Optical laminated bodies, lighting equipment and area luminescence equipment

• US 7,511,783 B2
• Filed: 09/03/2004
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Toyooka, Kazuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms; David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoan C
• Application Number:
  US10/933,720
• Publication Number:
  US 20050024558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,670 Days
• Field of Search: 349/62, 349 96-103, 349/112, 349/110, 349/194, 353/8, 353/20, 359/437, 359/501
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0056 for producing polarisation effects, e.g. by a surface with polarizing properties or by an additional polarizing elements

Abstract

Lighting devices are disclosed that include optical laminated bodies. An exemplary optical laminated body includes a polarizing layer, a first transparent film disposed closely to a front surface of the polarizing layer and a second transparent film disposed closely to a back surface of the polarizing layer. The polarizing layer includes a reflective polarizing film, and both of the first transparent film and the second transparent film are diffusive films. The lighting devices further include a light source supplying light to the optical laminated body through a light entry surface of the first transparent film of the optical laminated body, wherein the light source includes a plurality of diffusing points of a light diffusive substance disposed on a surface of the light source. The lighting device provides diffused-polarized light emitted from a light emitting surface of the second transparent film of the laminated body.

Claims

1. A polarizing optical body having a light entry surface and a light emitting surface, the polarizing optical body comprising:

a polymeric reflective polarizing film;

a first adhesive layer disposed adjacent a first surface of the polymeric reflective polarizing film;

a first transparent film disposed adjacent the first adhesive layer and laminated to the polymeric reflective polarizing film via the first adhesive layer, wherein the first transparent film comprises a first diffusive surface;

a second adhesive layer disposed adjacent a second surface of the polymeric reflective polarizing film; and

a second transparent film disposed adjacent the second adhesive layer and laminated to the polymeric reflective polarizing film via the second adhesive layer, wherein the second transparent film comprises a second diffusive surface;

wherein the first transparent film and the second transparent film have substantially the same composition and thickness.

2. The polarizing optical body of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second transparent films comprises a resin selected from the group consisting of polycarbonate resin, acrylic resin, polyester resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, polyamide resin, polyolefin resin, and silicone resin.

3. The polarizing optical body of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second adhesive layers comprises an ultraviolet-curing adhesive.

4. The polarizing optical body of claim 3 wherein the first and second adhesive layers have the same composition.

5. The polarizing optical body of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second diffusive surfaces faces away from the polymeric reflective polarizing film.

6. The polarizing optical body of claim 1 wherein the first diffusive surface is a first structured surface lacking diffusive particles.

7. The polarizing optical body of claim 6 wherein the second diffusive surface is a second structured surface lacking diffusive particles.

8. The polarizing optical body of claim 7 wherein the second structured surface is different from the first structured surface.

9. The polarizing optical body of claim 1 wherein the polymeric reflective polarizing film is a multilayer polymeric reflective polarizing film.

10. A lighting device comprising the polarizing optical body of claim 1 and a light source supplying light to the polarizing optical body through the light entry surface of the polarizing optical body, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of diffusing points of a light diffusive substance disposed on a surface of the light source, the lighting device providing diffused-polarized light emitted from the light emitting surface of the polarizing optical body.

11. An area luminescence device comprising the lighting device of claim 10 and a transparent optical body illuminated by the lighting device from a back surface of the transparent optical body.

12. The area luminescence device of claim 11, wherein the transparent optical body comprises an LCD panel.

13. The area luminescence device of claim 11, wherein there is no diffusive plate disposed between the lighting device and the transparent optical body.

14. The area luminescence device of claim 11, further comprising a lens film disposed between the light source and the polarizing optical body.