Patents by Inventor Kristopher J. Derks

Kristopher J. Derks 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).

  • Patent number: 11927855
    Abstract: A display system includes an extended illumination source, a first liquid crystal assembly disposed on the extended illumination source, and a second liquid crystal assembly disposed on the first liquid crystal display assembly. The first liquid crystal assembly includes a bottom reflective polarizer, a top reflective polarizer, and a bottom liquid crystal panel disposed between the top and bottom reflective polarizers. The second liquid crystal assembly includes a top absorbing polarizer, and a top liquid crystal panel disposed between the top absorbing polarizer and the first liquid crystal assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Inventors: Kristopher J. Derks, Shannon L. Siefken, Tao Liu, Nathaniel K. Naismith
  • Publication number: 20230358934
    Abstract: An integral multilayer optical film includes a plurality of interference layers; a structured layer disposed on the interference layers and including a plurality of particles dispersed in a binder; and a barrier layer disposed between the structured layer and the interference layers and co-extruded with the interference layers and the structured layer. The structured layer has a first major surface facing away from the interference layers and a second major surface facing the interference layers. The barrier layer causes the particles to impart a greater surface roughness to the first major surface than the second major surface so that when the optical film is illuminated with a light source, the optical film has a first average effective transmission T1 when the first major surface faces the light source and a second average effective transmission T2 when the first major surface faces away from the light source, where T1-T2?5%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2021
    Publication date: November 9, 2023
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Benjamin J. Forsythe, Stephen A. Johnson, Derek W. Patzman, David T. Yust, Steven H. Kong
  • Patent number: 11683977
    Abstract: A substrate including a self-supporting tri-layer stack is described. The tri-layer stack includes first and second outer layers and a biaxially oriented layer disposed between and in direct contact with the first and second outer layers. The biaxially oriented layer may include a first polyester having greater than 45 mole percent naphthalate units and greater than 45 mole percent ethylene units. Each of the first and second outer layers includes a second polyester which may include 40 to 50 mole percent naphthalate units, at least 25 mole percent ethylene units, and 10 to 25 mole percent of branched or cyclic C4-C10 alkyl units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Stephen A. Johnson, Derek W. Patzman, Richard Y. Liu, John F. Van Derlofske, III, Kristopher J. Derks, Victor Ho, Kevin T. Huseby
  • Publication number: 20230168421
    Abstract: An optical film includes a plurality of polymeric microlayers disposed between, and co-extruded and co-stretched with, opposing first and second polymeric skins. Each of the polymeric microlayers has an average thickness of less than about 400 nm. Each of the first and second polymeric skins has an average thickness of greater than about 1 micron. At least one of the first and second polymeric skins includes a plurality of polymeric skin layers. Each of the polymeric skin layers has an average thickness of greater than about 0.5 microns. The plurality of polymeric skin layers includes a polymeric second skin layer disposed between polymeric first and third skin layers. The polymeric second skin layer includes one or more of a greater degree of crystallinity, a greater glass transition temperature, a greater modulus, and a greater in-plane birefringence than each of the polymeric first and third skin layers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Publication date: June 1, 2023
    Inventors: Kristopher J. Derks, David J. McDaniel, Kevin T. Huseby, Stephen A. Johnson
  • Patent number: 11550089
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display in an “on-glass” configuration, laminated to a back absorbing polarizer of the display, without any light diffusing layer or air gap in such laminate. The reflective polarizer is a tentered-one-packet (TOP) multilayer film, having only one packet of microlayers, and oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The thickness profile of optical repeat units (ORUs) in the microlayer packet is tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. Color at high oblique angles in the white state of the display is reduced by positioning thicker ORUs closer to the absorbing polarizer, and by ensuring that, with regard to a boxcar average of the ORU thickness profile, the average slope from an ORU(600) to an ORU(645) does not exceed 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Carl A. Stover, Gilles J. Benoit, Kristopher J. Derks, Zhaohui Yang
  • Patent number: 11520093
    Abstract: A polarizer stack including an absorbing polarizer and a multilayer polymeric reflective polarizer bonded together is described. The absorbing polarizer has a first block axis and the reflective polarizer has a second block axis substantially parallel to the first block axis. The reflective polarizer may be substantially free of micro-wrinkling when the polarizer stack adhered to a glass layer is heated at 95° C. for 100 hours.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Publication number: 20220381964
    Abstract: Polyester copolymeric materials include 40 to 51 mol % substituted naphthalate units, such as dimethyl-2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate units, 10 to 40 mol % ethylene units, and 10 to 40 mol % hexane units. The polyester copolymers can be used to prepare multi-layer optical films by coextrusion and/or co-stretching. The copolyester polymeric materials have desirable optical properties and permit thermal processing at lower temperatures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Stephen A. Johnson, Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Richard Yufeng Liu
  • Publication number: 20220260869
    Abstract: A display system includes an extended illumination source, a first liquid crystal assembly disposed on the extended illumination source, and a second liquid crystal assembly disposed on the first liquid crystal display assembly. The first liquid crystal assembly includes a bottom reflective polarizer, a top reflective polarizer, and a bottom liquid crystal panel disposed between the top and bottom reflective polarizers. The second liquid crystal assembly includes a top absorbing polarizer, and a top liquid crystal panel disposed between the top absorbing polarizer and the first liquid crystal assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2020
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Kristopher J. Derks, Shannon L. Siefken, Tao Liu, Nathaniel K. Naismith
  • Patent number: 11391875
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display without any high haze light diffusing layer or air gap between the reflective polarizer and the back absorbing polarizer of the display. The reflective polarizer has only one packet of microlayers, and is oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The microlayers in the packet have a layer thickness profile suitably tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. A laminate made by combining this type of reflective polarizer with an absorbing polarizer, without an air gap or any high haze light diffusing layer or structure between the polarizers, can be used and incorporated into a liquid crystal display or the like with adequate color performance both at normal incidence and oblique incidence up to a polar angle of 60 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Timothy J. Nevitt, Gilles J. Benoit
  • Publication number: 20220179143
    Abstract: Multi-layer optical films that can be utilized as polarizer or mirror films and can be incorporated into optical stacks. The optical film includes a plurality of alternating polymeric first and second interference layers numbering greater than 50 and disposed between, and integrally formed with, first and second skin layers, each of the first and second interference layers has an average thickness less than 250 nm. The first and second interference layers and the first and second skin layers are compositions that include polyester.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2020
    Publication date: June 9, 2022
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Stephen A. Johnson, Benjamin J. Forsythe
  • Publication number: 20210341660
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display in an “on-glass” configuration, laminated to a back absorbing polarizer of the display, without any light diffusing layer or air gap in such laminate. The reflective polarizer is a tentered-one-packet (TOP) multilayer film, having only one packet of microlayers, and oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The thickness profile of optical repeat units (ORUs) in the microlayer packet is tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. Color at high oblique angles in the white state of the display is reduced by positioning thicker ORUs closer to the absorbing polarizer, and by ensuring that, with regard to a boxcar average of the ORU thickness profile, the average slope from an ORU(600) to an ORU(645) does not exceed 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2021
    Publication date: November 4, 2021
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Carl A. Stover, Gilles J. Benoit, Kristopher J. Derks, Zhaohui Yang
  • Patent number: 11099312
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display in an “on-glass” configuration, laminated to a back absorbing polarizer of the display, without any light diffusing layer or air gap in such laminate. The reflective polarizer is a tentered-one-packet (TOP) multilayer film, having only one packet of microlayers, and oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The thickness profile of optical repeat units (ORUs) in the microlayer packet is tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. Color at high oblique angles in the white state of the display is reduced by positioning thicker ORUs closer to the absorbing polarizer, and by ensuring that, with regard to a boxcar average of the ORU thickness profile, the average slope from an ORU(600) to an ORU(645) does not exceed 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Carl A. Stover, Gilles J. Benoit, Kristopher J. Derks, Zhaohui Yang
  • Publication number: 20210215866
    Abstract: A polarizer stack including an absorbing polarizer and a multilayer polymeric reflective polarizer bonded together is described. The absorbing polarizer has a first block axis and the reflective polarizer has a second block axis substantially parallel to the first block axis. The reflective polarizer may be substantially free of micro-wrinkling when the polarizer stack adhered to a glass layer is heated at 95° C. for 100 hours.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2021
    Publication date: July 15, 2021
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Patent number: 11022734
    Abstract: A polarizer stack including an absorbing polarizer and a multilayer polymeric reflective polarizer bonded together is described. The absorbing polarizer has a first block axis and the reflective polarizer has a second block axis substantially parallel to the first block axis. The reflective polarizer has a shrinkage in a range of 0.4 percent to 3 percent along the second block axis when the reflective polarizer is heated at 95° C. for 40 minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: 3M INNOVATIVE PROPERTIES COMPANY
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Publication number: 20210053320
    Abstract: Optical films are disclosed. In particular, optical films including a layer of polycarbonate having first and second major surfaces are described. The optical films have excellent bending lifetime properties and also low haze, thinness, and low in-plane and out-of-plane retardation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2019
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Derek W. Patzman, Kristopher J. Derks, Stephen A. Johnson, Gary E. Gaides
  • Publication number: 20210048571
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display without any high haze light diffusing layer or air gap between the reflective polarizer and the back absorbing polarizer of the display. The reflective polarizer has only one packet of microlayers, and is oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The microlayers in the packet have a layer thickness profile suitably tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. A laminate made by combining this type of reflective polarizer with an absorbing polarizer, without an air gap or any high haze light diffusing layer or structure between the polarizers, can be used and incorporated into a liquid crystal display or the like with adequate color performance both at normal incidence and oblique incidence up to a polar angle of 60 degrees.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2020
    Publication date: February 18, 2021
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Timothy J. Nevitt, Gilles J. Benoit
  • Patent number: 10859741
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display without any high haze light diffusing layer or air gap between the reflective polarizer and the back absorbing polarizer of the display. The reflective polarizer has only one packet of microlayers, and is oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The microlayers in the packet have a layer thickness profile suitably tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. A laminate made by combining this type of reflective polarizer with an absorbing polarizer, without an air gap or any high haze light diffusing layer or structure between the polarizers, can be used and incorporated into a liquid crystal display or the like with adequate color performance both at normal incidence and oblique incidence up to a polar angle of 60 degrees.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Kristopher J. Derks, Timothy J. Nevitt, Gilles J. Benoit
  • Publication number: 20200348780
    Abstract: A substrate including a self-supporting tri-layer stack is described. The tri-layer stack includes first and second outer layers and a biaxially oriented layer disposed between and in direct contact with the first and second outer layers. The biaxially oriented layer may include a first polyester having greater than 45 mole percent naphthalate units and greater than 45 mole percent ethylene units. Each of the first and second outer layers includes a second polyester which may include 40 to 50 mole percent naphthalate units, at least 25 mole percent ethylene units, and 10 to 25 mole percent of branched or cyclic C4-C10 alkyl units.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2018
    Publication date: November 5, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen A. Johnson, Derek W. Patzman, Richard Y. Liu, John F. Van Derlofske, Kristopher J. Derks, Victor Ho, Kevin T. Huseby
  • Publication number: 20200174170
    Abstract: Multilayer optical film reflective polarizers previously considered to have excessive off-axis color can provide adequate performance in an LC display in an “on-glass” configuration, laminated to a back absorbing polarizer of the display, without any light diffusing layer or air gap in such laminate. The reflective polarizer is a tentered-one-packet (TOP) multilayer film, having only one packet of microlayers, and oriented using a standard tenter such that birefringent microlayers in the film are biaxially birefringent. The thickness profile of optical repeat units (ORUs) in the microlayer packet is tailored to avoid excessive perceived color at normal and oblique angles. Color at high oblique angles in the white state of the display is reduced by positioning thicker ORUs closer to the absorbing polarizer, and by ensuring that, with regard to a boxcar average of the ORU thickness profile, the average slope from an ORU(600) to an ORU(645) does not exceed 1.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2020
    Publication date: June 4, 2020
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Carl A. Stover, Gilles J. Benoit, Kristopher J. Derks, Zhaohui Yang
  • Publication number: 20200156355
    Abstract: Multi-layer films, and processes to make the films, that enable the delivery of a substrate featuring a peelable thin layer of low haze, amorphous, isotropic film with the desired properties of high modulus, high usage temperature, UV blockage, and toughness The films are made using a co-extrusion, co-orientation and annealing process to enable the delivery of a thin isotropic, UV blocking layer on top of a release layer and support substrate. These film constructions can be kept together during additional processing steps such as coating and converting. The release and dimensionally stable substrate layer can be easily removed once processing steps are completed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Stephen A. Johnson, Derek W. Patzman, Richard Yufeng Liu, Victor Ho, Timothy J. Hebrink, Kevin T. Huseby, John F. VanDerlofske, III, John P. Purcell, William T. Fay, James B. Svacha, Richard J. Thompson, Timothy J. Lindquist, Kristopher J. Derks