Abstract: The present invention provides a composite light guide plate having a thickness of more than about 1 mm, for use in LCD backlights or in general illumination devices. In the fabrication method of the present invention the extrusion roll molding process is combined with coating and lamination steps to enable a cost effective roll-to-roll or roll-to-sheet manufacture of the thick composite light guide plate wherein one or both principal surfaces of the light guide plate contain a pattern to enable extraction and redirection of light by the light guide plate from a light source or multiple light sources placed at one or multiple edges of the light guide plate. The composite light guide plate comprises a patterned film and a pre-cut sheet joined together by an adhesive layer.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of manufacturing a nano-layered light guide plate comprising, forming by a coextrusion method a multi-layered molten sheet comprising a plurality of two or more different alternating material layers and casting the coextruded sheet into a nip between a pressure roller and a pattern roller to form a nano-layered sheet having a discrete micro-pattern on at least one principal surface thereof. In addition, the invention further provides cutting and finishing the extruded micro-patterned sheet to form the nano-layered light guide plate, comprising a plurality of two or more different alternating material layers, with each layer having a thickness of less than a quarter wavelength of visible light.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nano-layered light guide plate comprising a light input surface for receiving light from at least one light source, a bottom surface comprising a plurality of discrete surface features for extracting the received light and a light output surface for emitting the extracted light, the light guide plate further comprising a plurality of two or more different alternating layers wherein the layers have a thickness less than a quarter wavelength of visible light.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sheet having a plurality of light guide plate patterns, each light guide plate pattern having a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sheet having a plurality of light guide plate patterns, each light guide plate pattern having a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a first resin into the nip between a first pressure roller and a first patterned roller to form a first layer at a first patterned roller surface temperature T1 and a first nip pressure P1, the first layer having an unpatterned surface and a patterned surface, the patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the first patterned roller, and conveying the first layer into a nip between a second patterned roller and a second pressure roller in a second extrusion station; and extruding a second resin into the nip between the second pressure roller and the second patterned roller and onto the unpatterned surface of the first layer to form a second layer at a second patterned roller surface temperature T2 and a se

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sheet having a plurality of light guide plates patterns, each light guide plate pattern having a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface. The optical sheet is made in steps comprising: extruding a resin into the nip between a first patterned roller and a second patterned roller at a first patterned roller surface temperature T1, a second patterned roller temperature T2, and a nip pressure P1, to form the optical sheet, the optical sheet having a first patterned surface and a second patterned surface, the first patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the first patterned roller and the second patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the second patterned roller.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sheet having a plurality of light guide plate patterns, each light guide plate pattern having a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface. The optical sheet is made in steps comprising: extruding a resin into the nip between a patterned roller and a patterned carrier film at a patterned roller temperature T1 and a nip pressure P1, to form the optical sheet, the optical sheet having a first patterned surface and a second patterned surface, the first patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the patterned roller and the second patterned surface having a micro-pattern transferred from the patterned carrier film; and peeling off the patterned carrier film from the optical sheet.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical sheet having a plurality of light guide plate patterns, each light guide plate pattern having a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface. The optical sheet is made in steps comprising extruding a first resin into the nip between a pressure roller and a patterned roller to form an extruded layer at a patterned roller surface temperature T1 and a nip pressure P1, the layer having an unpatterned surface and a patterned surface, the patterned surface having a pattern transferred from the patterned roller; and printing a discrete pattern on the unpatterned surface of the extruded layer to form the optical sheet comprising the plurality of light guide plate patterns.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a first resin into the nip between a first pressure roller and a first patterned roller to form a first layer. Extruding a second resin into the nip between a second pressure roller and a second patterned roller and onto the unpatterned surface of the first layer to form a second layer. The second layer having a pattern transferred from the second patterned roller; the combined first and second layers form an optical sheet comprising a plurality of light guide plate patterns and cutting and finishing the optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a first resin into the nip between a first pressure roller and a first patterned roller to form a first layer. Extruding a second resin into the nip between a second pressure roller and a second patterned roller to form a second layer. Laminating the first layer and the second layer at their unpatterned surfaces to form an optical sheet comprising a plurality of light guide plate patterns, and cutting and finishing the optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a light guide plate having an input surface for receiving light from a light source, a micro-patterned output surface for emitting light, and a micro-patterned bottom surface opposing to the output surface, made in steps comprising: extruding a resin into the nip between a pressure roller and a patterned roller to form a layer at a patterned roller surface temperature T1 and a nip pressure P1, the layer having an un-patterned surface and a patterned surface, the patterned surface having a pattern transferred from the patterned roller. Printing a discrete pattern on the un-patterned surface of the layer to form an optical sheet comprising a plurality of light guide plate patterns, and cutting and finishing the said optical sheet into a plurality of double-sided light guide plates having the specified length and width dimensions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite light guiding plate comprising a light guiding layer comprising an incident face for receiving light from at least one light source, a light guiding output surface that is also generally orthogonal to the incident face, a featured surface, opposite the light-guiding output surface and generally orthogonal to the input face for redirecting light through the light guiding output surface. Further, the featured surface comprises a plurality of rows of linear prismatic structures extended in a length direction that is substantially perpendicular to the incident face and having height and width dimensions of 10 to 200 microns and wherein the length-to-width aspect ratio of the linear prismatic structures is greater than 100:1 the thickness of the light guiding layer is less than 1 mm.

Abstract: The present invention provides a multifunction light redirecting film for a liquid crystal display comprising at least one base thermoplastic polymer optical layer having a top surface with a plurality of optical features. The film further provides at least one co-extrudable surface thermoplastic polymer optical layer adjacent the base thermoplastic polymer optical layer, wherein the at least one co-extrudable surface has a pencil hardness of at least 1 H.

Abstract: An optical element comprises a stack of at least three juxtaposed films with at least one inner optical film and two outer transparent films exhibiting high dimensional stability, wherein a controlled tensile force is applied in at least one direction to the two outer films but not the at least one inner film.

Abstract: The present invention provides a composite light guiding plate comprising a light guiding layer comprising an incident face for receiving light from at least one light source, a light guiding output surface that is also generally orthogonal to the incident face, a featured surface, opposite the light-guiding output surface and generally orthogonal to the input face for redirecting light through the light guiding output surface. Further, the featured surface comprises a plurality of rows of linear prismatic structures extended in a length direction that is substantially perpendicular to the incident face and having height and width dimensions of 10 to 200 microns and wherein the length-to-width aspect ratio of the linear prismatic structures is greater than 100:1 the thickness of the light guiding layer is less than 1 mm.

Abstract: An optical element comprises a stack of at least three juxtaposed films with at least one inner optical film and two outer transparent films exhibiting high dimensional stability, wherein a controlled tensile force is applied in at least one direction to the two outer films but not the at least one inner film.

Abstract: A process for improving the stability to photo-oxidation of a polycyclic aromatic compound having at least two polymorphic forms comprises treating a first polymorph with one or more solvents to obtain the more stable second polymorph and then separating the second polymorph from the solvent.

Abstract: Novel blends have been discovered comprising: (A) a polyamide; (B) a polymer that is miscible with polystrene; and (C) a compatibilizer comprising a copolymer having repeating units derived from an aromatic vinyl compound monomer and repeating units derived from vinylphenol monomers, wherein at least about 50% of said aromatic vinyl compound monomers are styrene monomeric units. The blends show improvements in mechanical properties as compared to similar blends without the compatibilizer.

Abstract: There is disclosed a blend of certain polyesters and polymers that are miscible with polystyrene, such as polyphenylene oxide. The blend is characterized by the presence of a compatibilizing amount of a copolymer having repeating units derived from an aromatic vinyl compound monomer and a vinylphenol monomer. The polyester is thermoplastic and is characterized in that the diacid component of the polyester includes aromatic groups and the diol component comprises at least about 20 percent by weight of a noncyclic, aliphatic diol.

Abstract: A miscible blend composition comprising (a) a polyamide having a melting point greater than about 175.degree. C. or is amorphous and (b) a vinylphenol containing polymer. The blend is particularly useful for packaging applications due to its chemical resistance and clarity.