LIGHT DIRECTING LAMINATE

• US 20080049330A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Faklis, Dean, Hightower, Andrew L., Nelson, James M., Isberg, Thomas A., Tolbert, William A.
• Application Number:
  US11/467,331
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049330A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/599
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members

Abstract

A light management film package includes a first optical film having a structured surface and a second major surface, a second optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface disposed adjacent to and making contact with the structured surface of the first optical film via an adhesive layer. The structured surface of the first optical film includes a plurality of tall structures separated by short structures with the tops of neighboring tall structures separated by a distance of between about 50 and about 150 microns. The tall structures of the first optical film penetrate the adhesive layer, but the short structures do not.

Claims

1. A light management film package comprising:

a first optical film having a first major structured surface with a plurality of tall structures separated by short structures and a second major surface opposite the first major structured surface, each tall structure and each short structure having a top and a height measured from the top to a first common reference plane, wherein the height of each short structure is less than the height of each tall structure, and wherein the tops of neighboring tall structures are separated by a distance of between about 50 and about 150 microns; and

a second optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the second major surface disposed adjacent to and making contact with the first major structured surface of the first optical film via an adhesive layer, wherein each tall structure of the first optical film penetrates the adhesive layer and the short structures of the first optical film do not penetrate the adhesive layer.

2. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the distance between the tops of the tall structures is constant.

3. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the distance between the tops of the tall structures is variable.

4. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the distance between the tops of the tall structures is between about 90 and about 150 microns.

5. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the short structures have essentially equal heights.

6. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has a repeating pattern of one short structure interleaved between two tall structures.

7. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has a repeating pattern of two short structures interleaved between two tall structures.

8. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the tall structures are prisms.

9. The light management film package of claim 8, wherein the top of the tall structures is essentially a point.

10. The light management film package of claim 8, wherein the top of the tall structures is blunt.

11. The light management film package of claim 8, wherein at least one of the tall structures has an apex angle between about 70 and about 110 degrees.

12. The light management film package of claim 11, wherein the apex angle is about 90 degrees.

13. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the tall structures has a piecewise linear side.

14. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the first major surface of the second optical film is a structured surface with a plurality of structures, each structure having a top and a height measured from the top to a second common reference plane.

15. A multi-layer film laminate comprising the light management film package of claim 14 and at least one additional film layer.

16. The light management film package of claim 14, wherein the first common reference plane is closest to the first major surface of the first optical film and the second common reference plane is closest to the first major surface of the second optical film, and wherein the height of each structure of the second optical film is less than the height of each tall structure of the first optical film.

17. The light management film package of claim 14, wherein each structure of the second optical film has a width that is less than a width of each tall structure of the first optical film.

18. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the second optical film is a diffuser.

19. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the second optical film is a reflective polarizer.

20. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the adhesive layer has a thickness between about 1.0 and about 2.0 microns.

21. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the tall structures of the first optical film have a depth of penetration into the adhesive layer that is approximately equal to a thickness of the adhesive layer.

22. The light management film package of claim 1, wherein the first optical film includes a base film portion disposed between the first common reference plane and the second major surface, the base film portion having a thickness equal to about 510 microns or less.

23. The light management film package of claim 22, wherein the thickness of the base film portion is between about 375 to about 510 microns.

24. The light management film package of claim 22, wherein the thickness of the base film portion is between about 25 and about 52 microns.

25. A laminated film package comprising:

a first light directing film comprising;

a first smooth surface;

a first structured surface opposite the first smooth surface and having an array of tall prisms separated by short prisms;

a first common reference plane disposed between the first smooth surface and the first structured surface without passing through the array of tall prisms and short prisms, wherein each prism has a top and a height measured from the top to the first common reference plane, wherein the height of each tall prism is greater than the height of each short prism, and wherein a distance between the tops of each neighboring tall prisms is between about 50 and about 150 microns;

a second light directing film comprising;

a second smooth surface;

a second structured surface opposite the second smooth surface and having an array of prisms;

a second common reference plane disposed between the second smooth surface and the second structured surface without passing through the array of prisms, wherein each prism has a top and a height measured from the top to the second common reference plane; and

an adhesive layer disposed between the first structured surface of the first light directing film and the second smooth surface of the second light directing film, wherein the tall but not the short prisms of the first light directing film penetrate the adhesive layer.

26. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the first common reference plane is closest to the first structured surface and the second common reference plane is closest to the second structured surface, and wherein the heights of the prisms of the second light directing film are less than the heights of the tall prisms of the first light directing film.

27. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the prisms of the second light directing film have a width that is less than a width of the tall prisms of the first light directing film.

28. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the first light directing film has a repeating pattern of one short prism interleaved between two tall prisms.

29. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the first light directing film has a repeating pattern of two short prisms interleaved between two tall prisms.

30. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the distance between the tops of each tall prism of the first light directing film is between about 50 and about 150 microns.

31. The laminated film package of claim 25 further comprising a gap between the adhesive layer and each short prism of the first light directing film.

32. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the tall prisms of the first light directing film extend along a first direction and the prisms of the second light directing film extend along a different direction.

33. The laminated film package of claim 25 further comprising a third light directing film positioned under the first light directing film and having a third structured surface attached to an adhesive layer on a first smooth surface of the first light directing film.

34. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the tops of the tall prisms of the first light directing film are a sharp tip.

35. The laminated film package of claim 25, wherein the tops of the tall prisms of the first light directing film are a blunt tip.

36. A multi-layer film laminate comprising the laminated film package of claim 25 and at least one additional film layer.

37. A light management film package comprising:

a first light directing film comprising;

a substrate having a thickness of less than about 50 microns; and

a structured surface overlying the substrate, the structured surface having a plurality of tall structures separated by short structures;

a common reference plane disposed between the substrate and the structured surface, wherein each structure has a top and a height measured from the top to the common reference plane, and wherein the height of each tall structure is greater than the height of each short structure;

a second light directing film comprising;

a first major surface; and

a second major surface opposite the first major surface; and

an adhesive layer disposed between the structured surface of the first light directing film and the second major surface of the second light directing film, wherein the tall but not the short structures of the first light directing film penetrate the adhesive layer.

38. The light management film package of claim 37, wherein the tops of neighboring tall structures of the first light directing film are separated by a distance of between about 50 and about 250 microns.

39. The light management film package of claim 38, wherein the tops of neighboring tall structures are separated by a distance of between about 50 and about 150 microns.

40. The light management film package of claim 37 further comprising a gap between the adhesive layer and each short structure of the first light directing film.

41. The light management film package of claim 37, wherein the thickness of the substrate of the first light directing film is less than 40 microns.

42. The light management film package of claim 37, wherein the first major surface of the second light directing film is a structured surface.

43. The light management film package of claim 37, wherein the second light directing film is a diffuser.