Optical film and lighting device comprising the same

• US 8,777,474 B2
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Issued: 07/15/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lms (Suzhou) Materials Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: LMS Incorporated (Davey Tree Expert Company)
• Inventors: Shim, Yong Shig, Kim, Young Il, Park, Jeong Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Gyllstrom, Bryon T
• Application Number:
  US12/773,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20110044058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,533 Days
• Field of Search: 362615-619, 362/328, 362/97.4, 362/311.01, 362/330, 362/355, 349/64
• US Class Current: 362/620
• 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: 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 1/133611 including means for improving the brightness uniformity
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2457 Parallel ribs and/or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24579 with particulate matter

Abstract

An optical film is formed with a plurality of optical patterns having peak and valley portions and a lighting device may include such an optical film. Pitches of the optical patterns, heights of the peak portions and depths of the valley portions are irregular, and plan and side structures of the optical patterns have a non-linear non-symmetrical arrangement structure in which the peak and valley portions are irregularly bent. According to an optical film and a lighting device including such an optical film, a moiré phenomenon can be prevented in advance, abrasion resistance can be improved, optical defects such as scratches cannot be observed with the naked eye, a wet-out phenomenon can be prevented, and a viewing angle can be broadened.

Claims

1. An optical film comprising a base and a plurality of optical patterns having peak and valley portions formed on a surface of the base,

wherein pitches of the optical patterns, heights of the peak portions and depths of the valley portions are irregular, and the optical patterns have a non-linear non-symmetrical arrangement structure in which the peak and valley portions are irregularly bent as viewed from top and side;

wherein the peak portions of the optical patterns have a defect correction structure thereon, the defect correction structure itself having peak and valley portions which are formed in a height region of less than 30% from an apex of the peak portion and are irregularly bent as viewed from top and side; and

wherein adjacent peak portions and valley portions are connected by sloped portions which are devoid of such defect correction structures.

2. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein a plan structure of the optical patterns has a shape bent laterally zigzag along a longitudinal direction, and its bent angle is ranged from 2 to 40 degrees.

3. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein a side structure of the optical patterns has a shape bent up and down zigzag along a longitudinal direction, and its bent angle is ranged from 3 to 30 degrees.

4. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bent non-linear non-symmetrical arrangement structure of the optical patterns has any one of a sine-wave shape, a triangle-wave shape and a Gaussian-wave shape, or a combined shape of at least two of these shapes.

5. The optical film as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bent non-linear non-symmetrical arrangement structure of the optical patterns has a duty cycle of 1:

9 to 9;

1.

6. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the defect correction structure is formed as any one of a micro-irregularity, a micro-scratch and a burr, which is regularly or irregularly formed.

7. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the valley portions of the optical patterns have a defect correction structure thereon, the defect correction structure itself having peak and valley portions which are irregularly bent as viewed from top and side.

8. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical cross section of the optical patterns has any one of a triangle shape, a polygonal shape and a circular arc shape, and a cross sectional width of the optical patterns is regular or irregular.

9. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a plurality of micro-lens patterns formed under the optical patterns to have an optical cross section of a circular arc shape.

10. The optical film as claimed in claim 9, wherein the micro-lens patterns have a protruding or recessed shape.

11. The optical film as claimed in claim 10, wherein a circular arc radius, an interval and a protruding height or a recessed depth of the micro-lens patterns are regular or irregular.

12. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a scattering structure formed on a surface opposite to the surface of the base having the optical patterns formed thereon to induce optical scattering operation on incident light.

13. The optical film as claimed in claim 12, wherein the scattering structures are scattering patterns having optical cross sections of a partial circular arc shape, and the respective scattering patterns have a partially spherical shape (embossing shape) in the form of a circle as projected from top and are scattered at a regular or irregular interval as viewed from top.

14. The optical film as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a diffusion structure formed in the base to induce an optical diffusing operation on incident light.

15. The optical film as claimed in claim 14, wherein the diffusion structure comprises a plurality of diffusion particles scattered in the base to induce an optical diffusion operation on incident light.

16. The optical film as claimed in claim 15, wherein the diffusion particle includes any one of an acryl particle, a styrene particle, a silicon particle, a composite silicate, a glass bead and a diamond as a transparent solid particle, any one of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide and clay, as a white particle, or a bubble formed in a film.

17. The optical film as claimed in claim 14, wherein the diffusion structure is a diffusion particle layer containing diffusion particles, the base is formed to have a laminated structure of a first optical layer and a second optical layer on which the optical patterns are formed, and the diffusion particle layer is interposed between the first and second optical layers.

18. The optical film as claimed in claim 17, wherein the diffusion particle includes any one of an acryl particle, a styrene particle, a silicon particle, a composite silicate, a glass bead and a diamond as a transparent solid particle, any one of titanium oxide, zinc oxide, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, aluminum hydroxide and clay, as a white particle, or a bubble formed in a film.

19. A lighting device, comprising:

a surface light source;

a panel provided over the surface light source; and

an optical film interposed between the surface light source and the panel to focus and refract light emitted from the surface light source to the panel, wherein;

the optical film comprises a base and a plurality of optical patterns having peak and valley portions formed on a surface of the base; and

pitches of the optical patterns, heights of the peak portions and depths of the valley portions are irregular, and the optical patterns have a non-linear non-symmetrical arrangement structure in which the peak and valley portions are irregularly bent as viewed from top and side; and

wherein;

the peak portions of the optical patterns have a defect correction structure thereon, the defect correction structure itself having peak and valley portions which are formed in a height region of less than 30% from an apex of the peak portion and are irregularly bent as viewed from top and side; and

wherein adjacent peak portions and valley portions are connected by sloped portions which are devoid of such defect correction structures.