Patents by Inventor Steven R. Chapman

Steven R. Chapman 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: 8928625
    Abstract: A touch screen system and prismatic film includes a retroreflective substrate having a plurality of retroreflective elements having triangular cube corners. A metallized layer is disposed over at least a portion of the retroreflective elements. In one embodiment, the prismatic film includes two colored substrates mounted over the retroreflective elements. In another embodiment, a single substrate is mounted over the retroreflective elements. It is often desired that a color of the substrate(s) be chosen that is highly transparent in the infrared spectrum, but is also non-transparent in the visible light spectrum, giving the prismatic film a dark appearance. The prismatic film includes a plurality of retroreflective elements having triangular cube corners with a cant in a range between about 4 degrees in a face more parallel direction to 18 degrees in an edge more parallel direction and a cube depth between about 0.002 and 0.008 inches or with a cant of about 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Simon Bridger
  • Patent number: 8783880
    Abstract: A rotationally insensitive, retroreflective prismatic sheeting and method of manufacture is provided. The sheeting includes discrete clusters of cube corners that are separated from one another on all sides by a textured surface. Each of the cube corners in each cluster has a base edge that is not collinear or parallel with the base edges of cube corners on either side of it. The array of cube corners clusters is rulable, and the cube corners have different orientations. Four or more of the cube corners in each cluster may have edges that converge into a central point within the cluster, and the cube corners of the clusters may include at least two symmetrical pairs of cube corners. The shapes of the cube corner clusters may be polygonal, and all of the cube corners may share a common vertex located at the center of the polygonal shape.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Ethelbert Galicia
  • Publication number: 20140055858
    Abstract: A retroreflective article and method is provided. The retroreflective article includes a first transparent layer having a back surface with retroreflective prisms, and a planar front surface that has an index of refraction n1. A second transparent layer having an index of refraction n2 is less than n1 overlies the back surface of the first layer. The second layer includes an array of uniform nanostructures of transparent material that define pores having a width that is less than one half of the wavelength of visible light. The nanostructures may be an array of parallel, same-sized nanorods that are obliquely oriented with respect to the first transparent layer, or a grid-like or parallel array of tapered nano-ridges of uniform size that define tapered pores or tapered grooves. The second layer preferably has a porosity greater than 60% so that the resulting index of refraction n1 is no larger than about 1.20.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2012
    Publication date: February 27, 2014
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventor: Steven R. CHAPMAN
  • Publication number: 20130107364
    Abstract: A rotationally insensitive, retroreflective prismatic sheeting and method of manufacture is provided. The sheeting includes discrete clusters of cube corners that are separated from one another on all sides by a textured surface. Each of the cube corners in each cluster has a base edge that is not collinear or parallel with the base edges of cube corners on either side of it. The array of cube corners clusters is rulable, and the cube corners have different orientations. Four or more of the cube corners in each cluster may have edges that converge into a central point within the cluster, and the cube corners of the clusters may include at least two symmetrical pairs of cube corners. The shapes of the cube corner clusters may be polygonal, and all of the cube corners may share a common vertex located at the center of the polygonal shape.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Publication date: May 2, 2013
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven R. CHAPMAN, Feng WU, Ethelbert GALICIA
  • Patent number: 8231234
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Kejian (Kevin) Huang
  • Patent number: 8226249
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Kejian (Kevin) Huang
  • Publication number: 20110307309
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an advertising system and method of using the same. The advertising system includes a light source which may be activated by near field communication devices in order to extract information from the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2011
    Publication date: December 15, 2011
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Ian J. FORSTER, David WELCH, Haochuan WANG, Sriram VENKATASANTHANAM, Steven R. CHAPMAN
  • Publication number: 20110255306
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise light recycling films comprising an array of parallel ridges and grooves that form prisms that selectively reflect or transmit light. In some embodiments, the light recycling film may be used in displays that include spatial light modulators comprising a plurality of pixels. The light recycling film can limit the field-of-view of the display and enhance the luminance within that field-of-view. Various embodiments comprising multiple arrays of ridges and/or grooves can enhance uniformity of illumination of the pixels in the spatial light modulator and reduce Moiré effects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 20, 2011
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Dennis I. Couzin, William J. Cassarly, Steven R. Chapman
  • Publication number: 20110159179
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Kejian (Kevin) Huang
  • Publication number: 20110155001
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2011
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: AVERY DENNISON CORPORATION
    Inventors: Steven R. CHAPMAN, Feng WU, Kejian (Kevin) HUANG
  • Patent number: 7922344
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2011
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Kejian (Kevin) Huang
  • Patent number: 7866871
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise light recycling films comprising an array of parallel ridges and grooves that form prisms that selectively reflect or transmit light. In some embodiments, the light recycling film may be used in displays that include spatial light modulators comprising a plurality of pixels. The light recycling film can limit the field-of-view of the display and enhance the luminance within that field-of-view. Various embodiments comprising multiple arrays of ridges and/or grooves can enhance uniformity of illumination of the pixels in the spatial light modulator and reduce Moiré effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis I. Couzin, William J. Cassarly, Steven R. Chapman
  • Patent number: 7674028
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise light recycling films comprising an array of parallel ridges and grooves that form prisms that selectively reflect or transmit light. In some embodiments, the light recycling film may be used in displays that include spatial light modulators comprising a plurality of pixels. The light recycling film can limit the field-of-view of the display and enhance the luminance within that field-of-view. Various embodiments comprising multiple arrays of ridges and/or grooves can enhance uniformity of illumination of the pixels in the spatial light modulator and reduce Moiré effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 9, 2010
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Cassarly, Steven R. Chapman
  • Publication number: 20100053754
    Abstract: A retroreflective sheeting (10) comprising a cube layer (20) having a front light-receiving surface (30) and a rear retroreflecting surface (32), and a metallic layer (22) covering the rear retroreflecting surface (32). The rear surface (32) comprises an array of retroreflective elements (34) and diffusing patches (36) within such array (without retroreflective elements (34)). The metallic layer (22) covers the retroreflective elements (34) and the diffusing patches (36), whereby diffusing patches (36) scatter incoming light increasing daytime brightness to a desired level.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 2, 2008
    Publication date: March 4, 2010
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Feng Wu, Kejian (Kevin) Huang
  • Publication number: 20090295755
    Abstract: A touch screen system and prismatic film includes a retroreflective substrate having a plurality of retroreflective elements having triangular cube corners. A metallized layer is disposed over at least a portion of the retroreflective elements. In one embodiment, the prismatic film includes two colored substrates mounted over the retroreflective elements. In another embodiment, a single substrate is mounted over the retroreflective elements. It is often desired that a color of the substrate(s) be chosen that is highly transparent in the infrared spectrum, but is also non-transparent in the visible light spectrum, giving the prismatic film a dark appearance. The prismatic film includes a plurality of retroreflective elements having triangular cube corners with a cant in a range between about 4 degrees in a face more parallel direction to 18 degrees in an edge more parallel direction and a cube depth between about 0.002 and 0.008 inches or with a cant of about 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Steven R. CHAPMAN, Simon BRIDGER
  • Patent number: 7366393
    Abstract: Various embodiments comprise light recycling films comprising an array of parallel ridges and grooves that form prisms that selectively reflect or transmit light. In some embodiments, the light recycling film may be used in displays that include spatial light modulators comprising a plurality of pixels. The light recycling film can limit the field-of-view of the display and enhance the luminance within that field-of-view. Various embodiments comprising multiple arrays of ridges and/or grooves can enhance uniformity of illumination of the pixels in the spatial light modulator and reduce Moiré effects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Assignees: Optical Research Associates, Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: William J. Cassarly, Steven R. Chapman
  • Publication number: 20080012162
    Abstract: A method of making an array (18) of aberrated optical elements (20). The method comprises the steps of providing a substrate having a first surface with forming elements thereon, and controlled working a localized region on the first surface of the substrate. The controlled working is of a magnitude sufficient to aberrate one or more of the forming elements in an affected site surrounding the localized region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Publication date: January 17, 2008
    Inventors: Steven R. Chapman, Kejian (Kevin) Huang, Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 7168814
    Abstract: A cube corner array with minute modifications of the dihedral angles of some of the cube corners is produced by introducing a stress or change via the opposite side of the substrate. The array having aberrated elements can be replicated for use in the manufacture of a tool, and the tool can be used in the manufacture of retroreflective products of broader divergence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis I. Couzin, Steven R. Chapman, Kejian Huang
  • Patent number: 7029134
    Abstract: A cube corner array with minute modifications of the dihedral angles of some of the cube corners is produced by introducing a stress or change via the opposite side of the substrate. The array having aberrated elements can be replicated for use in the manufacture of a tool, and the tool can be used in the manufacture of retroreflective products of broader divergence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2006
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventors: Dennis I. Couzin, Steven R. Chapman, Kejian Huang
  • Patent number: D664774
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Avery Dennison Corporation
    Inventor: Steven R. Chapman