Transreflectors, transreflector systems and displays and methods of making transreflectors

• US 20040085749A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 05/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jeffery R. Parker, Timothy A. Mccollum
• Original Assignee: Jeffery R. Parker, Timothy A. Mccollum
• Inventors: McCollum, Timothy A., Parker, Jeffery R.
• Application Number:
  US10/683,630
• Publication Number:
  US 20040085749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/31
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/309 using white LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2021/0044 by the sight sense
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 21/02 for inducing sleep or relaxation, e.g. by direct nerve stimulation, hypnosis, analgesia for massage A61H; electrotherapy A61N, e.g. applying alternating or intermittent electric currents for producing anaesthesia A61N1/36021
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/063 comprising light transmitting means, e.g. optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0652 Arrays of diodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0621 Hyperbilirubinemia, jaundice treatment
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0018 Redirecting means on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/006 to produce indicia, symbols, texts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0061 to provide homogeneous light output intensity
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 : Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133555 : Transflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133615 : Edge-illuminating devices, i.e. illuminating from the side
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2219/062 : Light conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2221/07 : transparent

Abstract

The transreflectors may comprise a transparent substrate having reflective surfaces and other light transmissive surfaces for respectively reflecting and transmitting a greater portion of the light striking opposite sides of the substrate. Alternatively, the transreflectors may comprise two or more transparent substrates of different indices of refraction bonded together, with a pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of one of the substrates and an inverse pattern of optical deformities in the mating side of an other substrate in mating engagement with each other. The transreflectors are used in a transreflector system or display to transmit more of the light emitted by a backlight or other light source incident on one side of the transreflectors and reflect more of the light incident on the opposite side of the transreflectors. The transreflectors and backlight may be tuned to each other to enable the transreflectors to better transmit more of the light emitted by the backlight.

Claims

1. A method of making a transreflector from a transparent substrate comprising the steps of applying a reflective coating to one side of the substrate, and thermoforming such one side to form a plurality of angled reflective coated surfaces and a plurality of other angled non-coated light transmissive surfaces.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the light transmissive surfaces are textured to redirect or transmit light.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein optical shapes are formed on or in the light transmissive surfaces to redirect or transmit light.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming optical shapes on or in the other side of the substrate to redirect or transmit light from a backlight or other light source.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming a pattern of individual optical deformities on or in the other side of the substrate to redirect or transmit light.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein each of the optical deformities is formed into a well defined shape.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the size of the optical deformities is varied across the substrate.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the density of the optical deformities is varied across the substrate.

9. The method of claim 5 wherein the orientation of the optical deformities is varied across the substrate.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of forming optical deformities on or in the other side of the substrate.

11. A method of making a transreflector from a transparent substrate comprising the steps of applying a reflective coating to the substrate and then selectively removing the coating to form a plurality of light transmissive surfaces.

12. A method of making a transreflector from a transparent substrate comprising the steps of forming a plurality of spaced surfaces or areas on or in one side of the substrate, and applying a reflective coating, film or layer on some of the surfaces or areas to reflect ambient light but not on other of the surfaces or areas to transmit light from a backlight.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the reflective coating is a metallized coating that is deposited onto some of the surfaces or areas using a line of site deposition technique.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the reflective coating is hot stamped onto some of the surfaces or areas.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the reflective coating is a secondary film applied to or in close proximity to some of the surfaces or areas.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of texturing the other surfaces or areas.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of forming optical shapes on or in the other surfaces or areas.

18. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of forming optical deformities on or in the other side of the substrate.

19. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of applying an antireflection coating to the other surfaces or areas.

20. A method of making a transreflector out of at least two transparent substrates having different indices of refraction comprising the steps of preforming a pattern of optical deformities on or in one side of one of the substrates, using the preformed pattern of optical deformities on or in one side of the one substrate to form an inverse pattern of the optical deformities in or on one side of an other substrate, and bonding the one sides of the substrates together with the optical deformities and inverse optical deformities in mating engagement with one another.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the inverse pattern of optical deformities is formed on or in one side of the other substrate by melting or heat softening the one side of the other substrate and pressing the melted or softened side of the other substrate against the preformed pattern of optical deformities on or in the one side of the one substrate to form the inverse pattern of optical deformities in or on the melted or softened side of the other substrate While preventing the one side of the one substrate from melting or softening, and then cooling the substrates to cause the one side of the other substrate to harden and bond to the one side of the one substrate.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of forming optical deformities in the other side of the substrate that has the lower index of refraction shaped to transmit a specific distribution of light emitted from a backlight or other light source.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of forming optical deformities in the other side of the substrate that has the higher index of refraction shaped to redirect light.

24. The method of claim 20 further comprising the step of applying a texture to the other side of the substrate that has the higher index of refraction.

25. A method of making a transreflector out of at least one transparent substrate and a transparent ultra-violet curable polymer having different indices of refraction comprising the steps of preforming a pattern of optical deformities on or in one side of the one substrate, applying the polymer to the preformed pattern of optical deformities on or in the one side of the one substrate, and curing the polymer to form an inverse pattern of the optical deformities in the polymer and bond the polymer to the one side of the one substrate.