Circular polarizer comprising anti-reflection material

• US 6,403,223 B1
• Filed: 07/26/1999
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Telspan Services Inc.
• Original Assignee: Telspan Services Inc.
• Inventors: Albro, Thomas Francis, Smith, Daniel Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Chen, Vivian
• Application Number:
  US09/359,890
• Time in Patent Office: 1,051 Days
• Field of Search: 428/421, 428/422, 428/423.1, 428/424.2, 428/424.6, 359/485, 359/487, 359/488, 359/493, 359/495, 359/500, 359/601, 359/609
• US Class Current: 428/421
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/28 comprising synthetic resins not wholly covered by any one of the sub-groups B32B27/30 - B32B27/42
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/105 Protective coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/111 using layers comprising organic materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/14 Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3154 Of fluorinated addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31544 Addition polymer is perhalogenated
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31551 Of polyamidoester [polyurethane, polyisocyanate, polycarbamate, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31573 Next to addition polymer of ethylenically unsaturated monomer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/3158 Halide monomer type [polyvinyl chloride, etc.]

Abstract

An optical article comprising a first layer of a transparent resin having a self-healing property; an antireflection layer consisting essentially of a non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer disposed underneath said first layer; and a circular polarizer disposed underneath said antireflection layer. The optical article has anti-reflective and anti-glare properties and also has self-healing properties and scuff resistance imparted by a thin, multi-layered film. The optical article thus is effective in reducing reflection and glare.

Claims

1. An optical article, comprising:

a layer of a transparent resin having a self-healing property;

an antireflection layer assembly comprising one or more layers disposed underneath said layer of transparent resin, each of said one or more layers of said antireflection layer assembly comprising a polymer; and

a circular polarizer disposed under and bonded to said antireflection layer, either directly or through an optional adhesive layer.

2. An outdoor monitor assembly, comprising:

an outdoor monitor; and

the optical article of claim 1 arranged in front of said outdoor monitor, wherein said optical article is arranged in a manner which reduces glare.

3. The outdoor monitor assembly of claim 2, wherein said optical article is placed in front of the monitor of an ATM machine.

4. An optical article comprising:

a transparent resin layer having a self healing property;

an antireflective layer consisting essentially of a non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer disposed underneath said transparent layer; and

a circular polarizer disposed underneath said antireflective layer and bonded thereto, either directly or through an optional adhesive layer.

5. The outdoor monitor assembly, comprising:

an outdoor monitor; and

the optical article of claim 4 arranged in front of said outdoor monitor, wherein said optical article is arranged in a manner which reduces glare.

6. The outdoor monitor assembly of claim 5, wherein said optical article is placed in front of the monitor of an ATM machine.

7. An optical article comprising:

a layer of a transparent resin having a self-healing property of at least 10 g as measured by a Heidon scratch tester at 23°

C. under a relative humidity of 50% using a diamond chip having a forward end diameter of 15 μ

m as a scratching tool and scuff resistance of less than 10% as measured by the haze increase after 100 rotation by a Taber abrasion test conduct under a load of 500 g using CS-10F as the truck wheel at 23°

C. under a relative humidity of 50%;

an antireflection layer disposed under said layer of transparent resin consisting essentially of a non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer, wherein the non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer is a polymer having fluorine-containing aliphatic ring structures, or a perfluoropolyether, wherein the antireflection layer has a thickness of from 10 to 1,000 nm; and

a circular polarizer disposed under and bonded to said antireflection layer, either directly or through an optional adhesive layer.

8. The optical article according to claim 7, wherein the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance, is a polyurethane resin.

9. The optical article according to claim 8, wherein the polyurethane resin is a crosslinked polyurethane resin.

10. The optical article according to claim 7, which has an interlayer of a resin having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance, between the layer of the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance and the antireflection layer of a non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer.

11. The optical article according to claim 10, wherein the interlayer is made of a resin containing aromatic rings in its main chain or side chains.

12. The optical article according to claim 7, which is an anti-reflection film or sheet.

13. The optical article according to claim 7, wherein the antireflection layer has a thickness of from 20 to 500 nm.

14. The optical article according to claim 13, wherein the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance is a polyurethane resin.

15. The optical according to claim 14, wherein the polyurethane resin is a cross-linked polyurethane resin.

16. The optical article according to claim 13, further comprising an interlayer of a resin having a refractive index higher than the refractive index of the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance, between the layer of the resin having self-healing properties and scuff resistance and the antireflection layer of a non-crystalline fluorine-containing polymer.

17. The optical article according to claim 16, wherein the interlayer is made of a resin containing aromatic rings in its main chain or side chains.

18. The outdoor monitor assembly, comprising:

an outdoor monitor; and

the optical article of claim 7 arranged in front of said outdoor monitor, wherein said optical article is arranged in a manner which reduces glare.

19. The outdoor monitor assembly of claim 18, wherein said optical article is placed in front of the monitor of an ATM machine.