# US 6,294,229 B1 · Film for optical elements

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- Number: US 6,294,229 B1
- Document ID: US6294229B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 09/378,036
- Filed: 1999-08-20
- Granted: 2001-09-25
- Earliest claimed: 1998-08-21
- Assignees: Nippon Mitsubishi Oil Corporation
- Inventors: Yasushi Satoh; Hitoshi Mazaki; Teruaki Yamanashi; Yoshihiro Kobori
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6294229B1

## CPC

- G02F 1/133632: {with refractive index ellipsoid inclined relative to the LC-layer surface}
- G02B 5/3016: {involving passive liquid crystal elements (optical properties of liquid crystals G02F1/0063; polarising elements associated with active liquid crystal devices G02F1/133528)}
- C09K 2323/00: Functional layers of liquid crystal optical display excluding electroactive liquid crystal layer characterised by chemical composition
- C09K 2323/03: Viewing layer characterised by chemical composition
- G02F 2413/105: with varying inclination in thickness direction, e.g. hybrid oriented discotic LC
- G02F: OPTICAL DEVICES OR ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CONTROL OF LIGHT BY MODIFICATION OF THE OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF THE MEDIA OF THE ELEMENTS INVOLVED THEREIN; NON-LINEAR OPTICS; FREQUENCY-CHANGING OF LIGHT; OPTICAL LOGIC ELEMENTS; OPTICAL ANALOGUE/DIGITAL CONVERTERS
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- C09K: MATERIALS FOR MISCELLANEOUS APPLICATIONS, NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE

## Abstract

A film for optical elements is formed by a liquid crystalline composition comprising the following components (a) and (b): (a) a liquid crystalline polymer which exhibits an optically positive uniaxial property; and (b) a polycyclic compound having a molecular weight of not more than 1,000 and wherein a plurality of alicyclic rings and/or aromatic rings are connected together through a linkage chain of 0 to 4 main-chain carbon atoms bonded to different ring carbon atoms, with hydrocarbon groups each having 1 to 20 carbon atoms being bonded respectively to both end rings through a linkage chain of 0 to 4 main-chain carbon atoms, an orientation form formed in the state of liquid crystal of said liquid crystalline composition being fixed.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A film for optical elements comprising a liquid crystalline composition film having a thickness of 0.1 to 20 microns, said film heat treated at a temperature at the range of 50° C. to 300° C. for a period of time ranging between 10 seconds and 120 minutes, whereby liquid crystal orientation is formed, said film formed from a liquid crystalline composition, said composition comprising
(a) a liquid crystalline polymer which exhibits an optically positive uniaxial property; and
(b) 0.1 to 20 wt. %, based on the weight of said component (a), of a polycyclic compound having the general formula R1—(B1—A1)—(B2—A2)— . . . —(Bn—An)—Bn+1—R2, where R1 and R2 are independently a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 20 carbon atoms; A1 to An are each a ring structure bonded to different constituent atoms to two adjacent Bns; B1 to Bn+1 are each a single bond or an organic group of 1 to 4 atoms interposed between any of adjacent radicals R1, R2 and An; and n is an integer of 2 to 8, said polycyclic compound having a molecular weight of from 410 to 1,000.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A film for optical elements as set forth in claim 1, wherein said orientation form is a nematic hybrid orientation.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

A viewing angle improving film for a liquid crystal display, constituted by the film of claim 1 or claim 2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2)

A viewing angle improving film laminate for a liquid crystal display, comprising at least the film of claim 1 or claim 2 and an optically anisotropic film.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1, 2)

An elliptic polarizing plate, comprising at least the film of claim 1 or claim 2 and a polarizing plate.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 2)

A liquid crystal display having at least the film of claim 1 or claim 2.