nilsen, Xiao Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer
  • Publication number: 20020141060
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure includes a retroreflective sheeting having an array of transparent prisms formed into pairs of prisms. Each prism includes a base aperture and three intersecting lateral faces meeting at an apex. Each of the lateral faces includes a base edge which forms a portion of the perimeter of the base aperture. The base edge of each lateral face intersects the base edge of a contiguous lateral face to form a base point, the first face of at least one prism in the array including a first face first planar surface and a first face second planar surface. The first face first planar surface and the first face second planar surface are contiguous along an edge having a first and second end points, wherein the apex, the first end point, and a first base point are coplanar and form a continuous edge from the first base point to the apex.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2001
    Publication date: October 3, 2002
    Applicant: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Xiao-Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer, David A. Jacob, Erich Minier
  • Patent number: 6457835
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure is disclosed that has cube corner retroreflective elements. The structure includes a first array of retroreflective elements oriented in a first direction within a plane and a second array of retroreflective elements oriented in a second direction within the plane, wherein said second direction being about 90° to said first direction. The structure further includes a third array of retroreflective elements oriented in a third direction within the plane, wherein said third direction being about 180° to said first direction and a fourth array of retroreflective elements oriented in a fourth direction being about 270° to said first direction. In one embodiment, the retroreflective structure includes the retroreflective elements having cube corner elements having a pitch between elements in the range of between about 0.0035 and 0.0045 inches (0.088 and 0.114 millimeters).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2002
    Assignee: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Nilsen, Xiao Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer
  • Patent number: 6036322
    Abstract: A retroreflective structure is disclosed that has cube corner retroreflective elements. The structure includes a first array of retroreflective elements oriented in a first direction within a plane and a second array of retroreflective elements oriented in a second direction within the plane, wherein said second direction being about 90.degree. to said first direction. The structure further includes a third array of retroreflective elements oriented in a third direction within the plane, wherein said third direction being about 180.degree. to said first direction and a fourth array of retroreflective elements oriented in a fourth direction being about 270.degree. to said first direction. In one embodiment, the retroreflective structure includes the retroreflective elements having cube corner elements having a pitch between elements in the range of between about 0.0035 and 0.0045 inches (0.088 and 0.114 millimeters).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Reflexite Corporation
    Inventors: Robert B. Nilsen, Xiao Jing Lu, Gary J. Gauer