Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a light-blocking material for optical devices which is provided with a light-blocking coat achieving low gloss while maintaining the necessary physical properties of a light-blocking coat, i.e. a light-blocking property, even when the light-blocking coat is formed extremely thinly. In the method for producing the light-blocking material for optical devices which is provided with the light-blocking coat, a coating liquid including at least a binder resin, black microparticles, and a dye is prepared. A dye including a metal such as chrome oxide, iron oxide, or cobalt oxide is preferably used as the dye. The coating liquid is subsequently applied to a base material, and dried to form the light-blocking coat.

Abstract: There are provided a multilayer light-blocking film and the like whose front and back surfaces are easy to discriminate while they have black light-blocking layers. A multilayer light-blocking film 100 has a multilayer structure comprising at least a substrate film 11, a black light-blocking layer 21 provided on one major surface 11a side of this substrate film 11, and a black light-blocking layer 31 provided on the other major surface 11b side. The black light-blocking layer 21 and the second black light-blocking layer 31 each have an optical density of 2.5 or more and a 60-degree glossiness of 5.0% or less, and the black light-blocking layer 21 has a 60-degree glossiness and/or a lightness L* different from the 60-degree glossiness and/or lightness L* of the black light-blocking layer 31.

Abstract: Provided is a method for producing a light-blocking material for optical devices which is provided with a light-blocking coat achieving low gloss while maintaining the necessary physical properties of a light-blocking coat, i.e. a light-blocking property, even when the light-blocking coat is formed extremely thinly. In the method for producing the light-blocking material for optical devices which is provided with the light-blocking coat, a coating liquid including at least a binder resin, black microparticles, and a dye is prepared. A dye including a metal such as chrome oxide, iron oxide, or cobalt oxide is preferably used as the dye. The coating liquid is subsequently applied to a base material, and dried to form the light-blocking coat.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a light-shielding material for use in optical instrument and having a light-shielding coat with a broad low-gloss region while maintaining the physical properties, such as a light-blocking property, necessary for light-shielding coat. In this method for manufacturing a light-shielding material comprising a light-shielding coat formed on the substrate, a coating liquid is prepared containing at least a binder resin, black fine particles and a matting agent having a variation coefficient of 20 or larger. Next, this coating liquid is coated on the substrate and dried to form a light-blocking coat.

Abstract: Provided is a light-shielding material for use in optical instrument and having a light-shielding sheet with broad low-gloss region while maintaining the physical properties necessary for a light-shielding sheet. The light-shielding material 1 comprises a light-shielding sheet 4 on a substrate 2, and the surface properties of the light-shielding sheet 4 are adjusted so as to fulfill at least one of A1 and A2, and at least one of B1 and B2. A1 is the condition that the arithmetic average roughness Sa in a three-dimensional surface roughness measurement is 0.4 or larger and 2.0 or smaller, A2 is that the ten-point average roughness Sz in a three-dimensional surface roughness measurement is 1 or larger and 20 or smaller.

Abstract: Provided is a light-shielding material for use in optical instrument and having a light-shielding sheet with broad low-gloss region while maintaining the physical properties necessary for a light-shielding sheet. The light-shielding material 1 comprises a light-shielding sheet 4 on a substrate 2, and the surface properties of the light-shielding sheet 4 are adjusted so as to fulfill at least one of A1 and A2, and at least one of B1 and B2. A1 is the condition that the arithmetic average roughness Sa in a three-dimensional surface roughness measurement is 0.4 or larger and 2.0 or smaller, A2 is that the ten-point average roughness Sz in a three-dimensional surface roughness measurement is 1 or larger and 20 or smaller.

Abstract: Provided is a method of manufacturing a light-shielding material for use in optical instrument and having a light-shielding coat with a broad low-gloss region while maintaining the physical properties, such as a light-blocking property, necessary for light-shielding coat. In this method for manufacturing a light-shielding material comprising a light-shielding coat formed on the substrate, a coating liquid is prepared containing at least a binder resin, black fine particles and a matting agent having a variation coefficient of 20 or larger. Next, this coating liquid is coated on the substrate and dried to form a light-blocking coat.

Abstract: A backlight unit does not show decrease of brightness for the frontal direction even when made thin-shaped. An edge light type backlight unit 1 includes a light conducting plate 14, a light source 13 disposed along at least one end portion of the light conducting plate 14, and a light diffusing film 15 disposed on a light projecting surface of the light conducting plate 14. The light conducting plate 14 has a thickness of 1.0 mm or smaller, the light diffusing film 15 has a light diffusing layer formed from a binder resin and a light diffusing agent, wherein the coefficient of variation of particle size distribution of the light diffusing agent is in the range of 30% or smaller.

Abstract: A light diffusing sheet brightens frontal direction illumination and resists curl without requiring a complicated design. This light diffusing sheet includes a support and a light diffusing layer provided on the support. The light diffusing layer is formed from at least acrylic resin particles, a styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder, and an acrylic resin binder having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. or lower. Weight ratio of the styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder to the acrylic resin binder is preferably in the range of 1:4 to 4:1.

Abstract: There is provided a light diffusive plate and a light guide plate, in which the generation of deflection, a cause of defective imaging, can be prevented. On both surfaces and/or end surfaces of a light diffusive plate 1 made of synthetic resin, a moisture proof layer 2 made of a material having lower vapor permeability than that of the light diffusive plate 1 is formed to produce a light diffusive plate 3. On both surfaces and/or end surfaces of a light guide plate 1 made of synthetic resin, which has at least on end as a light incident surface and a surface almost orthogonal with it as a light emergent surface, a moisture proof layer 2 made of a material having lower vapor permeability than that of the light guide plate 1 is formed to produce a light guide plate 3.

Abstract: A binder composition for polyester type films showing superior transparency, film hardness and solvent resistance as well as superior adhesion to polyester type films and an optical film using the composition are provided. The binder composition for polyester type films of the present invention contains a high-molecular weight polymethyl methacrylate (a), an acrylic polyol (b), an isocyanate type curing agent (c), and a polyester resin (d). The optical film of the present invention is an optical film including a polyester type film and a functional layer provided on the polyester type film, the functional layer containing a high-molecular weight polymethyl methacrylate (a), an acrylic polyol (b), an isocyanate type curing agent (c), and a polyester resin (d).

Abstract: A backlight unit does not show decrease of brightness for the frontal direction even when made thin-shaped. An edge light type backlight unit 1 includes a light conducting plate 14, a light source 13 disposed along at least one end portion of the light conducting plate 14, and a light diffusing film 15 disposed on a light projecting surface of the light conducting plate 14. The light conducting plate 14 has a thickness of 1.0 mm or smaller, the light diffusing film 15 has a light diffusing layer formed from a binder resin and a light diffusing agent, wherein the coefficient of variation of particle size distribution of the light diffusing agent is in the range of 30% or smaller.

Abstract: A direct type backlight unit 1 comprising a light source 13, a diffusing plate 14 disposed over the light source, and an optical member 15 disposed on the diffusing plate, or an edge light type backlight unit comprising a light conducting plate and an optical member disposed on the light conducting plate, wherein the surface of the optical member 15 contacting with the diffusing plate or the light conducting plate (henceforth referred to as optical element) is formed from a material containing a thermosetting resin and/or a thermoplastic resin, and polyethylene type wax particles having a mean particle diameter of 4 to 10 ?m. The content of the polyethylene type wax particles is 0.20 to 0.50 part by weight based on 100 parts by weight of resin component of the resin layer.

Abstract: A light control sheet comprises at least a light diffusing film and a prism sheet, wherein the light diffusing film has a light diffusing surface on one side and a rough surface on the other side, the prism sheet has a prism surface on one side and a smooth surface on the other side, the smooth surface has a smooth layer comprising at least a comb polymer, and the rough surface of the light diffusing film and the smooth surface of the prism sheet face each other. A light control sheet comprises at least a light diffusing film and a prism sheet, wherein the light diffusing film has a light diffusing surface on one side and a smooth surface on the other side, the smooth surface has a smooth layer comprising at least a comb polymer, the prism sheet has a prism surface on one side and a rough surface on the other side, and the smooth surface of the light diffusing film and the rough surface of the prism sheet face each other.

Abstract: An optical film enhances provide brightness in the frontal direction and light diffusing without using a prism sheet or a lens sheet. Two laminates each produced by providing a light diffusing layer formed from acrylic resin particles and a styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder on a transparent support are superimposed to form the optical film. The styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder preferably has a glass transition temperature of 40° C. or higher. The light diffusing layer 12 preferably contains an acrylic resin binder having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. or lower.

Abstract: A binder composition for polyester type films showing superior transparency, film hardness and solvent resistance as well as superior adhesion to polyester type films and an optical film using the composition are provided. The binder composition for polyester type films of the present invention contains a high-molecular weight polymethyl methacrylate (a), an acrylic polyol (b), an isocyanate type curing agent (c), and a polyester resin (d). The optical film of the present invention is an optical film including a polyester type film and a functional layer provided on the polyester type film, the functional layer containing a high-molecular weight polymethyl methacrylate (a), an acrylic polyol (b), an isocyanate type curing agent (c), and a polyester resin (d).

Abstract: A light diffusing sheet brightens frontal direction illumination and resists curl without requiring a complicated design. This light diffusing sheet includes a support and a light diffusing layer provided on the support. The light diffusing layer is formed from at least acrylic resin particles, a styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder, and an acrylic resin binder having a glass transition temperature of 30° C. or lower. Weight ratio of the styrene acrylic copolymer resin binder to the acrylic resin binder is preferably in the range of 1:4 to 4:1.

Abstract: Because light diffusing plates constituting backlight units have high moisture absorbency, light diffusing plates cause deformation such as warp, swell and flexure and adversely affect other members such as liquid crystal cells to cause defective images. A backlight unit that does not generate defective images due to such deformation of light diffusing plate is provided. This backlight unit is a backlight unit 1 comprising light sources 13, a light diffusing plate 14 comprising a synthetic resin and disposed on the light sources, and one or more kinds of optical members 15 and 16 for backlight unit disposed on the light diffusing plate, wherein both surfaces of the light diffusing plate 14 shall have an arithmetical mean deviation (Ra) of 0.1 ?m or less according to JIS B0601:1994.

Abstract: A light control film comprising a downward prism sheet and a light diffusing sheet having a rough surface as a surface facing the downward prism sheet, which solves the problem of mutual scratching of constituent members. The light control sheet of the present invention comprises at least a light diffusing film and a prism sheet disposed as a laminate. One surface of the light diffusing film is a light diffusing surface, and the other surface is a rough surface. One surface of the prism sheet is a prism surface, and the other surface is a smooth surface. The smooth surface is constituted by a smooth layer containing at least a comb polymer. By this configuration, the facing surfaces comes to be hardly scratched, in spite of the structure in which the rough surface of the light diffusing film and the smooth surface of the prism sheet are disposed to face each other.

Abstract: A light diffusive sheet of the present invention comprises a transparent polymer sheet provided with a light diffusion layer 3 on one side and an uneven surface 4a having arithmetical mean deviation of 0.5 ?m or less and mean spacing of 80 ?m or narrower on the opposite side. Such an uneven surface can be made by forming a backcoat layer 4 including a mixture of particles having particular mean diameters in a particular proportion to a binder resin on the transparent polymer sheet. An area light source element 7 of the present invention is produced by laminating a prism sheet 6 on a light guide plate 5 so that the prism surface 61 of the prism sheet 6 is opposed to the light-emitting surface 51 of the light guide plate 5 and laminating the light diffusive sheet on the prism sheet 6 so that the uneven surface (backcoat layer) of the light diffusive sheet is opposed to the surface opposite of the prism surface.