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:
Feb. 17, 2004
Filed:
Sep. 28, 2001
Robert S. Moshrefzadeh, St. Paul, MN (US);
Ragunath Padiyath, St. Paul, MN (US);
Richard J. Pokorny, St. Paul, MN (US);
Hsin-hsin Chou, St. Paul, MN (US);
Jeffrey C. Chang, St. Paul, MN (US);
Colleen M. Brenner, St. Paul, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A beaded light dispersing film has a substrate layer, and an optically transparent layer, having a predetermined thickness, disposed over a side of the substrate layer. Optically transmitting beads are arranged to penetrate at least partially into the transparent layer to define clear apertures at interfaces between the beads and the transparent layer. The bead radius is greater than the predetermined thickness. An absorbing layer is disposed on the transparent layer, in interstices between the beads. A method of manufacturing the film includes disposing optically transparent beads partially in an optically transparent layer disposed over a transparent substrate layer. The optically transparent layer has a thickness less than half a diameter of a transparent bead. An absorbing layer overlies the optically transparent layer.