3m Innovative Properties Company

Neeraj Sharma

John Allen Wheatley

Guanglei Du

David T Yust

Anthony M Renstrom

Gilles J Benoit

Kui Chen-Ho

Suman K Patel

Jung-Sheng Wu

Caroline M Ylitalo

Glenn E Casner

Sumita Basu Mitra

Steven Joseph Hamrock

Rolf W Biernath

Kenton D Budd

Steven T Awiszus

Kiran S Kanukurthy

Richard Paul Rusin

Michael A McCoy

Zai-Ming Qiu

Brant Ulrick Kolb

William Ward Merrill

Jayshree Seth

Kannan Seshadri

Guruprasad Somasundaram

Mark A Roehrig

Nicolas A Echeverri

Lee A Pavelka

James W Howard

Jonathan Dale Gandrud

Robert W Shannon

Michael Albert Haase

Timothy J Nevitt

Kenneth A Epstein

Timothy J Hebrink

Raghunath Padiyath

Jason D Clapper

Tri Dinh Pham

Peter D Condo

Eric C Lobner

Daniel J Schmidt

Richard B Ross

Joon Chatterjee

Christopher A Haak

Richard Yufeng Liu

Kevin M Hamer

Thu-Van T Tran

Bryan C Feisel

Eumi Pyun

Travis L Potts

Gary E Gaides

Vivek Bharti

Charles Allen Shaklee

Katja Hansen

Owen M Anderson

Brian W Lueck

Matthew E Sousa

Mark Steven Schaberg

Tien Yi T H Whiting

Mahmut Aksit

Fuguo Xu

John E Abulu

Yi Hang Lv

Steven R Anderson

Mark J Hendrickson

James B Snyder

Andrew H Tilstra

Lian Soon Tan

Gautam Singh

Jeremy O Swanson

Arash Sangari

Tadesse G Nigatu

Alexandra R Cunliffe

Paul L Acito

Ellison G Kawakami

Anne C Gold

James L C Werness, Jr

Le'Bron K Patterson

Markus G W Lierse

Gregory F King

Michael D Determan

James P Mathers

Kathleen M Humpal

Przemyslaw Pawel Markowicz

Ronald K Thery

Marie Aloshyna Ep Lesuffleur

Andreas M Geldmacher

Jeffrey M Imsande

Myles Lee Brostrom

Joseph M Pieper

Adam D Miller

Micayla A Johnson

Bill H Dodge

Anthony R Plepys

Robert J Quintero

Eric J Borchers

Grant F Tiefenbruck

Milo G Oien-Rochat

Silvia Geciova-Borovova Guttmann

Daimon K Heller

An optical construction includes a lens film having outermost first and second major surfaces. The first major surface includes a plurality of microlenses. A multilayer mask having an average thickness of less than about 0.5 times an average focal length of the microlenses and an optical density of greater than about 2 is disposed on the second major surface. The multilayer mask includes polymeric first and second mask layers where each of the first and second mask layers has an optical density of greater than about 0.3. The multilayer mask defines a plurality of laser-ablated through openings therein that are aligned to the microlenses in a one-to-one correspondence. An optical transmittance of the optical construction as a function of the incident angle has a transmitted peak having a peak transmittance T1 and a corresponding full width at 20 percent of maximum W1, where T1/W1≥2.4%/degree.

Optical construction including lens film and multilayer mask

A system may include one or both of a light emitter and a light receiver, and an optical filter. The optical filter includes a wavelength selective scattering layer. The wavelength selective scattering layer may have a near-infrared scattering ratio of less than about 0.9. The filter may have a visible reflective haze ratio of greater than about 0.5. A method may include disposing the wavelength selective scattering layer adjacent one or both of the light emitter and the light receiver. The optical filter may include a wavelength selective reflective layer. The optical filter may include a wavelength selective absorbing layer. An article may include the optical filter. The wavelength selective scattering layer may have an average near-infrared scattering of less than 60%, an average visible scattering of greater than 10%, and a difference between the % total visible reflectance and the % diffuse visible reflectance of less than 20.

Optical camouflage filters

Various embodiments of an optical construction and an electronic device that includes such optical construction are disclosed. The optical construction includes a lens film having an outermost structured first major surface and an opposing outermost substantially planar second major surface. The structured first major surface includes a plurality of microlenses. The optical construction also includes a mask disposed adjacent to the second major surface of the lens film and includes a plurality of laser-ablated openings disposed through the mask. The openings are aligned to the microlenses in a one-to-one correspondence. The mask further includes a UV-cured polymer material and an optically absorptive material.

Optical construction including lens film and mask

An optical system includes a multilayer optical film configured to block transmission of visible light but allow peaks or bands of certain visible wavelengths to pass through; an object disposed on a first side of the multilayer optical film; and a light source and a light sensor disposed on an opposite second side of, and facing, the multilayer optical film. The object is configured to receive light emitted by the light source through the multilayer optical film. The light sensor is configured to receive light from the multilayer optical film. An optical filter may include the multilayer optical film disposed on a wavelength selective scattering layer and/or on a wavelength selective absorbing layer. The wavelength selective scattering layer may have a near-infrared scattering ratio of less than about 0.9.

Optical systems and optical filters

An article includes an optical filter that comprises a wavelength selective reflective layer and at least one wavelength selective absorbing layer. The optical filter has visible transmittance between 400 nm-700 nm of less than about 30% and near infrared transmittance at 830 nm-900 nm greater than about 30%.

The present disclosure includes in one instance an optical article comprising a data rich plurality of retroreflective elements that are configured in a spatially defined arrangement, where the plurality of retroreflective elements comprise retroreflective elements having at least two different retroreflective properties, and where data rich means information that is readily machine interpretable. The present disclosure also includes a system comprising the previously mentioned optical article, an optical system, and an inference engine for interpreting and classifying the plurality of retroreflective elements wherein the optical system feeds data to the inference engine.

Optical articles and systems interacting with the same

A hybrid solar window comprises: at least one glazing; a wave-length-selective solar mirror positioned to reflect IR toward an IR absorbing element. The IR absorbing elements comprises a conduit having a respective fluid inlet and fluid outlet, and an IR absorbing compound, wherein the IR absorbing compound is in thermal communication with the conduit. The wavelength-selective solar mirror has an average visible light transmittance of at least 50 percent and an average IR reflectance of at least 50 percent over the wavelength range of 850 to 1150 nanometers, inclusive. The IR absorbing element is configured to transfer thermal energy to a heat transfer fluid circulating through the conduit, wherein the IR absorbing element has an average visible light transmittance of at least 30 percent, and wherein each IR absorbing element has an average IR absorptance of at least 50 percent over the wavelength range 850 to 1150 nanometers, inclusive. Certain IR absorbing elements are also disclosed.

Hybrid solar window and IR absorbing assemblies

In some examples, a system includes a head-mounted device, a visor that includes a reflective object that is substantially transparent in a visible light spectrum and embodied at a physical surface of the visor, at least one visor attachment assembly that couples the visor to the head-mounted device; at least one optical sensor; and at least one computing device communicatively coupled to the at least one optical sensor, the at least one computing device comprising a memory and one or more computer processors that: receive, from the optical sensor, an indication of light outside of a visible light spectrum that is reflected from the reflective object; determine, based at least in part on the light outside of a visible light spectrum that is reflected from the reflective object, a position of the visor; and perform, based at least in part on the position of the visor, at least one operation.

Pixel optical sensing of visibly transparent object utilizing reflective materials for personal protective equipment

A detector system is described that includes a detector that is sensitive to wavelengths in a detection wavelength range. The detector system further includes a light control film that is disposed on the detector and includes a plurality of alternating first and second regions. Each first region has a width W and a height H, where H/W&#x2265;1. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in a first portion of the detection wavelength range and a substantially high transmission in the remaining portion of the detection wavelength range. Each second region has a substantially high transmission in the detection wavelength range.

Angularly and spectrally selective detector and light source systems

In general, techniques are described for a personal protective equipment (PPE) management system (PPEMS) that uses images of optical patterns embodied on articles of personal protective equipment (PPEs) to identify safety conditions that correspond to usage of the PPEs. In one example, an article of personal protective equipment (PPE) includes a first optical pattern embodied on a surface of the article of PPE; a second optical pattern embodied on the surface of the article of PPE, wherein a spatial relation between the first optical pattern and the second optical pattern is indicative of an operational status of the article of PPE.

Personal protective equipment management system using optical patterns for equipment and safety monitoring

The present disclosure includes in one instance an optical article comprising a data rich plurality of retroreflective meats that are configured in a spatially defined arrangement, where the plurality of retroreflective elements comprise retroreflective elements having at least two different retroreflective properties, and where data rich means information that is readily machine interpretable. The present disclosure also includes a system comprising the previously mentioned optical article, an optical system, and an inference engine for interpreting and classifying the plurality of retroreflective elements wherein the optical system feeds data to the inference engine.

A retroreflective system is disclosed that includes a retroreflective sheet for retroreflecting light, and a light control film disposed on the retroreflective sheet. For a first wavelength, light incident on the light control film at each of a first and second angles of incidence is retroreflected. For a second wavelength, light incident on the light control film at the first, but not the second, angle of incidence is retroreflected.

Spectrally selective retroreflective system

Systems including one or both of a light emitter or a light receiver or a detectable object; and an optical filter adjacent one or both of the light emitter or the light receiver, wherein the optical filter includes at least one wavelength transmission selective layer an absorber component, wherein the wavelength transmission selective layer at least partially reduces the transmission of wavelengths from 701 nm to 849 nm incident thereon.

Optical films and systems including the same

Techniques are described in which articles (e.g., security documents, traffic signage and personal protective equipment) are formed to include an infrared absorptive material. In some instances, the infrared absorptive material includes a reduced tungsten oxide, such as cesium tungsten oxide, calcium tungsten oxide, potassium tungsten oxide, or the like, and exposed to radiation such that one or more regions of the security document has a modified appearance, thereby providing a visual marking or information on the article. Example articles include at least one layer including a polymer and an infrared absorptive material including a reduced tungsten oxide. The layer includes a radiation-treated region that exhibits a first appearance under visible light and at least one non-radiation-treated region that exhibits a second, different appearance under visible light. The at least one radiation-treated region may be formed by exposing the at least one radiation-treated region to infrared light to change at least one property of the reduced tungsten oxide in the radiation-treated region compared to the reduced tungsten oxide in the non-radiation-treated region. The first appearance may be whiter than the second appearance.

Articles including infrared absorptive material and comprising radiation-treated and non-radiation-treated regions

Example systems may include one or both of a light emitter and a light receiver, and an optical filter. The optical filter may include a wavelength selective scattering layer configured to scatter visible light. The optical filter may include a wavelength selective reflecting layer having a predetermined transmission band configured to compensate for a color deviation. The optical filter may include a broadband reflecting layer having a predetermined reflection band configured to compensate for a color deviation. The optical filter may include a low-index layer configured to reduce a color deviation in light emitted by the light emitter or received by the light receiver. The wavelength selective scattering layer may include nanoparticles dispersed in a binder, wherein the ratio of the nanoparticles to the binder by weight is at least 50%. Example articles may include example optical filters.

Color compensating optical filters having low refractive index layer

Growing community of inventors

Woodbury, MN, United States of America

Neeraj Sharma