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Reinforced Optical Films

a technology of reinforced optical films and films, applied in non-linear optics, instruments, other domestic objects, etc., can solve the problem that periodic patterns can sometimes create undesirable moiré effects

Inactive Publication Date: 2007-10-11
3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES CO
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The solution results in a stiffer optical film that prevents warping and sagging in large displays, maintains low light scatter, and enhances brightness, while reducing assembly costs and weight.

Problems solved by technology

Spatially periodic patterns can sometimes create undesirable Moiré effects when combined with other periodic patterns at certain specific spatial frequencies and angular relationships.

Method used

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  • Reinforced Optical Films
  • Reinforced Optical Films
  • Reinforced Optical Films

Examples

Experimental program
Comparison scheme
Effect test

example 1

BEF Attached to Reinforced Composite Layer

[0095] A light-directing, prismatic, brightness enhancing microstructured film (Vikuiti™ Thin-BEF-90 / 24-II-T, available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn.) was attached to a transparent composite using a UV-cured resin acting as a laminating adhesive. In this example, the flat side of the brightness enhancing film was primed and laminated to a pre-made reinforced composite layer containing glass fibers in a polymer matrix. The structure of the finished article was, from bottom to top, i) reinforced composite layer, ii) laminating adhesive and iii) brightness enhancing layer.

[0096] The reinforced composite layer was formed using fiber material F1 described above. The refractive index of the F1 glass fibers, having a CS767 surface finish, was 1.551±0.002.

[0097] The polymer resin used for the reinforcing layer was a per weight mixture of the following components:

Component% wt.C169.3C229.7C31.0

The refractive index of the cured composite resi...

example 2

BEF and RP Attached to Reinforced Composite Layer

[0104] A sample was prepared in the same manner as discussed above in Example 1 except that the surface structured layer was Vikuiti™ BEF-RP-II 90 / 24r, which is a brightness-enhanced, reflective polarizer having a prismatic surface, available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. The reinforcing composite layer was made from H-106 fiberglass with CS767 surface finish and 30 / 70 TMPTA / Ebecrly 600 resin. The composite layer was attached by priming the flat side of the BEF-RP (with the HDODA / BP at 3% solution) and coating and curing the composite layer directly onto the BEF-RP, using similar techniques to those described in Example 1.

example 3

RP+BEF Between Two Reinforced Composite Layers

[0105] A prismatically structured, brightness enhancing layer was attached to a multilayer reflective polarizing layer (RP) and was sandwiched between two reinforced composite layers. The prismatically structured layer was a 5-mil (125 μm) thick sheet of monolithic polycarbonate brightness enhancing layer, Vikuiti™ WBEF W818, available from 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. The reflective polarizing layer was a multilayer polymer reflective polarizer having the same optical layer construction as a sheet of Vikuiti™ DBEF-P2, available from 3M Company, although the skin layers were slightly thinner than the commercial product.

[0106] In this example, each side of the RP layer and the unstructured side of the WBEF layer were primed using the same priming technique as described in Example 1. A pre-made fiber reinforced composite layer was attached to each side of the RP layer and the bottom of the WBEF layer was attached to the other side of one ...

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PUM

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Abstract

Optical films having structured surfaces are used, inter alia, for managing the propagation of light within a display. As displays become larger, it becomes more important that the film be reinforced so as to maintain rigidity. An optical film of the invention has a first layer comprising inorganic fibers embedded within a polymer matrix. A second layer having a structured surface, for providing an optical function to light passing therethrough, is attached to the first layer. The film may have various beneficial optical properties, for example, light that propagates substantially perpendicularly through the first layer may be subject to no more than a certain level of haze or light incident on the film may be subject to a minimum value of brightness gain. Various methods of manufacturing the films are described.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The invention relates to optical films and more particularly to optical films with structured surfaces that may be used in a display, for example a liquid crystal display. BACKGROUND [0002] Optical films, such as films having a structured refractive surface, are often used in displays, for example, for managing the propagation of light from a light source to a display panel. For example, a prismatic brightness enhancing film is often used to increase the amount of on-axis light from a display. [0003] As display systems increase in size, the area of the films also becomes larger. Such surface structured films are thin, typically tens or a few hundreds of microns thick and, therefore, have little structural integrity, especially when used in larger display systems. For example, while a film of a certain thickness may be sufficiently rigid for use in a cell phone display, that same film may well be insufficiently rigid for use in a larger display such as a...

Claims

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Application Information

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Patent Type & Authority Applications(United States)
IPC IPC(8): D04H3/00
CPCB29D11/00278B29D11/0073G02B5/0221G03B21/60G02B5/0257G02B5/0278G02B5/0242Y10T428/249924G02B5/04G02F1/1335
Inventor OUDERKIRK, ANDREW J.HART, SHANDON D.BENSON, OLESTER JR.FLEMING, PATRICK R.THUNHORST, KRISTIN L.
Owner 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES CO