OPTICAL ARTICLE INCLUDING A BEADED LAYER

• US 20080002256A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Lee, Wonho, Zhang, Yan Yan, Jung, Hoon-Sung, Sasagawa, Itsuroh, Etzkorn, Stephen J., Gehlsen, Mark D., Ko, Byung-soo, Anderson, Susan E., Lee, Ji-Hwa, Zhang, Wei Feng
• Application Number:
  US11/427,948
• Publication Number:
  US 20080002256A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/485
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0226 having particles on the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0268 characterized by the fabrication or manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/08 Mirrors vehicle mirrors involving special optical features B60R1/08
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers

Abstract

An optical article has a substrate including a reflective polarizing element preferentially reflecting light having a first polarization state and preferentially transmitting light having a second polarization state and a beaded layer disposed on the substrate. The beaded layer includes transparent binder and a plurality of transparent beads dispersed therein. A normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased when compared to a normal angle gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

Claims

1. An optical article comprising:

a substrate including a reflective polarizing element preferentially reflecting light having a first polarization state and preferentially transmitting light having a second polarization state;

and

a beaded layer disposed on the substrate, the beaded layer comprising transparent binder and a plurality of transparent beads dispersed therein;

wherein the beads are present in an amount of about 100 to about 210 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the binder;

wherein an average binder thickness over a linear inch is within about 60% of a median radius of the beads; and

wherein a normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased when compared to a normal angle gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

2. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the average binder thickness over a linear inch is within about 40% of a median radius of the beads.

3. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the average binder thickness over two linear inches is within about 60% of a median radius of the beads.

4. The optical article of claim 1, wherein a mean particle diameter of the beads is about 12 to about 30 microns.

5. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the beads have a generally spherical shape.

6. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the beads are present in an amount of about 120 to about 210 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the binder.

7. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the beads and binder comprise polymeric materials.

8. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the binder comprises a UV curable material, thermoplastic material, adhesive material or a combination thereof.

9. The optical article of claim 1, wherein a refractive index of the binder is matched to within about 0.1 of a refractive index of the beads.

10. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the reflective polarizing element is selected from the group consisting of:

a multilayer reflective polarizer, a diffusely reflective polarizer, a wire grid reflective polarizer, and a cholesteric reflective polarizer.

11. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the optical article further comprises an additional layer.

12. The optical article of claim 11, wherein the additional layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent polymeric layer, an adhesive layer, a diffuser layer, a rigid plate and a matte layer.

13. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the beads cover at least about 50% per unit area of a major surface of the optical article.

14. The optical article of claim 1, wherein the normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased by at least about 5% when compared to the gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

16. The optical article of claim 14, wherein a mean particle diameter of the beads is about 12 to about 30 microns.

17. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the beads have a generally spherical shape.

18. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the beads are present in an amount of about 120 to about 210 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the binder.

19. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the beads and binder comprise polymeric materials.

20. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the binder comprises a UV curable material, thermoplastic material, adhesive material or a combination thereof.

21. The optical article of claim 14, wherein a refractive index of the binder is matched to within about 0.1 of a refractive index of the beads.

22. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the reflective polarizing element is selected from the group consisting of:

a multilayer reflective polarizer, a diffusely reflective polarizer, a wire grid reflective polarizer, and a cholesteric reflective polarizer.

23. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the optical article further comprises an additional layer.

24. The optical article of claim 22, wherein the additional layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent polymeric layer, an adhesive layer, a diffuser layer, a rigid plate and a matte layer.

25. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the beads cover at least about 50% per unit area of a major surface of the optical article.

26. The optical article of claim 14, wherein the normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased by at least 5% when compared to the gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

15. An optical article comprising:

a substrate including a reflective polarizing element preferentially reflecting light having a first polarization state and preferentially transmitting light having a second polarization state; and

a beaded layer disposed on the substrate, the beaded layer comprising transparent binder and a plurality of transparent beads dispersed therein;

wherein the beads are present in an amount of about 100 to about 210 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the binder;

wherein a dry weight of the beaded layer is about 5 to about 50 g/m2; and

wherein a normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased when compared to a gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

27. An optical article comprising:

a substrate including a reflective polarizing element preferentially reflecting light having a first polarization state and preferentially transmitting light having a second polarization state; and

a beaded layer disposed on the substrate, the beaded layer comprising transparent binder and a plurality of transparent beads dispersed therein;

wherein the beads are present in a volumetric amount of about 45 vol % to about 70 vol % of the coating;

wherein an average binder thickness over a linear inch is within about 60% of a median radius of the beads; and

wherein a normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased when compared to a gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.

28. The optical article of claim 27, wherein a mean particle diameter of the beads is about 12 to about 30 microns.

29. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the beads have a generally spherical shape.

30. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the beads are present in an amount of about 120 to about 210 parts by weight per about 100 parts by weight of the binder.

31. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the beads and binder comprise polymeric materials.

32. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the binder comprises a UV curable material, thermoplastic material, adhesive material or a combination thereof.

33. The optical article of claim 27, wherein a refractive index of the binder is matched to within about 0.1 of a refractive index of the beads.

34. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the reflective polarizing element is selected from the group consisting of:

a multilayer reflective polarizer, a diffusely reflective polarizer, a wire grid reflective polarizer, and a cholesteric reflective polarizer.

35. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the optical article further comprises an additional layer.

36. The optical article of claim 35, wherein the additional layer is selected from the group consisting of:

a transparent polymeric layer, an adhesive layer, a diffuser layer, a rigid plate and a matte layer.

37. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the beads cover at least about 50% per unit area of a major surface of the optical article.

38. The optical article of claim 27, wherein the normal angle gain of the optical article with the beaded layer is increased by at least about 5% when compared to the gain of the same optical article but without the beaded layer.