3m Innovative Properties Company

David K Mortenson

John Allen Wheatley

Bruce E Tait

Steven J Dobrzynski

Michael F Weber

Andrew T Ruff

Yaoqi Joe Liu

Diane North

Heather K Kranz

Brian Leroy Koster

Jeffrey A Boettcher

Polymeric multilayer optical films, and laminate bodies that include such films, are provided with a melt zone that extends between a first and second portion of the multilayer optical film. If a shearing operation or other external influence acts on the film in the first portion that causes delamination of individual layers of the multilayer optical film, the melt zone is effective to prevent the delamination from propagating from the first portion to the second portion. The melt zone is characterized at least in part by a deformation of individual layers of the multilayer optical film. The melt zone can be positioned to extend along and proximate to some or all of a periphery of the multilayer optical film.

Multilayer optical film with melt zone to control delamination

New constructions of multilayer optical films, laminates thereof, and cards incorporating same are disclosed. In a card, the multilayer optical film can be sandwiched between relatively thick polymer layers using adhesive layers that are at least 0.5 mils thick but that may collectively account for no more than 3 mils of thickness. The cards can if desired be highly transmissive in the visible yet highly opaque in portions of the infrared. The resulting cards can have reduced angel hair formation during card stamping, increased resistance to delamination, and reduced haze.

Cards and laminates incorporating multilayer optical films

Polymeric multilayer optical films, and laminate bodies that include such films, are cut or subdivided into one or more discrete pieces by removably applying a first and second liner to opposed major surfaces of the multilayer optical film. Laser radiation is then directed at the multilayer optical film through the first liner in such a way as to produce cut lines that define a plurality of pieces of the first liner and of the multilayer optical film. Thereafter, the plurality of pieces of the first liner are removed from the plurality of pieces of the multilayer optical film while the pieces of multilayer optical film are supported by the second liner. Application of the first liner to the multilayer optical film can be accomplished with electrostatics.

Method for subdividing multilayer optical film cleanly and rapidly

A birefringent dielectric multilayer film that reflects in a wavelength region of interest, and preferably reflects at least 50% of light in a band at least 100 nm wide, preferably positioned between wavelengths from about 700 nm to about 2000 nm. The film is heat set to render the film capable of shrinking to conform without substantial wrinkling to a substrate having a compound curvature. The film may be laminated to form a wide variety of non-planar articles.

Wrinkle resistant infrared reflecting film and non-planar laminate articles made therefrom

Growing community of inventors

White Bear Lake, MN, United States of America

David K Mortenson