Differentially-cured materials and process for forming same

• US 7,230,764 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Orafol Americas Inc. (Orafol Europe GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Reflexite
• Inventors: Rowland, William P., Mullen, Patrick W., Nilsen, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang; Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Martinez; Joseph
• Application Number:
  US11/022,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141243A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 359/454, 359/455, 359619-628, 349 62- 65, 349/95, 349/112
• US Class Current: 359/619
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/0894 provided with masks or diaphragms
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 35/10 for articles of indefinite length
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00 Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms grinding or polishing of optical elements B24B; constructional form of optical elements G02B; optical parts of spectacles G02C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00605 Production of reflex reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/243 Partially cured
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/003 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0083 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/30 Collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/12 Reflex reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/124 plural reflecting elements forming part of a unitary plate or sheet
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0038 Linear indentations or grooves, e.g. arc-shaped grooves or meandering grooves, extending over the full length or width of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G03F 7/001 Phase modulating patterns, e.g. refractive index patterns

Abstract

A light-redirecting optical structure includes a first side and a second side, the first side including plurality of linear prisms having a visibly random shaped surface on the prisms and a plurality of cross-cut prisms on first side which are oriented at an angle such that it is greater than zero degrees but less than 180 degrees.

A backlight wedge includes a stepped structure on a bottom side that decreases in size traversing the wedge away from a light source which is positioned at an end and having a visibly random shaped surface on said wedge.

Claims

1. A light-directing optical structure comprising:

a) a first side and a second side, the first side including plurality of linear prisms having a visibly random shaped surface on said prisms; and

b) a plurality of cross-cut prisms on first side which are oriented at an angle such that it is greater than zero degrees but less than 180 degrees, wherein the apexes of the linear prisms include a sufficient portion that include sufficient curvature to reduce Lloyd'"'"'s mirror fringe effects as compared to linear prisms without curvature.

2. A light-directing optical structure comprising:

a) a first side and a second side, the first side including plurality of linear prisms having a visibly random shaped surface on said prisms; and

b) a plurality of cross-cut prisms on first side which are oriented at an angle such that it is greater than zero degrees but less than 180 degrees, wherein the linear prisms or cross-cut prisms include elevated portions in a predetermined pattern located on the prism peaks.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein the linear prisms include substantially linear peaks.

4. The structure of claim 2 wherein the linear prisms include apexes having an included angle of about ninety degrees.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein the cross-cut prisms include apexes having an included angle of about ninety degrees.

6. The structure of claim 2 wherein the linear prisms have a height greater than the height of the cross-cut prisms.

7. The structure of claim 2 wherein the linear prisms have a height less than the height of the cross-cut prisms.

8. The structure of claim 2 wherein the cross-cut prisms include apexes having an included angle of less than about ninety degrees.

9. The structure of claim 2 wherein the cross-cut prisms include apexes having an included angle of greater than about ninety degrees.

10. The structure of claim 2 wherein said first side includes a plurality of first cured portions and a plurality of second cured portions that are formed from a same radiation-curable material, the first plurality of cured portions being cured to a first amount of time or at a first rate and the plurality of second cured portions being cured to a second amount of time or at a second rate, the first amount of time or rate being sufficiently different than the second amount of time or rate to result with discontinuities on and/or within the surface of the structure.

11. The structure of claim 2 wherein said linear prisms or cross-cut prisms include a bump, pip or differential height.