To provide transparent solid spheres with high refractive index and large particle size. The transparent solid spheres of one aspect of the present disclosure include barium oxide, zirconium dioxide, and titanium dioxide on a theoretical oxide basis, and has a refractive index of at least 2.0 and a particle size of 600 micrometers or greater.

A preformed thermoplastic roadway line marking includes a preformed thermoplastic substrate layer capable of being attached to a roadway, and a preformed thermoplastic upper layer in contact with the substrate layer. Advantageously, such an upper layer includes a surface area having a plurality of spaced-apart slits. The slits penetrate through an entire cross-sectional thickness of the upper layer and are in fluid communication with the substrate layer. When heated to a liquid state, the substrate layer has a morphed shape and is at least partially displaced upwardly through the slits and disposed on the upper layer such that the upper layer is fixedly locked to the substrate layer and maintained at a substantially stable position relative to the substrate layer. Such a structural configuration provides an unexpected and unpredictable result of insuring the marking is locked into place relative to the roadway, thereby reducing labor costs and improving durability.

A preformed thermoplastic roadway line marking includes a preformed thermoplastic substrate layer capable of being attached to a roadway, and a preformed thermoplastic upper layer in contact with the substrate layer. Advantageously, such an upper layer includes a surface area having a plurality of spaced-apart slits. The slits penetrate through an entire cross-sectional thickness of the upper layer and are in fluid communication with the substrate layer. When heated to a liquid state, the substrate layer has a morphed shape and is at least partially displaced upwardly through the slits and disposed on the upper layer such that the upper layer is fixedly locked to the substrate layer and maintained at a substantially stable position relative to the substrate layer. Such a structural configuration provides an unexpected and unpredictable result of insuring the marking is locked into place relative to the roadway, thereby reducing labor costs and improving durability.

Retroreflective materials and articles are enabled that increase the retroreflectivity of reflective materials or articles for roadway, automotive, and safety purposes by incorporating retroreflective elements that exhibit near-ideal Total Internal Reflection (TIR).

Retroreflective materials and articles are enabled that increase the retroreflectivity of reflective materials or articles for roadway, automotive, and safety purposes by incorporating retroreflective elements that exhibit near-ideal Total Internal Reflection (TIR).

A temporary flexible pavement marker comprising a base, a stand and a protective shield wherein at least part of the stand is reflective and the protective shield is configured to prevent materials sprayed down upon the temporary flexible pavement marker from obscuring the reflective part of the stand may be employed in the construction or repair of roads. Since the protective shield prevents asphalt from obscuring the reflective part of the stand during spraying operations there is no need for a technician to remove a protective layer from the markers after a spraying operation.

A temporary flexible pavement marker comprising a base, a stand and a protective shield wherein at least part of the stand is reflective and the protective shield is configured to prevent materials sprayed down upon the temporary flexible pavement marker from obscuring the reflective part of the stand may be employed in the construction or repair of roads. Since the protective shield prevents asphalt from obscuring the reflective part of the stand during spraying operations there is no need for a technician to remove a protective layer from the markers after a spraying operation.

In one aspect, the present application relates to dark-colored retroreflective pavement markings. The dark-colored retroreflective pavement markings may be used in a system that provides information about the arrangement of pavement markings to a sensor on a vehicle. This arrangement may be used to aid in the identification of a particular lane on a roadway. The pavement marking system comprises a sensor placed on a vehicle and at least a first pavement marking and a second pavement marking, wherein each of the first pavement marking a second pavement marking comprising different properties

In one aspect, the present application relates to dark-colored retroreflective pavement markings. The dark-colored retroreflective pavement markings may be used in a system that provides information about the arrangement of pavement markings to a sensor on a vehicle. This arrangement may be used to aid in the identification of a particular lane on a roadway. The pavement marking system comprises a sensor placed on a vehicle and at least a first pavement marking and a second pavement marking, wherein each of the first pavement marking a second pavement marking comprising different properties

A retroreflective traffic stripe comprising an exposed top surface containing a widely spaced repeating pattern of linear light-turning prisms over a bottom surface containing two different types of cube corner retroreflective prisms. The light-turning prisms are configured to use refraction and reflection to redirect light from distant headlights into a downward direction onto the bottom surface of the traffic stripe. Cube corner retroreflective prisms of the first type on the bottom surface have optical axes which are substantially perpendicular to the surfaces of the traffic stripe and are located substantially beneath such light-turning prisms. Cube corner retroreflective prisms of the second type on the bottom surface have optical axes tilted toward the distant headlights by at least 25 degrees and are located substantially between such light-turning prisms. Under dry road conditions, the light-turning prisms and first type of cube corner prisms provide unprecedented levels of retroreflectivity. Under wet road conditions, the second type of cube corner prisms provide high levels of retroreflectivity.