Contrast enhancement filter

• US 4,747,674 A
• Filed: 03/30/1987
• Issued: 05/31/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Polaroid Corporation (PLR IP Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Chang, Kuang-Chou, McLelland, Edmund J., Polizzotto, Leonard, Butterfield, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): ARNOLD, BRUCE
• Application Number:
  US07/032,479
• Time in Patent Office: 428 Days
• Field of Search: 350/399, 350/164, 350/166, 361/220
• US Class Current: 359/590
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2229/8918 by using interference effects
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/896 Anti-reflection means, e.g. eliminating glare due to ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05F 3/00 Carrying-off electrostatic charges from shoes A43B7/36; from living beings A61N1/14; from tyres B60C19/08; from vehicles B60R16/06; from aircraft B64D45/02; from large containers B65D90/46

Abstract

A contrast enhancement filter having antistatic and antireflection properties is disclosed. The article comprises a plastic support sheet carrying on one side thereof a layer of indium tin oxide, and superposed upon said layer, an antireflection layer. A light-polarizing element is affixed to the opposed side thereof. The contrast enhancement filter can be used for the reduction of specular glare from the surface of cathode ray tubes, computer display screens and the like.

Claims

1. A contrast enhancement filter having antistatic and antireflection properties, said filter comprising a transparent plastic sheet carrying on one side thereof, a layer of indium tin oxide, and superposed upon said indium tin oxide layer, an antireflection layer, said filter having affixed to the opposed side of said plastic sheet, a light-polarizing element.

2. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said layer of indium tin-oxide is a sputtered layer.

3. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said sputtered layer has a thickness in the range of about 130 Angstroms to about 180 Angstroms.

4. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 3 wherein said thickness is in the range of 140 Angstroms to 160 Angstroms.

5. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said antireflection layer comprises an inorganic layer.

6. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 5 wherein said inorganic layer comprises magnesium fluoride.

7. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 6 wherein said layer of magnesium fluoride has a thickness of about 1050 Angstroms to about 1400 Angstroms.

8. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 7 wherein said magnesium fluoride layer has a thickness of about 1100 Angstroms to about 1300 Angstroms.

9. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said antireflection layer comprises a polymeric layer.

10. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 9 wherein said polymeric layer comprises a fluorinated polymer layer.

11. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 10 wherein said fluorinated polymer has an index of refraction in the range of about 1.3 to about 1.45.

12. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 11 wherein said fluorinated polymer layer includes therein or as a layer contiguous thereto an effective amount of an isocyanate adhesion-promoting agent.

13. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 11 wherein said fluorinated polymer layer includes therein a dimethyl siloxane polymer.

14. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 10 wherein said fluorinated polymer layer has a thickness of about 1050 to 1400 Angstroms.

15. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said transparent plastic sheet comprises a flexible polyester sheet.

16. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 15 wherein said flexible polyester sheet comprises polyethylene terephthalate.

17. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 16 wherein the side of said sheet carrying said layer of indium tin oxide is corona discharge treated.

18. The control enhancement filter of claim 1 wherein said light-polarizing element is a circular light polarizer comprising, in combination, a linear light-polarizing layer and a quarter-wave retardation plate on a plastic sheet material.

19. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 18 wherein said light-polarizing layer comprises a polyvinyl alcohol linear dichroic light-polarizing layer.

20. The contrast enhancement filter of claim 18 wherein said plastic sheet material carrying said quarter-wave retardation plate comprises cellulose triacetate.