Roll of a uniaxially oriented article having a structured surface

• US 20060141219A1
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ouderkirk, Andrew J., Biernath, Rolf W., Merrill, William Ward, Benson, Olester Jr., Kowitz, David A.
• Application Number:
  US11/184,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20060141219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/156
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 55/04 uniaxial, e.g. oblique
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0012 characterised by the manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0031 Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3083 Birefringent or phase retarding elements G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness

Abstract

A roll of an article, such as a film, comprising a body portion and a surface portion is provided. The body portion has (i) a first and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a thickness direction of the body. The surface portion comprises a geometric feature. The roll preferably has a cushioning layer between the plies of the article in the roll.

Claims

1. A roll of uniaxially oriented structured surface article comprising:

(a) a polymeric body having (i) a first and a second surface, and (ii) first and second in-plane axes that are orthogonal with respect to each other and a third axis that is mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axis in a thickness direction of the polymeric film; and

(b) a surface portion comprising a linear geometric feature disposed on the first surface of the polymeric body, the linear geometric feature being disposed on the body in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis of the polymeric film.

2. The roll of claim 1 wherein the article has substantially the same uniaxial orientation throughout the thickness of the body and the height of the geometric feature.

3. The roll of claim 1 wherein the geometric feature and the body each have a thickness and wherein the ratio of the thickness of the body to the height of the feature is at least 2.

4. The roll of claim 1 wherein the roll further comprises a cushioning layer between the surface portion of the polymeric body and the second surface of the polymeric body.

5. The roll of claim 1 wherein the article is derived from a polymer selected from a crystalline, semi-crystalline, liquid crystalline or amorphous polymer or copolymer and combinations thereof.

6. The roll of claim 5 wherein the article comprises a polyester, a polyarylate, a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polyether-amide, a polyamide-imides, a polyimide, a polyetherimides, a polyolefin, a polyalkylene polymer, a polyvinylacetate, a polyvinyl alcohol, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, a polymethacrylates, a polyacrylates, a polyacrylonitrile, a fluoropolymer, a chlorinated polymer, a polyarylether ketone, an aliphatic polyketone, a polystyrene of any tacticity, a copolymer and blend of any of these styrenics, a vinyl naphthalene, a polyether, a cellulosic, a sulfur-containing polymer, a polyurethane and combinations thereof.

7. The roll of claim 6 wherein the article is derived from a polyester.

8. The roll of claim 7 wherein the polyester is a polyethylene terephthalate, a polyethylene naphthalate, or copolymer thereof.

9. The roll of claim 1 having a shape retention feature of at least 0.1.

10. The roll of claim 1 having a relative birefringence of 0.3 or less.

13. The roll of claim 1 wherein the uniaxially oriented polymeric article has (i) a first index of refraction (n₁) along the first in-plane axis, (ii) a second index of refraction (n₂) along the second in-plane axis, and (iii) a third index of refraction (n₃) along the third axis, wherein n₁≠

n₂ and n₁≠

n₃ and n₂ and n₃ are substantially equal to one another relative to their differences with n₁.

14. The roll of claim 1 comprising a polymeric film.

15. The roll of claim 14 wherein the polymeric film comprises a multilayer film having a plurality of layers of different polymeric composition.

16. The roll of claim 14 wherein the body of the polymeric film has a thickness and the geometric feature has a base width and wherein the thickness of the body of the polymeric film to the base width of the feature is greater than about 3.

17. The roll of claim 14 wherein the geometric feature comprises a micro-feature.

18. The roll of claim 16 wherein the micro-feature comprises a microprism.

20. A cast film according to claim 1.

21. The roll of claim 1 having a wrap direction that is non-coincident with the first in-plane axis of the polymeric film

11. The roll of claim 11 comprising a plurality of linear geometric features disposed on the first surface of the polymeric body in a direction substantially aligned with the first in-plane axis.

12. The roll of claim 11 further comprising a plurality of second geometric features disposed on the second surface of the body in a direction that is substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis.

19. A roll of a uniaxially oriented polymeric film having a length and a width, wound in the length direction comprising:

(a) a polymeric body having (i) a first and second surface, and (ii) a first in-plane axis in the width direction of the film, a second in-plane axis in the length direction of the film and orthogonal to the first in-plane axis, and a third axis mutually orthogonal to the first and second in-plane axes in the thickness direction of the film; and

(b) a surface portion comprising a linear geometric feature disposed on the first surface of the polymeric body in a direction substantially parallel to the first in-plane axis,

wherein the film is uniaxially oriented along the first in-plane axis.