Light fixture having a multilayer polymeric film

US006101032A

Ulllted States Patent [19] [11] Patent Number: 6,101,032 Wortman et al. [45] Date of Patent: *Aug. 8, 2000

[54] LIGHT FIXTURE HAVING A MULTILAYER FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS

POLYMERIC FILM 1327286 3/1994 Canada ............................. .. 88/113.18

. . 062751 10/1982 Euro ean Pat. O?. .. G02B 1/08 [75] Inventors: Dav‘d L‘ Wmemn’ St‘ Paul’ Mmn'i 469732 7/1991 Eurogean Pat. on. ........ .. G02B 1/04

Mark E- Gardmer’ Santa R°Sa> Cahf; 514223 5/1992 European Pat. on. ........ .. G02B 5/08 Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Woodbury, Minn.; James M. J onza, Round Rock, (L15t Continued on next Page) T€X.; Michael F. Weber, ShOI‘CVICW, Minn.

Schrenk et al., Nanolayer polymeric optical ?lms, Tappi [73] Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company, Journal, pp, 169474, Jun” 1992'

SI- Paul, MiIlIl- Hodgkinson, I. et al., “Effective Principal Refractive Indices * N _ _ Th, _ d _ d and Column Angles for Periodic Stacks of Thin Birefringent

[ 1 one“ 15, Patent 1,5“? on a Commie Pros‘ Films”, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, vol. 10, No. 9, pp. 2065—2071 ecution application ?led under 37 CFR (1993)‘ 15361)’ and 1S subleet to the twenty year Im, J. et al., “Coextruded Microlayer Film and Sheet”, patent term provlslons of 35 USC‘ Journal of Plastic Film and Sheeting, vol. 4, pp. 104—115 154(a)(2)~ (Apr, 1988).

_ Karpen, D., “Full—Spectrum Polarized Lighting Recreates [21] Appl' NO" 08/479’319 Daylight”, C0nsulting—Specifying Engineer, pp. 42—46, 48 [22] Filed: Jun. 7, 1995 (Apr. 1994).

_ _ Lin, F., “A1,4: :Non—Imaging CCFT Coupler for LCD Related U-S- APPIICatIOIl Data Backlighting”, SID 94 Digest, vol. XXV, pp. 1415 (1994).

_ _ _ _ _ Schrenk, W. et al., “Coextruded Iridescent Film”, Tappi

[60] Dlvlslon of. apphcanon NO‘ Gig/41.8909’ Apr‘ 6’ 199.5’ aban' Paper Synthetics Conference, Atlanta, Georgia, pp. 141—145 doned, which is a continuation-in-part of application No. 08/223,548, Apr. 6, 1994, abandoned. (Sep- 27—29, 1976)

(List continued on next page.) [51] Int. Cl.7 ..................................................... .. G02B 5/30 _ _ _

Primary Examiner—Ricky D. Shafer [52] US. Cl. ........................ .. 359/500, 359/498; 359/495, Attorney) Agent» 0’ F irm—J°hn A- Bums

359/485; 359/599; 362/19; 362/257; 362/260; [57] ABSTRACT 362/296; 428/212; 428/421; 428/480; 428/483;

428/522; 428/523; 428/910 A polarized light source includes a diffuse light source and a re?ective polarizing element placed proximate thereto.

[58] Field of Search ................................... .. 359/485, 487, The re?ective polarizing element transmits light of a desired 359/490, 491, 492, 494, 495, 498, 500, polarization and re?ects light of another polarization back

580, 584, 589, 359, 883, 884; 362/19, 257, into the diffuse source Where it is randomized. Some of the 260, 296 initially rejected light is thus converted into the desired

_ polarization and is transmitted through the re?ective polar [56] References Clted izing element. This process continues, and the repeated

U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS re?ections and subsequent randomization of light of the undesired polarization increases the amount of light of the

Re. 34,605 5/1994 Schrenk et al. ....................... .. 359/359 desired polarization that is emitted by the polarized light 2,776,598 1/1957 Dreyer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 88/105 Source‘

3,124,639 3/1964 Kahn ......................................... .. 88/65

(List continued on next page.) 45 Claims, 23 Drawing Sheets

[100 #102

no

2

my 4104

n1 n12

4 V l 02y n2zT —‘—>

no

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6,101,032 Page 2

US. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,202,074 4/1993 Schrenk et a1. ....................... .. 264/241 5,211,878 5/1993 Reiffenrath et al. 252/299.63

3,213,753 10/1965 Rogers -------------------------------------- -- 88/65 5,217,794 6/1993 8611161116 ................................ .. 428/220

3,322,946 5/1967 c66p61 .................................. .. 359/359 5,221,982 6/1993 F6116 ........................................ .. 359/93

3,423,498 1/1969 Leferve .. 264/171 5,233,465 8/1993 Wheatley et a1. . . 359/359

3,480,502 11/1969 8611161116 .. .. 156/271 5,234,729 8/1993 W1166116y 6161. . 428/30 3,498,873 3/1970 8611161116 .. 161/109 5,235,443 8/1993 136111116 6161. 359/37 3,556,635 1/1971 86111611166161. ......................... .. 350/96 5,251,064 10/1993 Tennantetal- - . 359/361

3,565,985 2/1971 86111611166161. ....................... .. 264/171 5,262,894 11/1993 Wheatley etal- - 359/586 3610,729 10/1971 R6g616 .................................. .. 350/157 5,269,995 12/1993 Ramanathan 9191- '264/171 3 631 288 12/1971 Rogers _ 5,278,680 1/1994 Karasawa et a1. . 359/40 3 647 612 3/1972 Schrenk et al 161/165 5,278,694 1/1994 Wheatley et a1. . . 359/359

’ ’ ' """""""""""" " 5286 418 2/1994 N61661111116 6161. 252/585 3711176 11973 Alf J. 1 1. ....................... .. 3501 1 1 3’712’980 12973 N053; r e a / 5,294,657 3/1994 Melendy 6161. . 524/270

3,746,485 7/1973 8611161116 ................................ .. 425/131 2309544 ?zz: gage ~ 32251114? 3,759,647 9/1973 86111611166161. ....................... .. 425/131 3161703 / _°_ ‘en / ~ 3773 882 11/1973 8611161116 ................................ .. 264/171 5319478 6/1994 Fllnfschllhng ‘ML 359/53

’ ’ 5 339 198 8/1994 Wheatle et a1. . 359/359 3801429 4/1974 86111611166161. .. 161/181 1 1 Y

’ ’ - 5,359,498 10/1994 K6111611 ......... .. 362/19 3,847,585 11/1974 ChlShOlIIl .............................. .. 65/99A 3860 036 1/1975 N6w111611 Jr. ........................... .. 138/45 513601659 11/1994 Arends ‘ML ~ 428/216

3912920 10/1975 K1111616 .? ....... .. 240/95 5389324 2/1995 Lewis etal 264/171 4094947 6/1978 A1116y Jr. 6161. ................... .. 264/171 514241119 6/1995 PhllhPs ‘ML ~~ ‘128/328 4’161’014 7/1979 Dey et’ al 362/263 5,448,404 9/1995 Schrenk et a1. . 359/584 4’190’832 2/1980 Mohler ' """"""""""""""" " 5,451,449 9/1995 811611y 6161. 428/195

4209822 6/1980 066611161" ................. ..... 362/19 5481445 1/1996 sitzema 6‘ a1 - 362/308 4,212,048 7/1980 c66116b611y ............................. .. 362/19 574867935 1/1996 Kalmanash 359/37 4268 127 5/1981 Oshima et a1‘ " 5,486,949 1/1996 Schrenk et a1. . . 359/498

’ ’ 5,540,978 7/1996 8611161116 ....... .. .428/212 4,307,150 12/1981 R66116 ................................... .. 428/336 5,552,927 9/1996 Wheatley et a1. . . 359/359 4,310,584 1/1982 c66p616161. ........................ .. 428/212

4312 570 1/1982 Southwell' 5,568,316 10/1996 Schrenk et a1. . 359/584 ’ ’ - 5 612 820 3/1997 Schrenk et a1. . . 359/498

4,315,258 2/1982 McKmght et al. ................... .. 340/784 ’ ’ 5629 055 5/1997 R6v616161. 428/1

4,446,305 5/1984 R6g6166161. ........................ .. 528/348 1 1 4520189 5/1985 Rogers et a1‘ __ 528631 5,686,979 11/1997 W6b616161. 349/96 4521588 6/1985 R6g6166161. ........................ .. 528/363 516991188 12/1997 GilbertetaL ~~ ~ 359/584

4525413 6/1985 R6g616 6161. ........................ .. 428/212 517211603 2/1998 De Vaan et al - 349/194

475407623 9/1985 1m et al 428/220 5,744,534 4/1998 Ishiharada et a1. . 524/442 ’ ’ - ' " 5751388 5/1998 L616611 ......... .. 349/96

4,542,449 9/1985 W111161166d ............................ .. 362/330 1 1

4562 517 12/1985 P61116111 .................................. .. 362/147 517677935 6/1998 Ueda ‘T1 ‘11' " " 349/112 4’586’790 5/1986 Umeda et a1‘ _ 350/337 5,770,306 6/1998 SuZukr et a1. 428/328 47596119 5/1986 Kawakami et al 428/216 5,783,120 7/1998 Ouderkirk et a1. . 264/134

’ ’ ' """"""""" " 5793 456 8/1998 1316616161. ............................. .. 349/98 4,643,529 2/1987 Hosonuma et a1. .................. .. 350/337 ’ ’ 4645 714 2/1987 Roche et a1' _ 428/458 5,808,794 9/1998 Weber et a1. ......................... .. 359/487

4’666’263 5/1987 Petcavich 350/640 5,825,542 10/1998 Cobb, Jr. 61 61. .. . 359/487 4’706’173 11/1987 Hamada ct‘; 362/341 5,825,543 10/1998 Ouderkirk et a1. ................... .. 359/494 477197546 1/1988 Spitz ' 362060 5,882,774 3/1999 JonZa et al. ........................... .. 359/580

4,720,426 1/1988 Engler1 et a1. . 428/344 4,756,953 7/1988 016111111 .. 428/220

4,796,160 1/1989 K61111 ..... .. 362/19 0 488 544 A1 6/1992 E1116p6611 P61. 011. ........ .. G02B 5/30 4,798,448 1/1989 van Raalte . .. 350/345 0 552 725 A1 7/1993 European Pat. Off. . . G02B 27/28

4,799,772 1/1989 016111111 ......... .. . 350/339 R 0 573 905 A1 12/1993 E1116p6611 P61. 011. . G02B 27/28 4,824,882 4/1989 Nakamura et a1. ..................... .. 524/89 63-55503 3/1988 Japan .... .. .. G02B 6/10

4,840,442 6/1989 M6116116116161.. 5-288910 11/1993 J6p611 .. .. G02B 5/18 4,896,942 1/1990 011616116161. ..................... .. 350/96.33 6-11607 1/1994 J6p611 .. .. G02B 5/18

4,906,068 3/1990 0166116161. . 350/96.3 WO 91/09719 7/1991 WIPO . B29C 43/20 4,937,134 6/1990 8611161116 6161. .. 428/213 WO 95/27919 4/1995 WIPO . .. G02B 27/28 5,042,921 8/1991 8616 6161. .... .. 359/40 WO 95/17303 6/1995 WIPO . .. B32B 7/02

5,056,888 10/1991 M666611y 6161. . .. 385/123 W0 95/17691 6/1995 WIPO . .. G02B 5/30

5,059,356 10/1991 N61661111116 6161. .. 252/585 W0 95/17692 6/1995 WIPO . G02B 5/30 5,089,318 2/1992 811611y 6161. .... .. .. 428/212 W0 95/17699 6/1995 WIPO . .. G02F 1/1335

5,094,788 3/1992 8611161116 6161. .. 264/171 W0 96/19347 6/1996 WIPO . B32B 7/02 5,094,793 3/1992 8611161116 6161. .. 264/171 W0 97/01440 1/1997 WIPO . .. B32B 27/36

5,095,210 3/1992 W1166116y 6161. .. 250/339 W0 97/01774 1/1997 WIPO . .. G02B 1/10 5,103,337 4/1992 8611161116 6161. .. 359/359 W0 97/32226 9/1997 WIPO ............................ .. G02B 5/30 5,122,905 6/1992 Wheatley et a1. .. 350/586 5,122,906 6/1992 W1166116y ........ .. .. 359/586 OTHER PUBLICATIONS

5’126’880 6/1992 Whea?ey et a1‘ " 359/587 Schrenk et 211., “Coextruded Multilayer Polyrner Films and 5,139,340 8/1992 016111111116 ..... .. 359/63 Sh f, Ch t 15 P 1 Blends V01 2 129 Academic 5,149,578 9/1992 W1166116y 6161. .428/213 66 > 211" > Oymer > ' > >

5,157,526 10/1992 K611d6 6161. .. 359/63 Press> Inc- (1978) _ _ _ _ _

5,184,881 2/1993 Karpen _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ 362/1 Schrenk et 211., “Interfacral F10W Instabrhty 1n Multrlayer

5,188,760 2/1993 Hi16111616161. . 252/299_01 Coextrusion”, Polymer Engineering and Science, vol. 18 5,200,843 4/1993 Karasawa et a1. ...................... .. 359/40 (8), pp. 620—623 (Jun. 1978).

6,101,032 Page 3

Schrenk, W. et al., “CoeXtruded Elastomeric Optical Inter ference Film”, SPE Annual Technical Conference, Atlanta, GA pp. 1703—1707 (1988). Schrenk, W. et al., “CoeXtruded Infrared Re?ecting Films”, 7th Annual Meeting Polymer Processing Society, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, pp. 222—223 (Apr. 1991). Schrenk, W., “New Developments in CoeXtrusion”, Inter national Conference on Advances In Polymer Processing, NeW Orleans, Louisiana, (Apr., 1991). Wu et al., “High Transparent Sheet PolariZer Made With Birefringent Materials”, Jpn. J. ofApp. Phys., vol. 34, pp. L 997—9, part 2, No. 8A (Aug. 1995). M. Weber, “Retrore?ective Sheet PolariZer”, SID conf. proceedings, Seattle, WA, May 1993, SID 93 Digest, pp. 669—672.

T. Alfrey, Jr. et al., “Physical Optics of Iridescent Multilayer Plastic Films”, Polymer Engineering and Science, vol. 9, No. 6, Nov. 1969.

K. Baba et al., “Optical anisotropy of stretched gold island ?lms: experimental results”, Optics Letters, vol. 17, No. 8, Apr. 15, 1992.

J. Radford et al., “Re?ectivity of Iridescent CoeXtruded Multilayered Plastic Films”, presented at the American Chemical Society Symposium on “CoeXtruded Plastic Films, Fibers, Composites”, Apr. 9—14, 1972.

M. Weber, “Retrore?ecting Sheet PoliZer”, SID conf. pro ceeding, Boston, MA, May 1992, SID 92 Digest, pp. 427—429.

U.S. Patent Aug. 8,2000 Sheet 1 0f 23 6,101,032

/ 100

/ 121

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130/120 — 124

r102 11;

123

1192 100

/ \ 102 104 \ /

71/91 109

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102

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102

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139

U.S. Patent Aug. 8,2000

100

108

1 02

719514 1 00

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102 109

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Sheet 4 0f 23 6,101,032

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| |

700

_ __ I

600

WAVELENGTH (nm)

0

71971;


0.9 ——

0.8 -

0.7 -

0.5 ~

% TRANSMISSION 0.3 ~

0.2 ~

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O l ‘A l I

400 500 600

WAVELENGTH (nm)

SFIgJC


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190 100 O \GF’B 1 02

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719102; 1 94

196

197

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800 700 500 600

WAVELENGTH (nm)

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71913

700 650 600 550 500

8 0 10M AM vxvvvj 6. A O O 20_mm_ iwzqE. 2 O

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WAVELENGTH (nm)


3.90“ “E5 EQZHEZE, 8N. 0mm 08 00m 00m 00v. OQQO

N.O .WO Q0 Q0 TRANSMISSION


08 8b 009

3.9% OOD

“E5 TEb2mJm><3 8:

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OOm

TRANSMISSION (%)


\

\ I500

HOO

W Wk \

7(1) 900

WAVELENGTH ( nm)

f 0 z r 6i i

8 8 8 ' 9 8

TRANSMISSION ("/o)

500


100

u 58

’ M MW

80

60 \n /

49 A A

f \/\< 60 20 k/

04% 1 5w 1 | I l


I00

62

80

(7) O I

(%) NOISSHNSNVELL 8 l .

64

l I

400 500 600 700 WAVELENGTH (nm)

719.18


d/ e.\ I]! j ‘Jb/ I 7 j

_ _ _ _ _

w M w w. 0. 0 O. O. Q 0 O

>E>Fowimm 010 20 3O 4O 5O 6O 7O 8O 9O

ANGLE OF INCIDENCE IN 1.60 MEDIUM

71919

l l

10 2O 3O 4O 5O 6O 7O 8O 9O 0

0.05 -

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71920


I l

10 2O 3O 4O 5O 6O 7O 8O 90 I

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0.012

0.01

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INDEX

IN-PLANE INDEX 1

E Exil Lm GA NH AT RI EW 8% mm» E. \RE L 5m m

T

mm Am Du IIIIIIAIIIgN mm mm STE RR ASG B EN 0 CRA N NE

E w m NZDIE ¢ MHWS CH PD TM I N_NO .uf IIS

A

Documents

Light fixture having a multilayer polymeric film