Angular selective light control sheeting and method of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016124126-A1
Application number	US-201514922137-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 24, 2015
Priority date	Oct 29, 2014
Publication date	May 5, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An angular selective light control sheeting and a method of making the same are disclosed. The light control sheeting includes a layer of an optically clear elastic material which has a series of parallel slits formed by means of surface slitting with a sharp object such as a razor or blade. Each slit is filled with an opaque material which prevents light transmission through the slit walls. The method includes a step of slitting of an elastic, optically transmissive plastic sheet with a blade and forming at least one array of substantially parallel linear slits in a surface of the sheet, a step of stretching the sheet in a direction perpendicular to the linear slits, and a step of introducing an opaque material into the interior of the slits.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An angular selective light control sheet material, comprising:
a layer of an optically transmissive elastic material; and a plurality of deep and narrow slits formed in a surface of said layer; wherein at least one of said slits comprises a layer of an opaque material.

2 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optically transmissive elastic material is configurable for its slitting using a sharp object such as a blade or a razor.

3 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein the material of said optically transmissive layer comprises plasticized polyvinyl chloride.

4 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein an elongation at yield of said optically transmissive elastic material is at least 10%.

5 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein an elongation at yield of said optically transmissive elastic material is at least 30%.

6 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein an elastic modulus of said optically transmissive elastic material is less than 70 MPa.

7 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optically transmissive elastic material has a durometer hardness between 70 Shore A and 95 Shore A, as measured in accordance with ASTM D2240 type A scale.

8 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optically transmissive elastic material comprises thermoplastic polyurethane.

9 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said optically transmissive elastic material is selected from the group of polymeric materials consisting of optically clear or translucent thermoplastic elastomers, polyurethanes, and silicones.

10 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a protective optically transmissive layer attached to said surface.

11 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a light diffusing layer or surface.

12 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said layer of an opaque material comprises an electrochromic material.

13 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said opaque material comprises a dark or colored pigment, dye or ink.

14 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said opaque material comprises high refractive index particles.

15 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said opaque material comprises carbon black.

16 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said opaque material comprises an adhesive component.

17 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said opaque material comprises a light absorbing pigment matrix selected from the group consisting of titanium black, acetylene black, aniline black, perylene black, strontium titanium oxide, chromium oxide, and ceria.

18 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein the layer of optically transmissive elastic material is laminated to at least one light permeable substrate.

19 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said slits are regularly formed along two or more directions.

20 . An angular selective light control sheet material as recited in claim 1 , wherein said slits are formed an angle with respect to a normal to said surface.

Assignees

• Vasylyev Sergiy

Inventors

• Vasylyev Sergiy

Classifications

• G02B1/04

  made of organic materials, e.g. plastics (G02B1/08 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B2207/123

  Optical louvre elements, e.g. for directional light blocking · CPC title

• G02B5/003 Primary

  Light absorbing elements · CPC title