# US 6,721,102 B2 · Surface formed complex polymer lenses for visible light diffusion > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,721,102 B2 - Document ID: US6721102B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/095,204 - Filed: 2002-03-11 - Published: 2003-09-11 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 2002-03-11 - Assignees: Eastman Kodak Company - Inventors: Robert P. Bourdelais; Cheryl J. Kaminsky - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6721102B2 ## CPC - G02B 3/0043: {Inhomogeneous or irregular arrays, e.g. varying shape, size, height} - G02B 3/005: {arranged along a single direction only, e.g. lenticular sheets (G02B3/0043 takes precedence)} - G02B 5/0215: {the surface having a regular structure} - G02B 5/0252: {using holographic or diffractive means} - G02B 5/0257: {creating an anisotropic diffusion characteristic, i.e. distributing output differently in two perpendicular axes} - G02B 5/0278: {used in transmission} - G02B 3/0031: {Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding} - G02B 3/0056: {arranged along two different directions in a plane, e.g. honeycomb arrangement of lenses (G02B3/0043 takes precedence; miniaturised objectives for electronic devices employing wafer level optics G02B13/0085)} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS ## Abstract Disclosed is a transparent polymeric film having a top and bottom surface comprising a plurality of complex lenses on at least one surface thereof. Such a film is useful for diffusing light such as necessary in an LC display device. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A transparent polymeric film having a top and bottom surface comprising a plurality of complex lenses on at least one surface thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are randomly distributed on the surface. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are present on both the top and bottom surfaces of the transparent polymeric film. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The transparent polymeric film of claim 3 wherein convex complex lenses are present on the top surface of the transparent polymeric film and convex complex lenses are present on the bottom surface of the transparent polymeric film. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The transparent polymeric film of claim 3 wherein convex complex lenses are present on the top surface of the transparent polymeric film and concave complex lenses are present on the bottom surface of the transparent polymeric film. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The transparent polymeric film of claim 3 wherein concave complex lenses are present on the top surface of the transparent polymeric film and concave complex lenses are present on the bottom surface of the transparent polymeric film. ### Claim 7 (depends on 3) The transparent polymeric film of claim 3 wherein concave complex lenses are present on the top surface of the transparent polymeric film and convex complex lenses are present on the bottom surface of the transparent polymeric film. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses have an average frequency in any direction of 5 to 250 complex lenses/mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The transparent polymeric film of claim 8 wherein the complex lenses have an average frequency in any direction of 22 to 66 complex lenses/mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses have an average width in the x and y direction in the plane of the film of 3 to 60 microns. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The transparent polymeric film of claim 10 wherein the complex lenses have an average width in the x and y direction of 15 to 40 microns. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses comprise minor lenses wherein the diameter of the smaller lenses is on average less than 80% of the diameter of the major lens they are associated with. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The transparent polymeric film of claim 12 wherein the number of minor lenses per major lens is, on average, 2 to 60. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The transparent polymeric film of claim 12 wherein the number of minor lenses per major lens is, on average, 5 to 18. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses comprise a multiple of minor lenses wherein the minor lenses have, on average, a width in the x and y direction of 2 to 20 microns. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The transparent polymeric film of claim 15 wherein the complex lenses comprise a multiple of minor lenses wherein the minor lenses have, on average, a width in the x and y direction of 3 to 8 microns. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are composed of a material that comprises an olefin repeating unit. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are composed of a material that comprises a carbonate repeating unit. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are composed of a material that comprises an ester repeating unit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the transparent film is composed of a material that comprises an ester repeating unit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the transparent film is composed of a material that comprises a carbonate repeating unit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the transparent film are composed of a material that comprises an olefin repeating unit. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the transparent film is composed of a material that comprises tri acetyl cellulose. ### Claim 24 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the diffuse light transmission is greater than 50%. ### Claim 25 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the diffuse light transmission is 80 to 95%. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the diffuse light transmission is greater than 92%. ### Claim 27 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are semi-spherical. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses are aspherical. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the complex lenses have a height/diameter ratio of 0.03 to 1.0. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The transparent polymeric film of claim 29 wherein the complex lenses have a height/diameter ratio of 0.25 to 0.48. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1, having a thickness of less than 250 micrometers. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1, having a thickness of 12.5 to 50 micrometers. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the elastic modulus of the transparent polymeric film is greater than 500 MPa. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The transparent polymeric film of claim 1 wherein the film is comprised of at least two integral layers, the first layer containing the complex lenses and the second serving as the substrate for the first layer. ### Claim 35 A back lighted device comprising a light source and a transparent polymeric film comprising a plurality of complex lenses on a surface thereof and having a diffuse light transmission of at least 65%. ### Claim 36 A liquid crystal device comprising alight source and a transparent polymeric film comprising a plurality of complex lenses on a surface thereof and having a diffuse light transmission of at least 65% wherein the transparent polymeric film is located between the light source and a polarizing film. ### Claim 37 A component for a liquid crystal display device comprising a light source and a light diffuser comprising a transparent polymeric film containing a plurality of complex lenses on a surface thereof and having a diffuse light transmission of at least 65%. ### Claim 38 A method for forming a plurality of polymeric complex lenses in a desired pattern on a transparent support comprising the step of coating a melted layer of a polymeric material onto the support and cooling the material while subjecting the layer to contact with a form having a pattern corresponding to the negative of the desired lens pattern. ### Claim 39 A method for forming a plurality of polymeric complex lenses in a desired pattern on a transparent support comprising continuously casting the polymeric material onto the support on a chill roll and cooling the material while subjecting the layer to a contact with a form having a pattern corresponding to the negative of the desired pattern. ### Claim 40 A transparent polymeric film having a top and bottom surface comprising a plurality of complex asymmetric lenses on at least one surface thereof.