Lenticular Patents (Class 359/455)
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Patent number: 5724182Abstract: The present invention provides a bright light transmission screen and light diffusion panel. Am amtireflective film is disposed on the surface of a lenticular lens sheet substrate included in a light transmission screen. The antireflective film is made from a high polymer compound of a low refractory index and has a thickness that is different from .lambda./(4n). The antireflective film may also be disposed on a Fresnel lens sheet substrate or a light diffusion panel substrate.Type: GrantFiled: March 14, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Katsuaki Mitani, Hirokazu Sakaguchi, Satoshi Aoki
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Patent number: 5724188Abstract: A double-faced lenticular lens sheet including at least one incident side lens formed on a first face of the double-faced lenticular lens sheet; and at least one corresponding emergent side lens formed on a second opposite face of the double-faced lenticular lens sheet; wherein light rays incident on the at least one incident side lens parallel to an optical axis thereof pass through the lenticular lens sheet and emerge from the at least one emergent side lens; an angle of refraction .theta.1 is formed by a straight line parallel to an optical axis of the at last one incident side lens and a light ray refracted by an incident plane passing through the lenticular lens sheet; an angle of refraction .theta.2 is formed by a straight line parallel to an optical axis of the at least one emergent side lens and the light ray refracted by and emitted from an emergent plane; .DELTA..theta.1 is an absolute value of the angle of refraction .theta.1 on the incident plane; .DELTA..theta.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1996Date of Patent: March 3, 1998Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshihiro Kumagai, Ichiro Matsuzaki
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Patent number: 5720123Abstract: A frame that includes a depth image lenticular photograph as the frame surrounding a planar print or object of interest to the viewer. The frame can be a reflection print or a backlit transparency of a real object or a graphical creation.Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1996Date of Patent: February 24, 1998Assignee: Eastman Kodak CompanyInventor: Roy Y. Taylor
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Patent number: 5699131Abstract: The present invention provides a screen assembly wherein measures are taken to prevent slack produced in a lenticular lens sheet due to temperature changes and gaps created between a Fresnel lens sheet and the lenticular lens sheet due to temperature changes, thereby enabling the display of images free of inconsistencies in color. The structure of the screen assembly has the lower parts of a lenticular lens sheet and a Fresnel lens sheet comprising a screen fixed together, the upper part of the light radiant side of the lenticular lens sheet fixed to the upper part of a framework, the lower part of the screen, where the Fresnel lens sheet and the lenticular lens sheet are put together not being fixed to the lower part of the framework and a specified clearance created between the lower part of the screen and the lower part of the framework.Type: GrantFiled: June 25, 1996Date of Patent: December 16, 1997Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.Inventors: Satoshi Aoki, Katsuaki Mitani
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Patent number: 5694245Abstract: A projector comprising liquid crystal display panels and a projection lens for projecting the modulated light to a screen. The screen includes a transparent plastic member formed as a lenticular lens. The transparent plastic member has optical anisotropy. In order to eliminate an uneven pattern appearing in the screen caused by optical anisotropy and the difference between the light distribution characteristics in the screen for P- and S-polarized lights, the screen is arranged relative to the projection lens such that an arbitrary light component projected by the projection lens and made incident to the screen is not parallel to the optical axis of the plastic member.Type: GrantFiled: February 8, 1996Date of Patent: December 2, 1997Assignee: Fujitsu LimitedInventors: Takeshi Goto, Toshihiro Suzuki, Tetsuya Kabayashi
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Patent number: 5687024Abstract: A lenticular lens sheet comprising lengthwise long lenticular lenses formed on the light incident-side surface and light emergent-side surface thereof, the lenticular lenses being constituted of cylindrical lenses each having a long dimension in the top and bottom direction of a screen when used, and satisfying0.30.ltoreq..vertline.i.sub.0 (.theta..sub.H).vertline..ltoreq.0.36when parallel light rays are made incident on the surface of its incident-side lens at horizontal incident angles of 0.degree., -11.degree. and +11.degree. and the emergent luminances of the respective light rays are standardized by evaluating the emergent luminance at an emergent-side horizontal visual angle 0.degree. to be 1, and the emergent luminances of the respective light rays at a horizontal visual angle .theta..sub.H .degree. are respectively represented by I.sub.0 (.theta..sub.H), I.sub.-11 (.theta..sub.H) and I.sub.+11 (.theta..sub.H), and when .vertline..theta..sub.H .vertline..ltoreq.40.degree.Type: GrantFiled: June 27, 1996Date of Patent: November 11, 1997Assignee: Kuraray Co., Ltd.Inventors: Osamu Yoshimura, Ichiro Matsuzaki
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Patent number: 5644431Abstract: There is disclosed a partially transparent, directional viewing sheet formed of plastic material with lenses, preferably lenticular lenses, formed on both the front and the back surfaces of the sheet, there being on at least one of the surfaces intervening spaces between the lenses which spaces are not fully transparent and may be imprinted with an image that is viewable through the sheet from some directions. Preferably such lenses separated by non-transparent intervening spaces are concave lenses with a radius of curvature which is less than the radius of curvature of convex lenses, on the other surface, causing the concave lens focal length to be less than, typically about one-half of, the focal length of the convex lenses. The thickness of the sheet and hence the spacing between each concave lens and a corresponding convex lens causes the lenses axial spacing to be about the difference in focal lengths of the lenses producing the effect of a tiny Galilean telescope.Type: GrantFiled: April 13, 1994Date of Patent: July 1, 1997Assignee: University of Arkansas, N.A.Inventor: John Allan Magee
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Patent number: 5642226Abstract: A lenticular optical system is described in which a composite image is viewable through a lens sheet from a first angle and an object or image placed at a preselected distance beneath the composite image is viewable from a second angle. Optical designs and alignment processes are disclosed which make possible the economical production of thin materials which facilitate the manufacturing and utilization of the optical system in packaging and the like.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 1995Date of Patent: June 24, 1997Inventor: Bruce A. Rosenthal
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Patent number: 5636057Abstract: A traffic signal light comprises an array of light-emitting diodes for producing respective light rays, and an array of lenses for propagating light rays from the light-emitting diodes toward a plurality of predetermined, distinct spatial points. The lenses are each associated with a corresponding one of the light-emitting diodes, and each lens comprises a solid body of light-propagating material defining a light-refracting surface through which the light rays from the corresponding light-emitting diode propagate. The light-refracting surface is divided into distinct light-refracting surface sections each associated to a corresponding one of the spatial points. The light-refracting surface sections have different configurations in view of deviating the light rays propagating therethrough toward the associated spatial points, respectively. Therefore, at each spatial point add the light rays deviated by the associated light-refracting surface sections of the different lenses.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 1995Date of Patent: June 3, 1997Assignee: Ecolux Inc.Inventors: Georges P. Dick, Marc Hoffman
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Patent number: 5625489Abstract: A front projection screen for pictorially displaying upon a front face of the screen an image projected onto the front face from a projector comprises a backing member having a front reflective surface and a polarization rotation plate overlaying the reflective surface for rotating the plane of polarization of light reflected from the surface. A sheet of lenticular lenses overlays the polarization rotation plate and a polarizing film overlays the lenticular lens sheet. The polarizing film has non-polarizing segments at a focal point of each of the lenticular lenses so that light from the projector is not attenuated by the film while light from other sources is attenuated.Type: GrantFiled: January 24, 1996Date of Patent: April 29, 1997Assignee: Florida Atlantic UniversityInventor: William E. Glenn
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Patent number: 5609939Abstract: A viewing screen for incident light including a sheet of embossable material in which a first micro-sculpted surface relief structure that controls the direction in which light propagates has been formed by replicating in the sheet of embossable material a second micro-sculpted surface structure that controls the direction in which light propagates, the second micro-sculpted surface structure having been formed in a photosensitive medium having a refractive index by (i) generating random, disordered and non-planar speckle in the photosensitive medium with coherent light which has been diffused through a holographic diffuser so as to define non-discontinuous and smoothly varying changes in the refractive index of the photosensitive medium which scatter collimated light into a controlled pattern with smooth brightness variation and (ii) developing the photosensitive medium, the incident light being incident on and returned from the viewing screen to a viewing area, the viewing screen controlling the direction oType: GrantFiled: December 14, 1994Date of Patent: March 11, 1997Assignee: Physical Optics CorporationInventors: Joel Petersen, Jeremy Lerner
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Patent number: 5592332Abstract: A lenticular lens has a light transmitting substrate and a plurality of lens elements formed on the light transmitting substrate. The lens elements are defined in such a way that ridges thereof are aligned in parallel with each other, wherein 30.degree..ltoreq..theta..sub.10% .ltoreq.100.degree. and R.ltoreq.20%, where .theta..sub.10% is a diffusing angle range with respect to normal of the one surface in the case that when light is entered from the opposite surface and transmitted from the one surface, the intensity of the light transmitted is equal to or more than 10% of the intensity of the light transmitted in a peak direction of a main lobe; and R is the ratio of side lobes to main lobe. The intensity of side lobes which causes light loss and light stray can be remarkably reduced. Light can be equally and isotropically focused on in a predetermined diffusing angle range.Type: GrantFiled: December 27, 1993Date of Patent: January 7, 1997Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Toshikazu Nishio, Yoshiyuki Yamashita, Hiroyuki Amemiya, Michiko Takeuchi, Nobu Masubuchi
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Patent number: 5526182Abstract: An optical memory system employing multiple reading/writing optical beams for simultaneously reading from or writing to multiple tracks of optical media to allow reading/writing of closely spaced adjacent tracks. Various optical elements and other means are incorporated to enable the beams as a group to remain focused and properly tracking as the beams as a group scan across the tracks. Means are also provided for modulating the beams to reduce crosstalk. Various optical elements and combinations of optical elements are provided to compensate for beam and system imperfections.Type: GrantFiled: February 17, 1993Date of Patent: June 11, 1996Assignee: Vixel CorporationInventors: Jack L. Jewell, Boris J. Muchnik, Robert P. Bryan
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Patent number: 5513036Abstract: In a projection screen for a rear projection type television set, three lens sheets are arranged in the order of a lenticular lens sheet, a linear Fresnel lens sheet, and a circular Fresnel lens sheet when seen from a viewer's side toward a projector tube. As compared with the arrangement in which the linear and circular Fresnel lens sheets are exchanged with each other, it is possible to obtain a higher brightness and a more uniform brightness, and color uniformity in the picture plane. Further, when the light incident surface of the linear Fresnel lens sheet is matted, it is possible to eliminate white bands (seen from the viewer's side) effectively.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 1994Date of Patent: April 30, 1996Assignee: Dai Nippon Printing Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hitomu Watanabe, Makoto Honda, Hiroshi Kojima, Satoshi Nakamae
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Patent number: 5475533Abstract: A light control material generally comprising a transparent substrate for carrying a print or photographic image and a plurality of focusing elements which provide a field of view over which the brightness of the print or photographic image is enhanced. The field of view is controlled by the geometry of the focusing elements including radius, width, and degree of symmetry. By providing a field of view over which the brightness of the image is enhanced, the image may be viewed at angles which avoid the angles of specular reflection, which are usually seen as unwanted glare. Furthermore, selected portions of an image may be brightness enhanced more than others or selected portions may be brightness enhanced while others are not.Type: GrantFiled: August 2, 1993Date of Patent: December 12, 1995Assignee: Applied Physics Research, L.P.Inventors: Richard A. Steenblik, Mark J. Hurt, Samuel D. Shearman
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Patent number: 5473469Abstract: A front projection screen is made up of a front portion and a rear portion, the front portion having a front surface lenticular lens array and light scattering particles forming a diffusion region between the front and rear surfaces, and the rear portion having a reflective surface spaced apart from the diffusion region. In use, an incoming ray of projected light traverses the diffusion region and the space between the diffusion region and the reflective surface, before being reflected back through these regions again. Thus, the ray traverses different portions of the diffusion region in different directions, increasing the likelihood that the ray will encounter at least one scattering particle, thus reducing the incidence of speckle.Type: GrantFiled: September 21, 1994Date of Patent: December 5, 1995Assignee: Philips Electronics North America CorporationInventors: Stephen Magocs, Scott H. Baker
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Patent number: 5453876Abstract: A microlens array is disclosed which comprises a supporting substrate, a light condensing layer having a plurality of microlenses, and a shading layer having a plurality of openings, each of the microlenses being formed so as to condense light through the corresponding opening of the shading layer, wherein the light condensing layer is formed by exposing a photosensitive resin layer to light with the use of the shading layer as a mask, the photosensitive resin layer being formed on the supporting substrate together with the shading layer.Type: GrantFiled: April 15, 1992Date of Patent: September 26, 1995Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Hiroshi Hamada
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Patent number: 5361164Abstract: A high quality projection screen which also is a dry erasable markerboard is disclosed, together with a method for making such a combination projection screen and dry erasable markerboard. The light reflecting writing surface of the combination projection screen and dry erasable markerboard preferably is white, off-white or light in color, and has a bi-directional lenticular embossed surface for increased and more accurate reflection of projected light, and a wider angle effective viewing area. The light reflecting writing surface preferably is made of a thin film of fluoropolymer, such as a modified copolymer of ethylene and tetrafluoroethylene.Type: GrantFiled: June 17, 1992Date of Patent: November 1, 1994Assignee: WalltalkersInventor: Gregg A. Steliga
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Patent number: 5317409Abstract: A diagonally oriented LCD panel is used in a rear screen LCD projection television to reduce moire fringes on the display.Type: GrantFiled: December 3, 1991Date of Patent: May 31, 1994Assignee: North American Philips CorporationInventor: Stephen Macocs
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Patent number: 5235463Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the making of microlenses for optical applications (display for example) resulting from the deposition of a liquid on a substrate, the surface of which has been locally modified so as to increase the wetting capacity of the liquid thereon. The substrate may be a polymer and the wetting liquid may be an organic fluid capable of hardening by an adapted treatment.Type: GrantFiled: December 2, 1991Date of Patent: August 10, 1993Assignee: Thomson-CSFInventors: Dominique Broussoux, Jean-Marc Bureau, Daniel Dolfi, Sylvain Lazare
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Patent number: 5121252Abstract: A projection screen is comprised of a sheet formed by a multiplicity of light-transmitting plastic strands which strands are arranged and welded in parallel with one another. The width W (mm) of the screen and the pitch p (mm) of the strands meet the following condition (1):0.03.ltoreq.p.ltoreq.W/1000 (1)The radius of curvature R.sub.1 (mm) of the strand at a first side of the screen is determined by the following condition (2)0.5.times.p.ltoreq.R.sub.1 .ltoreq.p (2)The radius of curvature R.sub.2 (mm) of the strand at a second side of the screen meets the following condition(3):R.sub.2 .ltoreq.R.sub.1 (3).Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 1991Date of Patent: June 9, 1992Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.Inventors: Mizuo Okada, Kenichi Sakunaga, Shigetada Nakagawa, Shozo Saito
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Patent number: 5100222Abstract: A screen is disposed in the position at which an image is formed by an image projector. The screen comprises a transparent sheet having a longitudinal direction and a latitudinal direction, and a fresnel lens surface formed on one surface of the transparent sheet to condense a light beam entered thereinto and emit the condensed light beam, the focal length of the Fresnel lens surface in the longitudinal direction of said transparent sheet being shorter than that in the latitudinal direction of the sheet.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 1990Date of Patent: March 31, 1992Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Nobuo Minoura, Katsumi Kurematsu, Haruyuki Yanagi, Hideaki Mitsutake
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Patent number: 5085495Abstract: A support member for supporting a plurality of vertically-arranged Fresnel sheets is fixedly mounted on a lower end portion of a reinforcing sheet. A hanging mechanism hangs the reinforcement sheet and the Fresnel sheets vertically adjustably. An elongated screen is constituted by a plurality of vertically-arranged unit screens, and the overall screen is constituted by a plurality of elongated screens arranged horizontally. A mechanism for preventing the relative displacement of the opposed edges of the elongated screens from each other in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the elongated screen is provided at an effective projection light-absent region where the light projected from projectors onto the screen is not hindered. A mechanism for limiting the absolute displacement of the elongated screens in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the elongated screen is provided at the right and left edges of the elongated screens and is disposed at the effective projection light-absent region.Type: GrantFiled: February 26, 1991Date of Patent: February 4, 1992Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiaki Iwahara, Masanori Ogino, Masutomi Ohta, Shoji Kuroda, Yuzo Tamura, Yukihiro Kobayashi
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Patent number: 5074644Abstract: A rear-projection television has a transmission type two-layer screen made up of a Fresnel lens and a lenticular lens stacked together. Between the two lenses is interposed a transparent protective sheet which protects the lenses from wear or score, which would otherwise result from rubbing due to vibrations during shipping. The use of a transparent protective sheet sandwiched between the two lenses permits a series of adjustments and a final inspection on the TV to be made with the product screen mounted in the cabinet. This eliminates the need to mount a jig screen identical with the product screen in place of the latter during the adjustments, reducing the overall amount of time spent in the manufacturing process.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 1991Date of Patent: December 24, 1991Assignee: Pioneer Electronic CorporationInventors: Motoharu Hirai, Katuzi Suzuki, deceased, Toru Yokoo, Hideki Yamamoto
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Patent number: 5071224Abstract: A lenticular lens is provided for use in a back projection type television receiver. The lenticular lens is provided with an exit face having formed thereon a lens portion and two reflecting portions. The lens portion refracts light from a lenticule before the light emerges therefrom. The reflecting portions are on both sides of said lens portion, and each has a reflecting face erected with respect to the screen surface. Part of the incident light is totally reflected by the reflecting portion toward the lens portion whereby the light emerges from the lens portion. Because of this arrangement, the pitch between adjacent lenticules or exit faces can be reduced without rendering the lenticular lens unduly thin.Type: GrantFiled: July 25, 1990Date of Patent: December 10, 1991Assignee: Pioneer Electronic CorporationInventor: Toru Yokoo
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Patent number: 5058989Abstract: A transmission type screen having a screen body constituted by at least one plastic sheet formed of a multiplicity of transparent plastic strands arranged in the shape of a sheet, each the strands being welded together at outer surfaces thereof. Each of the transparent strand may have a main portion and another portion different from the main portion in terms of optical effects. This transmission type screen is manfactured by spinning off the transparent strands from a spinning nozzle while aligning the strands; welding each adjacent over of the strands to form a sheet; and forming a screen body from at least one sheet obtained in this manner.Type: GrantFiled: March 28, 1991Date of Patent: October 22, 1991Assignee: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd.Inventors: Kenichi Sakunaga, Mizuo Okada
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Patent number: 5040871Abstract: The invention relates to the production of three dimensional images for direct viewing or for recording on a sensitized recording surface. The invention provides a method and apparatus for the direct production of integral parallax orthoscopic panoramagramic images, which objective is met by a process comprising directing at an object a means of gathering and focussing incoming radiation from the object of a wavelength to which said means is suited, positioning to either side of said gathering and focussing means a grouping means for producing a number of groups of individual waves, each group emanating from a part of said object, said grouping means generating an image in pseudoscopic form, and a means of encoding the pseudoscopic image as discrete parallactic information on a single plane, for subsequent viewing as an orthoscopic image.Type: GrantFiled: November 13, 1986Date of Patent: August 20, 1991Assignee: The University of SheffieldInventors: Neil Davies, Malcolm McCormick