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:
Jan. 18, 2011
Filed:
Sep. 14, 2005
Mark E. Gardiner, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Sanford Cobb, Jr., Lakeland, MN (US);
Kenneth A. Epstein, St. Paul, MN (US);
Wade D. Kretman, Afton, MN (US);
Mark E. Gardiner, Santa Rosa, CA (US);
Sanford Cobb, Jr., Lakeland, MN (US);
Kenneth A. Epstein, St. Paul, MN (US);
Wade D. Kretman, Afton, MN (US);
3M Innovative Properties Company, St. Paul, MN (US);
Abstract
A backlight includes a lightguide, a light source disposed with respect to the lightguide to introduce light into the lightguide and a turning film. Optical structures are formed in one of an output surface and a back surface of the lightguide. The optical structures are arranged to extract light from the lightguide. A back reflector is disposed adjacent the back surface. The optical structures are formed to include a varying pattern arranged to mask non-uniformities in the output of the lightguide.