3m Innovative Properties Company

Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Hsin-hsin Chou

Jeffrey C Chang

Martin B Wolk

John S Staral

William A Tolbert

Claire A Jalbert

Robert S Moshrefzadeh

William Vogel Dower

Patrick A Thomas

Richard John Pokorny

William A Hendrickson

Thomas A Isberg

Richard E Bills

Christopher E Kunze

John C Nelson

Wu-Shyong Li

Vasant V Kolpe

Geoffrey P Morris

Kam K Kam

Rebecca M Williams

Robert M Moshrefzadeh

Leo A Meyer

Theodore W Hodapp

Jacqueline C Rolfs

Billy J Tompkins

Thomas N Davis

Dudley M Sherman

Colleen M Brenner

Ragunath Padiyath

Colleen M Brenner-Watschke

William M Lamanna

Patrick R Fleming

Robin Edgar Wright

Minyu Li

Raghunath Padiyath

Terrance P Smith

Prabhakara Satyauolu Rao

Kevin M Kidnie

Ranjan C Patel

Valdis Mikelsons

Stanley C Busman

Gaye K Lehman

Mohamed A Elmasry

Charles C Lee

Paul J Wang

John F Eisele

Lisa Flatt Nelson

Thomas J Staiger

Gregory L Zwaldo

Michael J Petrich

Peter A Vono

Michael G Baier

Richard H Olson

Cory M Nelson

Choon-Woo Kim

A thermal transfer donor element is provided which comprises a support, a light-to-heat conversion layer, an interlayer, and a thermal transfer layer. When the above donor element is brought into contact with a receptor and imagewise irradiated, an image is obtained which is free from contamination by the light-to-heat conversion layer. The construction and process of this invention is useful in making colored images including applications such as color proofs and color filter elements.

Laser addressable thermal transfer imaging element with an interlayer

Glass microspheres and rear projection screens containing glass microspheres, which combine a desirable index of refraction (preferably, no greater than about 1.70) and low levels of defects (e.g., bubbles, visible haziness, frostiness, or opacity, substantially nonspherical shapes) upon formation are provided. Also provided is a coating method of placing microspheres on a film for use in a rear projection screen.

Glass microspheres for use in films and projection screen displays

A beaded light dispersing film has a substrate layer, and an optically transparent layer, having a predetermined thickness, disposed over a side of the substrate layer. Optically transmitting beads are arranged to penetrate at least partially into the transparent layer to define clear apertures at interfaces between the beads and the transparent layer. The bead radius is greater than the predetermined thickness. An absorbing layer is disposed on the transparent layer, in interstices between the beads. A method of manufacturing the film includes disposing optically transparent beads partially in an optically transparent layer disposed over a transparent substrate layer. The optically transparent layer has a thickness less than half a diameter of a transparent bead. An absorbing layer overlies the optically transparent layer.

Light dispersing film and method of manufacture

A rear projection screen assembly is described that includes a diffuser and a polarizer. The diffuser has particles dispersed within a binder. The particles and the binder have different refractive indices and are chosen such that the diffuser spreads light of an initial polarization state a cone of angles while substantially preserving the initial polarization state of the light. The diffuser also substantially depolarizing a portion of the light that is laterally scattered in the diffuser. The polarizer is disposed to receive light transmitted through the diffuser. The polarizer transmits light of the initial polarization state while absorbing a portion of the laterally scattered light that has a different polarization state. The resolution of the overall screen assembly may be made higher while also improving other characteristics of the screen assembly.

Rear projection screen

An optically dispersing film for a rear projection system includes reflecting surfaces disposed so as to reflect light passing therethrough into at least one dispersion plane. The reflecting surfaces are formed by structures, of a first refractive index, disposed within a layer of material having a second refractive index. The structures have light absorbing bases at the viewing side of the film. In some embodiments, the reflecting surfaces are disposed at one or more angles so as to reflect light into a number of different directions. In other embodiments, the layer of material having the second refractive index includes diffusing particles that diffuse the light. The film permits the asymmetric dispersion of image light in a rear projection system, so that the light may be selectively directed towards the viewer.

Rear projection screen using internal reflection

Rear projection screens include a film layer having a plurality of lenses for diverging light horizontally and vertically. The horizontal viewing angle created by the lenses may be different from the vertical viewing angle. The light may be directed by the lenses in a particular direction, so that the direction of the maximum intensity light does not lie parallel to an axis normal to the screen surface. The lens film may be combined with an isotropic light disperser, such as a bulk diffuser.

Projection screen using dispersing lens array for asymmetric viewing angle

Glass microspheres for use in films and projection screen displays and methods

Coatable thermal mass transfer precursor compositions, suitable for producing thermal mass transfer donor elements, are described, the coatable compositions comprising a polyalkylene binder precursor; an acrylic binder precursor; an effective amount of a pigment to provide the desired color to a thermal mass transfer composition using the coatable composition; and d) a diluent (preferably water) in which the polyalkylene binder precursor, acrylic binder precursor, and pigment are all dispersed therein. Signage articles produced using the donor elements are also described.

Compositions and thermal mass transfer donor elements for use in producing signage articles

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Hsin-hsin Chou