Light redirecting film laminate

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9739436-B2
Application number	US-201514972948-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 17, 2015
Priority date	Dec 17, 2009
Publication date	Aug 22, 2017
Grant date	Aug 22, 2017

Abstract

Light management film constructions contain a first optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface. The first major surface is a microstructured surface with asymmetrical structures. The asymmetrical structures form an ordered arrangement of a plurality of multi-sided refractive prisms, with the multi-sided refractive prisms having a cross section of 3 or greater sides. A second optical film contacts and is bonded to substantially all of the structures of the first major structured surface of the first optical film. The light management constructions can be incorporated into optical articles such as windows.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light management film construction comprising:
a first optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface wherein the first major surface comprises a microstructured surface comprising asymmetrical structures wherein the asymmetrical structures comprise an ordered arrangement of a plurality of multi-sided refractive prisms, wherein a cross section of each of the multi-sided refractive prisms comprises 3 or greater sides such that at least one side of each of the multi-sided refractive prisms is a curved surface; and
a second optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the second major surface disposed adjacent to and making contact with and bonded to substantially all of the structures of the first major structured surface of the first optical film, and wherein the first major surface of the first optical film and second major surface of the second optical film defines an enclosed volume partially occupied by the structures on the first major surface of the first optical film such that the structures occupy 20-80% of the total volume defined.

2. The light management film construction of claim 1 wherein the second major surface of the first optical film comprises a coating, wherein the coating comprises an adhesive coating.

3. The light management film construction of claim 2 , further comprising a release liner attached to the adhesive coating.

4. The light management film construction of claim 1 , wherein the first major surface of the second optical film comprises a coating selected from the group of a hardcoat, an anti-scratch coating, a low surface energy coating or an easy clean coating.

5. The light management film construction of claim 4 , wherein the coating comprises a hardcoat that comprises infrared light absorbing nanoparticles.

6. The light management film construction of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first optical film or the second optical film further comprises ultraviolet absorbing (UVA) particles.

7. The light management film construction of claim 2 , wherein the adhesive coating further comprises ultraviolet absorbing (UVA) particles.

8. The light management film construction of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first optical film or the second optical film comprises a multilayer film comprising alternating polymeric layers that cooperate to reflect infrared radiation, and wherein at least one of the polymeric layers comprises a birefringent polymer layer.

9. An article comprising:
a transparent substrate; and
a light management film attached to the substrate, the light management film comprising:
a first optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface wherein the first major surface comprises a microstructured surface comprising asymmetrical structures; and
a second optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the second major surface disposed adjacent to and making contact with and bonded to substantially all of the structures of the first major structured surface of the first optical film, and wherein the first major surface of the first optical film and second major surface of the second optical film defines an enclosed volume partially occupied by the structures on the first major surface such that the structures occupy 20-80% of the total volume defined.

10. The article of claim 9 , wherein the asymmetrical structures on the light management film comprise an ordered arrangement of a plurality of multi-sided refractive prisms, wherein a cross section of each of the multi-sided refractive prisms comprise 3 or greater sides.

11. The method of redirecting light comprising:
providing a window comprising an inside exposed surface and an outside exposed surface;
providing a light management film construction comprising:
a first optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface wherein the first major surface comprises a microstructured surface comprising asymmetrical structures; and
a second optical film having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface, the second major surface disposed adjacent to and making contact with and bonded to substantially all of the structures of the first major structured surface of the first optical film, and wherein the first major surface of the first optical film and second major surface of the second optical film defines an enclosed volume partially occupied by the structures on the first major surface of the first optical film such that the structures occupy 20-80% of the total volume defined; and

attaching the light management film construction to the inside exposed surface or outside exposed surface of the window, wherein attaching the light management film construction to the window comprises contacting an adhesive layer on the light management film to the window.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive layer on the light management film construction is present on the second major surface of the first optical film.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein attaching the light management film construction to the window comprises contacting an adhesive layer on the light management film to the window by a dry installation process.

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Padiyath Raghunath
• Marttila Charles A
• Nestegard Mark K

Classifications

• G02B1/14

  Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings · CPC title

• G02B1/18

  Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films (G02B1/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G02B5/3083

  Birefringent or phase retarding elements (G02B5/3008, G02B5/3016 take precedence; systems for polarisation control G02B27/286; manufacturing phase modulating patterns by lithographic processes G03F7/001) · CPC title

• G02B5/045 Primary

  Prism arrays · CPC title

• G02B5/282

  reflecting for infrared and transparent for visible light, e.g. heat reflectors, laser protection · CPC title