3m Innovative Properties Company

Gregg A Ambur

Zhisheng Yun

Timothy L Wong

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Erin A McDowell

Benjamin G Sonnek

Jo Anne Etter

Thomas P Klun

Richard John Pokorny

Benjamin R Coonce

Chunjie Zhang

Robert M Jennings

Douglas Scott Dunn

Henry A Kostalik, Iv

Christopher S DeGraw

Jung-Sheng Wu

John R Jacobson

Timothy J Nevitt

Carl A Stover

Christopher Stewart Lyons

Adam D Haag

Laurent Froissard

Kevin W Gotrik

David T Yust

John D Le

Arthur L Kotz

David J Rowe

Kayla A McGrath

Joseph S Warner

Daniel J Richter

Christopher S Degraw

Henry A Iv Kostalik

A curved reflective has at least one location having a radius of curvature in a range from about 6 mm to about 1000 mm. Each location on the reflective polarizer has a maximum reflectance greater than about 70% for a block polarization state, a maximum transmittance greater than about 70% for an orthogonal pass polarization state, and a minimum transmittance for the block polarization state. For a continuous first portion of the reflective polarizer extending between different first and second edges of the reflective polarizer and defining disjoint second and third portions of the reflective polarizer, the minimum transmittance of the reflective polarizer for the block polarization state is higher at each location in at least 70% of the first portion than at each location in at least 70% of the second portion and at each location in at least 70% of the third portion.

Curved reflective polarizer

An optical system includes a partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% in a plurality of wavelengths, an image source disposed to emit image light toward the partial reflector, and a reflective polarizer disposed proximate the partial reflector. The reflective polarizer is curved about two orthogonal axes and can include at least one layer substantially optically uniaxial at at least one location. The image light may be transmitted by the reflective polarizer after it is first reflected by the reflective polarizer. Substantially any chief light ray having at least first and second wavelengths at least 150 nm apart in the plurality of wavelengths and emitted by the image source and transmitted by a stop surface or exit pupil of the optical system has a color separation distance of less than 1.5 percent of a field of view.

Optical system

An optical assembly () including an encapsulated multilayer optical film (). Methods of making and using such optical assemblies also are disclosed.

Optical assembly with encapsulated multilayer optical film and methods of making same

A method of making a shaped abrasion-resistant multilayer optical film includes providing a curable composition comprising, based on the total weight of components a) to d) components: a) 87 to 96 weight percent of urethane (meth)acrylate compound having an average (meth)acrylate functionality of 2 to 4.8; b) 2 to 12.5 weight percent of (meth)acrylate monomer having a (meth)acrylate functionality of 1 to 2, wherein the (meth)acrylate monomer does not comprise a urethane (meth)acrylate compound; optionally c) 0.5 to 2 weight percent of silicone (meth)acrylate; and d) optional effective amount of photoinitiator. The curable composition is coated onto an MOF. Optionally, the curable composition to is at least partially dried. Next, the curable composition or the at least partially dried curable composition is at least partially cured to provide an abrasion-resistant multilayer optical film. Lastly, the abrasion-resistant multilayer optical film is thermoformed using a female mold having a mold surface. At least a portion of the mold surface has a radius of curvature of 58 to 76 mm and a maximum depth of 13 to 20 mm.

Thermoformed abrasion-resistant multilayer optical film and method of making the same

An optical system including a first optical element having a curved first major surface and an optical stack bonded and conforming to the curved first major surface of the first optical element is described. The optical stack includes a reflective polarizer substantially transmitting light having a first polarization state and substantially reflecting light having an orthogonal second polarization state and a non-adhesive flexible optical layer bonded to the reflective polarizer and comprising substantially parallel opposing first and second major surfaces. At least one location on the non-adhesive flexible optical layer has an optical retardance of less than about 100 nm or greater than about 200 nm at a wavelength of about 550 nm.

Optical components and optical systems

An optical assembly includes an integral lens assembly having one or more lenses bonded to each other with spaced apart major first and second lens surfaces. First and second optical films are bonded to respective major first and second lens surfaces. The first and second optical films includes a plurality of polymeric layers. Each of the polymeric layers have an average thickness of less than about 500 nm. For a substantially normally incident light and a visible wavelength range the plurality of polymeric layers in the first optical film has an average optical transmittance and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 70% for a first polarization state and an orthogonal second polarization state, respectively. The plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for at least one of the first and second polarization states.

Optical systems

An optical system includes a partial reflector having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% in a desired plurality of wavelengths, a display panel disposed to emit image light toward the partial reflector, and a multilayer reflective polarizer disposed proximate the partial reflector. The multilayer reflective polarizer is curved about two orthogonal axes and includes at least one layer substantially optically uniaxial at at least one location. The image light is transmitted by the multilayer reflective polarizer after it is first reflected by the multilayer reflective polarizer. A quarter wave retarder may be disposed between the reflective polarizer and the partial reflector.

An optical assembly including an optical element insert molded directly onto an optical stack is provided. The optical stack includes an optical film and may include a liner with the optical film being disposed between the optical element and the liner. The liner, if included, is removable from the optical film without substantial damage to the optical film. An outermost layer of the optical film may be diffusion bonded to a major surface of the optical element. The optical film includes a protective coating having an average thickness of no more than 30 micrometers. The protective coating includes an at least partially cured composition. The composition includes 70 to 96 weight percent of urethane (meth)acrylate compound having an average (meth)acrylate functionality of 2 to 9.5, and 2 to 20 weight percent of (meth)acrylate monomer having a (meth)acrylate functionality of 1 to 2.

Optical assembly with protective coating

An optical assembly including an optical element insert molded directly onto an optical stack is provided. The optical stack includes an optical film and may include a liner with the optical film being disposed between the optical element and the liner. The liner, if included, is removable from the optical film without substantial damage to the optical film. An outermost layer of the optical film may be diffusion bonded to a major surface of the optical element.

Optical assembly

A method of fabricating an optical assembly includes providing a first mold having a first curved mold surface; placing a substantially flat reflective polarizer; on the first curved mold surface and applying at least one of pressure and heat to at least partially conform the reflective polarizer to the first curved mold surface; providing a second mold comprising a second mold surface, the first and second mold surfaces defining a mold cavity therebetween; substantially filling the mold cavity with a flowable material having a temperature greater than a glass transition temperature of the reflective polarizer; and solidifying the flowable material to form a solid optical element bonded to the reflective polarizer. A maximum variation of an orientation of a pass polarization state across the bonded reflective polarizer is within about 3 degrees of a maximum variation of the orientation of the pass polarization state across the substantially flat reflective polarizer.

Method of fabricating an optical assembly

Shaped optical films and methods of shaping optical films are described. The method includes securing at least portions of a perimeter of the optical film in a first plane so that the secured portions do not move relative to one another; and stretching the optical film by displacing a portion of the optical film along at least a first direction perpendicular to the first plane such that one of a radial and circumferential stretching of the optical film is substantially constant from a center to the perimeter of the optical film, and the other one of the radial and circumferential stretching of the optical film substantially changes from the center to the perimeter of the optical film. The optical film is a reflective polarizer including a plurality of alternating polymeric layers.

Curved reflective polariser films and methods of shaping

There is provided a method of making a curved barrier film, including: depositing a barrier layer between a first organic layer and a second organic layer to form a barrier film; and thermoforming or vacuum-forming the barrier film from a flat barrier film to a curved barrier film; wherein the barrier film includes the barrier layer having two opposing major surfaces, wherein the barrier layer includes buckling deformations and non-buckling regions; the first organic layer in direct contact with one of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer; and the second organic layer in direct contact with the other of the opposing major surfaces of the barrier layer.

Methods of making extensible barrier films

A curable composition comprises: a) 91 to 98.2 weight percent of: (i) at least one polymerizable compound containing at least one carbamylene group; or (ii) at least one polyurethane precursor system; and b) 0.2 to 9 weight percent of alpha alumina particles having a particle size distribution with a Dv50 of from 0.1 to 1 micron, wherein the weight percentages of a) and b) are based upon the total amount of a) and b). Cured compositions and their use in thermoforming are also disclosed.

Compositions including alpha-alumina particles and methods of their use

Optical systems including a partial reflector, a reflective polarizer, and a retarder disposed between the partial reflector and the reflective polarizer are described. The reflective polarizer is curved about two orthogonal axes and includes at least one layer that is substantially optically uniaxial at at least one location. The optical system is adapted to provide an adjustable focus.

Optical systems for displaying an image are described. The optical systems include spaced apart first and second optical lenses. A partial reflector is disposed on and conforms to a major surface of the first optical lens where the major surface can have a best-fit spherical radius of curvature in a range from 20 mm to 200 mm. A reflective polarizer is disposed on and conforms to a major surface of the second optical lens where the major surface can have a best-fit spherical radius of curvature in a range from 14 mm to 250 mm. A retarder layer is disposed between the reflective polarizer and the partial reflector. The first optical lens can have an optical birefringence of less than 15 nm/cm and the second optical lens can have an optical birefringence of greater than 15 nm/cm. A method of fabricating an optical assembly is described.

Growing community of inventors

River Falls, WI, United States of America

Gregg A Ambur