DISPLAY INCORPORATING REFLECTIVE POLARIZER

• US 20070091230A1
• Filed: 12/04/2006
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1993
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ouderkirk, Andrew, Benson, Olester, Weber, Michael
• Application Number:
  US11/566,276
• Publication Number:
  US 20070091230A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting 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: G02F 1/133526 Lenses, e.g. microlenses or Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133536 Reflective polarizers G02F1/13362 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one

Abstract

A display includes a liquid crystal display panel, an optical cavity producing substantially collimated light and a birefringent reflective polarizer.

Claims

1. A display comprising a liquid crystal display panel, an optical cavity producing substantially collimated light and a birefringent reflective polarizer disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the optical cavity.

2. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical cavity comprises a first structured surface material.

3. The display as recited in claim 2, wherein the first structured surface material includes an array of triangular prisms.

4. The display as recited in claim 2, wherein the optical cavity further comprises a second structured surface material.

5. The display as recited in claim 4, wherein each of the first and second structured surface materials includes an array of triangular prisms, wherein the array defines an associated axis of orientation, and the axis of orientation of the first structured surface material is positioned with respect to the axis of orientation of the second structured surface material to provide two dimensional angular control of light transmitted by the first and second structured surface materials.

6. The display as recited in claim 5, wherein the axis of orientation of the first structured surface material is crossed with the axis of orientation of the second structured surface material.

7. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical cavity comprises an edge-lit backlight.

8. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the optical cavity comprises an electroluminescent panel.

9. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the birefringent reflective polarizer comprises alternating layers of different polymeric materials.

10. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizer is capable of broadband transmission.

11. The display as recited in claim 1, further comprising a dichroic polarizer disposed between the liquid crystal display panel and the birefringent reflective polarizer.

12. The display as recited in claim 11, wherein the dichroic polarizer is bonded to the reflective polarizer.

13. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the birefringent reflective polarizer comprises a high color polarizer.

14. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the birefringent reflective polarizer comprises a polarizer that transmits light non-uniformly at wide angles from normal.

15. The display as recited in claim 1, wherein the birefringent reflective polarizer produces off-axis color transmission.