3m Innovative Properties Company

John T Cowher

Shandon Dee Hart

David B Olson

Brant Ulrick Kolb

Emily S Goenner

Clinton L Jones

William Vogel Dower

Anthony William Gatica

Kenneth A Epstein

Gary Timothy Boyd

Christopher Bland Walker, Jr

Leland Ray Whitney

Keith Michael Kotchick

Eric Wayne Nelson

Charles David Hoyle

Dwayne L LaBrake

Rui Zhang

Brian J Gates

Brian Kenneth Nelson

Jie Zhou

Wade D Kretman

Bryon J Cronk

Akihiko Yazaki

Byung-Soo Ko

Ronald Phillip Pepin

Stephen Paul LeBlanc

David J Lamb

Yuji Saito

John F Van Derlofske, Iii

Yasuyuki Daigo

Xianneng Peng

Xingpeng Yang

Ji-young Choi

Chideuk Kim

Youngsoo Park

Seo-Hern Lee

Naoya Taniguchi

Yang Yu

Clint L Jones

Jason D Kordecki

Shinichi Abe

Min-Young Ji

A backlight includes a light source and one or more light recycling films. The light source generates light that exits the light source with an angular exit distribution. The light recycling films are oriented in relation to the light source so that the prism peaks of the recycling films are oriented away from the light source. The recycling films have a range of optimal incident angles that allow light to pass through the recycling films without recycling. The components of the light source, the characteristics of the recycling films, or both, are configured to control the overlap between the exit distribution of the light source and the optimal incident angle range of the recycling films.

Systems and methods for controlling backlight output characteristics

Microstructured optical films, assemblies of films including at least one microstructured optical film, and (e.g. illuminated) display devices including a single microstructured optical film or assembly.

Optical film assembly and display device

Light management films and methods of making light management films are described. The light management films contain an optical layer that contains polymeric material and zirconia particles. The zirconia particles are colloidal, crystalline, substantially non-associated, and have a narrow size distribution.

Light management films with zirconia particles

A fiber recoating process and a recoated optical fiber formed by the process that comprises the steps of providing an optical fiber having a coating and cutting a first cut boundary spaced from a secondary cut boundary to mark an internal section of the coating that has opposing sides. Removal of the coating from at least one of the opposing sides provides a pared intervening layer and further forms a first transition region opposite a second transition region. Each of the first transition region and the second transition region has a substantially wedge-shaped contour. Solvent treatment of the pared intervening layer weakens the bond between the coating and the optical fiber between the first cut boundary and the second cut boundary before displacing the coating from the optical fiber to provide the stripped optical fiber. The stripped optical fiber includes a section of optical fiber, the first transition region and the second transition region. After applying recoating material, the stripped optical fiber becomes the recoated optical fiber in which the recoating material covers the section of optical fiber, the first transition region and the second transition region.

Method of recoating an optical fiber

A method for manufacturing an optical fiber refractive index grating. The method comprises the steps of, providing a substantially twist-free length of an optical fiber between a first spool and a second spool before attaching the first spool and the second spool to a support having a first surface opposite a second surface. The support and spools provide a filament organizer including the first spool as a lockable spool and the second spool as a rotary spool. The filament organizer further comprises a tensioner coupled to the rotary spool to apply tension to at least a central portion of the length of an optical fiber disposed between the lockable spool and the rotary spool. After removing a buffer coating from the central portion of an optical fiber and applying a controlled tension to the central portion of the optical fiber, changes are made to the refractive index characteristics of the central portion during exposure to an interference pattern of high intensity actinic radiation, to produce the refractive index grating.

Refractive index grating manufacturing process

A mechanical stripping apparatus for displacing resin from a resin covered filament by forming a removable sleeve portion between opposing filament ends. The mechanical stripping apparatus comprises a first clamp for holding a filament at a first location and a second clamp having a separation from the first clamp and in axial alignment therewith for holding a filament at a second location. A first set of cutting blades adjacent to the first clamp is positioned for cutting into resin around a resin covered filament proximate to the first location. The mechanical stripping apparatus also includes a second set of cutting blades adjacent to the second clamp for cutting into resin around a resin covered filament proximate to the second location, such that a distance separates the first set of cutting blades from the second set of cutting blades. The distance between sets of cutting blades is less than the separation between the clamps. Movement of the first set of cutting blades and the second set of cutting blades towards each other produces the removable sleeve portion during displacement of resin from the resin covered filament.

Apparatus and method for removing coatings from filaments

Growing community of inventors

New Richmond, WI, United States of America

John T Cowher