Room-facing light redirecting films with reduced glare

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9910192-B2
Application number	US-201515519887-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 16, 2015
Priority date	Oct 20, 2014
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

The present disclosure relates generally to light management constructions comprising microstructured prismatic elements useful in the preparation of room-facing light redirecting films having reduced glare.

First claim

We claim:

1. A light management construction comprising:
an optical substrate having a first major surface and a second major surface opposite the first major surface;
wherein a reference plane is defined as being parallel to, and in between, the first and second major surfaces of the optical substrate;
wherein a reference x axis is defined as being normal to the reference plane;
wherein a reference y axis is defined as being perpendicular to the reference x axis and falling within a plane that is parallel to the reference plane;
wherein the reference x axis and the reference y axis intersect each other at a position defined as the origin, which is on the first major surface of the optical substrate;
wherein the first major surface of the optical substrate comprises one or more microstructured prismatic elements;
wherein the positive direction of the reference x axis is defined as the direction from the origin towards the one or more microstructured prismatic elements;
wherein the positive direction of the reference y axis is defined as the direction from the origin in a counter-clock wise direction from the positive direction of the reference x axis;
wherein a cross section of a microstructured prismatic element has a double peak shape with five substantially straight sides (sides A, B, C, D, and E) such that:
each side of a microstructured prismatic element has a first end and a second end;
side A of the microstructured prismatic element is parallel to and adjacent to the first major surface of the optical substrate and extends from the origin, where the first end of side A is located, in the positive direction of the reference y axis;
the first end of side B of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the second end of side A and the second end of side B is connected to the first end of side C;
wherein side B extends from the point that is connected to side A towards the positive direction of the reference x axis;
wherein side B forms an angle alpha with a line parallel to the reference x axis that passes through the point where side A and side B connect;

the second end of side C of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end side D;
wherein side C extends from the point of intersection with side B in a clockwise direction;

the second end of side D of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end of side E;
side C and side D define a valley angle, measured from side C in a clock-wise direction towards side D;

the second end of side E of the microstructured prismatic element is connected to the first end side A;
wherein side E forms an angle beta with the reference x axis that passes through the point where side A and side E connect;

wherein the valley angle is from 10 to 170 degrees;
wherein the shortest distance from side A to the highest point of the microstructured prismatic element defines the height of the microstructured prismatic element;
wherein the length of side A defines the pitch of microstructured prismatic element;
wherein the aspect ratio of the microstructured prismatic element defined by dividing the height by the pitch is 1.55 or less;
wherein the distance between a normal line to side A that intersects the point where side B and side C connect and a normal line to side A that intersects the point where side C and side D connect defines the peak separation;
wherein the peak separation is greater than 10% of the pitch;

wherein when incident light rays pass through the second major surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and enter the microstructured prismatic element, total internal reflection within the microstructured prismatic element occurs at side E when the angle of the incident light rays is 65 degrees or less when measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis;
wherein when incident light rays pass through the second major surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and exit the light management construction as output light rays, the energy of the output light rays exiting at angles from 0 to 45 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis divided by the total energy of the output light rays is less than 25% at any value of an incident angle of the incident light rays from 10 to 65 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis.

2. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the pitch is from 20 to 60 microns.

3. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the height is from 30 to 80 microns.

4. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the aspect ratio is from 1.0 to 1.5.

5. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the valley angle is from 40 degrees to 90 degrees.

6. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the peak separation is greater than 20% of the pitch.

7. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the angle alpha is from 5 to 28 degrees.

8. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the angle beta is 10 degrees or less.

9. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein when incident light rays pass through the second major surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and exit the light management construction as output light rays, the energy of the output light rays exiting at angles from 0 to 45 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis divided by the total energy of the output light rays is less than 20% at any value of an incident angle of the incident light rays from 10 to 65 degrees measured clockwise from a line parallel to the reference x axis.

10. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein when incident light rays pass through the second surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and enter the microstructured prismatic element, total internal reflection within the microstructured prismatic element occurs at side E when the angle of the incident light rays is 68 degrees or less.

11. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein when incident light rays pass through the second surface of the optical substrate before they pass through the first major surface of the optical substrate and enter the microstructured prismatic element, total internal reflection within the microstructured prismatic element occurs at side E when the angle of the incident light rays is 75 degrees or less.

12. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pitch is from 35 to 55 microns;
the height is from 45 to 78 microns;
the aspect ratio is from 1.2 to 1.5;
the valley angle is from 60 to 80 degrees;
the angle alpha is from 15 to 25 degrees; and
the angle beta is from 5 to 15 degrees.

13. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein:
the pitch is about 40 microns;
the height is about 55 microns;
the aspect ratio is about 1.4;
the valley angle is about 72 degrees;
the angle alpha is about 17 degrees; and
the angle beta is about 10 degrees.

14. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the light management construction further comprises a diffuser layer.

15. A light management construction according to claim 1 , wherein the light management construction further comprises a window film a

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Co

Inventors

• Hao Bing
• Nirmal Manoj
• Marttila Charles A
• Padiyath Raghunath
• Mansheim Jonathan F
• Aho Erik A
• Tapio Scott M
• Anderson Owen M
• Haus Eileen M F
• Reed John F

Classifications

• E06B2009/2482

  Special shape · CPC title

• G02B5/0231 Primary

  the surface having microprismatic or micropyramidal shape (macroscopic prism arrays G02B5/045) · CPC title

• E06B2009/2417

  Light path control; means to control reflection · CPC title

• E06B9/24 Primary

  Screens or other constructions affording protection against light, especially against sunshine; Similar screens for privacy or appearance; {Slat blinds}(operating, guiding or securing devices or arrangements for roll-type closures E06B9/56; free-hanging flexible screens A47H23/00) · CPC title

• G02B5/0278

  used in transmission · CPC title