Interlayers having enhanced optical properties

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016168353-A1
Application number	US-201615051183-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 23, 2016
Priority date	Dec 8, 2014
Publication date	Jun 16, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A tapered interlayer comprising at least one polymer layer and a having tapered zone with an overall wedge angle of not more than 0.85 mrad is provided. The refractive index of the polymer layer is 1.480 or higher. Multiple layer panels formed from such interlayers may exhibit desirable optical properties, including, for example, less image “ghosting,” when used as part of a heads-up-display (HUD) display panel for use in automotive and aircraft applications.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A tapered interlayer comprising at least one polymer layer comprising a poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer, wherein said polymer layer has a refractive index of at least 1.480, and wherein said interlayer comprises a tapered zone having an overall wedge angle of not more than 0.85 mrad.

2 . The interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said tapered zone has an overall wedge angle of less than 0.55 mrad and wherein said polymer layer has a refractive index of at least 1.500.

3 . The interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said interlayer is a monolithic interlayer.

4 . The interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said interlayer is a multiple layer interlayer comprising said polymer layer and another polymer layer adjacent to said polymer layer, wherein the difference between the glass transition temperature of said polymer layer and the glass transition temperature of said another polymer layer is at least 3° C.

5 . The interlayer of claim 4 , wherein said another polymer layer comprises a second poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer, wherein the difference between the residual hydroxyl content of said poly(vinyl acetal) resin in said polymer layer and the residual hydroxyl content of said second poly(vinyl acetal) resin in said another polymer layer is at least 2 weight percent.

6 . The interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said tapered zone comprises at least one variable angle zone having a curved thickness profile and a continuously varying wedge angle.

7 . The interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said tapered zone comprises at least one constant angle zone having a linear thickness profile and a constant wedge angle.

8 . A multiple layer panel comprising a pair of rigid substrates and the interlayer of claim 1 , wherein said interlayer is disposed between said pair of rigid substrates and wherein said rigid substrates have a combined thickness of less than 4.0 mm.

9 . A multiple layer panel comprising:
a pair of rigid substrates; and an interlayer disposed between said substrates, wherein said interlayer comprises a tapered zone having an overall wedge angle of less than 0.85 mrad, wherein the equivalent refractive index of said multiple layer panel is at least 0.010 higher than the refractive index of each of said rigid substrates.

10 . The panel of claim 9 , wherein the equivalent refractive index of said multiple layer panel is at least 1.500.

11 . The panel of claim 9 , wherein the refractive index of each of said substrates is at least 20 percent lower than the refractive index of said interlayer.

12 . The panel of claim 9 , wherein the refractive index of said interlayer is at least about 1.600.

13 . The panel of claim 9 , wherein said tapered zone has an overall wedge angle of less than 0.55 mrad.

14 . The panel of claim 9 , wherein said interlayer comprises at least one polymer layer comprising a poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer, wherein said combined thickness of each of said rigid substrates is not more than 4.0 mm.

15 . The panel of claim 14 , wherein said interlayer comprises a multiple layer interlayer comprising two or more polymer layers each comprising a poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer, wherein said interlayer comprises at least two glass transition temperatures, wherein the difference between said two glass transition temperatures is at least about 3° C.

16 . A multiple layer panel comprising
a pair of rigid substrates; and a tapered interlayer disposed between said substrates, wherein said tapered interlayer comprises at least one polymeric resin, wherein the refractive index of said interlayer is at least 5 percent higher than the refractive index of each of said rigid substrates.

17 . The panel of claim 16 , wherein said tapered comprises a tapered zone having a wedge angle of not more than 0.85 mrad and wherein said interlayer comprises at least one polymer layer having a refractive index of at least about 1.480.

18 . The panel of claim 16 , wherein said panel has an equivalent refractive index higher than said refractive index of each of said rigid substrates.

19 . The panel of claim 16 , wherein said interlayer is a multiple layer interlayer comprising at least a first polymer layer and a second polymer layer adjacent to said first polymer layer, wherein first polymer layer comprises a first poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer and said second polymer layer comprises a second poly(vinyl acetal) resin and at least one plasticizer, wherein the difference between the glass transition temperature of said first polymer layer and the glass transition temperature of said second polymer layer is at least 3° C., and wherein the difference between the residual hydroxyl content of said first poly(vinyl acetal) resin and the residual hydroxyl content of said second poly(vinyl acetal) resin is at least 2 weight percent.

20 . The panel of claim 16 , wherein said interlayer has a minimum thickness in the range of from about 0.25 to about 1.2 mm and a maximum thickness in the range of from about 0.38 to about 2.2 mm, wherein the difference between the minimum thickness of said interlayer and the maximum thickness of said interlayer is at least about 0.13 mm, and wherein the combined thickness of each of said rigid substrates is less than about 4.0 mm.

Assignees

• Solutia Inc

Inventors

• Spangler Lora Lee
• Hurlbut Jeffrey B
• Lu Jun

Classifications

• B32B27/306

  comprising vinyl acetate or vinyl alcohol (co)polymers · CPC title

• C08K5/103 Primary

  with polyalcohols · CPC title

• B32B17/10633

  Infrared radiation absorbing or reflecting agents · CPC title

• B60J1/002

  with means for clear vision, e.g. anti-frost or defog panes, rain shields (window heating in H05B3/84, H05B3/86) · CPC title

• C08J2329/14

  Homopolymers or copolymers of acetals or ketals obtained by polymerisation of unsaturated acetals or ketals or by after-treatment of polymers of unsaturated alcohols · CPC title