BRIGHTNESS ENHANCEMENT FILM HAVING A REINFORCING STRUCTURE

• US 20070002471A1
• Filed: 07/19/2005
• Published: 01/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Zhejiang Jinhui Optoelectronic Material Co., Ltd
• Original Assignee: EFUN Technology Company Limited
• Inventors: Tang, Shih-Chieh
• Granted Patent: US 7,269,327 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/831
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/0006 Arrays G02B3/02, G02B5/188 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 385/901 Illuminating or display apparatus

Abstract

A brightness enhancement film includes a light-refracting microstructure layer, a substrate and a reinforcing layer. The substrate has a first surface and a second surface opposite thereto. The light-refracting microstructure layer is arranged on the first surface of the substrate, and so configured to vary in curvatures for refracting light. The reinforcing layer is arranged on the second surface of the substrate, and so configured to form a relatively high degree of hardness. Accordingly, the reinforcing layer can prevent from warpage and abrasion of the brightness enhancement film.

Claims

1. A brightness enhancement film having a reinforcing structure comprising:

a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, the substrate made from a first transparent material which permits penetrating light through the substrate;

a light-refracting microstructure layer arranged on the first surface of the substrate, the light-refracting microstructure layer providing with changes in curvature so as to refract the light penetrated through the substrate; and

a reinforcing layer made from a second transparent material, the reinforcing layer covering the second surface of the substrate so as to reinforce the brightness enhancement film.

2. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer having a hardness greater than that of the substrate such that the reinforcing layer protects the second surface of the substrate.

3. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the second transparent material of the reinforcing layer having a rate of shrinkage substantially approximate to that of the substrate so as to prevent the brightness enhancement film from warpage.

4. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the first transparent material having a first refractive index and the second transparent material having a second refractive index, the first refractive index being greater than the second refractive index.

5. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the second transparent material being selected from a low refractive transparent material relative to that of the first transparent material.

6. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 5, wherein the second transparent material being selected from acrylic resin.

7. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer having a thickness ranging between 5 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

8. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer covering the second surface of the substrate to form a composite reinforced laminate by coating.

9. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer covering the second surface of the substrate to form a composite reinforced laminate by adhesive.

10. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer covering the second surface of the substrate to form a composite reinforced laminate by physical vapor deposition or sputtering deposition.

11. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer being deployed on a light incident side of the substrate with respect to a light source.

12. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the reinforcing layer being deployed on a light emission side of the substrate with respect to a light source.

13. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer consisting of a plurality of prism units, and each of which consisting of a first flat inclined surface and a second flat inclined surface.

14. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer consisting of a plurality of micro-hemispheres.

15. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 14, wherein the micro-hemispheres being arranged to form a plurality of hexagonal units in a hexagonal manner such that each of the micro-hemispheres having six of the adjacent micro-hemispheres.

16. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer consisting of a plurality of micro cones.

17. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 16, wherein the micro cones being arranged to form a plurality of hexagonal units in a hexagonal manner such that each of the micro cones having six of the adjacent micro cones.

18. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer consisting of a plurality of micro rippled ridges, and each of which micro rippled ridges consisting of a plurality of micro light-condensing units substantially having a common height, each of the micro light-condensing units further having a pair of curved surface, a pair of common trough line and a common ridge line.

19. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 18, wherein the trough line of the micro light-condensing unit being substantially constructed from a straight line.

20. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 18, wherein the trough line of the micro light-condensing unit being substantially constructed from a curved line.

21. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 18, wherein the common ridgeline of the micro light-condensing unit being substantially constructed from a curved line.

22. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer consisting of a plurality of prism units, and each of which having a pair of meandering surfaces, a pair of common trough line and a common ridge.

23. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 22, wherein each of the curved prisms substantially having a common vertical height and a common horizontal width such that each of the meandering surfaces of the curved prisms substantially having the same changes in curvature.

24. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 22, wherein each of the curved prisms substantially having a common vertical height but varying in horizontal widths such that each of the meandering surfaces of the curved prisms varying in curvature.

25. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 22, wherein each of the curved prisms substantially having a common horizontal width but varying in vertical heights such that each of the meandering surfaces of the curved prisms varying in curvature.

26. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 22, wherein at least one of the meandering surfaces consisting of a plurality of lateral ridges arranged in staggered manner in a longitudinal direction to provide changes in curvature.

27. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer being integrally formed on the first surface of the substrate.

28. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the light-refracting microstructure layer and the substrate being separately made from different transparent materials and adhered to each other.

29. The brightness enhancement film having the reinforcing structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the first transparent material being selected from an epoxy or UV curable adhesive.