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:
Jul. 08, 2003
Filed:
Apr. 03, 2000
Timothy J. Gardner, St. Paul, MN (US);
Richard F. Griffith, Edina, MN (US);
Lavern L. Linse, Hudson, WI (US);
Leo A. Meyer, St. Paul, MN (US);
James A. Stevenson, St. Paul, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Co., St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
The present invention is a light directing construction for use in a display apparatus. The light directing construction includes a light directing film that has a prismatic structure having two sides, where one side includes saw tooth formations having tilted surfaces, and a metal coating on the side of the prismatic substrate having the saw-tooth formations. A corrosion-resistant feature is provided on the light directing construction to minimize the effects of corrosion experienced in salt atmospheres. In a first embodiment of the invention, the light directing construction includes an intermediate layer positioned between the light directing film and the metal coating. In a second embodiment of the invention, a peripheral polymeric coating is provided on the light directing constriction. This peripheral coating can be formed with a laser.