Infrared transmitting film and infrared-sensor cover using same

• US 6,537,673 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Issued: 03/25/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Sada, Toshihiko, Ootsuki, Tamami, Asada, Tetsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Deborah
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blackwell-Rudasill, G.
• Application Number:
  US09/948,608
• Publication Number:
  US 20020041968A1
• Time in Patent Office: 561 Days
• Field of Search: 252/587, 296/97.2, 428/212
• US Class Current: 428/432
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/023 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31507 Of polycarbonate
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

An infrared transmitting film includes a mirror-coat layer having a lamination of high-refractive-index material layers and low-refractive-index material layers, and a color-material layer placed on the mirror-coat layer and for absorbing visible light in a given wavelength range and transmitting infrared ray. The film has 80% or more transmission factor for infrared ray.

Claims

1. A film for transmitting infrared ray, comprising:

a mirror-coat layer comprising a lamination of a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a refractive index greater than that of the second layer; and

a color-material layer placed;

on the mirror-coat layer, the color-material layer comprising at least one color material and a binder, wherein the color-material layer absorbs visible light in a given wavelength range and transmits infrared ray,

wherein the film has 80% or more transmission factor for infrared ray.

2. The film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the first layer is 1.5-5.5, and the refractive index of the second layer is 1.2-3.0.

3. The film as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the first and second layers has 0.1-0.2 μ

m thickness.

4. The film as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and second layers of the mirror-coat layer are formed out of materials selected from the group consisting of CaF₂, NaF, Na₃AlF₆, LiF, MgF₂, SiO₂, LaF₃, NdF₃, Al₂O₃, CeF₃, PbF₂, MgO, ThO₂, SnO₂, La₂O₃, SiO, In₂O₃, Nd₂O₃, Sb₂O₃, ZrO₂, CeO₂, TiO₂, ZnS, Bi₂O₃, ZnSe, CdS, Sb₂S₃, CdTe, Si, Ge, Te, and PbTe.

5. The film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the given wavelength range of the color-material layer is 400-700 nm.

6. The film as claimed in claim 5, wherein the color material of the color-material layer comprises a dye and a pigment.

7. The film as claimed in claim 6, wherein the color material is 0.1-100 weight portions with respect to 100 weight portions of the binder.

8. A cover for an infrared sensor, comprising:

a base material with transmission-ability for infrared ray; and

a film that transmits infrared ray, the film being disposed adjacent to the base material, the film comprising;

a mirror-coat layer comprising a lamination of a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a refractive index greater than that of the second layer; and

a color-material layer placed on the mirror-coat layer, the color-material layer comprising at least one color material and a binder, wherein the color-material layer absorbs visible light in a given wavelength range and transmits infrared ray,

wherein the film has 80% or more transmission factor for infrared ray,

wherein the cover has 70% or more transmission factor for infrared ray.

9. The cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein the film fully conceals the base material.

10. The cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein the film partly conceals the base material.

11. The cover as claimed in claim 8, wherein the base material is selected from the group consisting of glass, acrylic resin, thermoplastic polyester resin, polyolefine resin, fluorine-contained resin, vinyl resin, carbonate resin, polyether resin, and polyurethane resin.

12. The cover as claimed in claim 9, further comprising a protective layer disposed on a surface of the cover, the protective layer containing a protective material.

13. The cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective layer conceals an entire surface of the cover.

14. The cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective layer conceals part of the surface of the cover.

15. The cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective layer is formed with at least one of the base material, the mirror-coat layer, and the color-material layer.

16. The cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective material is selected from the group consisting of acrylic silicone paint, silicone denatured alkyd paint, and silicone denatured urethane paint.

17. The cover as claimed in claim 12, wherein the protective material comprises an absorbent having absorption spectrum in an ultraviolet range and allowing passage of visible light and infrared ray.

18. The cover as claimed in claim 17, wherein the absorbent is 0.1-10 weight portions with respect to 100 weight portions of the resin.

19. In an infrared-sensor unit:

a cover, comprising;

a base material with transmission-ability for infrared ray; and

a film that transmits infrared ray, the film being disposed adjacent to the base material, the film comprising;

a mirror-coat layer comprising a lamination of a first layer and a second layer, the first layer having a refractive index greater than that of the second layer; and

a color-material layer placed on the mirror-coat layer, the color-material layer comprising at least one color material and a binder, wherein the color-material layer absorbs visible light in a given wavelength range and transmits infrared ray,

wherein the film has 80% or more transmission factor for infrared ray,

wherein the cover has 70% or more transmission factor for infrared ray.