Liquid crystal displays with laminated diffuser plates

• US 8,576,357 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2010
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Gehlsen, Mark D., Rivard, Linda M., Fabick, Ryan T., Laumer, James W., Epstein, Kenneth A., Ko, Byung-soo, Kim, Ji-Hyung, Kim, Sang-Dae, Lee, Ji-Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDEK, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US12/723,881
• Publication Number:
  US 20100188754A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,331 Days
• Field of Search: 349/112, 349/62, 349/58, 349/65, 349/96, 359/599
• US Class Current: 349/96
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133507 Films for enhancing the luminance
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133606 including a specially adapted diffusing, scattering or light controlling members
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133607 the light controlling member including light directing or refracting elements, e.g. prisms or lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13362 providing polarized light, e.g. by converting a polarisation component into another one
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2201/086 UV absorbing

Abstract

In a liquid crystal display (LCD), for example an LCD monitor or an LCD-TV, a number of light management films, including a diffuser layer, lie between the light source and the LCD panel to provide bright, uniform illumination. In some embodiments, the diffuser layer is attached to the lower side of the LCD panel. Some, or all, of the light management layers may be attached together as a laminated stack of films. In some embodiments, the diffuser layer is formed with a recessed region on one side and another optical film positioned within the recessed region.

Claims

1. An arrangement of light management optical films, comprising:

a first optical layer having a recessed region on one side; and

a second optical layer disposed within the recessed region,

wherein the second optical layer is a reflective polarizer.

2. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the first optical layer is a diffuser layer.

3. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the first optical layer comprises a deformable material and the second optical layer is pressed into the deformable material.

4. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the first optical layer comprises a first material layer and a peripheral material positioned at a peripheral edge of the first material layer to form the recessed region.

5. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the second optical layer is attached to the first optical layer.

6. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the second optical layer is a transparent optical layer.

7. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, further comprising a prismatic brightness enhancing layer disposed over the recessed region.

8. The arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the prismatic brightness enhancing layer is attached to the diffuser layer at a peripheral edge.

9. The arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the prismatic brightness enhancing layer has a first surface facing the first optical layer and a structured surface facing away from the first optical layer, the arrangement further comprising a reflective polarizer attached to the structured surface of the prismatic brightness enhancing layer.

10. The arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the second optical layer has a thickness greater than the depth of the recessed region.

11. The arrangement as recited in claim 7, wherein the second optical layer has a thickness less than the depth of the recessed region.

12. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, further comprising a prismatic brightness enhancing layer disposed in the recessed region.

13. The arrangement as recited in claim 12, further comprising one or more spacers separating the prismatic brightness enhancing layer from the second optical layer.

14. The arrangement as recited in claim 12, further comprising a reflective polarizing layer, the prismatic brightness enhancing layer disposed between the second optical layer and the reflective polarizing layer.

15. The arrangement as recited in claim 14, wherein the reflective polarizing layer is attached to the first optical layer at at least one peripheral edge.

16. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, further comprising a transparent layer attached to a second side of the first optical layer.

17. The arrangement as recited in claim 1, further comprising a rigid substrate attached to a second side of the first optical layer.