Patent US5989461A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US5989461A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Circular UV polarizer

Assignee: Merck Patent GmbH
•
Filing: 1997-07-03
•
Granted: 1999-11-23
•
Expires: 2017-07-03
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract The invention relates to a circular UV polarizer based on a polymerized mesogen being obtainable by curing by actinic radiation or by heat of a polymerizable composition which comprises the following components: a) a liquid mesogenic component A composed of one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group optionally linked via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B composed of one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.

Inventors

  • 👤 David Coates
  • 👤 Emma Jolliffe
  • 👤 Patrick Nolan

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 12:26
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B5/00; G02B5/30; G02B5/3025; G02B5/3075; G02B5/3016

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim 94 words
A liquid crystal circular UV polarizer based on polymerized mesogens obtained by curing, with actinic radiation or heat, of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) a mesogenic component A comprising one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group linked, optionally via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B comprising one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 94 words
A liquid crystal circular UV polarizer based on polymerized mesogens obtained by curing, with actinic radiation or heat, of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) a mesogenic component A comprising one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group linked, optionally via a spacer group to the mesogenic core, b) a component B comprising one or more chiral compounds in such an amount that the maximum wavelength of reflection (λ max ) of the composition is between 320 and 440 nm, inclusive, and c) a photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 178 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein component A comprises at least one compound of formula I: ##STR19## in which P is a polymerizable group, X and Y are each independently --O--, --S--, --COO--, --OCO--, --OCOO--, --SCO--, --COS-- or a single bond, Sp is a linear spacer group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, A, B and C each independently, denote 1,4-phenylene optionally substituted by one or two halogen atoms, cyano groups, C 1-6 -alkyl groups, C 1-6 -alkoxy groups or C 1-6 -alkanoyl groups wherein one or more H atoms may be substituted by F or Cl, or denote 1,4-cyclohexylene, Z 1 and Z 2 are each independently --CH 2 CH 2 --, --COO--, --OCO--, --OCH 2 --, --CH 2 O--, --CH═CH--, --CH═CH--COO--, --OCO--CH═CH--, --C.tbd.C-- or a single bond, R is an optionally fluorinated achiral alkyl, alkoxy or alkenyl group with 1 to 12 C atoms or denotes halogen or cyano or has one of the meanings given for P--X--(Sp--Y) m - , m is 0 or 1, and n is 0, 1 or 2.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 38 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component A comprises a composition of at least two compounds of formula I having two terminal polymerizable groups of formula P--X--Sp--Y--, wherein the spacer groups have different chain length.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 70 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component A comprises at least one compound of formula Ia ##STR20## in which P, X, Sp, Y and m have the meaning given for formula I, L is independently, halogen, CN or alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyl, each having up to 6 C atoms which is unsubstituted or mono- or polysubstituted by F or Cl, and r is 0, 1 or 2.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 110 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein said component B comprises at least one compound of formula II: ##STR21## in which P, X, Y, Z 1 , Z 2 , n and m, and the rings A, B and C have the meaning given and Sp* is an achiral or chiral spacer group with 1 to 16 carbon atoms, and R* is an achiral or chiral alkyl, alkoxy or alkenyl group with 1 to 12 C atoms or denotes halogen or cyano or has one of the meanings given for P--X--(Sp*) m --Y--, with the proviso that at least one of the groups R* and Sp* is chiral.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 74 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 2, wherein component B comprises a composition of at least one compound of formula IIa ##STR22## in which P, X, and m have the meaning given, L are independently halogen, CN or alkyl, alkoxy or alkanoyl, each having up to 6 C atoms which is unsubstituted or mono- or polysubstituted by F or Cl, r is 0, 1 or 2, and Sp* is a chiral spacer group.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 55 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein said polymerized mesogens are obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition comprising a) 15 to 95% by weight of liquid crystalline component A, b) 5 to 85% by weight of liquid crystalline component B, and c) 0.01 to 10% by weight of photoinitator component C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 18 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, having a film thickness of about 2 to 15 μm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 16 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 1, having a film thickness of 3 to 10 μm.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 15 words
A spatial circular UV modulator which comprises a circular UV polarizer according to claim 1.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 81 words
A device for producing linearly polarized UV light comprising a) a UV light emitting source, b) a circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, c) a λ/4 plate with a retardation value of approximately 0.25 times of the wavelength of light that is transmitted by said circular UV polarizer, d) a reflector which re-reflects the circular polarized UV light reflected by said circular UV polarizer with inversion of its handedness, e) optionally a diffusor, and f) optionally a linear UV polarizer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 91 words
A device for producing linearly polarized UV light according to claim 11, wherein the linear UV polarizer is obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition which comprises 60 to 99% by weight of a liquid crystalline component composed of one or more achiral mesogenic compounds having at least one polymerizable end group optionally linked via a spacer to the mesogenic core, 0.1 to 30% by weight of a dichroic component that absorbs light in the UV region, and 0.01 to 10% by weight of a photoinitiator or a thermal initiator.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 16 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 1, wherein the polymerizable composition is cured by UV curing.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 27 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 2, wherein in formula I, Sp is --(CH 2 ) s --, where s is an integer of 1 to 12.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 24 words
A circular UV polarizer of claim 2, wherein in formula I, P--X-- is an acrylate, methacrylate, vinyl, vinyloxy, propenyl, propenyloxy, epoxy or styryl group.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 22 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein component C is a photoinitiator which absorbs light in the visible spectral range.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 57 words
A circular UV polarizer according to claim 1, wherein said polymerized mesogens are obtained by UV curing of a polymerizable composition comprising: a) 20 to 85% by weight of liquid crystalline component A, b) 10 to 75% by weight of mesogenic compound B, and c) 0.1 to 5% by weight of photoinitiator or thermal initiator component C.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5723066A Cited
US5401437A Cited
US5538768A Cited
US5705093A Cited
US5622648A Cited
US5560864A Cited
US5746940A Cited
US5750051A Cited
US5658490A Cited
US5691789A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2002-11-22 2003-05-24 2003-11-23 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2006-11-22 2007-05-24 2007-11-23 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2010-11-22 2011-05-24 2011-11-23 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag