Abstract: A protective barrier is affixable to a curved substrate such as a vehicle windshield. The protective barrier may include a stack of three or more lenses. Each of the three or more lenses may include a thermoplastic film (preferably a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film) and an adhesive layer on a first side of the thermoplastic film. The three or more lenses may have respective thicknesses that define a monotonically decreasing function in a stacking direction of the stack and that include at least three different thicknesses. The protective barrier may be placed on the curved substrate with the adhesive layer of an innermost lens of the stack in contact with the curved substrate, and heat and pressure may be applied to conform the stack to the shape of the curved substrate. Thereafter, an outermost lens of the stack may be peeled off to reveal the next lens of the stack.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

Abstract: A laminate includes a polycarbonate substrate and an ultraviolet hard coat film disposed on the polycarbonate substrate. The ultraviolet hard coat film may include a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer, an adhesive interposed between the PET layer and the polycarbonate substrate, and an exterior hard coat disposed on the PET layer opposite the polycarbonate substrate. The exterior hard coat may include UV stabilizers. The laminate may include additional ultraviolet hard coat films stacked on the ultraviolet hard coat film. The laminate may be thermoformed into the shape of a curved vehicle windshield.

Abstract: Manufacturing a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses to be installable on a curved substrate such as a vehicle windshield includes placing a moldable stack of one or more lenses and adhesive layer(s) on a mold, applying heat and pressure to the moldable stack to produce a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses from the moldable stack, and removing the pre-molded stack from the mold. The pre-molded stack may have a compound curvature, which may match a curvature of the curved substrate. The mold may be formed using three-dimensional shape data derived from the curved substrate, such as by optically scanning the curved substrate.

Abstract: A protective barrier affixable to a curved substrate comprises a stack of two or more lenses, each of the two or more lenses including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a hard coat on a first side of the PET film, and an adhesive layer on a second side of the PET film opposite the first side. The stack of two or more lenses may have a modulation transfer function that exhibits a contrast value greater than 75% for a spatial resolution of one line-pair per 0.0003 radians at 65 degrees angle of incidence. Heat and pressure may be applied to conform the stack of two or more lenses to the shape of the curved substrate.

Abstract: A shield that is attachable to a touch sensitive screen is disclosed. The shield may be attached to the touch sensitive screen only at its outer peripheral portion. An air gap is enclosed between the shield and the touch sensitive screen to form a planar air bearing. The shield preferably does not touch the active area of the touch sensitive screen when the user is not touching the shield but only viewing the touch sensitive screen through the shield. This mitigates unwanted optical artifacts such as trapped air bubbles, Newton rings and chromatic interference while maintaining the sensitivity of the touch sensitive screen.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, illuminating a surface with a light source, capturing an image of a shadow cast by the polymer film on the surface while the polymer film is between the light source and the surface, calculating a frequency spectrum of at least a portion of the captured image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the frequency spectrum.