Abstract: A light-diffusing film comprises a light-diffusing layer (e.g., an anisotropic light-diffusing layer), and the light-diffusing layer comprises a continuous phase comprising a polycarbonate-series resin (a polycarbonate-series resin having a number average molecular weight of 15000 to 25000) and a dispersed phase comprising a polypropylene-series resin (a metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene-series random copolymer). A transparent layer may be laminated on at least one side of the light-diffusing layer. The light-diffusing layer may substantially be free from a compatibilizing agent. In spite of a use of the polycarbonate-series resin, the dispersed phase can uniformly be formed. Therefore, the film is suitable for a member of a plane light source device or a display apparatus. The light-diffusing film inhibits a change in a light-diffusing characteristic even under a high temperature.

Abstract: An optical sheet comprises a continuous phase comprising a transparent material and a dispersed phase dispersed in the continuous phase, and has a first surface and a second surface. At least one of the first surface and the second surface forms a prismatic surface of a prism portion constituting portion of the sheet, and the prism portion has a plurality of prism units, each having a triangular cross-section, formed regularly in a longitudinal and/or width direction of the sheet.

Abstract: An anisotropic scattering sheet comprising at least an anisotropic light scattering layer, wherein the anisotropic light scattering layer comprises a continuous phase and a dispersed phase which are different in refraction index from each other, the mean aspect ratio of the dispersed phase is more than 1, and the major axis directions of each dispersed phase are oriented to a given direction, and wherein the sheet is a heat-treated sheet. In the treatment, the heat-treating temperature may be not less than 70° C., and in the typical treatment, heat-treatment is conducted after the sheet is oriented by a monoaxial stretching through roll calendaring. The present invention ensures to provide an anisotropic scattering sheet stably usable for a long period of time without causing luminance unevenness.

Abstract: A polarizing element having excellent scattering and polarizing properties is made from a stretched sheet composed of a continuous phase and a dispersed phase. The element has continuous and dispersed phases including different resins, and the refractive index differential between the continuous and dispersed phases along the stretched direction of the sheet differs from that perpendicular to the stretched direction. Incident light with a polarization state for which the refractive index differential is smaller is transmitted through the polarizing element, and incident light with a polarization state for which the refractive index differential is larger is scattered by the polarizing element. The continuous phase and the dispersed phase are bonded to each other substantially free from voids between their phases.

Abstract: A transmissive display apparatus comprises a liquid crystal display unit; and a plane light source unit that comprises a tubular light source, a light guide, and a light-diffusing film having anisotropy that provides a consistent luminance in a display surface, and/or ultraviolet (UV) absorbability that absorbs the UV from the light source and prevents deterioration of a prism sheet in the display unit and liquid display cell. In the film, a light-scattering characteristic F(?) represents a relationship between the light-scattering angle ? and a scattered light intensity F fulfills Fy(?)/Fx(?)?1.01 over a range of ?=4 to 30°, wherein Fx(?) and Fy(?) represent the light-scattering characteristics in an X-axial direction and Y-axial direction of the film, respectively. The film comprises a light-diffusing layer composed of a plurality of resins which are different from each other in refractive index, and a transparent layer laminated on at least one side thereof.

Abstract: An anisotropic scattering sheet is adapted to scatter an incident light in a light-advancing direction and has a light-scattering characteristic F(?) that satisfies the following expression representing a relation between a light-scattering angle ? and a scattered light intensity F over a range of ?=4 to 30°: Fy(?)/Fx(?)>2, wherein Fx(?) represents the light-scattering characteristic in a direction of a X-axis and Fy(?) represents a light-scattering characteristic in a Y-axial direction which is perpendicular to the X-axial direction.

Abstract: A light-scattering sheet having a phase separation structure comprised of a plurality of solid components varying in refractive index is used to construct a liquid crystal display device. In a first embodiment, the light-scattering sheet is disposed in a defined position within a reflecting LCD device. Thus, in a reflecting LCD device comprising a liquid crystal cell constituted of a transparent front electrode plate having a substrate carrying a transparent conductive layer, a back electrode plate having a substrate carrying a conductive layer and a liquid crystal and, as disposed forwardly of the liquid crystal cell, a polarizer, the light-scattering sheet is interposed (i) between the polarizer and the front electrode plate or (ii) between the back electrode plate and a reflector disposed behind the back electrode plate. Alternatively, (iii) the substrate sheet may be constituted of the light-scattering sheet.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a stretched film which is light and has improved mechanical properties inherent in stretched film. The stretched film of the present invention, containing the independent voids, is the one obtained by treating the as-stretched film to form the independent voids therein, these voids being formed by the flaky layers which keep characteristics of the as-stretched film. These independent voids have a thickness of, e.g., 10 to 500 &mgr;m on the two-dimensional plane and 1 to 250 &mgr;m in the thickness direction, and the film has a total thickness of 5 to 2000 &mgr;m thick. The stretched film may be coated with surface layers on both sides, thickness of each surface layer being 5 to 20% of the total thickness.

Abstract: A transmissive display apparatus 21 comprises a liquid crystal display unit 22 and a plane light source unit 23. The unit 23 comprises a tubular light source 24, a light guide 25 having a wedge-shaped reflecting groove formed at the bottom thereof, and a light-diffusing film 27 having anisotropy and/or ultraviolet (UV) absorbability. In the film, a light-scattering characteristic F(&thgr;) representing the relationship between the light-scattering angle &thgr; and a scattered light intensity F fulfills Fy(&thgr;)/Fx(&thgr;)≧1.01 over a range of &thgr;=4 to 30°, wherein Fx(&thgr;) and Fy(&thgr;) represent the light-scattering characteristics in the X-axial direction and the Y-axial direction of the film, respectively. The film comprises a light-diffusing layer composed of a plurality of resins which are different from each other in refractive index, and a transparent layer laminated on at least one side thereof. The transparent layer at least may contain a UV absorber.

Abstract: A transparent resin layers 12 and 13 are laminated on at least one side (in particular, both sides) of the light-scattering layer 11. The anisotropic light-scattering layer 11 comprises a continuous phase and a particulate dispersed phase 14 which have the different refraction indexes from each other, the mean aspect ratio of the particulate dispersed phase 14 is more than 1 and the longitudinal axis of the particulate dispersed phase is oriented in a direction. The laminated film 10 can be capable of diffusing incident light in its advanced direction and having a light-scattering characteristic over a range of &thgr;=4 to 30°: Fy(&thgr;)/Fx(&thgr;)>5 wherein Fx(&thgr;) represents the light-scattering characteristic in the direction of the major axis of the particulate dispersed phase and Fy(&thgr;) represents the light-scattering characteristic in the direction normal to the major axis of the particulate dispersed phase.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polarizing element having excellent scattering and polarizing properties. The polarizing element which comprises a stretched sheet composed of a continuous phase 1 and a dispersed phase 2 and the dispersed phase is dispersed in the form of a particle in the continuous phase 1 is prepared. In the element, the continuous phase 1 comprises a first transparent resin and the dispersed phase 2 comprises a second transparent resin, and the refractive index differential between the continuous phase and the dispersed phase on a linear polarized light in a stretched direction of the sheet is different from that in a direction perpendicular to the stretched direction, a polarized light in a direction having smaller refractive index differential is transmittable and a polarized light in a direction having larger refractive index differential is scattered, and the continuous phase 1 and the dispersed phase 2 are bonded each other substantially free from voids between their phases.

Abstract: Use in made of a film (anisotropic light-scattering film) having a light scattering characteristic F(&thgr;) satisfying the following relation relevant to the relation between the angle of light scattering &thgr; and the intensity of scattered light F over a range of &thgr;=4 to 30°: Fy(&thgr;)/Fx(&thgr;)>5 where Fx(&thgr;) represents the scattering characteristic in the direction of the X-axis of the film 10 and Fy(&thgr;) represents the scattering characteristic in the direction of the Y-axis of the film 10. This film 10 is composed of a continuous phase and a particulate dispersed phase 11, the difference in the index of refraction between which is not less than 0.001, with the mean aspect ratio of dispersed phase particles being not less than 1 and the direction of the major axis of each dispersed phase particle being oriented in the direction of the X-axis of the film 10.

Abstract: A surface reforming method for a plastic molded product of this invention is characterized by comprising a step (a) for immersing a plastic molded product into supercritical carbon dioxide or subcritical carbon dioxide under a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of said plastic, and a step (b) for vaporizing carbon dioxide adhered to the surface of the plastic molded product under a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature of said plastic. A plastic molded product may be composed of a polymer having a polar group.

Abstract: A transmittable display apparatus 1 comprises a liquid crystal display unit 2 and a plane light source unit 3 comprising a tubular light source 4, a light guide 5, and at least one anisotropic scattering sheet 7 disposed between the light guide and the display unit 2. An isotropic diffusing sheet, a prism sheet and an anisotropic scattering sheet may be disposed between the light guide and the display unit 2. In the light source unit 3, assuming that the axis-direction of the light source 4 is X-direction, the anisotropic scattering sheet is disposed with directing a main light-scattering direction of the sheet to Y-direction. In the display apparatus, the anisotropic scattering sheet is disposed in such a direction that a main light-scattering direction thereof is addressed to the horizontal direction of the display surface of the display unit.

Abstract: An air-pressure joint 1 comprising a pipe main body 2 made of a rigid thermoplastic resin and a release ring 3 made of a rigid thermoplastic resin inserted from one opening of the pipe main body, wherein the release ring includes a slip-off preventing protrusion 13 on an outer circumferential surface of its insertion site; and the pipe main body 2 includes a ring-shaped sealing portion 9 made of an elastic resin and integrally formed on an inner circumferential surface thereof, an insertion mouth pipe portion 7 made of a rigid rigid resin, coaxially disposed to abut one opening side portion of the pipe main body 2 and forming a recess groove 10 on an inner circumferential surface of an abutting portion thereof for stopping the slip-off preventing protrusion 13 of the release ring 3, and a ring-shaped connecting portion 8 made of a rigid synthetic resin and integrally molded to an outer circumferential surface of the abutting portion of this mouth pipe for connecting the insertion mouth pipe portion 7 to the p

Abstract: A transparent resin layers 12 and 13 are laminated on at least one side (in particular, both sides) of the light-scattering layer 11. The anisotropic light-scattering layer 11 comprises a continuous phase and a particulate dispersed phase 14 which have the different refraction indexes from each other, the mean aspect ratio of the particulate dispersed phase 14 is more than 1 and the longitudinal axis of the particulate dispersed phase is oriented in a direction.

Abstract: A two-dimensional coordinate detecting apparatus for use, e.g. over a CRT screen, is arranged such that a potential gradient layer is spaced from a detector layer, one of which is formed of a plurality of fragmentary strips. At a depressed position, the potential gradient layer and the detector layer come into contact, and the coordinates of the depressed position can be detected, by, for example, the potential at the depressed portion, or from factors such as the timing of the voltage detection.

Abstract: A conductive film formed on a substrate can be etched by coating an etching solution containing 0 to 30 wt % of polyhydric alcohol and tackified to a viscosity of at least 10 cps.