JP2008165203A - Guide sign - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a guide sign that is recognized as an ordinary guide sign in the day without any sense of incompatibility, can easily be viewed even in a dark place in the night, in case of a power failure, etc., to securely exhibit a guide function, and is effectively used for refuge guidance in case of a disaster etc. <P>SOLUTION: The guide sign comprises a plane-shaped base material 2, a retroreflection sheet 3 for background disposed and fixed on a surface of the base material 2, a retroreflection sheet 4 for display disposed and fixed on a surface of the retroreflection sheet 3 for background to be partially exposed, and a luminous material-containing resin body disposed and fixed on a surface of the exposed part of the retroreflection sheet 3 for background or the surface of the retroreflection sheet 4 for display through adhesive transfer printing of many discontinous bodies made of a luminous material-containing resin body having a luminous material mixed with a transparent resin material. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to road signs such as road regulation signs, guidance signs, warning signs, and instruction signs, warning signs such as guidance signs and tsunami signs at the time of disaster, river water level signs, construction signs, etc. It is about.

Conventionally, for example, a guide sign installed at a side position of a traveling road is generally attached with a metal plate or the like as a base material on a support column erected at a road side position. A reflective sheet having a retroreflective function is affixed to the sign surface, and a display portion such as characters, symbols, and designs is applied to the surface of the retroreflective sheet by printing or the like, and the background serving as the background of these display portions Parts are appropriately cut out from retroreflective sheets of different colors, combined, and bonded to the base material. This guide sign is displayed by brightening the retroreflective sheet by the outside light during the daytime and by the light from the lighting device at night time so that the driver of the vehicle can clearly see it.

However, the display device using these retroreflective sheets, as a matter of course at night, retroreflects light only when receiving light from the light source, and exhibits excellent visibility with respect to the light source direction. However, when the place to be visually recognized is far away from the light source direction, the visibility is remarkably inferior, so it is difficult for a pedestrian who does not have a light source, and when the vehicle is too close to these signs, The observation angle when the driver sees the sign is increased, and the visibility is remarkably lowered. Thus, the excellent visibility can be obtained only under extremely limited conditions.

For this reason, in recent years when higher safety has been required, the visibility of conventional retroreflective guide signs that have only retroreflective performance is insufficient, especially at night and during disasters, etc. However, even when there is no light source or when the light source is limited, it has been strongly desired to provide a guide sign that can be easily viewed and can reliably perform the guide function.

As an attempt to improve the visibility of such a guide sign, a light emitting diode such as a light emitting diode or a fluorescent lamp is attached, and the sign surface is illuminated by the light emitting body to improve night visibility. The structure was complicated and the maintenance was also complicated. In addition, since many of the lamps that use fluorescent lights use commercial power, if this road sign is used as a road sign board to display evacuation guidance, the visibility will be significantly reduced if a power outage occurs during a disaster. However, there is a risk that guidance during evacuation cannot be performed.

For this reason, a sign sheet in which a large number of phosphorescent surfaces by a phosphorescent material are regularly dispersed on a reflecting surface having retroreflective performance on the surface is affixed to the marker surface, and light is irradiated between the reflecting surface and the phosphorescent surface. A road sign that brightens the entire sign sheet even when it is not exposed to light has been proposed (for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, in a sheet having a large number of phosphorescent light emitting parts made of a phosphorescent material on a reflective surface having retroreflective properties, moisture such as dust, dust, rainwater, etc. is provided by providing the convex phosphorescent light emitting parts independently so as not to contact each other. Has been proposed that prevents the contamination from staying at one place on the reflecting surface of the base material in consideration of prevention of contamination (for example, Patent Document 2).

Furthermore, a guide sign sheet has been proposed in which a phosphorescent film and a reflective film are alternately laminated on the reflective sheet based on the reflective sheet, so that a necessary display in an emergency can be performed with good visibility even in the dark. (For example, Patent Document 3).

JP 9-71911 A JP 2001-92393 A Utility model registration No. 3121070

However, as in the proposal of Patent Document 1 described above, a sign sheet in which a large number of phosphorescent surfaces by a phosphorescent material are regularly dispersed on a reflecting surface having retroreflectivity is not illuminated when light is irradiated. Although the entire sign sheet shines brightly and has excellent visibility in the dark at night, the presence of a large number of non-translucent phosphorescent surfaces due to the phosphorescent material-containing resin, etc. is identified, so normal guidance using a retroreflective sheet Compared with signs, there is a difference in color tone in the daytime appearance, and there is a problem of feeling uncomfortable as a guide sign.

In addition, as a method of forming a phosphorescent material-containing resin body, a method of printing and applying a phosphorescent material-containing paint on a reflective surface using a silk screen or the like is disclosed, but a phosphorescent material-containing paint is directly printed on a retroreflective sheet. In such a case, when the material constituting the retroreflective sheet is limited in heat-resistant temperature, the temperature required for thermosetting the resin used in the phosphorescent material-containing paint may not be obtained. Furthermore, in the method of directly printing and applying onto the retroreflective sheet as described above, there is a possibility that defective products may be generated due to defective printing or the like, and an expensive retroreflective sheet material may be lost.

Further, as proposed in Patent Document 2, by providing a large number of phosphorescent light emitting units independently so as not to contact each other, dirt, dust, rainwater, etc. are prevented from staying at one place on the base material reflecting surface. Although there are effects such as being able to obtain a difficult line-of-sight guidance sheet and obtaining a sheet that can prevent the spread of damage even if part of the phosphorescent light emitting part is damaged such as peeling, many by phosphorescent material containing resin etc. Because the presence of a non-translucent phosphorescent surface is identified, there is a difference in color tone in the daytime appearance compared to a normal guide sign using a retroreflective sheet, and the guide sign still feels strange There are problems such as.

Further, as a method of forming a phosphorescent material-containing resin body, a method using phosphorescent ink obtained by kneading a phosphorescent material with a resin such as a UV curable resin is disclosed. When a UV curable resin is used, the resin can be cured at a relatively low temperature. Therefore, even if the material constituting the retroreflective sheet is limited in heat-resistant temperature, the phosphorescent material is stored on the retroreflective sheet. Although the material-containing resin body can be formed satisfactorily, there is a problem of increasing the printing cost, for example, special equipment such as UV irradiation equipment or drying equipment may be required.

Moreover, like the proposal of patent document 3, it can be said that the display required in emergency can be favorably visually recognized in the dark by alternately laminating the luminous film and the reflective film on the reflective sheet based on the reflective sheet. Although it is effective, when it is illuminated at night, the area where the phosphorescent film is joined does not emit light, and the appearance is compared to the normal sign using a retroreflective sheet. There is a problem of being different. Furthermore, when adding a large number of phosphorescent sites in a discontinuous form using a phosphorescent film on the reflective sheet, there are problems such as complicated processes and loss of the phosphorescent film. .

As mentioned above, there are proposals for guide signs with a large number of phosphorescent light emitting parts made of a phosphorescent material on a reflective surface having retroreflectivity, and a sign sheet both when light is applied and when light is not applied Although the whole is bright and shining, it has excellent visibility in the dark at night, but the presence of a large number of non-translucent phosphorescent surfaces due to the resin containing the phosphorescent material is identified, so it is compared with ordinary guide signs using retroreflective sheets. As a result, there is a difference in color tone in appearance in the daytime, and a difference in appearance when light is irradiated at night.

In addition, when the phosphorescent material-containing paint is directly printed as a method of forming the phosphorescent material-containing resin body on the reflection surface using the retroreflective sheet, there is a restriction on the heat resistant temperature of the material constituting the retroreflective sheet. Although it is possible to use UV resin that cures at a relatively low temperature, special equipment such as UV irradiation equipment and drying equipment required to cure the resin may be required, increasing the printing cost. There are problems such as. Furthermore, in the direct printing on the retroreflective sheet, there may be a case where defective products are generated due to defective printing or the like, and an expensive retroreflective sheet material may be lost.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and does not feel uncomfortable as a normal guide sign in the daytime. Also, when there is a night light source, the normal guide sign is similarly applied. It is an object of the present invention to provide a guide sign that can be recognized without feeling a sense of incongruity and that can be easily viewed even in a dark place at night or when a power failure occurs. It is another object of the present invention to provide a guide sign that can be used effectively for evacuation guidance during a disaster.

In the first aspect of the present invention, the guide sign of the present invention has a planar substrate, a background retroreflective sheet placed and fixed on the substrate surface, and a part of the background retroreflective sheet surface. A retroreflective sheet for display arranged and fixed so as to be exposed, and a phosphorescent material in which a phosphorescent material is blended with a transparent resin material on the surface of the exposed part of the retroreflective sheet for background or the surface of the retroreflective sheet for display It is characterized by comprising a phosphorescent material-containing resin body in which a large number of discontinuous forms made of the containing resin body are arranged and fixed by adhesive transfer printing.

Furthermore, in the invention of claim 2, the phosphorescent material-containing resin body is disposed and fixed on a white background retroreflective sheet surface or a white display retroreflective sheet surface. This is a guide sign.

According to this invention, a vehicle driver or the like can recognize it as a normal guide sign without feeling uncomfortable during the daytime, and can be visually recognized from a distance in a dark place such as at night or during a power failure. In the event of a power outage, it is possible to provide a guidance sign that makes vehicle driving safe and functions effectively as a guide for evacuation guidance during evacuation behavior by walking.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment.

(Embodiment 1)
1 to 4 show the first embodiment.

1 and 2, a guide sign 1 is formed on an aluminum sheet-like base material 2, a background retroreflective sheet 3 applied over the whole surface of the base material 2, and a background retroreflective sheet 3 surface. A plurality of display retroreflective sheets 4 that are pasted so as to be partially exposed, and phosphorescence that is arranged and fixed over the entire surface of the retroreflective sheet 4 for display that is exposed without being pasted. And a material-containing resin body 5. Note that the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 has a large number of translucent discontinuous forms and does not appear in FIG.

As the retroreflective sheet 3 for background and the retroreflective sheet 4 for display, those having a general retroreflective function are used, and the retroreflective elements are not particularly limited. For example, microsphere lenses such as glass beads And a lens-type retroreflective element composed of a metal film light reflecting layer, a cube-corner retroreflective element disposed so that the opposing surfaces face each other at an angle of about 90 degrees, and the like. The lens-type retroreflective elements include, for example, an open lens type retroreflective element, a capsule lens type retroreflective element, an encapsulated lens type retroreflective element, and the cube corner type retroreflective element includes, for example, a capsule cube. There are corner type retroreflective elements, metal deposited cube corner type retroreflective elements, and the like.

As the retroreflective element used in the present invention, it is preferable to use a capsule lens type retroreflective element, an encapsulated lens type retroreflective element, and a capsule cube corner type retroreflective element. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of retroreflective performance, a capsule lens type retroreflective element is used. It is preferred to use elements and capsule cube corner retroreflective elements.

The shape of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body is not particularly limited, and may be a circle, an ellipse, a polygon, or the like. In addition, in order to prevent problems such as dust adhering to the edge of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body or the edge being easily peeled off, the cross-sectional shape of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body should have a larger bottom area than the top surface. Is preferred. Moreover, 50-1000 micrometers is preferable and, as for the thickness of a luminous material containing resin body, 100-500 micrometers is more preferable.

Further, the area ratio of the phosphorescent surface to the reflecting surface is not particularly limited, and may be determined in consideration of the brightness due to the reflection by the reflecting surface and the light emission of the phosphorescent surface. However, when the ratio of the phosphorescent surface is high, it shines brightly when not exposed to light, but it does not shine when irradiated with light. In general, the area ratio of the light-storing material-containing resin body to the reflection surface is about 20 to 50%, and in the first embodiment, it is about 30%.

In the first embodiment, the background retroreflective sheet 3 is white and the display retroreflective sheet 4 is blue. However, other colors such as green may be used. Each of the display retroreflective sheets 4 has an appropriate form, and this guide sign 1 has a display function. In addition, the guide sign which consists of this invention can exhibit phosphorescent light emission performance by arrange | positioning and fixing the phosphorescent material containing resin body on the surface of the part which the retroreflection sheet for backgrounds exposes, or the surface of the retroreflection sheet for display. However, as a retroreflective sheet on which the phosphorescent material-containing resin body is disposed and fixed, a whiter retroreflective sheet is used to obtain higher-performance phosphorescent performance.

The phosphorescent agent-containing resin body 5 used in the present invention comprises a layer of phosphorescent ink in which a phosphorescent material is blended with a transparent resin having high weather resistance, and has a circular shape with a diameter of 4 to 8 mmφ and a thickness of 100 to 500 μm, for example. Are arranged and fixed in a discontinuous form such as a large number of dots on the surface of the retroreflective sheet for background 3 at intervals of 6 to 10 mm. By disposing and fixing in a discontinuous form, even if a defect such as peeling occurs at the end of the phosphorescent resin-containing resin body, the progression of the defect can be prevented. In addition, although the said luminous ink becomes cloudy to some extent by mix | blending a luminous material with a transparent resin material, the transparency which can permeate | transmit light is maintained, Therefore, the luminous substance containing resin body 5 arrange | positioned and fixed also maintains transparency. .

For the purpose of confirming that the transparency of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body is maintained, using a phosphorescent ink in which a transparent acrylic resin and a phosphorescent material are blended in the same weight, on a transparent polyester film having a thickness of 100 μm. A sheet of circular phosphorescent ink having a diameter of 5 mmφ and a thickness of 200 μm was prepared by arranging and fixing a large number of dots at intervals of 8.2 mm, and the transmittance of the sheet was measured in accordance with JIS-Z8722. The light rate was 85.2%. When the phosphorescent ink layer of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 completely inhibits the transmission of light, the area ratio occupied by the phosphorescent ink layer is about 29.2%. Since it is estimated that it is about 70.8%, it turns out that the luminous material containing resin body used for this invention has transparency.

The transparent resin material constituting the luminous agent-containing resin body is not particularly limited, and a commonly used synthetic resin may be used. For example, polyvinyl chloride resin, acrylic resin, urethane resin, polyester resin, etc. Synthetic resins are preferred. In addition, depending on the synthetic resin, it may not be excellent in weather resistance and may cause coloring such as yellowing during use, but since the emission luminance of the phosphorescent material may be inhibited by the coloring of the synthetic resin, in the present invention, A polyvinyl chloride resin or an acrylic resin which is excellent in weather resistance and hardly discolors is preferably used.

The phosphorescent material is a fluorescent material that absorbs light energy such as sunlight and fluorescent lamps, removes the light source, and then gradually emits light in the dark to emit light. There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a luminous material mix | blended, From the well-known thing used conventionally, arbitrary things can be selected suitably and can be used. As such a phosphorescent material, a sulfide-based phosphorescent material such as ZnS: Cu (green light emission), CaSrS: Bi (blue light emission), or the like can be used. Further, as aluminate-based phosphorescent materials, for example, CaAl ₂ O ₄ : Eu, Nd (yellowish green light emission), SrAl ₂ O ₄ : Eu, Dy (yellowish green light emission), Sr ₄ Al ₁₄ O ₂₅ : Eu, Dy (blue) Green light emission) can also be used. Aluminate-based phosphorescent materials have excellent afterglow characteristics such as higher afterglow brightness and longer afterglow time than sulfide-based phosphorescent materials, and are also excellent in outdoor weather resistance. It is preferable to use an aluminate-based phosphorescent material.

The arrangement and fixation of the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 on the background retroreflective sheet 3 is performed by using a transfer sheet 10 shown in FIG. 3 as described below.

The transfer sheet 10 includes a release sheet 11, a phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 disposed on the release sheet 11 via an adhesive layer 13, and a cover film 15 attached so as to cover the entire upper surface of the release sheet 11. It becomes more. The pressure-sensitive adhesive layer 13 and the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 are sequentially printed on the release sheet 11. The transfer sheet 10 is cut so as to conform to the form of the background retroreflective sheet 3 exposed, the release sheet 11 is peeled off and pasted on the background retroreflective sheet 3 with an adhesive layer 13, and further, a cover film By removing 15, a large number of phosphorescent material-containing resin bodies 5 are arranged and fixed in the form of dots on the background retroreflective sheet 3.

As described above, the use of the transfer sheet with the retroreflective sheet 3 for background, the retroreflective sheet 4 for display, and the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 requires a time-consuming printing process. The guide sign 1 can be produced without any problems.

As a reference example of the transfer sheet 10 shown in FIG. 3, an adhesive layer 13 is screen-printed on a release sheet made of a transparent polyester film having a thickness of 100 μm and dried, and then an acrylic resin and an aluminate are formed thereon. A plurality of circular phosphorescent material-containing resin bodies 5 having a diameter of 5 mm and a pitch of 8.2 mm are overcoated with a phosphorescent material-containing resin blended in the same weight with the system phosphorescent material. Produced a transfer sheet arranged and fixed in a dot shape. Using the obtained transfer sheet, each of the phosphorescent ink was applied to a capsule lens type retroreflective sheet (reflective sheet manufactured by Sumitomo 3M, 3930HIP, white) and a cube corner type retroreflective sheet (reflective sheet manufactured by Sumitomo 3M, 4090DG3, white). The layer was adhesive transfer printed. Table 1 shows the results of measuring the retroreflective performance of the retroreflective sheet obtained by transfer printing in accordance with JIS-Z9117. Similarly, Table 2 shows the results of measuring the afterglow luminance performance (phosphorescent light emission performance) of each retroreflective sheet obtained by transfer printing in accordance with JIS-Z9107.

As shown in Table 1, it can be seen that the display structure according to the present invention has a good performance close to the retroreflective performance used for ordinary guide signs and the like.

As shown in Table 2, it can be seen that the display structure according to the present invention has an afterglow luminance performance that can be seen well even in a dark place.

Since the heat-resistant temperature of the resin used in the capsule lens type retroreflective sheet, the encapsulated lens type retroreflective sheet and the capsule cube corner type retroreflective sheet suitably used in the present invention is generally low, a phosphorescent material is contained on the retroreflective sheet. Even if the resin body is directly printed, the temperature required for curing may not be obtained depending on the resin. As a countermeasure for this, a UV curable resin that can be cured at a relatively low temperature may be used, but there is a problem that special equipment such as UV irradiation equipment and drying equipment is required. By performing adhesive transfer printing using a transfer sheet to which the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 is attached, the guide sign 1 can be easily produced. For the purpose of preventing the resulting guide sign 1 from being contaminated by dust, dirt, exhaust gas from the vehicle, rainwater, condensed water, etc., the background part of the guide sign 1 and the surface of the display part are made of a transparent resin or the like. It may be coated.

In direct printing on the retroreflective sheet, which is the printing surface, there may be cases where defective products are generated due to defective printing. In such a case, expensive retroreflective sheet material may also be lost. By using the transfer sheet to which the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 is attached, it is possible to eliminate a loss due to poor printing or the like.

Hereinafter, the usage state of the guide sign 1 will be described. In the daytime, the guide sign 1 exhibits a display pattern made of the blue display retroreflective sheet 4 on the background made of the white background retroreflective sheet 3 due to external light. At that time, a large number of phosphorescent material-containing resin bodies 5 exist in the form of dots on the retroreflective sheet 3 for background, but since they have transparency, they transmit light, and furthermore, they have a large number of dots in the form of dots. By being arranged in a continuous form, the reflected light from the display retroreflective sheet 4 is sufficiently forward, and therefore the display pattern is hardly impaired.

At night, when illuminated by the light of the illuminating device in the vicinity of the guide sign 1, the display made of the blue display retroreflective sheet 4 on the background made of the white background retroreflective sheet 3 in substantially the same manner as in the above daytime. Presents a pattern. On the other hand, in a dark place such as during a blackout at night, the reflected light from the retroreflective sheet for background 3 and the retroreflective sheet for display 4 both disappear, but the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 portion arranged and fixed in a dot shape emits light. Thus, the entire area of the retroreflective sheet for background 3 emits light, so that the display pattern of the display retroreflective sheet 4 is displayed as a relatively black pattern as shown in FIG. Thereby, the driver | operator and pedestrian of a vehicle can visually recognize this from a distance. When the vehicle approaches the guide sign 1 and is illuminated with the light, the guide sign 1 is more clearly visually recognized in a state almost the same as in the daytime. This enables smooth and safe operation of the vehicle.

In addition, if a power outage occurs in a wide area during a disaster, etc., the surroundings are dark and evacuation by walking is very dangerous and uneasy. Evacuation guidance can be performed safely because the sign 1 is visible.

(Embodiment 2)
5 and 6 show the second embodiment. The difference from the first embodiment is that the blue retroreflective sheet 3 for the background of the guide sign 1 is used and the white retroreflective sheet 4 for the display is used for phosphorescence. The material-containing resin body 5 is arranged and fixed in a dot shape on the display retroreflective sheet 4. Therefore, when the nighttime power failure occurs, the phosphorescent material-containing resin body 5 emits light so that each area of the display retroreflective sheet 4 emits light. As shown in FIG. 6, the area is displayed on the background retroreflective sheet 3. The display pattern of the retroreflective sheet 4 is displayed as a relatively white pattern.

The present invention includes road signs, warning signs, water level signs, construction signs used in the above technical fields, fire hydrants and fire extinguisher signs, building entrance signs, public buildings and underground shopping streets. It can also be used effectively for inductive signs.

It is a top view which shows the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is an expanded sectional view same as the above. It is an expanded sectional view of the transfer sheet used when producing a guide mark same as the above. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a display example of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is an expanded sectional view showing a 2nd embodiment of the present invention. It is a top view same as the above.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Guide sign 2 Base material 3 Retroreflective sheet for background 4 Retroreflective sheet for display 5 Phosphorescent material containing resin body 10 Transfer sheet 11 Release sheet 13 Adhesive layer 15 Cover film

Claims (2)

A planar base material, a retroreflective sheet for background arranged and fixed on the base material surface, and a retroreflective sheet for display arranged and fixed so as to be partially exposed on the surface of the retroreflective sheet for background Adhesive transfer printing on the surface of the exposed retroreflective sheet for the background or the surface of the retroreflective sheet for display with a plurality of discontinuous forms made of a phosphorescent material-containing resin body in which a phosphorescent material is blended with a transparent resin material And a phosphorescent material-containing resin body arranged and fixed by the guide sign. The guide sign according to claim 1, wherein the phosphorescent material-containing resin body is disposed and fixed on a white background retroreflective sheet surface or a white display retroreflective sheet surface.

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