Methods of cutting or forming cavities in a substrate for use in making optical films, components or wave guides

1. A method of forming a pattern of optical elements on or in at least one side of an optical panel member, the method comprising:

cutting or forming a pattern or patterns of cavities in a cylindrical or curved substrate or in a sleeve or sleeve segment of the substrate using a cutting tool that is moved into and out of engagement with the substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment and has a tool axis that extends at an acute angle to the substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment while the cutting tool is moved in a non-parallel cross path direction to the substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment, the cutting tool comprising a cutting or forming tip that is nonsymmetrical about the tool axis, the cutting or forming tip having at least one cutting or forming edge that is parallel to the cutting tool cross path direction in order to cut or form the pattern or patterns of cavities in the substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process, the pattern or patterns of cavities corresponding to a desired pattern and shape of optical elements to be formed on or in the optical panel member,

using the substrate or sleeve or sleeve segment containing the desired pattern or patterns of optical element shaped cavities or depositions or mirror copies or inverse copies thereof in production tooling or as a master for production tooling, and

using the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary in size.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary in height or depth.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary in orientation or placement.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary randomly.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary in shape or type.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process vary in angle or rotation.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process overlap, intersect, or interlock with other optical elements.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate or the sleeve or sleeve segment in which the cavities are formed is used to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member by molding, thermoforming, hot stamping, embossing, extrusion, or radiation curing.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavities are cut or formed directly in the sleeve or sleeve segment and the sleeve or sleeve segment is then removed from the cylindrical substrate and used to produce the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical panel member is removed from a roll or larger optical substrate.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical panel member has multiple layers.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical elements are formed by a UV curing process.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the optical panel member is formed by applying a flowable optical material to the cylindrical or curved substrate or the sleeve or sleeve segment containing the varying pattern or patterns of cavities and curing the optical material.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavities are formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment which is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by an embossing or extrusion process.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the cavities are formed in the substrate or in the sleeve or sleeve segment which is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by a UV curing process.

17. A method of forming a pattern of optical elements on or in at least one side of an optical panel member that has one input edge for receiving light from at least one light source, and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, wherein the optical elements are projections or depressions on or in at least the one side to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, and wherein the optical elements vary along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and are quite small relative to the length and width of the panel member, the method comprising:

cutting or forming a varying pattern or patterns of cavities in a cylindrical or curved substrate using a cutting tool that is moved into and out of engagement with the substrate and has a tool axis that extends at an acute angle to the substrate while the cutting tool is moved in a non-parallel cross path direction to the substrate, the cutting tool comprising a cutting or forming tip that is nonsymmetrical about the tool axis, the cutting or forming tip having at least one cutting or forming edge that is parallel to the cutting tool cross path direction in order to cut or form the pattern or patterns of cavities in the substrate during the cutting or forming process, the varying pattern or patterns of cavities corresponding to a desired pattern and shape of optical elements to be formed on or in the optical panel member,

using the substrate containing the desired pattern or patterns of optical element shaped cavities or depositions or mirror copies or inverse copies thereof in production tooling or as a master for production tooling, and

using the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein at least some of the cavities that are cut or formed in the substrate during the cutting or forming process vary in one or more of the following: size, height or depth, orientation or placement, randomly, shape or type, and/or angle or rotation.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the substrate in which the cavities are formed is used to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member by molding, thermoforming, hot stamping, embossing, extrusion, or radiation curing.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the optical panel member is removed from a roll or larger optical substrate.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein the optical elements are formed by a UV curing process.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the optical panel member is formed by applying a flowable optical material to the cylindrical or curved substrate containing the varying pattern or patterns of cavities and curing the optical material.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the cavities are formed in the cylindrical substrate which is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by an embossing or extrusion process.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the cavities are formed in the cylindrical substrate which is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by a UV curing process.

25. A method of forming a pattern of optical elements on or in at least one side of an optical panel member that has one input edge for receiving light from at least one light source, and a greater cross sectional width than thickness, wherein the optical elements are projections or depressions on or in at least the one side to cause light to be emitted from the panel member in a predetermined output distribution, and wherein the optical elements vary along at least one of the length and width of the panel member and are quite small relative to the length and width of the panel member, the method comprising:

cutting or forming a varying pattern or patterns of cavities in a sleeve or sleeve segment of a cylindrical substrate using a cutting tool that is moved into and out of engagement with the sleeve or sleeve segment and has a tool axis that extends at an acute angle to the sleeve or sleeve segment while the cutting tool is moved in a non-parallel cross path direction to the sleeve or sleeve segment, the cutting tool comprising a cutting or forming tip that is nonsymmetrical about the tool axis, the cutting or forming tip having at least one cutting or forming edge that is parallel to the cutting tool cross path direction in order to cut or form the pattern or patterns of cavities in the sleeve or sleeve segment during the cutting or forming process, the varying pattern or patterns of cavities corresponding to a desired pattern and shape of optical elements to be formed on or in the optical panel member,

using the sleeve or sleeve segment containing the desired pattern or patterns of optical element shaped cavities or depositions or mirror copies or inverse copies thereof in production tooling or as a master for production tooling, and

using the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the sleeve or sleeve segment in which the cavities are formed is used to form the corresponding pattern of optical elements on or in at least the one side of the optical panel member by molding, thermoforming, hot stamping, embossing, extrusion, or radiation curing.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the optical panel member is removed from a roll or larger optical substrate.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the optical elements are formed by a UV curing process.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the optical panel member is formed by applying a flowable optical material to the cylindrical or curved substrate containing the varying pattern or patterns of cavities and curing the optical material.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the sleeve or sleeve substrate in which the cavities are formed is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by am embossing or extrusion process.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the sleeve or sleeve substrate in which the cavities are formed is used as the production tooling to form the corresponding pattern of varying optical elements on a roll of optical panel members by a UV curing process.