PRE-STACKED OPTICAL FILMS

• US 20080090025A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 04/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Freking, Anthony, Ruegsegger, Michael, Kotchick, Keith, Marushin, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/951,365
• Publication Number:
  US 20080090025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/1.1
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4815 Hot melt adhesives, e.g. thermoplastic adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/5042 covering both elements to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1222 comprising at least a lapped joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1224 comprising at least a butt joint-segment
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12461 being rounded, i.e. U-shaped or C-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/24244 forming a rectangle
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/53461 joining substantially flat covers and/or substantially flat bottoms to open ends of container bodies
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/61 Joining from or joining on the inside for making tubes by bending sheets and joining from the inside B29C53/387
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/00 Optical elements, e.g. lenses, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 2323/00 Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/005 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed on the light output side of the light guide
• 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: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133507 Films for enhancing the luminance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/23 Sheet including cover or casing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24612 Composite web or sheet

Abstract

Pre-aligned optical layers are stacked and arranged such that an adhesive layer, which is stacked onto the optical layers, contacts at least the uppermost layer and lowermost layer. The resulting subassemblies can be assembled into an optical display without individual handling of the layers, which reduces installation time and manufacturing costs.

Claims

1. An optical subassembly for use in an optical display, the optical subassembly comprising:

a plurality of stacked optical films having an uppermost film and a lowermost film, each of the uppermost and lowermost films having at least first and second edges; and

first and second adhesive layers contacting the uppermost and lowermost films of the stack on the first and second edges of the uppermost and lowermost films to hold the stack together as a unit, so that the stack can be assembled into an optical display without individual handling of the optical films of the stack.

2. The optical subassembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

at least one intermediate film between the uppermost and lowermost films of the stack.

3. The optical subassembly of claim 2 wherein the two edges of the optical films are staggered.

4. The optical subassembly of claim 2 wherein the optical films are configured such that each optical film contacts the first and second adhesive layers.

5. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein third edges of the optical films are staggered.

6. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein at least one optical film includes voids to allow the first adhesive layer to contact the lowermost film.

7. The optical subassembly of claim 1 further comprising a protective cover sheet.

8. The optical subassembly of claim 2 wherein the at least one intermediate film between the uppermost and lowermost films of the stack is selected from the group consisting of a turning film, a prismatic film, a reflective polarizer, a diffuser, and combinations of any of them.

9. The optical subassembly of claim 2 wherein the at least one intermediate film between the uppermost and lowermost films of the stack is two prismatic films.

10. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein the each of the first and second adhesive layers have two major sides and have an adhesive on each of the two major sides.

11. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein the each of the first and second adhesive layers have two major sides, wherein one of the major sides is black and the other major side is white or silver.

12. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein the first and second edges have a length and the first and second adhesive layers contact the length of the first and second edges.

13. The optical subassembly of claim 1 wherein each of the uppermost and lowermost films has four edges and first, second, third, and fourth adhesive layers contacting the uppermost and lowermost films of the stack on the four edges of the uppermost and lowermost films.

14. The optical assembly of claim 13 wherein the first, second, third, and fourth adhesive layers are a unitary adhesive layer having a shape of a frame.

15. The optical subassembly of claim 1 and further comprising:

a light guide stacked under the lowermost film which is configured to allow the first and second adhesive layers to contact the light guide.

16. An optical film package comprising in combination:

a light guide; and

an optical subassembly of claim 1.

17. The optical film package of claim 16 wherein the adhesive layer has a portion of a frame-type shape.

18. An optical display comprising in combination:

a backlight unit;

a display panel unit; and

an optical film subassembly of claim 1 positioned between the backlight unit and the display panel unit.

19. The optical display of claim 18 wherein the backlight unit further comprises:

a light guide; and

at least one light source.

20. The optical display of claim 18 wherein the adhesive layers secure the optical film subassembly to the display panel unit.