Light control devices and methods of making same

Abstract

A light control device is disclosed that includes a two film construction, each film having a plurality of light reflecting regions. For example, the light absorbing elements can be a series of grooves or column-like indentations in the films that are filled or coated with a light reflecting material having a lower index of refraction than that of the films. The two films can be adjacently disposed so that their respective light reflecting regions form a plurality of light reflecting elements that extend along the thickness direction of the device.

1 . A light control device comprising:
 a first light transmissive film comprising a first plurality of light reflecting regions extending into a surface thereof;   and a second light transmissive film disposed adjacent the first light transmissive film and comprising a second plurality of light reflecting regions extending into a surface thereof,   wherein the first plurality of light reflecting regions and the second plurality of light reflecting regions are relatively positioned such that light entering the device is collimated as it exits the device.   
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of light reflecting regions comprises a plurality of grooves. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second plurality of light reflecting regions each comprise a plurality of grooves. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the first and second plurality of light reflecting regions are mutually aligned. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second light transmissive films are substantially refractive index matched. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second light transmissive films are laminated together. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second light transmissive films are bonded together using an optical adhesive. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the first plurality of light reflecting regions exhibit an index of refraction that is less than the refractive index of the first light transmissive film. 
   
   
       9 . A process for making a light control device comprising the steps of:
 forming a first light transmissive film having a first plurality of indentations extending into a surface thereof;   forming a second light transmissive film having a second plurality of indentations extending into a surface thereof;   rendering the first and second plurality of indentations light reflecting; and   adjacently disposing the first and second light transmissive films, wherein the first and second plurality of indentations are relatively positioned such that light entering the device is collimated after it exits the device.   
   
   
       10 . The process of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of mutually aligning the first and second plurality of indentations. 
   
   
       11 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the step of rendering the first and second plurality of indentations light reflecting comprises filling the first and second plurality of indentations with a material having an index of refraction less than the index of refraction of the first and second light transmissive films. 
   
   
       12 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the step of adjacently disposing the first and second light transmissive films comprises laminating the first and second light transmissive films together. 
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein laminating is performed using an optical adhesive. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the step of rendering the first and second plurality of indentations light reflecting is performed before the step of adjacently disposing the first and second light transmissive films. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 9 , wherein the step of rendering the first and second plurality of indentations light reflecting is performed after the step of adjacently disposing the first and second light transmissive films.