3m Innovative Properties Company

Gary E Gaides

Olester Benson, Jr

Gary Timothy Boyd

Brian W Lueck

Andrew John Ouderkirk

John Allen Wheatley

Kenneth L Smith

Gilles J Benoit

Rolf W Biernath

Thomas J Blong

Neeraj Sharma

Tao Liu

Guanglei Du

David T Yust

Michael J Sykora

Robert R Kieschke

Michael E Lauters

Owen M Anderson

Steven R Anderson

David B Olson

Kenneth A Epstein

Ronald David Jesme

Aaron K Nienaber

Joseph B Eckel

Vivian Wynne Jones

Mark B O'Neill

Ignatius A Kadoma

Randy A Larson

Anita R Sykora

Stephen A Johnson

Kurt J Halverson

Koichi Sano

Mark E Gardiner

Tri Dinh Pham

Scott Melvyn Tapio

Jiaying Ma

Mark D Weigel

Shawn C Dodds

Raymond J Kenney

Paul Edward Humpal

Fuming B Li

Bert T Chien

Raymond C Chiu

Silva K Theiss

Tianyu Wu

Nathaniel I Lehn

Shu-Ching Fan

Alex P Pongratz

Kenneth Ap Meyer

Adam T Ringberg

An integral multilayer optical construction includes opposing first and second structured major surfaces having two-dimensional arrays of respective first and second structures. An optical diffuser is embedded within the optical construction between the first and second structured major surfaces. The optical diffuser has an optical haze of greater than about 5% for at least one visible wavelength in a visible wavelength range extending from about 420 nm to 680 nm. When the optical construction is disposed on a light source with one of the first and second structured major surfaces facing the light source, light emitted by the light source is transmitted by the optical construction with a cross-section of an angular luminous distribution of the transmitted light in at least one first plane that includes a normal to the optical construction, including first and second intensity peaks at respective first and second angles on opposite sides of the normal.

Integral multilayer optical film

A method of making an optical film for control of light includes positioning a first mixture on a substrate, wherein the first mixture includes a first plurality of magnetizable particles dispersed in a first resin, assembling the first plurality of magnetizable particles into a desired structure for the control of the light by rotating modulation of at least a first magnetic field relative to the first plurality of magnetizable particles, and vitrifying the first resin while the first plurality of magnetizable particles are in the desired structure.

Magnetizable particles forming light controlling structures and methods of making such structures

According to one embodiment, a solar device, comprises one or more photovoltaic cells disposed in an encapsulant and a light control structure including a louver film having a series of louver structures, wherein each louver structure includes one or more groupings of a plurality magnetizable particles aligned at least in a first orientation dispersed in a binding matrix. The light control structure substantially transmits light incident at a first angle and substantially limits transmission of light incident at a second angle. Each louver structure is spaced apart from an adjacent louver structure, wherein each louver structure is substantially aligned in a plane substantially parallel to an adjacent louver structure.

Device with light control structure having magnetizable particles

A light redirecting film includes a first layer disposed on a second layer with structured major surfaces of the first and second layers facing each other. An optically reflective layer or a metal layer is disposed between the first and second layers. The first layer can be a hot melt adhesive layer and the second layer can be a polymeric layer. The first and second layers can be unitary layers. The first layer can be a first polymeric layer having a softening temperature T1 and the second layer can be a second polymeric layer having a softening temperature T2 greater than T1. Heating and/or applying pressure to the film changes an optical characteristic of the film by less than about 5%.

Light redirecting film

A detector system is described that includes a detector that is sensitive to wavelengths in a detection wavelength range. The detector system further includes a light control film that is disposed on the detector and includes a plurality of alternating first and second regions. Each first region has a width W and a height H, where H/W&#x2265;1. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in a first portion of the detection wavelength range and a substantially high transmission in the remaining portion of the detection wavelength range. Each second region has a substantially high transmission in the detection wavelength range.

Angularly and spectrally selective detector and light source systems

A retroreflective system is disclosed that includes a retroreflective sheet for retroreflecting light, and a light control film disposed on the retroreflective sheet. For a first wavelength, light incident on the light control film at each of a first and second angles of incidence is retroreflected. For a second wavelength, light incident on the light control film at the first, but not the second, angle of incidence is retroreflected.

Spectrally selective retroreflective system

A light control film is disclosed that includes a plurality of spaced apart first regions. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in one or two of a first wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 400 nm, a second wavelength range from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and a third wavelength range from about 700 nm to about 1200 nm, and a substantially high transmission in the remaining wavelength ranges. The light control film has a viewing angle of less than about 70 degrees along a predetermined first direction.

Spectrally selective light control film

A light control film includes a plurality of spaced apart substantially parallel first light absorbing regions arranged along a first direction, each first light absorbing region having a width and a height, the plurality of first light absorbing regions including nonoverlapping first and second sub-pluralities of the plurality of first light absorbing regions, the first sub-plurality of the plurality of first light absorbing regions having a first viewing angle, the second sub-plurality of the plurality of first light absorbing regions having a different second viewing angle.

Light control film with varied viewing angle

A light control film, and light collimating assemblies and liquid crystal displays incorporating such light control films are described. The light control film includes alternating transmissive and absorptive regions, where the refractive index of each transmissive region is greater than the refractive index of each absorptive region. The absorptive regions form interfaces at angles that are close to the perpendicular to the light control film. A portion of the incident light intercepting the absorptive region undergoes Total Internal Reflection, and is transmitted through the film. The axial brightness of light passing through the film is increased, the brightness is more uniform within the viewing angle, and the viewing cutoff angle is sharpened.

Higher transmission light control film comprising a transmissive region and an absorptive region each having a different index of refraction

Higher transmission light control film

The present disclosure provides a light control film that is capable of transmitting light, or allowing a viewer to observe information, only within a viewing region centered around the normal (perpendicular line) to a surface. The light control film generally blocks information or light outside of this viewing region, and provides security in all directions including right-and-left and up-and-down of the film. The light control film includes a plurality of light-transmissive cavities that are surrounded by a light absorbing material, such that each of the plurality of cavities is optically isolated from adjacent cavities. Each of the light-transmissive cavities effectively block light which enters the cavity outside of a viewing (that is, cutoff) angle.

Light control film

Light control films, and a method for manufacturing tools used to microreplicate light control films.

Provided is a light control film and displays incorporating same. In particular, provided are light control films comprising a light input surface and a light output surface opposite the light input surface. The light control films further comprise alternating transmissive and absorptive regions disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. Each transmissive region has an index of refraction N, and each absorptive region having an index of refraction N, where N-Nis not less than&#x2212;0.005. The light control films have an average pitch of successive absorptive regions of 0.070 mm or less. Light incident to the light input surface exits the light output surface with a maximum relative brightness ratio (RBR) in a direction perpendicular to the light output surface of 65 or greater, and exits the light output surface with an effective polar viewing angle (EPVA) of 45&#xb0; or less.

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Gary E Gaides