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).

  • Publication number: 20110102891
    Abstract: Multilayer reflecting polarizing films are disclosed having increased in-plane refractive index differences between adjacent microlayers along both the pass and block axis, and having negative refractive index differences between adjacent microlayers along the thickness or z-axis. Major front and back surfaces of the film exposed to air provide a Fresnel reflectivity component to the pass axis reflectivity, and the microlayers provide a microlayer component to the pass axis reflectivity, such microlayer component preferably having a reflectivity of p-polarized light that increases with incidence angle faster than the Fresnel reflectivity component decreases so as to substantially avoid off-axis gain peaks for p-polarized light. The films preferably utilize a relatively small total number of microlayers, arranged in a single coherent stack with monotonic optical repeat unit thickness profile, and at least some microlayers preferably include polyethylene naphthalate or a copolymer thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: May 5, 2011
    Inventors: Kristopher J. Derks, Michael F. Weber, Shandon D. Hart, Carl A. Stover
  • Publication number: 20100221491
    Abstract: A multilayer optical body is disclosed. The optical body includes an optical film including polyester, a first skin layer is disposed on at least one side of the polyester optical film, and a strippable skin layer is disposed on the first skin layer. The first skin layer includes a mixture of a polyacrylate and an anti-static polymer. Methods of making such optical bodies are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Stephen A. Johnson, Kristopher J. Derks, Kevin M. Hamer, Terence D. Neavin
  • Publication number: 20100221490
    Abstract: A multilayer optical body is disclosed. The optical body includes an optical film including polyester, a first skin layer is disposed on at least one side of the polyester optical film, and a strippable skin layer is disposed on the first skin layer. The first skin layer includes a mixture of a polyacrylate and a second polymer. Methods of making such optical bodies are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Stephen A. Johnson, Kristopher J. Derks, Kevin M. Hamer
  • Publication number: 20100219540
    Abstract: A method of making an optical body an optical body is disclosed. The method includes coextruding a first skin layer and a first strippable skin layer on a first side of an optical layer. The first skin layer is disposed between the optical layer and the first strippable skin layer. The first skin layer includes a mixture of a polyacrylate and a second polymer which may or may not be miscible in the polyacrylate. The second polymer may be an anti-static polymer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2010
    Publication date: September 2, 2010
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Stephen A. Johnson, Kristopher J. Derks, Kevin M. Hamer, Terence D. Neavin
  • Publication number: 20100165660
    Abstract: A backlight that includes a front reflector and a back reflector that form a hollow light recycling cavity including an output surface is disclosed. The backlight further includes one or more light sources disposed to emit light into the light recycling cavity. The front reflector includes an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 90% for visible light polarized in a first plane, and an on-axis average reflectivity of at least 25% but less than 90% for visible light polarized in a second plane perpendicular to the first plane.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: July 1, 2010
    Inventors: Michael F. Weber, Timothy J. Hebrink, Timothy J. Nevitt, John A. Wheatley, Craig R. Schardt, Rolf W. Biernath, William J. Bryan, Andrew J. Ouderkirk, David G. Freier, Myron K. Jordan, Kristopher J. Derks, Zhaohui Yang, Edward J. Kivel
  • Publication number: 20100156953
    Abstract: A backlight unit (10) has a hollow cavity (16) instead of employing a light guide. One or more light sources (24a-c), such as LEDs, are arranged to emit light into the cavity, which is formed by a front (12) and a back reflector (14). The backlight is typically of the edge-lit type. The backlight can have a large area, is thin and consists of fewer components than conventional devices. Its design permits light recycling. The unit emits light of a predefined polarisation and can be arranged to have desired horizontal/vertical viewing angle properties. Light is uniformly distributed within the guide and the light output (20b, 2Od) is substantially collimated. Such backlights occupy a specific region in a parameter space defined by two parameters: first, the ratio of the output emission area to the total source emission area should lie in the range 0.0001 to 0.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2008
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Inventors: Timothy J. Nevitt, Timothy J. Hebrink, Michael F. Weber, Rolf W. Biernath, David G. Freier, John A. Wheatley, Andrew J. Ouderkirk, Charles D. Hoyle, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Publication number: 20090273836
    Abstract: The present invention relates to multilayer optical films and birefringent copolyester films. The birefringent copolyester optical layer or birefringent copolyester film comprises a major amount of naphthalate units, ethylene units, and a minor amount of branched or cyclic C4 to C10 alkyl units. Also described are certain copolyester polymeric materials further comprising subunits of a phthalate ionomer such as dimethyl sulfosodium isophthtalate ionomer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 2, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Inventors: David T. Yust, Stephen A. Johnson, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Patent number: 7468204
    Abstract: Modified copolyesters having relatively low refractive indices and relatively high glass transition temperatures are disclosed. These modified copolyesters can be used in forming one or more layers in an optical film, such as a multilayer polymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Martin E. Denker, Bert T. Chien, Matthew B. Johnson, Richard J. Thompson, Kristopher J. Derks, William W. Merrill, Fuming B. Li
  • Publication number: 20080268219
    Abstract: Modified copolyesters having relatively low refractive indices and relatively high glass transition temperatures are disclosed. These modified copolyesters can be used in forming one or more layers in an optical film, such as a multilayer polymer film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Martin E. Denker, Bert T. Chien, Matthew B. Johnson, Richard J. Thompson, Kristopher J. Derks, William W. Merrill, Fuming B. Li
  • Publication number: 20080217799
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to optical bodies including a first optical film, a second optical film and one or more strippable boundary layers disposed between the first and second optical films. Each major surface of a strippable boundary layer may be disposed adjacent to an optical film or another strippable boundary layer. At least one of the first and second optical films may include a reflective polarizer. The present disclosure is also directed to methods of processing such optical bodies.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 21, 2008
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Carl A. Stover, Timothy J. Hebrink, Martin E. Denker, Jeffery N. Jackson, Kristopher J. Derks
  • Publication number: 20080145666
    Abstract: Modified copolyesters having relatively low refractive indices and relatively high glass transition temperatures are disclosed. These modified copolyesters can be used in forming one or more layers in an optical film, such as a multilayer polymer film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2008
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Martin E. Denker, Bert T. Chien, Matthew B. Johnson, Richard J. Thompson, Kristopher J. Derks, William W. Merrill, Fuming B. Li
  • Patent number: 7345137
    Abstract: Modified copolyesters having relatively low refractive indices and relatively high glass transition temperatures are disclosed. These modified copolyesters can be used in forming one or more layers in an optical film, such as a multilayer polymer film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Timothy J. Hebrink, Martin E. Denker, Bert T. Chien, Matthew B. Johnson, Richard J. Thompson, Kristopher J. Derks, William W. Merrill, Fuming B. Li