Film having transmissive and reflective properties
First Claim
1. A transflector having means for reflecting of light impingent thereon from a first direction, and having means for transmitting of light arriving from a direction opposing to said first direction wherein the sum of the percent of light being reflected relative to the light coming from the first direction, and the percent of light being transmitted relative to the amount of light coming from the opposing direction, is greater than 100 percent.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A film which simultaneously maximizes light reflectivity from one side of the film while maximizing light transmissivity from the opposite side of the film. This is achieved by configuring the film with distinct regions of transparency and reflectivity where the extended boundary of the reflective region is shaped into a light funnel/pipe and where periodically placed discrete and/or extended/continuous shapes are created (such as extended triangular indentations, or discrete shapes such as a cone, a pyramid, or any polyhedron). The reflective region is composed of mirror-like material such as aluminum or silver, but may be a composite paste, a composite material, or multiple materials with different refractive indices or reflective qualities. In some embodiments, the reflective material is embedded in the transparent material such that the base of each shape is approximately parallel to and coincident with, or slightly recessed from the surface of the transparent material. In other embodiments, the reflective material is embedded in the transparent material such that the base of each shape is set at an angle to the surface of the transparent material. The transparent material will be continuous on at least one surface such that the transparent material forms the boundary for the film. The reflective regions and the transmissive regions may be configured according to application specification.
-
Citations
39 Claims
- 1. A transflector having means for reflecting of light impingent thereon from a first direction, and having means for transmitting of light arriving from a direction opposing to said first direction wherein the sum of the percent of light being reflected relative to the light coming from the first direction, and the percent of light being transmitted relative to the amount of light coming from the opposing direction, is greater than 100 percent.
- 32. A light transmitting material capable of transmitting light in a first direction, having a first surface, said first surface having reflecting means for reflecting a percentage but not all of the light striking said first surface from an opposing direction, and having one or more reflecting structures associated with said reflector means, said structures having sidewalls extending from said first surface toward said first direction, said sidewalls having an internal angle relative to said first surface of less than 90 degrees, said angle sufficient to reflect light striking said sidewalls from said first direction through said first surface such that a percentage of light from said first direction passes through said first surface, wherein the sum of the percentage of light being reflected relative to the light coming from said opposing direction, and the percentage of light being transmitted relative to the amount of light coming from said first direction is greater than 100 percent.
-
34. A non-emissive display device, said device containing a light transmitting material, said light transmitting material capable of transmitting light in a first direction and having a first surface, said first surface having reflecting means for reflecting a percentage but not all of the light striking said first surface from an opposing direction, and having one or more reflecting structures associated with said reflector means, said structures having sidewalls extending from said first surface toward said first direction, said sidewalls having an internal angle relative to said first surface of less than 90 degrees, said angle sufficient to reflect light striking said sidewalls from said first direction through said first surface such that a percentage of light from said first direction passes through said first surface, wherein the sum of the percentage of light being reflected relative to the light coming from said opposing direction, and the percentage of light being transmitted relative to the amount of light coming from said first direction is greater than 100 percent.
- 35. An electromagnetic radiation transmitting material capable of transmitting radiation in a first direction, having a first surface, said first surface having reflecting means for reflecting a percentage but not all of said radiation striking said first surface from an opposing direction, and having one or more reflecting structures associated with said reflector means, said structures having sidewalls extending from said first surface toward said first direction, said sidewalls having an internal angle relative to said first surface of less than 90 degrees, said angle sufficient to reflect said radiation striking said sidewalls from said first direction through said first surface such that a percentage of radiation from said first direction passes through said first surface, wherein the sum of the percentage of said radiation being reflected relative to said radiation coming from said opposing direction, and the percentage of said radiation being transmitted relative to the amount of said radiation coming from said first direction is greater than 100 percent.
-
37. A solar collection device, said device containing a solar radiation transmitting material capable of transmitting solar radiation in a first direction to a solar collector, wherein said collector reflects a portion of said solar radiation back to said material in an opposing direction, said material having a first surface, said first surface having reflecting means for reflecting a percentage but not all of said solar radiation striking said first surface from said opposing direction, and having one or more reflecting structures associated with said reflector means, said structures having sidewalls extending from said first surface toward said first direction, said sidewalls having an internal angle relative to said first surface of less than 90 degrees, said angle sufficient to reflect said solar radiation striking said sidewalls from said first direction through said first surface such that a percentage of solar radiation from said first direction passes through said first surface, wherein the sum of the percentage of said solar radiation being reflected relative to said solar radiation coming from said opposing direction, and the percentage of said solar radiation being transmitted relative to the amount of said solar radiation coming from said first direction is greater than 100 percent.
- 38. A solar collection device, said device containing a grid and a solar collector, wherein solar radiation passes in a first direction through said grid to said solar collector, and a portion of said solar radiation is reflected from said collector to said grid in an opposing direction, said grid having a first surface, said first surface having reflecting means for reflecting a percentage but not all of the solar radiation striking said first surface from said opposing direction, and having one or more reflecting structures associated with said reflector means, said structures having sidewalls extending from said first surface toward said first direction, said sidewalls having an internal angle relative to said first surface of less than 90 degrees said angle sufficient to reflect said solar radiation striking said structure from said first direction through said first surface such that a percentage of said solar radiation from said first direction passes through said first surface, wherein the sum of the percentage of said solar radiation being reflected relative to the said solar radiation coming from the opposing direction, and the percentage of said solar radiation being transmitted relative to the amount of said solar radiation coming from said first direction is greater than 100 percent.
Specification