Lightguide with optical film containing voids and blacklight for display system

• US 8,891,038 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2010
• Issued: 11/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Coggio, William D., Wheatley, John A., Liu, Tao, Ostlie, Brian W., Hao, Encai, Kolb, William Blake, Wang, Qingbing, Free, Michael Benton, Steiner, Michael L., Tapio, Scott M.
• Primary Examiner(s): DUDEK, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US13/264,354
• Publication Number:
  US 20120026431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,679 Days
• Field of Search: 349/64, 349/65, 349/112
• US Class Current: 349/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2207/107 Porous materials, e.g. for reducing the refractive index
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/02 Diffusing elements; Afocal elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• 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

Lightguide is disclosed. The lightguide includes a light guiding layer for propagating light by total internal reflection, and an optical film that is disposed on the light guiding layer. The optical film includes a plurality of voids, an optical haze that is not less than about 30%, and a porosity that is not less than about 20%. Substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

Claims

1. A lightguide comprising:

a light guiding layer for propagating light by total internal reflection; and

a first optical film disposed on the light guiding layer and comprising;

a binder, a plurality of particles, and a plurality of interconnected voids;

an optical haze that is not less than about 30%; and

a porosity that is not less than about 20%; and

a reflective polarizer layer disposed on the first optical film, wherein the reflective polarizer layer has a first average reflectance for visible light polarized in a first plane, and a second average reflectance for visible light polarized in a second plane orthogonal to the first plane, the first average reflectance being greater than the second average reflectance;

wherein substantial portions of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

2. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an optical haze that is not less than about 40%.

3. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an optical haze that is not less than about 50%.

4. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an optical haze that is not greater than about 80%.

5. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an optical haze that is not greater than about 70%.

6. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has a porosity that is not less than about 40%.

7. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has a porosity that is not less than about 60%.

8. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an effective index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.3.

9. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein the first optical film has an effective index of refraction that is not greater than about 1.2.

10. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein a weight ratio of the binder to the plurality of the particles is not less than about 1:

2.

11. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein at least 50% of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

12. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein at least 70% of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

13. The lightguide of claim 1, wherein at least 90% of each two neighboring major surfaces in the lightguide are in physical contact with each other.

14. A backlight comprising:

the lightguide of claim 1 having a light emitting surface; and

a light source disposed along an edge of the lightguide, wherein uniformity of light emitted by the light emitting surface of the lightguide is not less than about 50% across the light emitting surface.

15. The backlight of claim 14 further comprising a back reflector proximate a major surface of the light guiding layer for reflecting light that exits the lightguide.

16. The backlight of claim 15, wherein the back reflector is a specular reflector.

17. The backlight of claim 15, wherein the back reflector is a diffuse reflector.

18. The backlight of claim 15, wherein the back reflector is a semi-specular reflector.

19. The backlight of claim 15, wherein the back reflector is partially reflective and partially transmissive.

20. The backlight of claim 15, wherein the back reflector is structured.

21. The backlight of claim 14, wherein the reflective polarizer layer comprises a structured surface.

22. The backlight of claim 14, wherein the first average reflectance is at least about 90%, and the second average reflectance is in a range from about 25% to about 90%.

23. A display system comprising:

the backlight of claim 14; and

a liquid crystal panel disposed on the backlight.

24. A display system displaying an image and comprising a plurality of discrete displays, an output light intensity of each discrete display being individually controllable, at least one discrete display in the plurality of discrete displays comprising the backlight of claim 14.

25. The display system of claim 24, wherein each discrete display displays a different portion of the displayed image.

26. The lightguide of claim 1 further comprising a second optical film disposed on the light guiding layer opposite the first optical film, the second optical film comprising a plurality of voids.

27. The backlight of claim 14, further comprising an adhesive layer between the optical film and the reflective polarizer layer.