Sheet for use for projection screen, light diffusion sheet and projection screen

• US 6,822,792 B2
• Filed: 05/13/2002
• Issued: 11/23/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Company Limited
• Inventors: Goto, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MAHONEY, CHRISTOPHER E
• Application Number:
  US10/144,470
• Publication Number:
  US 20020167725A1
• Time in Patent Office: 925 Days
• Field of Search: 359/455, 359/456, 359/457, 359/460, 359/619, 359/628
• US Class Current: 359/456
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/625 Lenticular translucent screens

Abstract

Provided is a light diffusion sheet or film capable of preventing the reflection of an external light that has entered from a light emission surface and also capable of obtaining a high gain. Also provided is a projection screen using the light diffusion sheet or film. The light diffusion sheet or film has formed thereon, either one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, a plurality of unit lenses. The unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section. The lower bottom of the trapezoid is made to be a light incidence portion and the upper bottom thereof is made to be a light emission portion. The unit lens is formed using a material having a prescribed refractive index N1. One portion, the cross section of which is triangular and located between an adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than refractive index N1 and having added thereto light absorption particles. When it is assumed that T represents the length of the upper bottom of the trapezoid; H represents the height of the upper bottom thereof; and θ represents the angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a line normal to the light emission portion, the following relationships apply:

sin (90°−θ)>N2/N1

N1<1/sin 2θ

0<H<T/(tan(2θ+10°)−tan θ)

and the surface of the light incidence portion has performed thereon embossing processing.

Claims

1. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

a portion, a cross section of which is triangular and located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles having an average particle size of from {fraction (1/30)} to ⅔

of a height or an opening width of a groove of the light emission portion, or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

).

2. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

a portion, a cross section of which is triangular and located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

), wherein components of light are diffused 3°

or more by an embossed portion which comprises 20% or more of the light incidence surface.

3. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

portion, a cross section of which is triangular and located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

), wherein an area of the embossed portion comprises 20% or more of the light incidence surface, and satisfies a relationship of sin(90°

−

(sin<sup>−

1</sup>(N3*sin(2ω

)/N1)+θ

))<

N2/N1, when it is assumed that ω

represents components of an angle, in a same direction as θ

, defined by the slant of the embossed portion with respect to the light incidence surface, and N3 represents the refractive index of the material forming the embossed portion, wherein a configuration of a section, as sectioned by a plane perpendicular to the light emission portion, of the light incidence is in a shape of a chipped piece of an ellipse or/and a chipped piece of a polygon.

4. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

a portion, a cross section of which is triangular and located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

), wherein components of light are diffused 20°

or more when the embossed portion comprises 20% or less of the light incidence surface.

5. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

a portion, a cross section of which is triangular and located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles having an average particle size of from {fraction (1/30)} to ⅔

of a height or an opening width of a groove of the light emission portion or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

);

wherein

a Fresnel lens is disposed on an image light side of the light diffusion sheet or film.

6. A projection screen according to claim 5, wherein the Fresnel lens if formed on a reverse surface of the light diffusion sheet or film;

and this lens is constructed of a refraction Fresnel lens, a total reflection Fresnel lens, or a combination of these two lenses.

7. A projection screen according to claim 5, wherein the Fresnel lens is a linear Fresnel lens.

8. A projection screen according to claim 5, wherein the slant of the trapezoid having a cross-sectionally trapezoidal configuration of each of a plurality of the unit lenses is extended in a vertical direction.

9. A light diffusion sheet or film, the light diffusion sheet or film having formed thereon a plurality of unit lenses, one-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, wherein the unit lens is substantially trapezoidal in cross section, a lower bottom of the trapezoid is a light incidence portion and an upper bottom thereof is a light emission portion, the unit lens is formed of a material having a prescribed refractive index of N1, and a surface of the light incidence portion has an embossed portion located thereon;

a portion, a cross section of which includes at least three sides, located between adjacent two of the unit lenses, is formed using a material having a refractive index N2 lower than N1 and includes light absorption particles having an average particle size of from {fraction (1/30)} to ⅔

of a height or an opening width of a groove of the light emission portion, or a material having a refractive index lower than N1 and colored; and

when it is assumed that θ

represents an angle defined by the slant of the trapezoid with respect to a normal line to the light emission portion, a relationship holds true that is expressed as sin(90°

−

θ

)>

N2/N1 and N1<

1/sin (2θ

).

10. The light diffusion sheet or film of claim 9, wherein the at least three sides include two opposing sides each having a first end and a second end, wherein the opposing sides are connected at the first end and curve away from each other such that the respective second ends are spaced apart.

11. The light diffusion sheet or film of claim 9, wherein the at least three sides include two opposing sides each comprising two line segments, each line segment having a first end and a second end, wherein the two line segments are joined at the first end and have an angle greater than 90°

between the respective second ends.