Substrate mounting for organic, dielectric, optical film

• US 6,951,681 B2
• Filed: 12/12/2003
• Issued: 10/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Hartley, Scott M., Sallavanti, Robert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Rena
• Assistant Examiner(s): SPEER, TIMOTHY M
• Application Number:
  US10/734,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20040183219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 428/212, 428/457, 428/458, 428/461, 428/480, 428/483, 359/359, 359/360, 359/580, 359/585, 359/588, 359/589
• US Class Current: 428/212
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2045/14319 bonding by a fusion bond
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92647 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92704 Temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92742 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2948/92752 Colour
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14311 using means for bonding the coating to the articles B29C45/14795 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/14811 Multilayered articles B29C45/14827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/154 Coating solid articles, i.e. non-hollow articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1616 Near infrared radiation [NIR], e.g. by YAG lasers
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1635 at least passing through one of the parts to be joined, i.e. laser transmission welding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1654 scanning at least one of the parts to be joined
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1674 making use of laser diodes B29C65/167 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1683 coated on the article
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/48 using adhesives , i.e. using supplementary joining material; solvent bonding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/341 Measures for intermixing the material of the joint interlayer
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/41 Joining substantially flat articles B29C66/47 and subgroups take precedence; Making flat seams in tubular or hollow articles B29C66/51 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/45 Joining of substantially the whole surface of the articles methods or apparatus for laminating B32B37/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 : characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73115 : Melting point
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73117 : Tg, i.e. glass transition temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73343 : at least one of the parts to be joined being matt or refractive
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2033/12 : Polymers of methacrylic acid esters, e.g. PMMA, i.e. polymethylmethacrylate
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2067/00 : Use of polyesters or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2101/12 : Thermoplastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/005 : Heat sensitisers or absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2105/256 : Sheets, plates, blanks or films
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0006 : Dielectric
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0026 : Transparent
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0066 : Optical filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/287 : comprising at least one layer of organic material
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 : Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31678 : Of metal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31681 : Next to polyester, polyamide or polyimide [e.g., alkyd, glue, or nylon, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31692 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31797 : Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A method for optically coupling a thermoplastic material to an outer surface layer of an organic, dielectric, optical film and the resulting optical filter. Initially, a dielectric film is selected that includes (i) repeating optical layers of at least two polymers having different refractive indexes from each other, (ii) an exterior film surface, (iii) a refractive boundary along the exterior film surface, and (iv) a delamination threshold based on total thermal energy delivered to the film. A thermoplastic material which is miscible with the exterior film surface is fused to the refractive boundary with thermal energy below the delamination threshold to form a polydisperse region having a higher optical transmission than the refractive boundary. Add-on filters in the form of hardcoat layers, anti-reflection layers, holograms, metal dielectric stacks and combinations of these may be combined with the thermoplastic-film construct.

Claims

1. An optical filter having a thermoplastic substrate supporting an organic, dielectric, optical film without substantially reducing the net integrated transmission properties of the film along an optical path comprising:

a dielectric film including (i) repeating optical layers of at least two polymers having different refractive indexes from each other, (ii) an exterior surface material, (iii) a delamination threshold based on total thermal energy delivered to the film;

a thermoplastic substrate which is miscible with the exterior surface material of the film and which is disposed in the same optical path as said dielectric film; and

a polydisperse region comprising a mixture of said exterior surface material and said thermoplastic substrate located in the optical path between said film and said substrate, wherein said polydisperse region providing improved optical transmission along the optical path in the transition from said film to said thermoplastic substrate.

2. The filter of claim 1, wherein said exterior surface material has a first melting temperature range and said thermoplastic substrate has a second melting temperature range that overlaps said first melting temperature range.

3. The filter of claim 1, wherein said thermoplastic substrate includes an organic absorber dye.

4. The filter of claim 3, additionally including a hologram disposed thereon.

5. The filter of claim 3, wherein said organic absorber dye is selected from the group consisting of a UV absorbing dye, a visible light absorbing dye, a cosmetic dye, a laser absorbing dye, a near infrared absorbing dye, an infrared absorbing dye and combinations thereof.

6. The filter of claim 5, additionally including a hologram disposed thereon.

7. The filter of claim 1, additionally including a hologram disposed thereon.

8. The filter of claim 1, further comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the thermoplastic material.

9. The filter of claim 8, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

10. The filter of claim 8, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.

11. The filter of claim 1, further comprising a hardcoat layer applied to the organic, dielectric optical film.

12. The filter of claim 11, additionally comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the hardcoat layer.

13. The filter of claim 12, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

14. The filter of claim 12, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.

15. The filter of claim 1, further comprising a hardcoat layer applied to the thermoplastic material.

16. The filter of claim 15, additionally comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the hardcoat layer.

17. The filter of claim 16, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

18. The filter of claim 16, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.

19. The filter of claim 1, further comprising a hologram applied to the organic, dielectric optical film.

20. The filter of claim 19, additionally comprising a protective optical cap applied to the hologram.

21. The filter of claim 20, additionally comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the cap.

22. The filter of claim 21, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

23. The filter of claim 21, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.

24. The filter of claim 20, comprising a metal dielectric stack disposed between the hologram and the cap.

25. The filter of claim 24, wherein the cap includes a concave side with the metal dielectric stack sputtered onto the concave side.

26. The filter of claim 24, additionally comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the cap.

27. The filter of claim 26, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

28. The filter of claim 26, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.

29. The filter of claim 1, further comprising a protective optical cap with a metal dielectric layer disposed between the cap and the organic, dielectric optical film.

30. The filter of claim 29, wherein the cap includes a concave side with the metal dielectric stack sputtered onto the concave side.

31. The filter of claim 29, additionally comprising an anti-reflection coating applied to the cap.

32. The filter of claim 31, wherein the anti-reflection coating is selected from the group consisting of a metal halide, a metal calcide, a rugate, a dielectric stack and combinations thereof.

33. The filter of claim 31, wherein the anti-reflection coating includes a metal.