Optical products for displays

• US 20050238852A1
• Filed: 04/23/2004
• Published: 10/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Konta, Kazuyoshi, Nakayama, Naoki, Freking, Anthony J.
• Application Number:
  US10/830,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20050238852A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/192
• CPC Class Codes: C09J 7/20 characterised by their carriers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24777 Edge feature

Abstract

An optical sheet is comprised of an optical film laminated onto an adhesive layer. The perimeter of the adhesive layer is inset from the perimeter of the optical film. Multiple optical films may be stacked onto each other to form an optical sheet set that efficiently assembles into an optical display. The optical sheet set has no exposed adhesive, which tends to collect dust and particles or transfer to other parts of the display.

Claims

1. A method of making an optical product, the method comprising:

cutting an adhesive material to form an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having a first length and a first width;

bonding a surface of an optical film material to the adhesive layer to form an intermediate material; and

cutting essentially only the optical film material of the intermediate material to form an optical sheet that includes an optical film and the adhesive layer, the optical film of the optical sheet having a second length larger than the first length and a second width larger than the first width.

2. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

stripping waste adhesive material surrounding the adhesive layer; and

stripping waste optical film material surrounding the optical film.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of optical sheets are made concurrently.

4. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

layering the adhesive material onto a liner.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer has a frame-type shape.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the adhesive layer has a portion of a frame-type shape.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the surface of the optical film material is a structured surface.

8. The method of claim 1 and further comprising:

making a plurality of optical sheets; and

stacking the plurality of optical sheets to form an optical sheet set.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the optical sheet set is formed with a plurality oftypes of optical film.

10. A method of making an optical product, the method comprising:

cutting an adhesive material to form an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer having a frame-type shape with a first perimeter;

laminating an optical film material to the adhesive layer; and

cutting the optical film material to form an optical sheet, the optical sheet including the adhesive layer and an optical film, the optical film having a second perimeter, the first perimeter of the adhesive layer being inset from the second perimeter of the optical film.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the adhesive material is double-sided tape.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the optical film material has a structured surface.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the inset is a distance of between about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the inset is a distance of between about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.

15. The method of claim 10 and further comprising:

layering the adhesive material onto a liner.

16. The method of claim 10 and further. comprising:

making a plurality of optical sheets; and

stacking the plurality of optical sheets to form an optical sheet set.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the optical films are selected from a plurality of different types of optical films.

18. A method of making an optical product, the method comprising:

applying an adhesive layer to a liner;

bonding a surface of an optical film material to the adhesive layer;

cutting essentially only the optical film material to form an optical sheet, which includes an optical film and the adhesive layer, the optical film having at least one edge; and

wherein the adhesive layer is inset from the at least one edge of the optical film.

19. The method of claim 18 and further comprising:

stripping waste optical film material surrounding the optical film.

20. The method of claim 18 and further comprising:

making a plurality of optical sheets; and

stacking the plurality of optical sheets to form an optical sheet set.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the inset is a distance that is larger than a shift length of misalignment between adjacent optical sheets.

22. The method of claim 20 wherein the inset is a distance of at least 0.1 mm.

23. A method of making an optical sheet, the method comprising:

applying an adhesive layer to an optical film having at least one edge; and

wherein the adhesive layer is inset from the at least one edge of the optical film.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the inset is a distance of at least 0.1 mm.

25. An optical sheet comprising:

an adhesive layer having edges and a first length and a first width;

an optical film contacting the adhesive layer, the optical film having edges and a second length larger than the first length and a second width larger than the first width; and

wherein the edges of the adhesive layer are recessed from the edges of the optical film.

26. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein the adhesive layer has a frame-type shape.

27. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein the adhesive layer has a portion of a frame-type shape.

28. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein distances between the first and second lengths and distances between the first and second widths are between about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm.

29. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein distances between the first and second lengths and distances between the first and second widths are between about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.

30. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein the optical film is selected from the group consisting of light directing films, turning films, diffuser-type films, and multilayer optical films.

31. The optical sheet of claim 25 wherein the adhesive layer is double-sided tape.

32. An optical sheet comprising:

an optical film having an outer perimeter; and

an adhesive layer stacked underneath the optical film, the adhesive layer having an outer perimeter inset from the outer perimeter of the optical film.

33. The optical sheet of claim 32 wherein the optical film has a structured surface.

34. The optical sheet of claim 33 wherein the adhesive layer contacts the structured surface of the optical film.

35. The optical sheet of claim 32 and further comprising:

a liner stacked underneath the adhesive layer.

36. An optical sheet set comprising:

a plurality of optical films having outer perimeters;

a plurality of adhesive layers having outer perimeters inset from the outer perimeters of the optical films, and inner perimeters inset from the outer perimeters of the adhesive layers; and

wherein the optical films and the adhesive layers are alternately stacked together.

37. The optical sheet set of claim 36 wherein the optical films have a structured surface.

38. The optical sheet set of claim 37 wherein each optical film is selected from the group consisting of light directing films, turning films, diffuser-type films, and multilayer optical films.

39. The optical sheet set of claim 37 wherein one adhesive layer contacts the structured surface of one optical film.

40. The optical sheet set of claim 36 and further comprising:

a liner stacked under the plurality of optical films and adhesive layers.

41. An optical sheet set comprising a plurality of stacked optical sheets, each optical sheet having an adhesive layer, and an optical film completely covering the adhesive layer, the optical film having at least one edge, and wherein the adhesive layer is recessed from the at least one edge of the optical film.

42. The optical sheet set of claim 41 wherein each optical film is selected from the group consisting of light directing films, turning films, diffuser-type films, and multilayer optical films.

43. The optical sheet set of claim 41 wherein the recess is a distance of between about 0.1 mm to about 1.0 mm.

44. The optical sheet set of claim 41 wherein the recess is a distance between about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm.

45. The optical sheet set of claim 41 wherein the recess is a distance that is larger than a shift length of misalignment between adjacent optical sheets.

46. An optical sheet set formed by a plurality of optical sheets comprising an optical film and an adhesive layer stacked so that outer edges of each adhesive layer are recessed from outer edges of adjacent optical films.

47. The optical sheet set of claim 46 wherein the adhesive layers have a frame-type shape.

48. The optical sheet set of claim 46 wherein the adhesive layers have a portion of a frame-type shape.

49. The optical sheet set of claim 46 wherein the outer edges of each adhesive layer are recessed from the outer edges of each adjacent optical film a distance that is larger than a shift length of misalignment between adjacent optical sheets.