Patents by Inventor Corey D. Balts
Corey D. Balts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20240118463Abstract: A light control film comprises a light input surface and a light output surface opposite the light input surface. Alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions are disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30 and the alternating transmissive region and absorptive regions have a relative transmission at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 75%.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2023Publication date: April 11, 2024Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts
-
Patent number: 11947135Abstract: A light control film is described comprising alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between a light input surface and a light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30. In some embodiments, the alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions have a transmission as measured with a spectrophotometer at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 35, 40, 45, or 50% for a wavelength of the range 320-400 nm (UV) and/or at least 65, 70, 75, or 80% for a wavelength of the range 700-1400 nm (NIR). In another embodiment, the absorptive regions block light at the light input surface and light output surface and the maximum surface area that is blocked is less than 20% of the total alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions. Also described are various optical communication systems comprising the light control films described herein and methods.Type: GrantFiled: December 12, 2018Date of Patent: April 2, 2024Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts
-
Patent number: 11885989Abstract: A light control film, comprises a light input surface and alight output surface opposite the light input surface. Alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions are disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30 and the alternating transmissive region and absorptive regions have a relative transmission at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 75%.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2018Date of Patent: January 30, 2024Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts
-
Publication number: 20220019007Abstract: A light control film is described comprising alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30. In some embodiments, an absorptive layer or reflective layer is disposed between the alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions and the light input surface and/or light output surface. In another embodiment, the alternating transmissive regions comprise an absorptive material. The light control film can exhibit low transmission of visible light and high transmission of near infrared light. Also described is a light detection system comprising such light control films and a microstructured film.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 2, 2019Publication date: January 20, 2022Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts, Morgan A. Priolo, John A. Wheatley, Elisa M. Cross
-
Publication number: 20200400865Abstract: A light control film, comprises a light input surface and alight output surface opposite the light input surface. Alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions are disposed between the light input surface and the light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30 and the alternating transmissive region and absorptive regions have a relative transmission at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 75%.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2018Publication date: December 24, 2020Inventors: Daniel J. SCHMIDT, Caleb T. NELSON, Kevin W. GOTRIK, Raymond J. KENNEY, John A. WHEATLEY, Kenneth A. EPSTEIN, Gary T. BOYD, Corey D. BALTS
-
Publication number: 20200386920Abstract: A light control sheet having opposing first and second major faces and an internal array of disruptive optical interfaces, wherein the light control sheet is light transmissive such that an image incident to one of the major faces is visible from the other major faces within a field of view which is perpendicular to the major faces but wherein the image is obscured outside the field of view.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 26, 2018Publication date: December 10, 2020Inventors: Tri P. Pham, Corey D. Balts, Raymond J. Kenney, Michael J. Wayne, Brian L. Oldfield
-
Publication number: 20200341336Abstract: An optical film assembly comprises a light redirecting film (110) having a first structured major surface (112) and a second, opposed major surface (114). An optical adhesive layer (120) is disposed on the second major surface of the light redirecting film. A light diffusion film (140) comprises a first major surface (142) comprising a light diffusion surface and a second, opposed major surface (144). A plurality of discrete optical decoupling structures (146) project from the light diffusion surface and contact the optical adhesive layer. An air gap (148) is defined between the first major surface of the light diffusion film and the optical adhesive layer. Embodiments of optical film assemblies described herein are useful, for example, for hiding optical defects and improving the brightness uniformity of light emitted by a light source.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 3, 2019Publication date: October 29, 2020Inventors: Tri D. Pham, Corey D. Balts, Felix B Bierbaum, Encai Hao, Simon P. Janeczko, Thomas J. Ludemann, Trevor W. Stolber, Qingbing Wang, Joseph D. Wheeldon
-
Publication number: 20200341173Abstract: A light control film is described comprising alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions disposed between a light input surface and a light output surface. The absorptive regions have an aspect ratio of at least 30. In some embodiments, the alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions have a transmission as measured with a spectrophotometer at a viewing angle of 0 degrees of at least 35, 40, 45, or 50% for a wavelength of the range 320-400 nm (UV) and/or at least 65, 70, 75, or 80% for a wavelength of the range 700-1400 nm (NIR). In another embodiment, the absorptive regions block light at the light input surface and light output surface and the maximum surface area that is blocked is less than 20% of the total alternating transmissive regions and absorptive regions. Also described are various optical communication systems comprising the light control films described herein and methods.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 12, 2018Publication date: October 29, 2020Inventors: Daniel J. Schmidt, Caleb T. Nelson, Kevin W. Gotrik, Raymond J. Kenney, John A. Wheatley, Kenneth A. Epstein, Gary T. Boyd, Corey D. Balts
-
Patent number: 10698138Abstract: A diffuser including opposing structured first and second major surfaces is described. The first major surface includes a first plurality of surface structures providing a uniform first haze. The second major surface includes a first portion adjacent an edge and a second portion adjacent the first portion. The first portion includes a first region and a second region between the first region and the second portion. The second major surface includes a second plurality of surface structures providing a uniform second haze over the second portion and providing a third haze in the first portion. The third haze in the first region is higher than the second haze, and the third haze in the second region is monotonically decreasing. The second portion has a surface area of at least 90 percent of a surface area of the second major surface.Type: GrantFiled: April 14, 2016Date of Patent: June 30, 2020Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Gary T. Boyd, Tri D. Pham, Nicholas A. Johnson, Oanh V. Pham, Sara S. Merritt, Stephen J. Etzkorn, Haiyan Zhang, Corey D. Balts, Joseph T. Aronson
-
Publication number: 20180217300Abstract: A diffuser including opposing structured first and second major surfaces is described. The first major surface includes a first plurality of surface structures providing a uniform first haze. The second major surface includes a first portion adjacent an edge and a second portion adjacent the first portion. The first portion includes a first region and a second region between the first region and the second portion. The second major surface includes a second plurality of surface structures providing a uniform second haze over the second portion and providing a third haze in the first portion. The third haze in the first region is higher than the second haze, and the third haze in the second region is monotonically decreasing. The second portion has a surface area of at least 90 percent of a surface area of the second major surface.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 14, 2016Publication date: August 2, 2018Inventors: Gary T. Boyd, Tri D. Pham, Nicholas A. Johnson, Oanh V. Pham, Sara S. Merritt, Stephen J. Etzkorn, Haiyan Zhang, Corey D. Balts, Joseph T. Aronson
-
Patent number: 9244284Abstract: An optical light redirecting film that can be made by microreplication, and that is suitable for use in an autostereoscopic backlight or display, includes opposed first and second structured surfaces. The first structured surface includes lenticular features and the second structured surface includes prismatic features. In some cases, at least a first prismatic feature has a first prism optical axis that is tilted relative to a thickness axis of the film perpendicular to the film plane. In some cases, at least a first lenticular feature has a first lenticular optical axis that is tilted relative to the thickness axis. In some cases, the film may have a central film caliper (thickness) at a central portion of the film and an edge film caliper at a first edge portion of the film, the central film caliper being greater than the edge film caliper.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2011Date of Patent: January 26, 2016Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Michael J. Sykora, Robert L. Brott, John C. Schultz, Corey D. Balts
-
Patent number: 9164220Abstract: Light directing film (100) is disclosed. The light directing film includes a structured major surface (110) that includes a plurality of microstructures (150) extending along a first direction (142) and a plurality of elevated portions (160) disposed on the plurality of microstructures. The number density of the elevated portions across the light directing film is D. Each elevated portion includes a leading edge (162) and a trailing edge (164) along the first direction. The light directing film can be divided into a plurality of same size and shape grid cells that form a continuous two-dimensional grid. The area of each grid cell is approximately 1/D. Each of at least 70% of the grid cells includes a single leading edge (162) of an elevated portion (160).Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 2011Date of Patent: October 20, 2015Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Bryan V. Hunt, Robert M. Emmons, Corey D. Balts
-
Publication number: 20140335309Abstract: Light directing films have a surface comprising a plurality of microstructures with peaks extending along a length of the surface. Each microstructure includes a plurality of elevated portions and a plurality of non-elevated portions. A void diameter, D?c#191, of the largest circle that can be overlaid on the surface of the light directing film without including at least a portion of an elevated portion is less than about 0.5 mm. The light directing film cannot be divided into a plurality of same size and shape grid cells forming a continuous two-dimensional grid, where each of at least 90% of the grid cells comprise either a single leading edge of an elevated portion, or a portion of an elevated portion where the elevated portion has a length that is greater than the average length of the elevated portions.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2013Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Robert M. Emmons, Bryan V. Hung, Corey D. Balts
-
Publication number: 20130236697Abstract: The present invention concerns microstructured articles comprising nanostructures such an antiglare films, antireflective films, as well as microstructured tools and methods of making microstructured articles.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 21, 2011Publication date: September 12, 2013Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Christopher B. Walker, JR., Vivian W. Jones, Tri D. Pham, Joseph T. Aronson, Corey D. Balts
-
Publication number: 20130163256Abstract: Light directing film (100) is disclosed. The light directing film includes a structured major surface (110) that includes a plurality of microstructures (150) extending along a first direction (142) and a plurality of elevated portions (160) disposed on the plurality of microstructures. The number density of the elevated portions across the light directing film is D. Each elevated portion includes a leading edge (162) and a trailing edge (164) along the first direction. The light directing film can be divided into a plurality of same size and shape grid cells that form a continuous two-dimensional grid. The area of each grid cell is approximately 1/D. Each of at least 70% of the grid cells includes a single leading edge (162) of an elevated portion (160).Type: ApplicationFiled: August 1, 2011Publication date: June 27, 2013Applicant: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANYInventors: Bryan V. Hunt, Robert M. Emmons, Corey D. Balts
-
Publication number: 20120236403Abstract: An optical light redirecting film that can be made by microreplication, and that is suitable for use in an autostereoscopic backlight or display, includes opposed first and second structured surfaces. The first structured surface includes lenticular features and the second structured surface includes prismatic features. In some cases, at least a first prismatic feature has a first prism optical axis that is tilted relative to a thickness axis of the film perpendicular to the film plane. In some cases, at least a first lenticular feature has a first lenticular optical axis that is tilted relative to the thickness axis. In some cases, the film may have a central film caliper (thickness) at a central portion of the film and an edge film caliper at a first edge portion of the film, the central film caliper being greater than the edge film caliper.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2011Publication date: September 20, 2012Inventors: Michael J. Sykora, Robert L. Brott, John C. Schultz, Corey D. Balts