Light-extraction graphics film
View Patent ↗In at least some embodiments, a film for use with an edge-lit backlight includes a substrate. The film also includes a graphics layer and light-extraction features in contact with the substrate. The graphics layer and the light-extraction features are on opposite surfaces of the substrate.
1. A film for use with an edge-lit backlight, comprising:
a substrate; and
a graphics layer and light-extraction features in contact with the substrate, wherein the graphics layer and the light-extraction features are on opposite surfaces of the substrate;
wherein the substrate comprises light-scattering particles.
2. The film of claim 1 wherein the graphics layer comprises a film with a printable surface.
3. The film of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises material selected from the group consisting of a transparent acrylic film, a PET film, a Polyurethane film, and a polymer-based film.
4. The film of claim 1 wherein the light-extraction features are positioned to provide uniform light-extraction.
5. The film of claim 1 wherein the light-scattering particles are sized from about 5 nm to 500 μm.
6. The film of claim 1 wherein a density of said light-scattering particles varies throughout the substrate.
7. The film of claim 1 wherein the substrate comprises diffuser properties.
8. The film of claim 1 wherein the light-extraction features comprise shapes selected from at least one of the group consisting of v-grooves, round discs, and ridges.
9. The film of claim 1 wherein the light-extraction features comprise islands of adhesive.
10. The film of claim 9 wherein spacing between said islands of adhesive varies to improve uniformity of light extraction.
11. The film of claim 1 wherein the scattering particles are embedded in adhesive.
12. The film of claim 11 further comprising a transparent cladding layer between the adhesive and the substrate.
13. The film of claim 12 wherein the transparent cladding layer has a refractive index between about 1.03 to 1.45.
14. The film of claim 1 comprising a first sub-film corresponding to the graphics layer and a second sub-film corresponding to the substrate and the light-extraction features.
15. A display system, comprising:
a light-extraction graphics film having a printed graphics layer and a light-extraction layer; and
an edge-lit backlight in contact with the light-extraction graphics film, wherein light from the edge-lit backlight is extracted by the light-extraction graphics film;
wherein the light-extraction graphics film comprises a substrate with light-extraction features in contact with the edge-lit backlight, and wherein the substrate comprises diffuser properties.
16. The display system of claim 15 wherein the substrate comprises at least one material selected from the group consisting of a transparent acrylic film, a PET film, a Polyurethane film, and a polymer-based film.
17. The display system of claim 15 wherein the light-extraction features are configured to provide uniform light-extraction.
18. The display system of claim 15 wherein the light-extraction features are uniformly spaced, wherein the spacing is based on a wave guide thickness corresponding to the edge-lit backlight.
19. The display system of claim 15 wherein the substrate comprises scattering particles to enhance uniformity of light output from the light-extraction layer features.
20. The display system of claim 19 wherein a density of said scattering particles in the substrate varies in accordance with distance from a light-injection edge.
21. The display system of claim 15 wherein the light-extraction features comprise shapes selected from at least one of the group consisting of v-grooves, round discs, and ridges.
22. The display system of claim 15 wherein the light-extraction features comprise islands of adhesive.
23. The display system of claim 22 wherein spacing between said islands of adhesive varies in accordance with distance from a light-injection edge.
24. The display system of claim 19 wherein the scattering particles are embedded in adhesive.
25. The display system of claim 24 further comprising a transparent cladding layer between the adhesive and the substrate.
26. The display system of claim 15 wherein the edge-lit backlight comprises a transparent wave guide with a usable surface area and wherein the light-extraction graphics film covers less than the usable surface area.
27. The display system of claim 15 further comprising multiple light-extraction graphics film cut-outs on a wave guide surface of the edge-lit backlight.
28. The display system of claim 15 further comprising at least one light-extraction graphics film on opposite wave guide surfaces of the edge-lit backlight.
29. A film for use with an edge-lit backlight, comprising:
a substrate; and
a graphics layer and light-extraction features in contact with the substrate, wherein the graphics layer and the light-extraction features are on opposite surfaces of the substrate;
wherein the light-extraction features comprise islands of adhesive.