Optical diffusion film and process of producing optical diffusion film

• US 6,912,089 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2001
• Issued: 06/28/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Fuji Photo Film Co Limited (Fujifilm Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ozeki, Keisuke, Nakagawa, Kenichi, Washizu, Shintaro
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/003,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20020126377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: 359443-461, 359515-530, 359599-614, 362/31, 428142-143, 428323-382, 428/913
• US Class Current: 359/599
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0226 having particles on the surface
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0268 characterized by the fabrication or manufacturing method
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 21/625 Lenticular translucent screens

Abstract

A process of producing an optical diffusion film which comprises at least a transparent base layer on a transparent substrate, a layer of transparent microspheres over the transparent base layer and a light absorbing layer over said transparent base layer comprises the steps of: distributing transparent microspheres in a layer over the transparent base layer so that each the transparent microsphere is partly embedded in the transparent base layer; and by coating a solution layer of coloring material that is convertible into fine metal particles and treating the solution layer of coloring material under specified conditions so as thereby to convert the solution layer of coloring material into a layer of fine metal particles that are light absorbable.

Claims

1. An optical diffusion film for rear projection type display devices, which comprises:

a transparent base layer,

a layer of transparent microspheres disposed on said transparent base layer so that each said transparent microsphere is partly embedded in said transparent base layer; and

a light absorbing layer formed over one side of said transparent base layer so as to leave each said transparent microsphere partly bare, said light absorbing layer comprising a coloring material;

wherein the coloring material comprises silver behenite.

2. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 1, and further comprising a transparent substrate on which said transparent base layer is formed.

3. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 2, wherein said transparent base layer material comprises a reducing material.

4. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 3, wherein said reducing material comprises a gallic acid.

5. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 1, wherein said transparent microspheres are between approximately 3 μ

m and approximately 50 μ

m in volumetric mean size.

6. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 5, wherein said transparent microspheres are between approximately 3 μ

m and approximately 15 μ

m in volumetric mean size.

7. An optical diffusion film as described in claim 5, wherein said transparent microsphere is between approximately 10 μ

m and approximately 50 μ

m in volumetric mean size.

8. A process of producing an optical diffusion film which comprises at least a transparent base layer, a layer of transparent microspheres over said transparent base layer so that each said transparent microsphere is partly embedded in said transparent base layer;

and a light absorbing layer over said transparent base layer leaving each said transparent microsphere partly bare, said optical diffusing film comprising the steps of;

forming a transparent base layer on a transparent substrate;

distributing transparent microspheres in a layer over said transparent base layer so that each said transparent microsphere is partly embedded in said transparent base layer; and

forming a light absorbing layer over said transparent base layer leaving each said transparent microsphere partly bare by coating a solution layer of coloring material; and

after coating the solution layer, treating said solution layer of coloring material so as thereby to convert said solution layer of coloring material into a layer of fine metal particles as said light absorbing layer;

wherein the coloring material is silver behenite.

9. A process of producing an optical diffusion film as described in claim 8, comprising the further step of heating said layer of transparent microspheres on said transparent base layer so as to partly embed each said transparent microsphere in said transparent base layer.

10. A process of producing an optical diffusion film as described in claim 8, comprising the further step of heating said layer of transparent microspheres on said transparent base layer through a heat conductive flexible sheet put over said layer of transparent microspheres.

11. A process of producing an optical diffusion film as described in claim 10, wherein said heat conductive flexible sheet comprises silicone rubber.

12. The process of producing an optical diffusion film of claim 8, wherein the transparent base layer comprises a reducing material, said reducing material reducing the coloring material to produce the fine metal particles.

13. An optical diffusion film for rear projection type display devices, which comprises:

a transparent base layer;

a layer of transparent microspheres disposed on said transparent base layer so that each said transparent microsphere is partly embedded in said transparent base layer; and

a light absorbing layer formed over one side of said transparent base layer so as to leave each said transparent microsphere partly bare, said light absorbing layer comprising a coloring material, wherein the coloring material comprises an organometallic salt.

14. The optical diffusion film of claim 13, wherein the organometallic salt is selected from a group consisting of silver salts of long chain aliphatic carboxylic acid, silver salts of organic compounds having an imino group, silver salts of sulfur contained compounds, silver salts of aromatic carboxylic acid, silver salts of sulfonate, silver salts of sulfonic acid, silver salts of phosphoric acid, and silver salts of salicylicaldoxyme.

15. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of long chain aliphatic carboxylic acid.

16. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of organic compounds having an imino group.

17. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is silver salt of sulfur contained compounds.

18. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of aromatic carboxylic acid.

19. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of sulfonate.

20. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of sulfonic acid.

21. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of phosphoric acid.

22. The optical diffusion film of claim 14, wherein the organometallic salt is a silver salt of salicylicaldoxyme.