US5642449A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fibre optic plate display
Assignee: Nashua Photo Ltd
•
Filing: 1994-10-07
•
Granted: 1997-06-24
•
Expires: 2014-10-07
Abstract
Abstract An image display arrangement comprising a collimating fibre-optic plate arranged to be illuminated from one side, for example a fibre optic plate forming the screen of a c.r.t. display tube and coated with a phosphor for providing such light, has, on at least one side thereof a layer of a photopolymer having formed therein an array of integral graded refractive index lenses, each extending over and in register with the end face, adjoining the photopolymer layer, of a respective optic fibre of the fibre optic plate. Each said graded refractive index lens is of a power such as to enhance the collimating effect of the respective optic fibre. A diffusion layer is preferably superimposed on the photopolymer layer, to impart a controlled diffusion to light passing through the optical fibres and said photopolymer layer, such as to render invisible or less visible the regions, in the fibre-optic plate, between adjoining optical fibres. The invention thus reduces or eliminates the so-called "chicken wire" effect.
Inventors
- 👤 Nicholas John Phillips
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 04:54
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B3/00; G02B3/0006; G02B3/0012; G02B3/0031; G03; G03B; G03B21/00; G03B21/54; G03B21/56; G03B21/60; G03B21/62; G03B21/625; G02B3/0087
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
112 words
An image display arrangement including a cathode ray display unit having a collimating fibre optic plate as the front of the tube, a rear face of the fibre optic plate within the cathode ray tube being coated with a phosphor, an opposite, front face of the fibre optic plate bearing a layer of a photopolymer having formed therein an array of integral GRIN refractive index lenses each extending over and in register with the end face adjoining the photopolymer layer of a respective optic fibre of said fibre optic plate, each said GRIN refractive index lens being of a power such as to enhance the collimating effect of the respective optic fibre.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
112 words
An image display arrangement including a cathode ray display unit having a collimating fibre optic plate as the front of the tube, a rear face of the fibre optic plate within the cathode ray tube being coated with a phosphor, an opposite, front face of the fibre optic plate bearing a layer of a photopolymer having formed therein an array of integral GRIN refractive index lenses each extending over and in register with the end face adjoining the photopolymer layer of a respective optic fibre of said fibre optic plate, each said GRIN refractive index lens being of a power such as to enhance the collimating effect of the respective optic fibre.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
52 words
An image display arrangement according to claim 1 wherein a diffusion layer is superimposed on said photopolymer layer, to impart a controlled diffusion to light passing through the optical fibres and said photopolymer layer, such as to render invisible or less visible the regions in the fibre-optic plate between adjoining optical fibres.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
An image display arrangement according to claim 2 wherein said diffusion layer itself constitutes a layer of photopolymer in which is formed an array of GRIN refractive index lenses, the diameters of said GRIN refractive index lenses in said diffusion layers being substantially less than the diameters of the GRIN refractive index lenses in the collimating layer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
131 words
An image display arrangement comprising a collimating fibre-optic plate arranged to be illuminated from one side, and having, on at least one side thereof a layer of a photopolymer having formed therein an array of integral GRIN refractive index lenses, each extending over and in register with the end face adjoining the photopolymer layer of a respective optic fibre of said fibre optic plate, each said GRIN refractive index lens being of a power such as to enhance the collimating effect of the respective optic fibre and wherein a diffusion layer is superimposed on said photopolymer layer to impart a controlled diffusion to light passing through the optical fibres and said photopolymer layer, such as to render invisible or less visible the regions in the fibre-optic plate between adjoining optical fibres.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
131 words
An image display arrangement comprising a collimating fibre-optic plate arranged to be illuminated from one side, and having, on at least one side thereof a layer of a photopolymer having formed therein an array of integral GRIN refractive index lenses, each extending over and in register with the end face adjoining the photopolymer layer of a respective optic fibre of said fibre optic plate, each said GRIN refractive index lens being of a power such as to enhance the collimating effect of the respective optic fibre and wherein a diffusion layer is superimposed on said photopolymer layer to impart a controlled diffusion to light passing through the optical fibres and said photopolymer layer, such as to render invisible or less visible the regions in the fibre-optic plate between adjoining optical fibres.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of making a display arrangement comprising providing a cathode ray tube display device having a front afforded by a fibre optic plate, with the inner, rear face of the fibre optic plate being coated with the tube phosphor, the method including the steps of applying to the front face of the fibre optic plate a layer of photopolymerisable resin and causing the resin to polymerise selectively, to form collimating graded refractive index lenses, by operating the cathode ray tube, including scanning said phosphor layer by an electron beam, thereby selectively exposing, through each optical fibre of the fibre optic plate, a registering region of said photopolymerisable resin, to form the respective graded refractive index collimating lens.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
118 words
A method of making a display arrangement comprising providing a cathode ray tube display device having a front afforded by a fibre optic plate, with the inner, rear face of the fibre optic plate being coated with the tube phosphor, the method including the steps of applying to the front face of the fibre optic plate a layer of photopolymerisable resin and causing the resin to polymerise selectively, to form collimating graded refractive index lenses, by operating the cathode ray tube, including scanning said phosphor layer by an electron beam, thereby selectively exposing, through each optical fibre of the fibre optic plate, a registering region of said photopolymerisable resin, to form the respective graded refractive index collimating lens.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method according to claim 5 including subsequently applying to the surface of the collimating photopolymer layer a pre-formed light diffusing layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3303374A
Cited
US3360450A
Cited
US3907403A
Cited
US3628080A
Cited
US3622419A
Cited
US3774173A
Cited
US3878329A
Cited
US4141641A
Cited
US4591232A
Cited
GB2206979A
Cited
WO1989009952A1
Cited
US4904049A
Cited
US5074649A
Cited
US5130852A
Cited
US5299275A
Cited
US5311611A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2000-06-23 | 2000-12-23 | 2001-06-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-06-23 | 2004-12-23 | 2005-06-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-06-23 | 2008-12-23 | 2009-06-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |