METHOD FOR PRODUCING RETARDATION FILM, OPTICAL FILM, IMAGE DISPLAY DEVICE, LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY DEVICE, AND RETARDATION FILM

1 . A method for producing a retardation film, comprising:

conveying a long polymer film being continuously fed in a conveying direction while holding both side edges of the polymer film; and

stretching the polymer film in a transverse direction being perpendicular to the conveying direction while conveying the polymer film,

wherein the retardation film has an optical axis in the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the polymer film and has optical properties satisfying the following formula (1):

1 ≦NZ≦ 0.9  (1)

[NZ=(nx−nz)/(nx−ny), and

“nx” indicates the refractive index in a direction of slow axis of the retardation film, in which the direction of slow axis means a direction having the largest refractive index in a retardation film plane, while “ny” indicates the refractive index in a direction of fast axis of the retardation film, and while “nz” indicates the refractive index in a direction of thickness of the retardation film.],

wherein the polymer film is stretched in the transverse direction with sagged in the conveying direction, and

wherein the method includes a step of sagging the both side edges of the polymer film with members having projections and recesses and a stretching step of stretching the sagged polymer film in the transverse direction.

2 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the retardation film has an in-plane retardation (Re) with respect to light of a wavelength of 590 nm satisfying the following formula (2):

40 nm≦Re≦ 2000  (2)

[Re=(nx−ny)×d, and

“d (nm) indicates a thickness of the retardation film and “nx” and “ny” indicate the same meanings as those of the above-mentioned formula (1).].

3 . The method according to claim 2 ,

wherein the retardation film has the optical axis in the retardation film plane within ±1.0°.

4 . (canceled)

5 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the method further includes a holding step of holding the both side edges of the sagged polymer film on a conveyor, and

wherein, in the stretching step, the polymer film is increased in width in the direction transverse to the conveying direction while being conveyed by the conveyor.

6 . The method according to claim 5 ,

starting to stretch the polymer film in the transverse direction with a partial area or the whole area of the polymer film sagged in the conveying direction while the both side edges of the polymer film are held with holding members provided with holding member pieces having projections and recesses.

7 . The method according to claim 5 ,

starting to stretch the polymer film in the transverse direction with a partial area or the whole area of the polymer film sagged by pushing one face and the other face of the polymer film in an alternate arrangement.

8 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the polymer film is made of a thermoplastic resin having 0.001 or more of a birefringence rate (Δn) in free-end uniaxial stretching at a stretch ratio of 2.0 under the condition of (Tg+10)° C. (herein “Tg” denotes a glass-transition temperature (° C.) of the polymer film.).

9 . The method according to claim 1 ,

wherein the polymer film is laminated with a thermal shrinkable film at either one face or each face of the polymer film.

10 . The method according to claim 9 ,

wherein the thermal shrinkable film is peeled after stretching of the polymer film in the transverse direction.

11 . An optical film being formed by laminating a polarizer directly or with a polarizer protection film on at least one face of the retardation film produced by the method according to claim 1 .

12 . An image display device comprising the retardation film produced by the method according to claim 1 .

13 . A liquid crystal display device comprising the optical film according to claim 11 .

14 - 18 . (canceled)

19 . A method for producing a retardation film, comprising:

conveying a long polymer film being continuously fed in a conveying direction while holding both side edges of the polymer film; and

stretching the polymer film in a transverse direction being perpendicular to the conveying direction while conveying the polymer film,

wherein the retardation film has an optical axis in the transverse direction perpendicular to the conveying direction of the polymer film and has optical properties satisfying the following formula (1):

0.1 ≦NZ≦ 0.9  (1)

[NZ=(nx−nz)/(nx−ny), and

“nx” indicates the refractive index in a direction of slow axis of the retardation film, in which the direction of slow axis means a direction having the largest refractive index in a retardation film plane, while “ny” indicates the refractive index in a direction of fast axis of the retardation film, and while “nz” indicates the refractive index in a direction of thickness of the retardation film.], and

wherein the polymer film is stretched in the transverse direction with sagged in the conveying direction, and

the method starting to stretch the polymer film in the transverse direction with a partial area or the whole area of the polymer film sagged by pushing one face and the other face of the polymer film in an alternate arrangement.

20 . The method according to claim 19 ,

wherein the retardation film has an in-plane retardation (Re) with respect to light of a wavelength of 590 nm satisfying the following formula (2):

40 nm≦Re≦ 2000  (2)

[Re=(nx−ny)×d, and

“d (nm) indicates a thickness of the polymer film and “nx” and “ny” indicate the same meanings as those of the above-mentioned formula (1).].

21 . The method according to claim 20 ,

wherein the retardation film has the optical axis in the retardation film plane within ±1.0°.

22 . The method according to claim 19 ,

wherein the polymer film is made of a thermoplastic resin having 0.001 or more of a birefringence rate (Δn) in free-end uniaxial stretching at a stretch ratio of 2.0 under the condition of (Tg+10)° C. (herein “Tg” denotes a glass-transition temperature (° C.) of the polymer film.).

23 . The method according to claim 19 ,

wherein the polymer film is laminated with a thermal shrinkable film at either one face or each face of the polymer film.

24 . The method according to claim 23 ,

wherein the thermal shrinkable film is peeled after stretching of the polymer film in the transverse direction.

25 . An optical film being formed by laminating a polarizer directly or with a polarizer protection film on at least one face of the retardation film produced by the method according to claim 19 .

26 . An image display device comprising the retardation film produced by the method according to claim 19 .

27 . A liquid crystal display device comprising the optical film according to claim 25 .