Infrared light reflecting film

• US 20070109673A1
• Filed: 10/25/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Padiyath, Raghunath, Weber, Michael, Jain, Manish, Bai, Feng, Radcliffe, Marc, Thomas, Cristina, Marttila, Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,652,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/839
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10018 comprising only one glass sheet
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 19/2007 the chain containing -COO- or -OCO- groups
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2019/0448 the end chain group being a polymerizable end group, e.g. -Sp-P or acrylate
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0841 comprising organic materials, e.g. polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3016 involving passive liquid crystal elements optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers
• 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

Abstract

An infrared light reflecting article is disclosed and includes a visible light transparent substrate including a polymer and an infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the substrate. The substrate and infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer have a combined haze value of less than 3%.

Claims

1. An infrared light reflecting article comprising:

a visible light transparent substrate comprising a polymer; and

an infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the substrate, wherein the substrate and infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer have a combined haze value of less than 3%.

2. An article according to claim 1 further comprising a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the visible light transparent substrate or the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

3. An article according to claim 1 wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises an infrared light reflecting multilayer film having alternating layers of a first polymer type and a second polymer type.

4. An article according to claim 1 further comprising a second infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is disposed between the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the second infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

5. An article according to claim 4 wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises a retarder film.

7. An article according to claim 1 wherein the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a first layer reflecting a first range of infrared light, a second layer reflecting a second range of infrared light, and a third layer reflecting a third range of infrared light, wherein the first range, second range and third range are different.

6. An article according to claim I wherein the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a first layer reflecting a first range of infrared light and a second layer reflecting a second range of infrared light, wherein the first range is different from the second range.

8. A light control article for blocking infrared light from an infrared light source comprising:

a visible light transparent substrate comprising a polymer;

an infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the substrate;

a pressure sensitive adhesive layer disposed on the visible light transparent substrate or the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer, and

a glass substrate disposed on the pressure sensitive adhesive layer.

9. An article according to claim 8 wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises an infrared light reflecting multilayer film having alternating layers of a first polymer type and a second polymer type.

10. An article according to claim 8 further comprising a second infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer disposed on the transparent substrate, wherein the transparent substrate is disposed between the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the second infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

11. An article according to claim 10 wherein the visible light transparent substrate comprises a retarder film.

12. An article according to claim 8 wherein the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a first layer reflecting a first range of infrared light and a second layer reflecting a second range of infrared light, wherein the first range is different from the second range.

13. An article according to claim 8 wherein the infrared light reflecting cholesteric liquid crystal layer comprises a first layer reflecting a first range of infrared light, a second layer reflecting a second range of infrared light, and a third layer reflecting a third range of infrared light, wherein the first range, second range and third range are different.

14. An infrared light reflecting article comprising:

a first cholesteric liquid crystal layer that reflects light in a first range of infrared wavelengths;

a second cholesteric liquid crystal layer that reflects light in the first range of infrared wavelengths; and

a retarder film disposed between the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer, wherein the retarder film retards at least a portion of the light in the first range of infrared wavelengths such that the light is reflected by the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

15. An article according to claim 14 wherein the retarder film has a half wave retardation at a wavelength in the first range of infrared wavelengths.

16. An article according to claim 14 wherein the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer reflects light in a first range of infrared wavelengths and in a second range of infrared wavelengths, wherein the first range is different from the second range;

a second cholesteric liquid crystal layer that reflects light in the first range of infrared wavelengths and in the second range of infrared wavelengths; and

a retarder film disposed between the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer and the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer, wherein the retarder film retards at least a portion of the light in the first range of infrared wavelengths and in the second range of infrared wavelengths such that the light is reflected by the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

17. An article according to claim 14 wherein the first range of infrared wavelengths comprises a range from 880 nanometers to 1060 nanometers or a range from 1300 nanometers to 1640 nanometers.

18. An article according to claim 16 wherein the first range of infrared wavelengths comprises a range from 880 nanometers to 1060 nanometers and the second range of infrared wavelengths comprises a range from 1300 nanometers to 1640 nanometers.

19. An article according to claim 14 further comprising an infrared light reflecting multilayer film having alternating layers of a first polymer type and a second polymer type and disposed adjacent the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer or the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

20. An article according to claim 19 wherein the infrared light reflecting multilayer film reflects light in a third range of infrared wavelengths and the third range is different from the first range.

21. An article according to claim 14 further comprising an infrared light absorbing layer disposed adjacent to the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer or the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer.

22. An article according to claim 14 wherein the first cholesteric liquid crystal layer reflects light in a second range of ultraviolet light or visible light wavelengths;

the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer that reflects light in the second range of ultraviolet light or visible light wavelengths; and

the retarder film retards at least a portion of the light in the second range of ultraviolet light or visible light wavelengths such that the light is reflected by the second cholesteric liquid crystal layer.