Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

3m Innovative Properties Company

Other

3m Innovative Properties

3m Innovatives Properties

Jeffrey C Chang

Hsin-hsin Chou

John S Staral

Martin B Wolk

William A Tolbert

Claire A Jalbert

Eric Daniel Morrison

Terrance P Smith

Linda K Williams

Richard John Pokorny

Robert S Moshrefzadeh

Thomas A Isberg

Andrew B Becker

Mahfuza B Ali

William Vogel Dower

Kevin D Landgrebe

M Zaki Ali

Patrick A Thomas

Richard S Fisch

David R Boston

Kenneth L Hanzalik

Hsin-Hsin Chou

Richard E Bills

Robert M Moshrefzadeh

Colleen M Brenner

Ragunath Padiyath

Colleen M Brenner-Watschke

Michael F Weber

William Ward Merrill

Minyu Li

Raghunath Padiyath

Richard C Allen

John J Stofko, Jr

Kevin M Kidnie

Kazuhiko Mizuno

Stanley C Busman

Kazuki Noda

Mohamed A Elmasry

David W Macomber

Arthur W Pluim

Subodh K Kulkarni

Hamid Barjesteh

Karl F Roenigk

Robert M Henry

David A Larshus

Edward R Harrell

Peter A Vono

Gari P Krogseng

Robert E Martinson

Paul F Guehler

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

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

The present invention provides a thermal transfer donor element that includes a transfer layer comprising a fully or partially crosslinked material. The crosslinked transfer layer can be imagewise transferred from the donor element to a proximate receptor by imaging the donor element with radiation that can be absorbed and converted into heat by a light-to-heat converter included in the donor element. The heat generated during imaging is sufficient to effect transfer of the crosslinked transfer layer.

Thermal transfer of crosslinked materials from a donor to a receptor

A dispersing element for a rear projection screen assembly is sensitive to the polarization of the light passing through the element. In particular, the element disperses light having a first polarization differently from light having a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization. The dispersing element may be aligned with a polarization axis neither parallel nor perpendicular to the polarization of the light passing through the element. The dispersing element may also be employed with a polarizer to remove unwanted light that propagates through the dispersing element. The dispersing element may also be rotatably mounted relative to a polarized light source so as to vary the angle between the polarization axis of the element and the polarization direction of the light.

Rear projection screen using birefringent optical film for asymmetric light scattering

An improved electronic display that includes components selected to enhance display performance. The improved display includes an active substrate that has a plurality of thin film transistors and a plurality of thermally transferred color filters that include a colorant in a crosslinked binder. The active substrate can also include a black matrix. Other components in the improved display such as a liquid crystal material, spacers, and bottom polarizer, can be selected to enhance display performance characteristics such as brightness, power consumption, response time, weight, and thickness. The invention also provides a method of forming a color filter substrate for displays including the steps of thermally mass transferring a plurality of color filters and crosslinking the plurality of color filters after transfer. Before the crosslinking step, the plurality of color filters can be inspected and removed for reworking of the substrate.

Process for making active substrates for color displays

Growing community of inventors

North Oaks, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey C Chang