The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 04, 2002
Filed:
Nov. 15, 2000
Raymond C. Chiu, Woodbury, MN (US);
Gary E. Gaides, Woodbury, MN (US);
Paul E. Humpal, Stillwater, MN (US);
Koichi Sano, Sagamihara, JP;
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A light control device is disclosed that includes a two film construction, each film having a plurality of light absorbing regions. For example, the light absorbing elements can be a series of grooves or column-like indentations in the films that are filled or coated with a light absorbing material. The two films can be adjacently disposed so that their respective light absorbing regions form a plurality of light absorbing elements that extend along the thickness direction of the device. The light absorbing elements allow a viewer to view an image through the light control device within a range of viewing angles while blocking a view of the image outside that range of viewing angles. The two film construction allows for relative ease of manufacture as well as the ability to form light absorbing elements that can provide better viewing uniformity throughout a typical viewing range, a sharp privacy viewing cut off, and reduced ghost image formation.