Display panel filter connection to a display panel

• US 6,353,501 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2000
• Issued: 03/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tru Vue Inc. (Apogee Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Viratec Thin Films, Inc. (Apogee Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Woodruff, Daniel P., Kuhlmann, Bruce E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schuberg, Darren
• Assistant Examiner(s): ASSAF, FAYEZ G
• Application Number:
  US09/487,121
• Time in Patent Office: 776 Days
• Field of Search: 359/585, 359/360, 359/590
• US Class Current: 359/585
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10073 comprising at least two glass sheets, neither of which being an outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10174 Coatings of a metallic or dielectric material on a constituent layer of glass or polymer
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10761 containing vinyl acetal
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 17/10834 using a fluid
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/202 Conductive
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/204 Di-electric
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2311/08 Silver
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2457/204 Plasma displays
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3618 Coatings of type glass/inorganic compound/other inorganic layers, at least one layer being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3639 Multilayers containing at least two functional metal layers
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3642 the multilayer coating containing a metal layer
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3644 the metal being silver
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3652 the coating stack containing at least one sacrificial layer to protect the metal from oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/3676 specially adapted for use as electromagnetic shield
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/78 Coatings specially designed to be durable, e.g. scratch-resistant
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2218/365 Coating different sides of a glass substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/116 including electrically conducting layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 2211/446 Electromagnetic shielding means; Antistatic means
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 29/896 Anti-reflection means, e.g. eliminating glare due to ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24975 : No layer or component greater than 5 mils thick

Abstract

The present invention provides a device in the form of a filter which is useable in conjunction with a plasma display panel, which is applied to the front face of a display, and which functions to reduce reflection after assembly to acceptable levels, to increase contrast enhancement ratios, to reduce EMI emissions to levels which comply with consumer safety or other governmental or other regulations or standards and to reduce infrared transmission in the 800 nm-1000 nm range to a level which does not interfere with IR remote control operation. The present invention also relates to a method of making such a plasma display panel filter and device.

Claims

1. An optical display comprising:

a transparent first substrate having first and second sides; and

a multi-layer optical film applied to one of said first and second sides, said film comprising at least one electrically conductive layer, at least one dielectric layer comprised of niobium pentoxide and a protective layer comprised of first and second layers of protective material positioned between said dielectric layer and said electrically conductive layer, said first protective layer is oxidized titanium and said second layer comprises a material having a plasma energy level less than niobium pentoxide; and

a second substrate comprised of the front face of said display wherein said first substrate is bonded directly to said second substrate with said optical film positioned therebetween.

2. The optical filter of claim 1 wherein said second layer is tin oxide.

3. The optical filter of claim 2 wherein said oxidized titanium is adjacent to said electrically conductive layer and said tin oxide is adjacent to said dielectric layer.

4. The optical filter of claim 3 wherein said electrically conductive layer is silver.

5. The optical filter of claim 4 including a plurality of electrically conductive layers and a plurality of dielectric layers alternating with said electrically conductive layers.

6. The optical film of claim 1 wherein said second protective material layer is one or more of tin oxide (SnO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO₂) and a silicon dioxide (SiO₂).

7. The optical film of claim 6 wherein said oxidized titanium is adjacent to said electrically conductive layer and said second protective material is adjacent to said dielectric layer.

8. The optical film of claim 7 wherein said conductive material layer is silver.

9. The optical film of claim 8 including a plurality of electrically conductive layers and a plurality of dielectric layers alternating with said electrically conductive layers.

10. The optical filter of claim 1 including a plurality of electrically conductive layers and a plurality of dielectric layers alternating with said electrically conductive layers.

11. A method of making a display with an optical filter comprising:

providing a transparent substrate having a first side and a second side;

applying a multi-layer optical film to one of said first and second sides of said transparent substrate, said film comprising at least one electrically conductive layer, at least one dielectric layer, and at least one protective layer comprising of a first titanium layer and a second layer between said electrically conductive layer and said dielectric layer;

applying an electrically conductive layer to said one side of said first transparent substrate or a niobium pentoxide dielectric layer applied to said first substrate, applying said first layer to said electrically conductive layer, applying said second layer to said first layer and applying said dielectric layer to said second layer, said second layer is a material having a plasma energy level less than niobium pentoxide;

providing a display with a second substrate forming the front face thereof; and

securing said first substrate directly to said second substrate with said optical film positioned therebetween.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said electrically conductive layer is silver.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said second layer is one or more of tin oxide (SnO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO₂) and silicon dioxide (SiO₂).