ADHESIVE STACKING FOR MULTIPLE OPTICAL FILMS

• US 20080266501A1
• Filed: 07/07/2008
• Published: 10/30/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Kotchick, Keith M., Freking, Anthony J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,520,654 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 349/122
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 43/006 Delaminating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/00 Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1335 Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. polarisers or reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133507 Films for enhancing the luminance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2202/28 Adhesive materials or arrangements

Abstract

In a new packaging method for light management films in displays, such as liquid crystal displays, a stack of two or more optical films is held together before insertion into the display frame. The stack includes at least two of the films that are adhered together using adhesive positioned outside the viewing area of the films. In some embodiments, the adhesive is provided at one or more tabs provided around the periphery of the film stack.

Claims

1. A display system, comprising:

an illumination unit;

a display unit; and

a light management unit disposed between the illumination unit and the display unit to manage light passing from the illumination unit to the display unit, the light management unit comprising

a stack of at least first and second optical films each of the at least first and second optical films having at least one peripheral tab, the at least one peripheral tabs of the at least first and second optical films being in relative alignment, and a layer of adhesive disposed between the at least one peripheral tabs to adhere at least the first and second optical films to each other.

2. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a control unit coupled to the display unit to control an image displayed by the display unit.

3. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display layer.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, further comprising an absorbing polarizer layer on a viewing side of the liquid crystal display layers and an absorbing polarizer on an illumination unit side of the liquid crystal display layer.

5. A system as recited in claim 1, wherein the illumination unit includes one or more light sources illuminating a light guide panel, light from the one or more light sources entering the light guide panel and passing through a face of the light guide panel to the light management unit.

6. A system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a frame holding the illumination unit, the light management unit and the display unit.

7. A display system, comprising:

an illumination unit;

a display unit; and

a light management unit disposed between the illumination unit and the display unit to manage light passing from the illumination unit to the display unit, the light management unit comprising a stack of at least first and second optical films, the first optical film having a first peripheral edge, at least one first peripheral tab disposed on the first peripheral edge, the second optical film being disposed over the first optical film and having a second peripheral edge, at least one second peripheral tab disposed on the second peripheral edge, the at least one second peripheral tab being aligned with the at least one first peripheral tab, the at least one second peripheral tab being adhered to the at least one first peripheral tab with an adhesive.

8. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a control unit coupled to the display unit to control an image displayed by the display unit.

9. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the display unit includes a liquid crystal display layer.

10. A system as recited in claim 9, further comprising an absorbing polarizer layer on a viewing side of the liquid crystal display layers and an absorbing polarizer on a light source side of the liquid crystal display layer.

11. A system as recited in claim 7, wherein the illumination unit includes one or more light sources illuminating a light guide panel, light from the one or more light sources entering the light guide panel and passing through a surface of the light guide panel to the light management unit.

12. A system as recited in claim 7, further comprising a frame holding the illumination unit, the light management unit and the display unit.

13. A system as recited in claim 12, wherein at least the first and second optical films of the light management unit include one or more peripheral alignment tabs for locating the light management unit within the frame, the one or more peripheral alignment tabs being attached together with adhesive.