Embossed optical polymer films

• US 6,096,247 A
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 08/01/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Ulsh, Michael J., Serino, David F., Strobel, Mark A., Keller, Janet T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vargot, Mathieu D.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,065
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 264/1.6, 264/1.7, 264/2.7, 264/284, 264/448, 264/446, 264/492, 264/493, 264/293, 425/385
• US Class Current: 264/2.7
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/045 using gas or flames
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/02 by mechanical means, e.g. pressing B29C59/007 takes precedence; embossing expanded porous articles B29C44/5627
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 59/04 using rollers or endless belts
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/00 Optical elements, e.g. lenses, prisms
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/722 Decorative or ornamental articles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/00 Optical elements other than lenses light guides G02B6/00; optical logic elements G02F3/00

Abstract

A method of making embossed optical polymer films and embossed optical polymer films made are described. The embossed optical polymer films have substantially the same optical properties as unembossed optical polymer films. The method includes providing an optical polymer film having first and second major surfaces, softening at least one of the first and second major surfaces to produce a softened surface, embossing the softened surface to produce an embossed optical polymer film, and cooling the embossed optical polymer film.

Claims

1. A method of making an embossed optical polymer film comprising:

providing an optical polymer film having first and second major surfaces;

softening at least one of the first and second major surfaces to produce a softened surface by exposing it to a burner selected from a flame burner and a flameless radiant burner;

embossing the softened surface to produce an embossed optical polymer film; and

cooling the embossed optical polymer film, the process conditions of the flame power of the burner and the dwell time, during which the film is softened, embossed and cooled, being effective to yield a film for which the reflectance of a range of wavelengths is substantially the same before and after embossing.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the dwell time for the combined steps of softening, embossing, and cooling is from about 0.05 to about one second.

3. The method of claim 2 in which the flame power is in the range of about 580 W/cm² to 1150 W/cm².

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the softening step is carried out by using a flameless radiant burner.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical polymer film is selected from the group consisting of color shift films, specularly transmissive and specularly reflective films, specularly transmissive and diffusely reflective films, retroreflective cube-corner films and diffusely reflective.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical polymer film has strain-induced birefringence.

7. A method of making an optical polymer article comprising:

providing a layered construction comprising a multilayered optical polymer film having a major surface;

softening the major surface to produce a softened surface by exposing it to a burner selected from a flame burner and a flameless radiant burner;

embossing the softened surface to produce an embossed layered construction; and

cooling the embossed layered construction, the process conditions of the flame power of the burner and the dwell time, during which the film is softened, embossed, and cooled, being effective to yield a film for which the reflectance of a range of wavelengths is substantially the same before and after embossing.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the dwell time for the combined steps of softening, embossing, and cooling is less than about one second.

9. The method of claim 7 in which the multilayered optical polymer film comprises a multiplicity of layers each having a thickness less than a wavelength of light.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the softening step is carried out by a flame burner.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the softening step is carried out by a flameless radiant burner.

12. The method of claim 7 wherein the optical polymer film is selected from the group consisting of color shift films, specularly transmissive and specularly reflective films, specularly transmissive and diffusely reflective films, retroreflective cube-corner and diffusely reflective.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein the optical polymer film has strain-induced birefringence.

14. A method of making an embossed optical polymer film comprising:

providing an optical polymer film having first and second major surfaces;

softening at least one of the first and second major surfaces to produce a softened surface by exposing it to a burner selected from a flame burner and a flameless radiant burner;

embossing the softened surface to produce an embossed optical polymer film; and

cooling the embossed optical polymer film, the process conditions of the flame power of the burner and the dwell time, during which the film is softened, embossed and cooled, being effective to yield a film for which the transmission of a range of wavelengths is substantially the same before and after embossing.