Post-forming continuous/disperse phase optical bodies
First Claim
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1. A method of manufacturing a diffusely reflective article, said method comprising:
- providing an optical body having a generally sheet-like configuration, said optical body comprising;
a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05; and
a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis and by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis;
wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 30%;
post-forming said optical body into a diffusely reflective article, wherein a selected area of said optical body undergoes permanent deformation, and further wherein said selected area of said optical body comprises only a portion of said optical body.
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Abstract
Diffusely reflective articles manufactured from optical bodies including continuous and disperse phases are disclosed along with methods of manufacturing such articles. Also disclosed are underdrawn continuous/disperse phase optical bodies that are particularly well-suited to post-forming operations. The articles, methods and optical bodies of the present invention preferably allow for post-forming of the optical bodies while retaining desired levels of diffuse reflectivity in the articles formed from the optical bodies.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. A method of manufacturing a diffusely reflective article, said method comprising:
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providing an optical body having a generally sheet-like configuration, said optical body comprising;
a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05; and
a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis and by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis;
wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 30%;
post-forming said optical body into a diffusely reflective article, wherein a selected area of said optical body undergoes permanent deformation, and further wherein said selected area of said optical body comprises only a portion of said optical body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of manufacturing a diffusely reflective article, said method comprising:
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providing an optical body having a generally sheet-like configuration, said optical body comprising;
a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05; and
a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis;
wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 30%;
post-forming said optical body into a diffusely reflective article, wherein a selected area of said optical body undergoes permanent deformation, and further wherein the index of refraction of said second phase differs from the index of refraction of said first phase by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis in said selected area of said optical body after post-forming, and further wherein said selected area of said optical body comprises only a portion of said optical body. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method of manufacturing a diffusely reflective article, said method comprising:
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providing an optical body having a generally sheet-like configuration, said optical body comprising;
a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05; and
a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis;
wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 10%;
post-forming said optical body into a diffusely reflective article, wherein a selected area of said optical body undergoes permanent deformation, and further wherein said selected area of said optical body comprises only a portion of said optical body; and
annealing the optical body after post-forming, wherein the index of refraction of said second phase differs from the index of refraction of said first phase by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis in said selected area of said optical body after annealing.
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26. A method of manufacturing a diffusely reflective article, said method comprising:
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providing an optical body having a generally sheet-like configuration, said optical body comprising;
a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05;
a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis; and
a dichroic dye;
wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 10%;
post-forming said optical body into a diffusely reflective article, wherein a selected area of said optical body undergoes permanent deformation, and further wherein said selected area of said optical body comprises only a portion of said optical body. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28)
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29. A diffusely reflective article comprising an optical body including a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05 and a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis and by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis, wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 30%;
- wherein at least one surface of said optical body comprises a self-supporting three-dimensional shape.
- View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32)
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33. A diffusely reflective article comprising an optical body including a first phase having a birefringence of at least about 0.05 and a second phase, disposed within said first phase, whose index of refraction differs from said first phase by greater than about 0.05 along a first axis and by less than about 0.05 along a second axis orthogonal to said first axis, wherein diffuse reflectivity of said first and second phases taken together along at least one axis for at least one polarization of electromagnetic radiation is at least about 30%;
- wherein the thickness of said optical body as measured along a third axis orthogonal to said first and second axes varies over said optical body.
- View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36)
Specification