# US 12,007,595 B2 · Optical systems > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,595 B2 - Document ID: US12007595B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/254,437 - Filed: 2021-11-16 - Published: 2024-01-04 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-14 - Applicants: 3M Innovative Properties Company - Inventors: John D. Le; Gregg A. Ambur; Zhisheng Yun; Robert M. Jennings; Arthur L. Kotz; Timothy L. Wong; David T. Yust; Timothy J. Nevitt; Kayla A. McGrath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007595B2 ## CPC - G02B 5/305: {including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers} - G02B 1/041: {Lenses} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract An optical assembly includes an integral lens assembly having one or more lenses bonded to each other with spaced apart major first and second lens surfaces. First and second optical films are bonded to respective major first and second lens surfaces. The first and second optical films includes a plurality of polymeric layers. Each of the polymeric layers have an average thickness of less than about 500 nm. For a substantially normally incident light and a visible wavelength range the plurality of polymeric layers in the first optical film has an average optical transmittance and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 70% for a first polarization state and an orthogonal second polarization state, respectively. The plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for at least one of the first and second polarization states. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical assembly comprising: an integral lens assembly comprising one or more lenses bonded to each other and comprising spaced apart major first and second lens surfaces; and first and second optical films bonded to the respective major first and second lens surfaces, each of the first and second optical films comprising a plurality of polymeric layers numbering at least 10 in total, each of the polymeric layers having an average thickness of less than about 500 nm, such that for a substantially normally incident light and a visible wavelength range extending from about 420 nm to about 680 nm: the plurality of polymeric layers in the first optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for a first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 70% for an orthogonal second polarization state in the visible wavelength range; and the plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for at least one of the first and second polarization states in the visible wavelength range, wherein the first and second optical films have respective average thicknesses T1 and T2, respective elastic stiffnesses Q1 and Q2 in a same first direction, respective thermal strains E1 and E2 in a same second direction, and respective coefficients of thermal expansion A1 and A2 in a same third direction, the third direction being within 20 degrees of the first direction, wherein: products Q1×T1×E1 and Q2×T2×E2 are within 20% of each other, and/or products Q1×T1×A1 and Q2×T2×A2 are within 20% of each other. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for each of the first and second polarization states in the visible wavelength range. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein for at least one wavelength less than about 400 nm, the plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 60% for the first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 60% for the second polarization state, and wherein for at least one wavelength greater than about 750 nm, the plurality of polymeric layers in the second optical film has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 60% for the first polarization state and an average optical reflectance of greater than about 60% for the second polarization state. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical assembly of claim 1, wherein for at least one of the first and second polarization states, the plurality of polymeric layers of at least one of the first and second optical films has an average optical absorption of less than about 20% in the visible wavelength range. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) An optical system for displaying an image to a viewer, comprising: a display adapted to emit an image; the optical assembly of claim 1; a first retarder layer disposed between the optical assembly and the display; a display lens disposed between the first retarder layer and the display; and a partial reflector disposed on and conforming to a major surface of the display lens and having an average optical reflectance of at least 30% in the visible wavelength range. ### Claim 6 An optical assembly comprising: a polymeric optical lens comprising opposing major first and second lens surfaces, at least one of the first and second lens surfaces curved; and first and second polymeric optical films bonded to the respective major first and second lens surfaces, the first and second polymeric optical films having respective average thicknesses T1 and T2, respective elastic stiffnesses Q1 and Q2 in a same first direction, and respective thermal strains E1 and E2 in a same second direction, wherein the second polymeric optical film is a reflecting polarizing film and the first polymeric optical film is a mechanical balancing film such that products Q1×T1×E1 and Q2×T2×E2 are within 20% of each other. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The optical assembly of claim 6, wherein the first and second polymeric optical films have respective coefficients of thermal expansion A1 and A2 in a same third direction, and wherein products Q1×T1×A1 and Q2×T2×A2 are within 20% of each other, and wherein the first and third directions are within 20 degrees of each other. ### Claim 8 An optical assembly comprising: a polymeric optical lens comprising opposing major first and second lens surfaces, at least one of the first and second lens surfaces curved; and first and second polymeric optical films bonded to the respective major first and second lens surfaces, the first and second polymeric optical films having respective average thicknesses T1 and T2, respective elastic stiffnesses Q1 and Q2 in a same first direction, and respective coefficients of thermal expansion A1 and A2 in a same second direction, wherein the second polymeric optical film is a reflecting polarizing film and the first polymeric optical film is a mechanical balancing film such that products Q1×T1×A1 and Q2×T2×A2 are within 20% of each other. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The optical assembly of claim 8, wherein for a substantially normally incident light, each of the first and second polymeric optical films has an average optical transmittance of greater than about 70% for at least a first polarization state in a visible wavelength range extending from about 420 nm to about 650 nm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The optical assembly of claim 8, wherein the first and second polymeric optical films have respective thermal strains E1 and E2 in a same third direction, and wherein products Q1×T1×E1 and Q2×T2×E2 are within 20% of each other, and wherein the first and third directions are within 20 degrees of each other.