Sun-facing light redirecting films with reduced glare

• US 10,151,860 B2
• Filed: 10/11/2017
• Issued: 12/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Hao, Bing, Nirmal, Manoj, Marttila, Charles A., Anderson, Owen M., Tapio, Scott M., Aho, Erik A., Padiyath, Raghunath, Mansheim, Jonathan F., Reed, John F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahoney, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US15/730,260
• Publication Number:
  US 20180095196A1
• Time in Patent Office: 426 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2417 Light path control; means to control reflection
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 2009/2482 Special shape
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 9/24 Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; Slat blindsoperating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 11/007 characterised by the means for transmitting light into the interior of a building
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/005 using microprisms
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0042 for use with direct solar radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0231 the surface having microprismatic or micropyramidal shape macroscopic prism arrays G02B5/045
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to light management constructions comprising microstructured prismatic elements useful in the preparation of sun-facing light redirecting films having reduced glare.

Claims

1. A light management construction comprising:

an optical substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface;

wherein a reference plane is defined as being parallel to, and in between, the first and second major surfaces of the optical substrate;

wherein a reference x axis is defined as being normal to the reference plane;

wherein a reference y axis is defined as being perpendicular to the reference x axis and falling within a plane that is parallel to the reference plane;

wherein the reference x axis and the reference y axis intersect each other at a position defined as the origin, which is on the second major surface of the optical substrate;

wherein the second major surface of the optical substrate comprises one or more microstructured prismatic elements;

wherein the positive direction of the reference x axis is defined as the direction from the origin towards the one or more microstructured prismatic elements;

wherein the positive direction of the reference y axis is defined as the direction from the origin in a clockwise direction from the positive direction of the reference x axis;

wherein a cross section of a microstructured prismatic element has a double peak shape with five substantially straight sides (sides A, B, C, D, and E) such that;

each side of a microstructured prismatic element has a first end and a second end;

side A of the microstructured prismatic element is parallel to and adjacent to the second major surface of the optical substrate and extends from the origin, where the first end of side A is located, in the positive direction of the reference y axis;

the first end of side B of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the second end of side A and the second end of side B is connected to the first end of side C;

wherein side B extends from the point that is connected to side A towards the positive direction of the reference x axis;

wherein side B forms an angle alpha with a line parallel to the reference x axis that passes through the point where side A and side B connect;

the second end of side C of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end side D;

wherein side C extends from the point of intersection with side B in a counterclockwise direction;

the second end of side D of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end of side E;

side C and side D define a valley angle, measured from side C in a counterclockwise direction towards side D;

the second end of side E of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end side A;

wherein side E forms an angle beta with the reference x axis side A that passes through the point where side A and side E connect;

wherein the valley angle is from 10 to 170 degrees;

wherein the shortest distance from side A to the highest point of the microstructured prismatic element defines the height of the microstructured prismatic element;

wherein the length of side A defines the pitch of microstructured prismatic element;

wherein the aspect ratio of the microstructured prismatic element defined by dividing the height by the pitch is 1.55 or less;

wherein the distance between a normal line to side A that intersects the point where side B and side C connect and a normal line to side A that intersects the point where side C and side D connect defines the peak separation;

wherein the peak separation is greater than 10% of the pitch;

wherein when incident light rays pass through the second major surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface and exit the light management construction as output light rays, the energy of the output light rays exiting at angles from 0 to 45 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis divided by the total energy of the output light rays is less than 25% at any value of an incident angle of the incident light rays from 10 to 65 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis,

wherein the light management construction further comprises a diffuser layer, and

wherein the angle alpha is from 5 to 28 degrees.

2. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the pitch is from 35 to 45 microns.

3. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the height is from 30 to 80 microns.

4. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the aspect ratio is from 1.0 to 1.5.

5. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the valley angle is from 40 degrees to 90 degrees.

6. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the angle beta is from 5 to 15 degrees.

7. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein the angle beta is 10 degrees or less.

8. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein when incident light rays pass through the second major surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and exit the light management construction as output light rays, the energy of the output light rays exiting at angles from 0 to 45 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis divided by the total energy of the output light rays is less than 20% at any value of an incident angle of the incident light rays from 10 to 65 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis.

9. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is from 35 to 55 microns;

the height is from 45 to 78 microns;

the aspect ratio is from 1.2 to 1.5;

the valley angle is from 60 to 80 degrees;

the angle alpha is from 15 to 25 degrees; and

the angle beta is from 5 to 15 degrees.

10. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is from 35 to 55 microns;

the height is from 40 to 72 microns;

the aspect ratio is from 1.1 to 1.3;

the valley angle is from 50 to 70 degrees;

the angle alpha is from 18 to 28 degrees; and

the angle beta is from 4 to 12 degrees.

11. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is about 40 microns;

the height is about 50 microns;

the aspect ratio is about 1.2;

the valley angle is about 60 degrees;

the angle alpha is about 23 degrees; and

the angle beta is about 7 degrees.

12. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is about 30 microns;

the height is about 36 microns;

the aspect ratio is about 1.2;

the valley angle is about 60 degrees;

the angle alpha is about 23 degrees; and

the angle beta is about 7 degrees.

13. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is about 50 microns;

the height is about 61 microns;

the aspect ratio is about 1.2;

the valley angle is about 60 degrees;

the angle alpha is about 23 degrees; and

the angle beta is about 7 degrees.

14. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is from 35 to 55 microns;

the height is from 40 to 77 microns;

the aspect ratio is from 1.2 to 1.4;

the valley angle is from 35 to 55 degrees;

the angle alpha is from 10 to 20 degrees; and

the angle beta is from 5 to 15 degrees.

15. A light management construction according to claim 1, wherein:

the pitch is from 25 to 35 microns;

the height is from 30 to 49 microns;

the aspect ratio is from 1.2 to 1.4;

the valley angle is from 35 to 55 degrees;

the angle alpha is from 10 to 20 degrees; and

the angle beta is from 5 to 15 degrees.