Red-green-blue polymeric interference film

• US 7,138,173 B2
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Issued: 11/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/13/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Wheatley, John A., Weber, Michael F., Ouderkirk, Andrew J., Nevitt, Timothy J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dye, Rena
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ferguson, Lawrence
• Application Number:
  US10/952,335
• Publication Number:
  US 20050079333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 785 Days
• Field of Search: 428/212, 428/213, 428/343, 428/354, 428/355.R
• US Class Current: 428/212
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/08 flexible, e.g. films
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/914 cooling drums
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 48/9165 Electrostatic pinning
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 2307/416 Reflective
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/08 of synthetic resin
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/023 Optical properties
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 7/12 using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/14 Iridescent effects
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0841 comprising organic materials, e.g. polymers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/281 designed for the infrared light
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/287 comprising at least one layer of organic material
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/3033 in the form of a thin sheet or foil, e.g. Polaroid
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/916 Fraud or tamper detecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12229 Intermediate article [e.g., blank, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/1225 Symmetrical
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12278 Same structure at both ends of plural taper
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12313 Arranged to avoid lateral displacement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24851 Intermediate layer is discontinuous or differential
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24868 Translucent outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 : including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/25 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and including a second component containing structurally defined particles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/28 : Web or sheet containing structurally defined element or component and having an adhesive outermost layer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2848 : Three or more layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/29 : Coated or structually defined flake, particle, cell, strand, strand portion, rod, filament, macroscopic fiber or mass thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 : Composite [nonstructural laminate]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31786 : Of polyester [e.g., alkyd, etc.]

Abstract

Multilayer polymeric films and other optical bodies are provided which is useful in making colored mirrors and polarizers. The films are characterized by a change in color as a function of viewing angle.

Claims

1. An article, comprising:

a film comprising alternating polymeric layers configured to selectively reflect and

transmit visible light at a design angle of incidence, the selective reflection comprising a

red reflection band, a green reflection band, and a blue reflection band.

2. The article of claim 1, wherein the blue reflection band is disposed at about 450 nm, the green reflection band is disposed at about 550 nm, and the red reflection band is disposed at about 650 nm.

3. The article of claim 1, wherein the selective reflection for visible light consists essentially of the red, green, and blue reflection bands.

4. The article of claim 1, wherein at least one of the reflection bands is a first-order reflection.

5. The article of claim 4, wherein at least another of the reflection bands is an overtone of a reflection band disposed in the infrared portion of the spectrum.

6. The article of claim 1, wherein the alternating polymeric layers comprise a first, second, and third distinguishable set of such alternating polymeric layers, and wherein the reflection bands correspond respectively to such first, second, and third sets of layers.

7. The article of claim 1, wherein the alternating polymer layers further reflect infrared light in an infrared reflection band at the design angle of incidence.

8. The article of claim 7, wherein at least one of the reflection bands is an overtone of the infrared reflection band.

9. The article of claim 8, wherein two of the reflection bands are overtones of the infrared reflection band.

10. The article of claim 9, wherein the blue reflection band and the red reflection band are overtones of the infrared reflection band.

11. The article of claim 1, wherein the reflection bands have bandwidths of about 50 nm or less.

12. The article of claim 1, wherein the film further comprises a hardcoat.

13. The article of claim 1, wherein the film further comprises an antireflective surface.

14. The article of claim 1, wherein the film further comprises an absorbing coating.

15. The article of claim 1, wherein the film further comprises an adhesive.

16. The article of claim 15, wherein the adhesive is a pressure sensitive adhesive.

17. The article of claim 1, further comprising a substrate that absorbs the wavelengths transmitted by the film.

18. The article of claim 1, wherein the film is a reflective polarizer.