High performance, low cost mirror for a rear projection television

• US 20020060866A1
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Published: 05/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fusao Ishii, Joseph A. Marcanio
• Inventors: Ishii, Fusao, Marcanio, Joseph A.
• Granted Patent: US 6,554,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/883
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0858 the reflecting layers comprising a single metallic layer with one or more dielectric layers

Abstract

A video projection device includes a cabinet having front and rear sections and a projection tube for projecting a video image. The video projection device also includes a screen located in the front section of the cabinet. The screen has a first surface onto which the video image is projected and a second surface for displaying the video image so that it is observable by a viewer. A mirror is arranged in the cabinet for reflecting light to the first surface of the screen. The mirror is a composite laminate mirror that includes a rigid substrate and a reflective sheet laminated to the rigid substrate. The rigid substrate may be a glass substrate and the reflective sheet may be a flexible plastic sheet. The reflective sheet may have a multilayer construction that includes a metallic film. The reflective sheet may alternatively include a second substrate and at least one thin film layer deposited on the substrate.

Claims

1. A composite laminate mirror, comprising:

a rigid substrate;

a reflective sheet laminated to the rigid substrate.

2. The mirror of claim 1 further comprising an adhesive securing the rigid substrate to the reflective sheet.

3. The mirror of claim 1 wherein the rigid substrate is a glass substrate.

4. The mirror of claim 1 wherein the reflective sheet is a flexible plastic sheet.

5. The mirror of claim 1 wherein the reflective sheet has a multilayer construction.

6. The mirror of claim 5 wherein the reflective sheet includes a metallic film.

7. The mirror of claim 6 wherein said metallic film is Mylar™

.

8. The mirror of claim 5 wherein the multilayer construction is a multilayer laminate comprising at least a first reflective layer and a supporting layer supplying stiffness to said first reflective layer.

9. The mirror of claim 8 wherein said multilayer laminate further includes a backing layer laminated to said supporting layer.

10. The mirror of claim 9 wherein said backing layer is formed from a poly-foam material.

11. The mirror of claim 10 wherein said poly-foam material is polyurethane.

12. The mirror of claim 8 further comprising a latex-based contact cement bonding said first reflective layer to said supporting layer.

13. The mirror of claim 5 wherein the reflective sheet further includes a plastic layer on which the metallic film is applied.

14. The mirror of claim 13 wherein said metallic film includes chrome.

15. The mirror of claim 2 wherein said adhesive is heat curable.

16. The mirror of claim 2 wherein said adhesive is UV curable.

17. The mirror of claim 1 wherein said reflective sheet includes a second substrate and at least one thin film layer deposited on said substrate.

18. The mirror of claim 17 wherein said second substrate is a metallic sheet.

19. The mirror of claim 18 wherein said metallic sheet is a rolled metal sheet.

20. The mirror of claim 18 wherein said second substrate is a plastic sheet.

21. The mirror of claim 17 wherein said at least one thin film layer includes a silver layer.

22. The mirror of claim 17 further comprising a thin film silicon dioxide layer deposited on said substrate.

23. The mirror of claim 22 further comprising a passivating layer deposited on said silicon dioxide layer.

24. The mirror of claim 23 wherein said passivating layer is silicon nitride.

25. The mirror of claim 23 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said silicon dioxide layer.

26. The mirror of claim 23 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said passivating layer.

27. The mirror of claim 24 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said silicon nitride layer.

29. The video projection device of claim 28 further comprising an adhesive securing the rigid substrate to the reflective sheet.

30. The video projection device of claim 28 wherein the rigid substrate is a glass substrate.

31. The video projection device of claim 28 wherein the reflective sheet is a flexible plastic sheet.

32. The video projection device of claim 28 wherein the reflective sheet has a multilayer construction.

33. The video projection device of claim 32 wherein the reflective sheet includes a metallic film.

34. The video projection device of claim 33 wherein said metallic film is Mylar™

.

35. The video projection device of claim 32 wherein the multilayer construction is a multilayer laminate comprising at least a first reflective layer and a supporting layer supplying stiffness to said first reflective layer.

36. The video projection device of claim 35 wherein said multilayer laminate further includes a backing layer laminated to said supporting layer.

37. The video projection device of claim 36 wherein said backing layer is formed from a poly-foam material.

38. The video projection device of claim 37 wherein said poly-foam material is polyurethane.

39. The video projection device of claim 35 further comprising a latex-based contact cement bonding said first reflective layer to said supporting layer.

40. The video projection device of claim 32 wherein the reflective sheet further includes a plastic layer on which the metallic film is applied.

41. The video projection device of claim 40 wherein said metallic film includes chrome.

42. The video projection device of claim 29 wherein said adhesive is heat curable.

43. The video projection device of claim 29 wherein said adhesive is UV curable.

44. The video projection device of claim 28 wherein said reflective sheet includes a second substrate and at least one thin film layer deposited on said substrate.

45. The video projection device of claim 44 wherein said second substrate is a metallic sheet.

46. The video projection device of claim 45 wherein said metallic sheet is a rolled metal sheet.

47. The video projection device of claim 45 wherein said second substrate is a plastic sheet.

48. The video projection device of claim 44 wherein said at least one thin film layer includes a silver layer.

49. The video projection device of claim 44 further comprising a thin film silicon dioxide layer deposited on said substrate.

50. The video projection device of claim 49 further comprising a passivating layer deposited on said silicon dioxide layer.

51. The video projection device of claim 50 wherein said passivating layer is silicon nitride.

52. The video projection device of claim 50 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said silicon dioxide layer.

53. The video projection device of claim 50 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said passivating layer.

54. The video projection device of claim 51 further comprising a thin film silver layer deposited over said silicon nitride layer.

28. A video projection device comprising:

a cabinet having front and rear sections;

a projection tube for projecting a video image;

a screen located in the front section of the cabinet, said screen having a first surface onto which the video image is projected and a second surface for displaying the video image so that it is observable by a viewer;

a mirror arranged in the cabinet for reflecting light to the first surface of the screen; and

wherein said mirror is a composite laminate mirror that includes a rigid substrate and a reflective sheet laminated to the rigid substrate.