Transflective film, transflective polarizer, and polarizing light source device and liquid crystal display device using the same

• US 20030082314A1
• Filed: 06/28/2002
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Sumitomo Chemical Company Limited
• Inventors: Sairai, Takuya, Higashi, Koji, Honda, Masaru
• Granted Patent: US 7,820,252 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/1.31
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/03 Viewing layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/031 Polarizer or dye
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24355 Continuous and nonuniform or irregular surface on layer or component [e.g., roofing, etc.]

Abstract

The present invention provides a transflective film comprising a polymer film having an in-plane phase retardation value of about 30 nm or less and a transflective layer made of an inorganic compound, wherein the transflective layer is coated on the polymer film and a reflectance of the transflective film is from about 10% to about 95%. When an absorption-type polarizer 23 is laminated to the polymer film 22 side of the transflective film, a transflective polarizer 11 is provided. When a reflection-type polarizer 24 is laminated to the transflective layer 21 side of the transflective film, a transflective polarizer used in a system improving luminance is provided. Using these transflective polarizers, a polarizing light source device and a transflective liquid crystal display device are provided.

Claims

1. A transflective film comprising a polymer film having an in-plane phase retardation value of about 30 nm or less and a transflective layer made of an inorganic compound, wherein the transflective layer is coated on the polymer film and a reflectance of the transflective film is from about 10% to about 95%.

2. The transflective film according to claim 1, wherein a rough surface is formed on at least one surface of the polymer film and the transflective layer is coated on this rough surface.

3. A transflective polarizer comprising the transflective film according to claim 1 and an absorption-type polarizer laminated on the transflective film.

4. The transflective polarizer according to claim 3, wherein a reflection-type polarizer is further laminated on the opposite side to the absorption-type polarizer so that the reflection-type polarizer faces the transflective film.

7. The transflective polarizer according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein at least one light diffusing layer is laminated to any position on the same optical path.

8. The transflective polarizer according to claim 7, wherein the light diffusing layer has an in-plane phase retardation value of about 30 nm or less.

9. The transflective polarizer according to claim 7 or wherein the light diffusing layer has an adhesive property.

10. The transflective polarizer according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein at least one pair of adjacent films or layers are closely laminated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

11. A polarizing light source device comprising the transflective polarizer according to any of claims 3 to 6 and a light source member and a reflector, wherein the light source member and reflector are placed in this order on the polymer film side of the transflective polarizer.

12. A transflective liquid crystal display device comprising the polarizing light source device according to claim 11, a liquid crystal cell and an absorption-type polarizer placed at a front side of a liquid crystal cell, wherein the liquid crystal cell and the absorption-type polarizer are placed in this order on the transflective polarizer side of the polarizing light source device.

13. The transflective liquid crystal display device according to claim 12, wherein a light diffusing layer is laminated between the liquid crystal cell and the absorption-type polarizer.

14. The transflective liquid crystal display device according to claim 12 or 13, wherein at least one pair of members from the transflective polarizer to the absorption-type polarizer are closely laminated with a pressure-sensitive adhesive.

5. A transflective polarizer comprising a polymer film having one surface on which a transflective layer made of an inorganic compound is formed, a reflection-type polarizer and an absorption-type polarizer, wherein the polymer film, the reflection-type polarizer and the absorption-type polarizer are laminated in this order.

6. A transflective polarizer comprising a polymer film formed an irregular shape on at least one surface thereof and a transflective layer made of a metal or inorganic compound on the irregular shape, a reflection-type polarizer and an absorption-type polarizer, wherein the polymer film, the reflection-type polarizer and the absorption-type polarizer are laminated in this order.