LIGHT GUIDE WITH A PRINTED FILM

• US 20130286687A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Uni-Pixel Displays Incorporated (Uni-Pixel Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Uni-Pixel Displays Incorporated (Uni-Pixel Incorporated)
• Inventors: Kykta, Martin A., Petcavich, Robert J., Jin, Danliang, Miller, Steven A.
• Application Number:
  US13/979,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20130286687A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/627
• CPC Class Codes: B05D 5/06 to obtain multicolour or other optical effects B05D5/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0065 Manufacturing aspects; Material aspects

Abstract

A method for making a light guide includes transferring ink onto a master tool having a three-dimensional feature pattern formed thereon and then transferring ink from the master tool to a transparent light guide. The method also includes curing the ink on the light guide. Alternatively, the ink may be printed onto a substrate (e.g., a film) and then laminated to the light guide.

Claims

1. A method for making a light guide, comprising:

transferring ink onto a master tool having a three-dimensional feature pattern formed thereon;

transferring ink from the master tool to a transparent light guide; and

curing the ink on the light guide.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising forming the master tool by engraving a predetermined pattern in a black resist material exposing a clear film creating a pattern of openings to the light transmission.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein forming the master tool further comprises applying ionizing radiation through open spacing'"'"'s in the black resist material to a blank elastomeric laminated photoresist.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature pattern comprises a plurality of nonuniformly-spaced, uniform-size light extraction features.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the feature pattern comprises a plurality of uniformly-spaced, nonuniformly-sized light extraction features.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the light guide comprises a polymer substrate light guide having a thickness of about 0.5 mm to 1 mm.

7. A light guide manufactured according to the method of claim 1.

8. A method for making a light guide, comprising:

transferring ink onto a master tool having a three-dimensional feature pattern formed thereon;

transferring ink from the master tool to a transparent substrate;

curing the ink on the substrate; and

laminating the substrate to the light guide.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising attaching a diffuse reflector to the light guide.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein laminating the substrate comprises laminating the substrate to one side of the light guide and attaching a diffuse reflector to the substrate thereby sandwiching the substrate between the light guide and the reflector.

11. The method of claim 8 further comprising laminating the substrate to one side of the light guide and attaching a diffuse reflector an opposing side of the light guide.

12. The method of claim 8 wherein the feature pattern comprises a plurality of nonuniformly-spaced, uniform-size light extraction features.

13. The method of claim 8 wherein the feature pattern comprises a plurality of uniformly-spaced, nonuniformly-sized light extraction features.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein curing comprises subjecting the substrate to ionizing radiation.

15. The method of claim 8 further comprising forming the master tool by engraving a predetermined pattern in a black resist material exposing a clear film creating a pattern of openings to the light transmission.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein forming the master tool further comprises applying ionizing radiation through open spacing'"'"'s in the black resist material to a blank elastomeric laminated photoresist.

17. A light guide manufactured according to the method of claim 8.