3m Innovative Properties Company

Gregory Edward Gilligan

Sithya S Khieu

Ikuko Ebihara

Richard John Pokorny

William Ward Merrill

Matthew B Johnson

Philip Edwin Watson

Marc Dudley Radcliffe

Richard C Allen

Jiaying Ma

Prabhakara Satyauolu Rao

Kanta Kumar

Kevin M Hamer

Joan M Strobel

Thomas W Rambosek

Fred J Roska

Steven J Rhyner

Soonkun Kang

John L Ethen

Christopher Chadwick Bowley

Christopher J Gustafson

Keith Michael Kotchick

Thomas P Hedblom

Eric E Rice

Thomas R Borden

Tzu Li Huang

Thomas D Krech

Curtis W Meverden

Tzu Li Joseph Huang

A projection system comprising a first imaging component, at least a second imaging component, and a color combiner. The first and second imaging components each comprise an imager and a reflective polarizer that is configured to at least partially separate a light beam from the imager into a first portion and second portion, where the first portion and the second portion have substantially orthogonal polarization states. The first portions of the light beams are directed in the same direction above or below a plane defined by the second portions of the light beams. The color combiner is configured to combine the second portions of the light beams, where the second portions of the light beams have substantially orthogonal polarization states prior to entering the color combiner.

Projection system using reflective polarizers

An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxally stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.

Compensators for liquid crystal displays with biaxially stretched single film with crystallization modifier

An optical body includes a) first particles comprising a first cholesteric liquid crystal material and b) a second cholesteric liquid crystal material. The first particles and the second cholesteric liquid crystal material form a structure where the first cholesteric liquid crystal material has a pitch that is different than the second cholesteric liquid crystal material. In one example, the second cholesteric liquid crystal material is in the form of second particles. In another example, the first particles are dispersed in a matrix of the second cholesteric liquid crystal material. In other examples, the optical body has more than one layer. In addition, one or more additional cholesteric liquid crystal materials can be used in the optical body. These optical bodies can be used as a reflective polarizer and can be used in a display.

Cholesteric liquid crystal optical bodies and methods of manufacture and use

An optical stack includes a first liquid crystal layer and a j-retarder disposed on the liquid crystal layer. The j-retarder includes a simultaneous biaxially stretched polymeric film being substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The j-retarder has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an absolute value for an out-of-plane retardance being 55 nm or greater.

Compensators for liquid crystal displays

A polarizer has low color shift and is particularly well suited to use in an LCD display. The polarizer has a double pass color shift of &verbar;&Dgr;x&verbar;&lE;0.005 and &verbar;&Dgr;y&verbar;&lE;0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant, and a double pass contrast modulation of at least 90%. The display includes two or more layers stacked together, at least one of the layers being an absorbing polarizer having a double pass color shift of &verbar;&Dgr;x&verbar;&lE;0.005 and &verbar;&Dgr;y&verbar;&lE;0.005 for illumination by a C-illuminant. A polarizer with a selected color shift is also used with a rear projection screen having a dispersing layer stacked together with first absorbing polarizer. The polarizer has a single pass color shift with at least one of &Dgr;x and &Dgr;y being negative under illumination by a C-illuminant, and a polarization co-efficiency greater than 90%.

Color-compensated information displays

The present disclosure relates to improved raised pavement markers having a totally-internal-reflective lens. The disclosure also relates to methods of manufacturing the raised pavement marker. The raised pavement markers described below include a housing connected to a totally-internal-reflective lens. The totally-internal-reflective lens includes a retroreflective element having a smooth surface generally opposite a plurality of cube corner elements. A film is attached to the retroreflective element at the apexes of the cube corner elements to form spaces, i.e., an air gap, between the film and the cubes. The film and retroreflective element cooperate to form the totally-internal-reflective lens. Light entering the retroreflective element through the smooth surface is retroreflected at the cube/air interface. Methods of manufacturing include, for example, forming a shell with the retroreflective element and attaching the film to the apexes of the cube corner elements.

Raised pavement marker with improved lens

A pavement marking and methods of making pavement markings are disclosed in which the pavement markings exhibit enhanced wear resistance to, e.g., snowplow blades. The pavement markings include elongated protuberances in which successive elongated protuberances overlap along at least the longitudinal direction and may also overlap in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis. Other protuberances are interspersed between the elongated protuberances to improve retroreflectivity. The elongated protuberances are provided to support, e.g., a snowplow blade moving over the pavement marking.

Wear resistant pavement marking

A retroreflective article comprising a substrate and a cured ceramer coating provided on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate. The coated portion of the surface is retroreflective and can be dew-resistant. The ceramer is derived from a free-radically-curable binder, colloidal inorganic oxide and fluoro/silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a fluorinated moiety.

Retroflective articles including a cured ceramer composite coating having abrasion and stain resistant characteristics

A retroreflective article comprising a substrate and a cured ceramer coating provided on at least a portion of a surface of the substrate. The coated portion of the surface is retroreflective. The coating comprises a cured ceramer composite derived from ingredients comprising a free radically curable binder precursor and a plurality of surface treated, colloidal inorganic oxide components. The colloidal inorganic oxide components are surface treated with a surface treatment agent comprising a fluoro/silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a fluorinated moiety, and a crosslinkable silane component comprising a hydrolyzable silane moiety and a free radically crosslinkable moiety. The weight ratio of the crosslinkable silane component to the fluoro/silane component is from about 4:1 to 20:1, and the weight ratio of the free radically curable binder precursor to the colloidal inorganic oxide components is from about 1:10 to 8:10. A method of making a retroreflective article by coating a substrate with a ceramer composite coating is also described. A method of making a dew-resistant retroreflective article by coating a substrate with a ceramer composite coating and then surface treating the coating is also described.

Retroreflective articles including a cured ceramer composite coating

Pavement marker

Growing community of inventors

Hastings, MN, United States of America

Gregory Edward Gilligan