Nitto-denko Corporation

Takafumi Sakuramoto

Minoru Miyatake

Takashi Tominaga

Megumi Ashida

Hiroshi Nakatsuka

Yozo Oishi

Kazuhiro Tajiri

Hiroyuki Yoshimi

Kazutaka Hara

Yuji Saiki

Itsuroh Takenoshita

Tatsuya Osuka

A light pipe is obtained by laminating on one or both surfaces of a light-transmitting resin plate a polarized-light scattering plate having fine birefringent domains dispersed therein and hence showing anisotropy in scattering. The polarized-light scattering plate comprises a transparent film having fine domains dispersed therein comprising a liquid crystal polymer which exhibits nematic at temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature of the polymer constituting matrix of the transparent film and has a glass transition temperature of 50&#xb0; C. or higher. The light pipe as a laminate may further comprise a specular reflection layer, a polarization-retaining lens and a light diffusion layer laminated thereon. The light pipe may further comprise a light source mounted at least on one side face thereof to provide a planar polarized-light source.

Light pipe and polarized-light source

An optical element of the present invention is constituted by a multilayer structure having a polarizing plate, and a light diffusing plate. The light diffusing plate is formed of a birefringent film containing dispersed therein minute regions differing from the birefringent film in birefringent characteristics. The minute regions are formed of a thermoplastic liquid-crystal polymer. The difference in refractive index between the birefringent film and the minute regions in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, &#x394;n, is 0.03 or larger and that in said axis direction, &#x394;n, is not larger than 80% of the &#x394;n. Furthermore, the &#x394;ndirection for the light diffusing plate is parallel to the transmission axis of the polarizing plate. A liquid-crystal display of the present invention has a liquid-crystal cell and the optical element disposed on one or each side of the cell.

Optical element and liquid-crystal display

A semi-transmissible reflection layer is formed on a light-transmissible polymer substrate uniaxially drawn to have uniaxial orientation characteristic to thereby form a semi-transmissible reflector.

Semi-transmissible reflector, semi-transmission type polarizer and liquid-crystal display device using the sames

A light diffusing plate is formed of a birefringent film containing dispersed therein minute regions differing from the birefringent film in birefringent characteristics. The minute regions are formed of a thermoplastic liquid-crystal polymer. The difference in refractive index between the birefringent film and the minute regions in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, &#x394;n, is 0.03 or larger and that in said axis direction, &#x394;n, is not larger than 80% of the &#x394;n. An optical element is formed of a multilayer structure of the above light diffusing plate and at least either of a polarizing plate and a phase plate. A liquid-crystal display is formed of a liquid-crystal cell and, disposed on one or each side thereof, either the above light diffusing plate or the above optical element.

Light diffusing plate, optical element, and liquid-crystal display

A laminate polarizer has a dichroic polarizing sheet and a polarizing and scattering sheet showing anisotropy in scattering properties depending on a direction of polarization and being laminated on the dichroic polarizing sheet. An absorption axis of the dichroic polarizing sheet and an optical axis of the polarizing and scattering sheet in which polarized light is intensely scattered are in parallel to each other. A liquid crystal display is provided so that this laminate polarizer is disposed on a light source side of a liquid crystal panel as a polarizer.

Laminate polarizer and liquid crystal display

A neutral polarizer has a dichroic polarizing sheet and a polarizing and scattering sheet laminated on the dichroic polarizing sheet. The polarizing and scattering sheet has anisotropy in light scattering properties depending on a direction of polarization, and has an optical axis showing intense scattering properties. Scattering intensity of linearly polarized light having a polarization direction of the optical axis is greatly dependent on wavelength. An absorption axis of the dichroic polarizing sheet and the optical axis of the polarizing and scattering sheet are in parallel to each other. A liquid crystal display is provided so that this neutral polarizer is disposed on a light source side of a liquid crystal panel.

Neutral polarizer and liquid crystal display

An optical film is disclosed which is reduced in diffuse reflection while retaining anisotropy in the scattering of a linearly polarized light and is practically usable in a light diffuser film or viewing-side polarizing film for liquid crystal displays and the like. The optical film comprises a light-transmitting resin and dispersedly contained therein minute regions differing from the light-transmitting resin in birefringent characteristics, wherein the difference in refractive index between the minute regions and the light-transmitting resin in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, &Dgr;n , is from 0.03 to 0.5 and that in the maximum-transmittance axis direction, &Dgr;n , is smaller than 0.03, and the diffuse reflectance of linearly polarized light in the &Dgr;n direction is lower than 30%. Also disclosed are: an optical element comprising two or more layers of the optical film, wherein the layers are superposed such that the &Dgr;n directions for any of the layers are parallel to those for the adjacent layers; and an optical element comprising a multilayer structure which comprises at least one of a polarizing film, retardation film, transparent resin plate, and reflecting layer and one or more layers of the optical film.

Optical film and optical elements

A practical optical film which has excellent anisotropy in the scattering of linearly polarized light, can easily be produced and has excellent thermal stability, and an optical member and an optical element using the optical film, are disclosed. The optical film comprises a birefringent resin film and birefringent minute regions dispersedly contained therein comprising a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 50&deg; C. or higher and showing a nematic liquid crystal phase in a range of temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature of the resin constituting the resin film, wherein the difference in refractive index between the resin film and the minute regions in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, &Dgr;n , is 0.03 or larger and that in the maximum-transmittance axis direction, &Dgr;n , is not larger than 50% of the &Dgr;n . The optical element comprises a multilayer structure which comprises at least one of a polarizing film and a retardation film and one or more layers of the optical film.

Optical film, optical member and optical element

A practical optical film which has excellent anisotropy in the scattering of linearly polarized light, can be easily produced and has excellent thermal stability, and an optical element using the optical film are disclosed. The optical film comprises an optically isotropic resin film and birefringent minute regions dispersedly contained therein comprising a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 50&deg; C. or higher and showing a nematic liquid crystal phase in a range of temperatures lower than the glass transition temperature of the resin constituting the resin film, wherein the difference in refractive index between the resin film and the minute regions in a direction perpendicular to the axis direction in which a linearly polarized light has a maximum transmittance, &Dgr;n , is 0.03 or larger and that in the maximum-transmittance axis direction, &Dgr;n , is 50% or smaller of the &Dgr;n . The optical element comprises a multilayer structure which comprises at least one of a polarizing film and a retardation and one or more layers of the optical film.

A wide viewing angle polarizing plate has a laminate of a birefringent film having an in-plane average phase difference of from 50 nm to 200 nm made of a transparent resin film having microscopic regions dispersed therein and a polarizing plate. The birefringent film comprises a transparent resin film having microscopic regions dispersed therein and satisfies the relationships &Dgr;n,&lE;0.03 and &Dgr;n,>&Dgr;n,supposing that the direction of the axis along which linearly polarized light exhibits the maximum transmission is &Dgr;n,direction, the difference in refractive index between microscopic regions in &Dgr;n,direction and other portions is &Dgr;n,, the direction perpendicular to &Dgr;n,direction is &Dgr;n,direction and the difference in refractive index between microscopic regions in &Dgr;n,direction and other portions is &Dgr;n,, and &Dgr;n,direction and the retardation axis of said birefringent film and the transmission axis of said polarizing plate are parallel to each other and a liquid crystal display comprising same.

Wide viewing angle polarizing plate and liquid crystal display

A process of forming burned patterns and a burning pattern sheet for use in the process are disclosed, the process comprising forming patterns composed of a burning ink on one surface of a tacky member composed of a flexible base material and an adhesive layer or between both the layers, adhering the tacky member to an article through the adhesive layer, and burning the assembly to form a burned pattern product fixed to the surface of the article.

Burning pattern sheet

A method of producing a burned pattern by bonding a burning pattern to a substrate through an inorganic powder sheet obtained by shaping an inorganic powder such as glass and a ceramic material into a sheet with a resin binder and burning the bonded body, characterized in that the inorganic powder sheet is bonded to the substrate by heating and/or pressurizing or an adhesive force.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Takafumi Sakuramoto