3M Innovative Properties Company

William J Bryan

John C Schultz

Michael Alan Meis

Audrey A Sherman

Robert L Brott

Kevin R Schaffer

Martin B Wolk

Mieczyslaw H Mazurek

Michael J Sykora

Erik A Aho

Patrick Rene Destain

Martin Kristoffersen

John Allen Wheatley

Craig R Schardt

Zhaohui Yang

Andrew John Ouderkirk

Michael F Weber

Timothy J Nevitt

Timothy J Hebrink

Encai Hao

Rolf W Biernath

David G Freier

Kristopher J Derks

Wendi J Winkler

Haiyan Zhang

David Jon Lundin

Patrick A Thomas

Robert K Galkiewicz

Edward J Kivel

Nelson D Sewall

Myron K Jordan

Jeffrey E Clements

James R Starkey

Jeffrey M Olofson

David A Harper

Michael H Hansberry

William Blake Kolb

Mikhail L Pekurovsky

Matthew S Stay

Jacob Moskovich

Richard C Allen

Billy Lee Weaver

David Scott Thompson

Scott Melvyn Tapio

Timothy L Hoopman

Steven D Solomonson

Jennifer L Trice

Ellen O Aeling

Charles N DeVore

Scott E Brigham

Kathy L Hagen

Greg E Schrank

Vadim N Savvateev

Robert R Condon

Joseph W Woody, V

Anthony J Piekarczyk

Joseph W Woody

Alan G Hulme-Lowe

David J Koch

A fabric with a laminated adhesive-backed protective layer. The adhesive-backed protective layer has a matte finish that is low gloss and may approximate the fabric itself.

Low gloss laminated article

This application describes a front-lit reflective display assembly including a reflective display and an illumination article for front-lighting the display when the article is optically coupled to a light source. The illumination article includes a variable index light extraction layer optically coupled to a lightguide. The variable index light extraction layer has first and second regions, the first region comprising nanovoided polymeric material, the second region comprising the nanovoided polymeric material and an additional material, the first and second regions being disposed such that for light being transported at a supercritical angle in the lightguide, the variable index light extraction layer selectively extracts the light in a predetermined way based on the geometric arrangement of the first and second regions. Front-lit reflective display devices including the front-lit reflective display assembly optically coupled to a light source are also described.

Front-lit reflective display device

An optical article, such as a backlight for electronic display devices, is disclosed. The optical article includes a lightguide, a viscoelastic layer disposed on the light guide and a nanovoided polymeric layer disposed on the viscoelastic layer. The nanovoided polymeric layer comprises a plurality of interconnected nanovoids and at least some of the interconnected nanovoids are connected to one another by hollow passages. The lightguide may be optically coupled to a light source, and the viscoelastic layer and the nanovoided polymeric layer may be used in conjunction with the lightguide to manage light emitted by the light source. The viscoelastic layer may be a pressure sensitive adhesive.

Optical article having viscoelastic layer

An illumination device, such as a backlight for electronic display devices, is disclosed. The illumination device includes a viscoelastic lightguide optically coupled to a light source, and a nanovoided polymeric layer is used in conjunction with the lightguide to manage light emitted by the light source. The viscoelastic lightguide may be a pressure sensitive adhesive.

Illumination device having viscoelastic lightguide

An illumination device, such as a backlight for electronic display devices, is disclosed. The illumination device includes a lightguide optically coupled to a light source, and a viscoelastic layer and a nanovoided polymeric layer are used in conjunction with the lightguide to manage light emitted by the light source. The viscoelastic layer may be a pressure sensitive adhesive.

Illumination device having viscoelastic layer

A backlight is disclosed and includes a visible light transmissive body primarily propagating light by TIR with a light input surface and a light output surface and a light guide portion and a light input portion. The light guide portion has a light reflection surface and a light emission surface. The light input portion has opposing side surfaces that are not parallel. One of the opposing surfaces is co-planar with either the light emission surface or the light reflection surface. A light source is disposed adjacent to the light input surface. The light source emits light into the light input portion. A reflective layer is disposed adjacent to or on the opposing side surfaces.

Backlight asymmetric light input wedge

Hybrid signage capable of self illumination and having an active backlight. The signage includes a turning film having a structured surface for redirecting light in order to passively illuminate a printed graphic or shaped sign when the backlight is off. In the shaped sign, the shape provides the content, such as letters, to be conveyed to the viewer instead of a graphic. The signage can be actively illuminated when the backlight is on to supplemental the passive illumination.

Hybrid self illuminated and actively back lit signage for printed graphics

3D stereoscopic viewing enabled by the use of a fast switching speed LCD panel, dynamic backlight, and low cost glasses. The system utilizes an LCD panel with an LED backlight and wavelength selective glasses to isolate each channel by color. The system is based on alternating left and right image frames on an LCD panel. The left and right frames are illuminated by two slightly different red-green-blue light sources that are synchronized sequentially. The light sources are designed to emit light of different spectral composition. The viewer wears glasses where the left lens or filter passes only the spectrum of light used for the left channel of data, and the right lens or filter passes only the spectrum of light used for the right channel of data.

Stereoscopic 3D display device

Microreplicated light redirecting films suitable for use in autostereoscopic displays and backlights are made to incorporate at least one nanovoided layer whose interface with another layer forms an embedded structured surface of the light redirecting film. The nanovoided layer includes a polymer binder and optional nanoparticles, and may have a refractive index less than 1.35 or 1.3. The light redirecting films may be adapted for attachment to one or more other components of an autostereoscopic display, such as a display panel and/or a light guide of a backlight.

Microreplicated film for attachment to autostereoscopic display components

A backlight that includes a front reflector and a back reflector that form a hollow light recycling cavity including an output surface is disclosed. The backlight further includes one or more light sources disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity. The front reflector includes an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 90% for visible light polarized in a first plane, and an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 25% but less than 90% for visible light polarized in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.

Backlight and display system using same

A display apparatus includes an autosteroscopic liquid crystal display panel having a frame response time of less than 10 milliseconds, and a backlight positioned to provide light to the autosteroscopic liquid crystal display. The backlight includes a right eye solid state light source and a left eye solid state light source capable of being modulated between the right eye solid state light source and a left eye solid state light source at a rate of at least 90 Hertz.

Autostereoscopic liquid crystal display apparatus

Growing community of inventors

Mahtomedi, MN, United States of America

William J Bryan