US 7,480,101 B2Granted

Light collimating device

AssigneeBrilliant Films LLC

InventorsNeil D. Lubart, Timothy J. Wojeiechowski, Thomas E. Lash

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Abstract

A collimating device and a transflector for use in a system having a backlight is disclosed herein. In one embodiment of the application, the collimating device and the transflector each include an immersing layer, a reflecting layer, and an optical element layer formed from a plurality of three-dimensional, optical elements. Each optical element is tapered such that a small area end has a horizontal plane cross-sectional area that is less than that of a wide area end. The optical elements of the collimating device are tapered towards the backlight and the optical elements of the transflector are tapered away from the backlight. The reflecting layer has apertures which correspond to the position and shape of the light input ends of the optical elements.

Claims45

Dependent claims

An optical layer comprising a light output side and a light input side having a light input side plane, the optical layer comprising:

a plurality of three-dimensional light collimating elements, wherein each light collimating element comprises:
a light input end having a predetermined input aperture;
a light output end;
and,
a polygonal horizontal plane cross-section;
wherein each light collimating element is tapered to comprise at least one linear section and at least one curved section in a vertical plane cross-section of the light collimating element that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator, wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one linear section at an intersection point of the at least one curved section and the at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the predetermined input aperture from multiple angles emerges from the light output end as a substantially collimated uniform sheet of light;
and
a reflective surface, wherein the reflective surface is on the light input side plane of the optical layer, and is adjacent to the predetermined input aperture of the light input end of each light collimating element, and provides recycling of light for input to the optical layer when the reflective surface of the optical layer faces and is opposite a reflective surface of a light source.

5 more elements

An optical film, comprising:

at least one light collimating element, wherein the at least one light collimating element is tapered and comprises a light output end and a light input end having a predetermined input aperture, the taper comprising at least one linear section and at least one curved section in a vertical plane cross-section of the at least one light collimating element that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator, wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one liner section at an intersection point of the at least one curved section and the at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the predetermined input aperture from multiple angles emerges from the light output end as a substantially collimated uniform sheet of light;
and
a reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer is coincident with a horizontal plane containing a light input end of the at least one optical element facing a backlight and a backlight reflector and comprises at least one aperture corresponding to the predetermined input aperture of the at least one light collimating element and provides recycling of light for input to the at least one light collimating element when the reflective layer of the optical film is opposite the backlight reflector.

A method of manufacturing a collimating device, comprising the steps of:

providing a reflective layer;
providing an optical element layer;
forming an array of microstructures in the optical element layer, wherein each microstructure has a light input end, a light output end, and a polygonal horizontal plane cross-section, and each microstructure is tapered to comprise at least one linear section and at least one curved section in a vertical plane cross-section of the microstructure that is an approximation of a compound parabolic concentrator, wherein the curved section is defined by an arc of a circle, and a slope of the curved section matches a slope of the at least one linear section at an intersection point of the at least one curved section and the at least one linear section, such that uncollimated light entering the light input end from multiple angles emerges from the light output end as a substantially collimated uniform sheet of light;
abutting the array of microstructures of the optical element layer against the reflective layer;
applying heat or pressure to the optical element layer to puncture the reflective layer;
and
penetrating the array of microstructures a predetermined distance through the reflective layer,
wherein the step of forming an array of microstructures thither comprises the step of selecting an input aperture dimension of the light input end and an output aperture dimension of the light output end of each micro structure to maximize the substantially collimated uniform sheet of light exiting the light output end of the microstructures for a desired viewing angle.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 11/686,143Filed 14 Mar 2007 · continuation
Priority: 1 Aug 2005
Published: US 2007/0153396 A15 Jul 2007
Granted: 20 Jan 2009
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification9 codes

G02B 17/002
Systems with reflecting surfaces, with or without refracting elements: arrays of reflective systems
G02B 27/0972
Refractive optical elements: prisms
G02B 27/0983
Reflective elements: being curved
G02B 27/30
Optical systems or apparatus not provided for by any of the groups G02B1/00 - G02B26/00, G02B30/00: collimators

Family

Application11/194,360Parent of this continuation · filed 1 Aug 2005
US 2007/0153396 A1Pre-grant publication · published 5 Jul 2007
US 7,345,824 B2Parent of this continuation
US 2005/0259198 A1Published application
US 7,480,101 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.