JP2023077222A - Retroreflection film or/and specular film, as well as optical structure composed of thin-film like optical body layer and transparent body - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an optical structure in which by arranging a thin film-like optical body layer between a retroreflection film or/and a specular film, as an effect the thin film-like optical body layer has, light transmitting the thin film-like optical body layer from the retroreflection film or/and the specular film, or light reflected upon the thin film-like optical body layer therefrom is viewed like the light turns into various hues depending upon a viewing direction.SOLUTION: An optical structure 0100 is provided that is composed of: a retroreflection film or/and a specular film 0101; a thin film-like optical body layer 0102 that is composed of an optical body to be arranged directly or indirectly on the retroreflection film or/and the specular film, and is a layer of a thin film-like optical body so that a fine particle pigment is dispersed in a transparent polymer material and a hue to be identified varies relying on an observation direction; and a transparent body 0103 that is arranged on the thin film-like optical body layer.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an optical construction, and more particularly to an optical construction comprising a retroreflective film or/and a specular film, a thin-film optical body layer and a transparent body.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, optical structures using retroreflective films have been known. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an accessory (decoration) in which a retroreflective film is attached to the back surface of a transparent body such as glass. It is said that it is possible to provide an accessory that changes in various colors depending on the direction from which the light from the reflective film is viewed (see Patent Document 1).

On the other hand, a thin-film optical body layer is known, which is a layer composed of a thin-film optical body in which fine particle pigments are dispersed in a transparent polymer material. The thin-film optical body layer is a film-like member configured so that the color of transmitted and/or reflected light changes depending on the viewing direction. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses a technique relating to a thin-film optical body layer in which pigment particles having an average diameter of 500 nm or less are dispersed in a polyester polymer (see Patent Document 2). A product using such a thin film optical layer can change its appearance in various ways depending on the light and viewing angle. The document describes that this is used by attaching it to a window of a car or the like. It consists of multilayer optical films whose reflectivity for p-polarized light varies gradually with angle of incidence. Products using such a thin-film optical body layer are commercially available as design films for glass.

JP 2011-104974 A Japanese Patent Publication No. 2004-530164

In the accessory disclosed in Patent Document 1, even if the light from the retroreflective film appears to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction, it is only the effect of forming a brilliant cut surface on the surface of the transparent body. , and the retroreflective film itself does not have the effect of appearing to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction. Therefore, in the invention described in Patent Document 1, forming a brilliant cut surface on the surface of the transparent body is an essential component for exhibiting the effects of the invention. For this reason, in the invention disclosed in Patent Document 1, for example, characters or designs are applied to the inside of a transparent body, and while showing this as it is, the color changes depending on the direction from which the light from the retroreflective film is viewed. We cannot provide any accessories that make it visible.

On the other hand, if a thin-film optical body layer is placed between the retroreflective film and the transparent body, the effect of the thin-film optical body layer is that the light from the retroreflective film changes in various colors depending on the viewing direction. can be made visible. Therefore, it is possible to provide an accessory that looks different in color depending on the viewing direction of the light from the retroreflective film even when a transparent body having no brilliant-cut surface formed on its surface is arranged. For this reason, it is possible to provide an accessory in which letters or designs are applied to the inside of a transparent body so that the transparent body can be displayed as it is, while the color changes depending on the viewing direction. Furthermore, it is possible to apply to optical structures for various purposes other than accessories. It is considered to be. The above points are the same even when a specular film is arranged in place of or in addition to the retroreflective film. However, an optical structure constructed in this way is not yet known.

The present invention is made in view of such problems. That is, the problem to be solved by the present invention is to dispose a thin-film optical body layer between a retroreflective film or/and a mirror film and a transparent body, so that the effect of the thin-film optical body layer is the retroreflective film or Another object of the present invention is to provide an optical structure in which light transmitted through a thin-film optical body layer from a mirror film and light reflected by a thin-film optical body layer appear to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction. In addition, when a retroreflective film is used, the synergistic effect of the retroreflective film and the thin-film optical body layer is such that the light transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer from the retroreflective film changes to various colors depending on the viewing direction. To provide an optical structure that looks like

In order to solve the above problems, a first invention provides a thin-film optical body comprising a retroreflective film and/or a specular film, and an optical body directly or indirectly disposed on the retroreflective film and/or the specular film. a thin-film optical body layer, which is a layer of a thin-film optical body, which is a layer of a thin-film optical body, which is a layer composed of a transparent polymer material and fine-particle pigments dispersed therein so that the identified color changes depending on the viewing direction; and a transparent body disposed on the body layer.

A second invention is based on the first invention and provides an optical structure in which the transparent body has a lens structure.

A third invention provides an optical structure based on the first or second invention, wherein the transparent body is made of a silicone material.

A fourth invention is based on any one of the first to third inventions, wherein the transparent body and the thin-film optical layer are at least partially adhered using a silicone gel. Provide a structure.

A fifth invention is based on any one of the first to fourth inventions, and provides an optical structure in which a design is embedded in the transparent body.

A sixth invention provides an optical structure based on the fifth invention, wherein at least a portion of the design is composed of a luminous body and/or a phosphor.

A seventh invention provides an accessory using the optical structure according to any one of the first to sixth inventions.

An eighth invention provides a sign using the optical structure according to any one of the first to sixth inventions.

According to the present invention, by arranging the thin film optical body layer between the retroreflective film and/or the mirror film and the transparent body, the effect of the thin film optical body layer can be obtained from the retroreflective film and/or the mirror film. It is possible to provide an optical structure in which the light transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer and the light reflected by the thin-film optical body layer appear to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction. In addition, when a retroreflective film is used, the synergistic effect of the retroreflective film and the thin-film optical body layer is such that the light transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer from the retroreflective film changes to various colors depending on the viewing direction. It is possible to provide an optical structure that looks like

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of Embodiment 1; FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific application of the optical structure of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a shape in which the optical structures of Embodiment 1 are superimposed vertically symmetrically; FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific application of the optical structure of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific application of the optical structure of Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 2 shows an example of a specific application of the optical structure of Embodiment 1. FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing an example of a manufacturing process of an optical structure according to Embodiment 1; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of Embodiment 4; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of Embodiment 5; FIG. 11 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of Embodiment 5; FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the optical structure of Embodiment 4; A diagram showing an example of the configuration of a silicone gel film Flow chart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the optical structure of the fifth embodiment.

0100 optical structure 0101 retroreflective film and/or specular film 0102 thin optical layer 0103 transparent body 0804 silicone gel 0905 design object

Embodiments of the present invention are described below. The mutual relationship between the embodiments and the claims is as follows. Embodiment 1 mainly relates to claim 1, claim 7, claim 8, etc., embodiment 2 mainly relates to claim 2, etc., embodiment 3 mainly relates to claim 3, etc., and embodiment 4 mainly relates to Regarding claim 4 and the like, embodiment 5 mainly relates to claim 5 and the like, and embodiment 6 mainly relates to claim 6 and the like. The present invention is by no means limited to these embodiments, and can be embodied in various forms without departing from the scope of the invention.
<Embodiment 1>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 1, claim 7, claim 8, and the like.

<Embodiment 1: Overview>
An optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment comprises a retroreflective film and/or a specular film, a thin optical body layer, and a transparent body.

<Embodiment 1: Configuration>
(general)
FIG. 1 shows an example of the shape of the optical structure of this embodiment. Of these, (a) is a perspective view showing the overall shape, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of (a). As shown in the figure, the optical structure 0100 of this embodiment comprises a retroreflective film and/or mirror film 0101, a thin optical body layer 0102, and a transparent body 0103. FIG. In addition, the dashed line in (a) indicates a state in which the edge portion of the thin-film optical body layer is visible through the transparent body.

Applications of optical structures include, but are not limited to, accessories such as pendants, brooches, and earrings, and signs such as traffic safety badges. In addition, there is no particular limitation on its shape and dimensions, but when it is used for the above example, for example, in the case of a plano-convex lens shape as shown in FIG. 1, the diameter of the bottom surface is 3 to 5 cm A height of about 5 millimeters to 1 centimeter is preferred.

(retroreflective film)
The retroreflective film is a layered member arranged in the lowest layer of the optical structure, and is configured to reflect incident light in the direction of incidence through the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer. This reflection is performed, for example, by microscopic glass particles embedded in the retroreflective film.

Suitable specific examples of the retroreflective film used in the optical structure of the present invention include Scotchcal (registered trademark) 680 series manufactured by 3M. The series comes in a variety of color variations including black, blue, gold, green, lemon yellow, light blue, orange, red, ruby red, white and yellow. Therefore, it is possible to give variation to the color of the light emitted from the optical structure by properly using these retroreflective films of various colors depending on the application.

For example, polyvinyl chloride is used as the material of the retroreflective film. The retroreflective film manufactured by 3M, which is mentioned as a specific example above, is also made of such a material.

There is no particular limitation on the thickness of the retroreflective film, but if the optical structure is, for example, a small-sized accessory or sign as in the example above, it should be as thin as possible in order to make the entire optical structure compact. Desirably, it is, for example, about 150 to 250 micrometers. The retroreflective film thickness of the Scotchcal Reflective Sheet 680 series described above is 180 micrometers, which is an example of a suitable thickness for use in such small size optical constructions. Retroreflective films are retroreflective. It is a film that exhibits a reflection phenomenon in which most of the incident light returns to the direction of incidence with a special optical reflection mechanism, and the received light is returned to the light source as it is. As will be described later, the thin-film optical body layer changes its reflected light and transmitted light depending on the observation direction. Therefore, since the light reflected from the retroreflective film has a strong directivity, the color that can be visually recognized through the thin-film optical layer changes even if the viewing angle is changed. Therefore, it is possible to obtain an effect that the colors appear to change.

(mirror film)
A specular film is a layered member having a specular surface, and is formed by vapor-depositing a metal foil such as aluminum on the surface of a base material such as polyester. Unlike the retroreflective film, it rarely produces a synergistic effect with the thin film optical body layer, but by transmitting the reflected light from the mirror film through the thin film optical body layer, the color that is identified depending on the viewing direction changes. It is the same in that it can be made so, and the effects of the present invention can be fully exhibited.
The thickness of the specular film is also desirably about 150 to 250 micrometers, for example, from the same viewpoint as described above for the retroreflective film.

Either one of the retroreflective film and the specular film may be used, or both may be used in combination. When used in combination, for example, it is conceivable to arrange a retroreflective film in the center of a flat film surface, and arrange a specular film around it in contact therewith.

(Thin-film optical body layer)
The thin-film optical body layer is a layer composed of a thin-film optical body that is entirely translucent or additionally reflective and is placed directly or indirectly on the retroreflective film, and has a thickness of 50 to 50. It is about 100 micrometers. Indirect arrangement means, for example, arrangement on the retroreflective film via silicone gel.

The thin-film optical body layer is constructed by dispersing fine-particle pigments in a transparent polymer material so that the identified color changes depending on the viewing direction. In layman's terms, the thin-film optical layer is a film-like member that looks different depending on the viewing angle and whether it is reflected or transmitted. Details of the technical features of the thin-film optical layer are disclosed in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2, and the present invention utilizes such a known thin-film optical layer. Accordingly, the detailed description of the thin-film optical body layer is omitted in this specification, but a brief description will be given below to the extent necessary for understanding the present invention.

A transparent polymer material is literally a material made of a transparent polymer (polymer), and has the properties of excellent translucency in addition to the properties of polymer materials such as flexibility, lightness, and ease of processing. Specific materials include, for example, polyester-based polymers, and more specifically, polymers having terephthalate or naphthalate comonomer units, such as polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET). .

Next, a specific configuration will be described in which the thin-film optical body layer disperses fine particle pigments in a transparent polymer material to change the color to be identified depending on the viewing direction. In the present invention, the transparent polymeric material has a multilayer structure. Each layer is at least partially composed of materials with different refractive indices. For example, the upper and lower layers of the high refractive index layer are composed of low refractive index layers. Such films consist of isotropic and/or birefringent layers. The birefringent layer changes its reflectance for p-polarized light with the angle of incidence. Therefore, the thin-film optical body layer formed by laminating such layers appears to have different colors depending on the viewing angle. For example, at least each layer may contain different types of oriented coloring materials. With this configuration, different colors can be visually recognized depending on the viewing angle.

Particulate pigments dispersed in transparent polymeric materials, for example, are composed of particles having an average diameter of about 500 nanometers or less. Pigment materials include oxides and salts of carbon black, iron, titanium, antimony, zirconium, zinc, barium, calcium, cadmium, lead, chromium, molybdenum, manganese, silicon, aluminum, sodium, cobalt, copper and other metals. and inorganic compounds such as other compounds.

Preferable specific examples of thin-film optical layers having these configurations include Fasala (registered trademark) glass films "Dichroic Blaze" and "Dichroic Chill" manufactured by 3M. Each of these is a thin film optical body layer made of a specially processed polyester film, and in commercial products, an acrylic pressure-sensitive adhesive is added to the surface of the thin film optical body layer. It can be adhered to a member.

Among these, "dichroic blaze" has a visible light transmittance of 66% and a reflectance of 33%, and is relatively excellent in transmittance. On the other hand, "dichroic chill" has a visible light transmittance of 19% and a reflectance of 79%, and is relatively excellent in reflectivity. In addition, both "dichroic blaze" and "dichroic chill" have the advantages of being excellent in anti-scattering properties (safety), UV blocking properties, and abrasion resistance.

In the "dichroic blaze", the thickness of the thin-film optical body layer is 83 micrometers, and the thickness of the adhesive is 139 micrometers. On the other hand, the "dichroic chill" has a thickness of 78 micrometers in the thin-film optical body layer portion, and a thickness of 134 micrometers with the addition of the adhesive. For this reason, it is a suitable example for use as a thin-film optical body layer used for small-sized accessories and signs as described above.

As described above, the thin-film optical body layer is disposed on the upper layer of the retroreflective film and/or the mirror film (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "retroreflective film, etc."), thereby preventing incident light from the outside. Light that passes through the transparent body and is reflected by the thin-film optical layer, or light that enters from the outside, passes through the transparent body and the thin-film optical layer, is reflected by the retroreflective film, etc., and is transmitted through the thin-film optical layer again. The emitted light appears to change in various colors depending on the angle at which it is viewed, so that it is possible to enjoy the decorative effect and call attention. It should be noted that the change in color occurs more often when the optical transmittance of the thin-film optical body layer is higher. This is because the amount of reflected light from the retroreflective film or the like that can be seen through the thin-film optical layer increases. Here, the light transmittance of the thin-film optical body layer is preferably 50% or more. This is because the direct reflected light from the thin-film optical body layer does not contribute to the change in color depending on the viewing angle. Therefore, it is more preferably 60% or more.

(transparent body)
A transparency is a transparent, non-layered member that is disposed over the thin-film optical layer. Here, "non-layered" means that the transparent body is not layered but has a certain thickness. % or less. For example, when the optical structure has a plano-convex lens shape as shown in FIG. 1, and the diameter of the bottom surface of the transparent body is 3 cm, the height is about 4.5 mm or more and 9.0 mm or less. , When the diameter of the bottom is 5 centimeters, the height is about 7.5 millimeters or more and 15.0 millimeters or less.

Examples of materials for the transparent body include transparent silicone materials, transparent glass, and transparent acrylic resins. An example in which the material of the transparent body is a transparent silicone material will be described later in another embodiment. Transparent can include both colorless transparent and colored transparent.

In addition to being non-layered, the shape of the transparent body should be placed snugly on top of the thin film optical body layer. This is to prevent attenuation of light due to multiple reflection occurring in the gap between the thin-film optical body layer and the transparent body. Therefore, the bottom surface has a planar shape. However, there is no particular limitation on the shape other than this, and for example, the overall shape may be a rectangular parallelepiped, a columnar shape such as a cylinder, a truncated pyramid shape such as a truncated pyramid, or a truncated cone. Thus, the shape of the transparent body in the present invention is characterized in that it does not necessarily have to be a shape that refracts light, unlike the shape of the transparent body in which a brilliant cut surface is formed on the surface of the conventional invention. . By arranging the thin film optical body layer on the lower surface of the transparent body, the effect of appearing in various colors depending on the viewing direction appears as an effect due to the presence of the thin film optical body layer. This is because there is no need to realize the effect of the shape of the transparent body. Note that the transparent body may have a shape having a lens structure, and such an example will be described later in another embodiment.

The transparent body has a function of transmitting light from the light source and reflected light from the thin optical body layer, the retroreflective film, and the like. That is, incident light from an external light source reaches the thin-film optical layer through the transparent body, and part of the light passes through the thin-film optical layer and reaches the retroreflective film or the like. Then, the light reflected by the thin-film optical body layer and the light reflected by the retroreflective film or the like and transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer are emitted to the outside through the transparent body. In particular, when the transparent body has a lens structure or the like, it is possible to diverge and converge the light by refracting the passing light, thereby adding more complex colors to the light of the optical structure. An example in which the transparent body has a lens structure will be described later in another embodiment.

The transparent body also has the function of covering the thin-film optical body layer to protect it from damage and contamination.

A design object may be embedded in the transparent body, and at least a part of the design object may be composed of a luminous body and/or a phosphor. Such examples are described later in another embodiment. In these configurations, the transparent body also has the function of protecting the design.

(Examples of specific uses of optical structures)
Next, specific application examples of the optical structure configured as described above will be described.

(Example of specific use of optical structure (1): accessories)
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a specific application of the optical structure of this embodiment, showing an example of using it as an accessory. The example shown in this figure is an example of use as a pendant, in which a transparent body 0203 of an optical structure 0200 is cut into a polyhedron, and the optical structure is locked to a metal pedestal 0210 with claws. Other possible types of accessories include brooches, earrings, and rings. By using the optical structure of the present embodiment as an accessory, it is possible to provide an accessory that appears to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction, such as the color that appears to change each time the accessory swings.

In particular, for accessories such as pendants and earrings that can be rotated while being worn, by superimposing the optical structures of this embodiment vertically symmetrically, it is possible to enjoy the change in color due to rotation. You can also make

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a shape in which the optical structures 0300 of this embodiment are superimposed vertically symmetrically. At that time, by using different colors for the upper and lower retroreflective films and different reflectance/transmittance for the thin optical layer, you can enjoy even more color changes as the accessory rotates. be able to.

(Example of specific use of optical structure (2): Label)
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a specific application of the optical structure of this embodiment, showing an example of use as a label. The example shown in this figure is an example in which the hat of a pedestrian such as a child is attached and used as a badge for traffic safety. It is. A safety pin (not shown), for example, may be attached to the back surface of the pedestal for attachment to a hat or the like. In this case, since a retroreflective film (not shown) is placed in the bottom layer of the optical structure 0400, the light reflected from the headlights of the car or the like on the badge is reflected in the direction of the driver of the car, The presence of pedestrians can be alerted. Therefore, when used for such applications, it is desirable that the thin-film optical body layer has relatively high transmittance in order to increase the amount of light from the retroreflective film. However, in addition to the retroreflective film, a thin film optical body layer is arranged so that the reflected light can be visually recognized from various directions, so it is possible to call attention to drivers etc. in various directions. . Moreover, since the color of the light changes in various ways whenever the positional relationship between the driver and the pedestrian subtly changes, the driver's attention is more aroused, which contributes to traffic safety.

FIG. 5 also shows an example of use for a road sign as an example of a specific application of the optical structure of this embodiment, and shows an example of use for a road sign. In the example of this figure, an optical structure 0500 is arranged on a pedestal 0510 made of metal or the like having a truncated cone shape. A retroreflective film or the like may be arranged on the side surface 0511 of the base.

The dimensions of such road markings should be appropriately designed according to the characteristics of the place where they are placed. For example, when arranging on a substantially rectangular curb (an example of dimensions is about 15 cm long x about 60 cm wide x about 20 cm high), which is widely used as a boundary block for sidewalks and roadways, pedestrians In order to avoid obstructing traffic, it is desirable to have an upper surface diameter of 8 to 10 cm, a lower surface diameter of 9 to 11 cm, and a height of 1.8 to 2.2 cm. More preferably, the upper surface has a diameter of about 8.6 centimeters, the lower surface has a diameter of about 10.0 centimeters, and the height is about 2 centimeters.

Although not shown, such a road sign may be arranged on a substantially trapezoidal car stop in a side view of a parking lot. In this case, as in the case of arranging on the curb as described above, a car stop (an example of dimensions is about 10 cm long x about 60 cm wide x height) is used to avoid obstructing pedestrian traffic. 12 centimeters), the dimensions of the road markings to be placed on top should be 7 to 9 centimeters in diameter at the top, 6 to 8 centimeters in diameter at the bottom, and 1.8 to 2.2 centimeters in height. is desirable. In addition, since there are various standards for car stops in parking lots, it is desirable to determine the shape and size according to the upper surface width of the car stops to be arranged.

Also, although not shown in the drawings, optical structures configured in the same manner as road markings may be used as markings by arranging them on the outer wall surface, inner wall surface, floor surface, or ceiling surface of a building. good.

Furthermore, the optical structure of this embodiment is attached to the top surface of a support such as a fall prevention protective fence installed along a river or a cliff, or a guardrail installed at the boundary between a roadway and a sidewalk. may be

FIG. 6 shows an example of using the optical structure for a sign as an example of a specific application of the optical structure of this embodiment, and shows a cross-sectional view of an example of using the optical structure by attaching it to the top surface of a post of a protective fence. . In the example of this figure, a screw 0604 is attached to the bottom of the optical structure 0600 and screwed into a screw hole 0612 provided in a base substrate 0610 made of metal or the like. The substrate is attached to the top surface of the pillar 0630 of the protective fence using the inserting attachment portion 0620 (member for attaching the optical structure/base substrate to the pillar main body). As shown in the example of this figure, it is desirable that the base substrate has a skirt portion 0611 that protrudes downward in an annular shape on the peripheral edge thereof, and that the inner diameter of the skirt portion substantially matches the outer diameter of the column main body. As a result, when the base board is attached to the support body, the outer wall of the support body is inscribed with the inner wall of the skirt portion, thereby preventing rainwater, dust, etc. from entering the cavity of the support body. can be made difficult to fall off from the support body. Such an optical structure allows passers-by to more clearly recognize the position of the protective fence, so that it is possible to appropriately call their attention to prevent falls.

<Embodiment 1: Method for manufacturing an optical structure>
Next, a method for manufacturing the optical structure of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the optical structure of this embodiment.
That is, as shown in the figure, in the optical structure manufacturing method of the present embodiment, first, a retroreflective film is prepared in a retroreflective film preparation step S0701. The case where only the retroreflective film is used will be described below, but the same applies to the case where a specular film is used in place of or in addition to the retroreflective film (the same applies hereinafter).

Next, in the thin film optical body layer placement step S0702, the thin film optical body layer is adhered to the upper layer of the retroreflective film using an adhesive or the like and placed. In the case of using the above-mentioned Scotchcal (registered trademark) reflective sheet 680 series manufactured by 3M as the retroreflective film, the adhesive is applied to the film in advance, so the thin film optical body can be obtained by simply peeling off the release paper. Layers can be glued together. Alternatively, silicone gel may be placed on the retroreflective film, and the thin-film optical body layer may be placed in close contact therewith. In any installation method, it is desirable that the retroreflective film and the thin-film optical body layer are placed in close contact with each other to the extent that air does not enter between the two so that light is not attenuated between them.

Next, in a transparent body arrangement step S0703, a transparent body is adhered and arranged on the thin-film optical body layer using an adhesive or the like. When the above-mentioned Fasala (registered trademark) glass film "Dichroic Blaze" or "Dichroic Chill" manufactured by 3M is used as the thin-film optical layer, the adhesive is applied to the film in advance. A transparent body can be adhered as it is just by peeling it off. Alternatively, a silicone gel may be placed on the thin-film optical body layer, and the transparent body may be placed in close contact therewith. Such examples are described later in another embodiment.

<Embodiment 1: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, by arranging the thin film optical body layer between the retroreflective film or the like and the transparent body, the effect of the thin film optical body layer can be obtained from the retroreflective film or the like. It is possible to provide an optical structure in which the light transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer and the light reflected by the thin-film optical body layer appear to change in various colors depending on the viewing direction.
<Embodiment 2>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 2 and the like.

<Embodiment 2: Overview>
The optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment is basically the same as the optical structure of Embodiment 1, but is characterized in that the transparent body has a lens structure.

<Embodiment 2: Configuration>

The configuration of the optical structure of this embodiment is basically the same as the configuration of the optical structure described in the first embodiment. However, in the optical structure of this embodiment, the transparent body has a lens structure.

A lens structure refers to a structure or shape that functions as a lens to refract and diverge or converge light. There are no restrictions on the structure of the lens. Further, the shape of the lens is not particularly limited, except that the bottom surface of the transparent body is necessarily planar because the bottom surface of the transparent body is planar. The transparent body shown in FIG. 1 is also an example in which the transparent body has a lens structure, and the transparent body has the structure and shape of a plano-convex lens. In the case of a plano-convex lens, light incident on the lens surface is reduced and projected onto the thin film optical layer and the retroreflective film. In particular, the lighting in the room is projected in a reduced size and has a higher illuminance than other objects in the room. is observed and becomes an aesthetic image. It can be observed particularly beautifully when there are multiple light sources in the room.

In addition to the plano-convex lens described above, the types of lens shapes include plano-convex lenses, prism lenses, Fresnel lenses, and the like. Prism lenses include a right-angled triangular prism lens (having a right-angled triangular prism shape), a 60-degree prism lens (having a regular triangular prism shape), and the like. A Fresnel lens is a lens in which a normal lens is divided into concentric areas to reduce the thickness, and has a sawtooth cross section. In this case, the normal lens includes a plano-convex lens, a plano-concave lens, etc. . Furthermore, a plurality of lenses of the same type and/or different types may be combined and arranged.

The significance of making the transparent body into a lens structure is as follows. Light reflected by the retroreflective film is configured to be directed in the direction of incidence. When this light is transmitted through the thin-film optical body layer, its color changes depending on the observation direction, but the emission direction itself of the light basically does not change. Here, when the transparent body has a lens structure, it is possible to diverge and converge the light by refracting the passing light, thereby adding more complex colors to the light of the optical structure. For example, when the transparent body has a plano-convex lens structure, the light is converged and observed as stronger light, so that a brighter decorative effect can be exhibited. Further, for example, when the transparent body has a plano-concave lens structure, the light is diverged, so that it is possible to call attention to a wider range of people.

In addition, in the optical structure of the present embodiment, the thin film optical layer and the design applied to its surface can be visually recognized even from the oblique direction or the lateral direction because the thin film optical layer can be seen floating. can be As a specific configuration for realizing this, it is possible to use the technology related to the wide-field indicator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-55466. All the inventors of the invention are included in the inventors of the present invention.

This wide-field indicator consists of a base having an indicator surface for marking on the upper side, and a convex lens placed on the indicator surface without an air layer between, and the convex lens is centered on the optical axis of the lens. It is a point-symmetrical lens, characterized in that the convex lens and the indicating surface are adhered via a gel material. Therefore, in the optical structure of the present embodiment, a convex lens (more specifically, a point-symmetrical lens with respect to the lens optical axis) is placed on the thin-film optical layer without an air layer between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer. This makes it possible to realize an optical structure in which such a thin-film optical body layer appears to be floating. At that time, as a configuration for arranging without sandwiching an air layer, a configuration using a silicone gel as described in the next embodiment can be used.

<Embodiment 2: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, by making the transparent body of the optical structure into a lens structure, it is possible to further change the color of the light emitted from the optical structure.
<Embodiment 3>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 3 and the like.

<Embodiment 3: Overview>
The optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment is basically the same as the optical structure of Embodiment 1 or 2, but is characterized in that the transparent body is made of a silicone material.

<Embodiment 3: Configuration>
In the optical structure of this embodiment, the transparent body is made of a silicone material. The configuration of the transparent body made of silicone material will be described below. Since the rest of the configuration is the same as described in the first embodiment, the description is omitted.

(Transparent body: made of silicone material)
The silicone material forming the transparent body includes silicone resin, silicone rubber, and the like. Since silicone materials are excellent in transparency and weather resistance, by using a silicone material for the transparent body, it is possible to improve the light emission function of the optical structure and to reduce deterioration such as white turbidity caused by ultraviolet rays. .

Further, phosphorescent powder may be mixed with the silicone material to such an extent that the light from the thin-film optical body layer is not prevented from being emitted from the transparent body. This makes it possible to visually recognize the optical structure even at night.

An example of a method for producing a silicone material mixed with such a phosphorescent powder is to mix the phosphorescent powder with liquid phenylsilicone and then solidify the liquid phenylsilicone while precipitating it. Here, phenylsilicone refers to silicone to which a phenyl group (--C ₆ H ₅ ) is added, and is particularly excellent in transparency, so that a transparent body with high transparency can be obtained. A suitable material is a liquid material made of phenyl silicone (product name: X-32-3360AB) manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

Specific examples of the silicone material constituting the transparent body include, in addition to the phenylsilicone mentioned above, methylsilicone, organically modified silicone, fluorosilicone, and mixtures of two or more of these. These silicone materials, like phenylsilicone, are also characterized by excellent flame retardancy and high hardness.

Luminous powder may be mixed in the silicone material to such an extent that the light from the thin-film optical body layer is not prevented from being emitted from the transparent body. This makes it possible to visually recognize the optical structure even at night.

<Embodiment 3: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, by making the transparent body of the optical structure made of a silicone material, the transparent body can be made excellent in transparency, weather resistance, etc. In addition to enhancing the light output function of the lens, it is possible to reduce deterioration such as clouding caused by ultraviolet rays.
<Embodiment 4>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 4 and the like.

<Embodiment 4: Overview>
The optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment is basically the same as the optical structures of Embodiments 1 to 3, but the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer are at least partially adhered using silicone gel. It is characterized by being

<Embodiment 4: Configuration>
FIGS. 8A and 8B are diagrams showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of the present embodiment, in which FIG. 8A is a sectional view similar to FIG. 1B above. Moreover, (b) is an enlarged view of a portion surrounded by a dashed circle a in (a). As shown in these figures, the optical structure 0800 of this embodiment comprises a retroreflective film 0801, a thin film optical body layer 0802, and a transparent body 0803. The transparent body and the thin film optical body layer are , are adhered using a silicone gel 0804. The purpose is to prevent air gaps from forming between the transparent body and the thin-film optical layer, so that the light-emitting luminance of the thin-film optical layer is not impaired. Since silicone gel is excellent in adhesiveness and adhesiveness, it is extremely suitable as a means for achieving this purpose. In addition, in the present embodiment, the transparent body is made of a silicone material, and since the silicone gel is the same material as the transparent body, the compatibility between the two is high. It also has the advantage of being able to flexibly follow and avoid peeling of the adhered portion.

Silicone gels to be used include, for example, Smith & Nephew's silicone gel film (product name: Opsite Gentle Roll) and Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. silicone gel (product name: KE-1052 (A/B )). The thickness of the silicone gel depends on the shape of the entire optical body layer. An example of the thickness of the silicone gel is about 0.03 to 0.80 mm, more preferably about 0.03 to 0.80 mm when the thickness of the thin film optical body layer is about 50 to 100 micrometers. It is about 0.1-0.2 millimeters.

Placing the silicone gel also has a waterproof effect. In other words, the transparent body and the thin film optical body layer may expand and contract due to temperature changes, but the coefficient of thermal expansion of each material is different. Since they are different, there is a risk that a gap will be formed between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer due to expansion and contraction, and moisture will permeate the gap. However, if the silicone gel is placed between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer as in this embodiment, even if the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer expand or contract due to thermal changes or the like, Due to the flexibility and adhesiveness of the silicone gel, the silicone gel fills the space so as to follow the gap created by this, so that the two can be kept in close contact with each other. Therefore, there is no possibility that water will permeate the gap between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer, wet the thin-film optical body layer, and deteriorate the thin-film optical body layer. In this case, by arranging the silicone gel so as to cover the entire side end surfaces of the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer, water is prevented from entering through the gaps between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer. is desirable. Furthermore, from the same point of view, the silicone gel can be arranged so as to cover the entire side end surfaces of the thin optical body layer and the retroreflective film in order to prevent moisture from penetrating through the gaps between the sides of the thin optical body layer and the retroreflective film. desirable. FIG. 8 also shows an example in which the silicone gel is arranged so as to cover the entire side end faces of the transparent body, the thin film optical body layer, and the retroreflective film. In this case, if the silicone gel is exposed to the outside, it is likely to be soiled. To prevent this, for example, as shown in FIG. It is desirable to place a cover 0807 of

Furthermore, as an effect of arranging the silicone gel between the transparent body and the thin-film optical body layer, when the optical structure is likely to be stepped on by people or vehicles, such as a road marking board, Even if the road marking plate is compressed in the vertical direction, the flexible silicone gel acts as a cushion, increasing the compressive strength and preventing damage to the optical structure. .

<Embodiment 4: Manufacturing method of optical structure>
Next, a method for manufacturing the optical structure of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the optical structure of this embodiment. Of these steps, the details of the processes in the retroreflective film preparation step S1101 and the thin-film optical body layer placement step S1102 are the same as those described in the optical structure manufacturing method of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof is omitted.

After step S1102, silicone gel is placed on the thin-film optical body layer in silicone gel placement step S1103, and then a transparent body is placed on the thin-film optical body layer in transparent body placement step S1104. . Specific procedures when using, for example, the aforementioned Smith & Nephew silicone gel film as the silicone gel are as follows.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of a silicone gel film, showing an example of the above-mentioned Smith & Nephew silicone gel film. As shown in this figure, this silicone gel film has a five-layer structure. an intermediate layer 1204a of harder silicone, an adhesive upper and lower layer 1204b attached in a gel state to the intermediate layer, and a separator between the top and bottom layers 1204c. First, the separator on one side is peeled off to expose one of the upper and lower layers of the silicone gel film. Next, the separator on the opposite side is peeled off to expose the other of the upper layer and the lower layer, and the silicone gel film is adhered firmly to the bottom surface of the transparent body so that air does not enter. Since silicone gel has high adhesiveness, it can be firmly attached without using an adhesive, so that light from the thin-film optical body layer to the transparent body via the silicone gel is hardly attenuated.

<Embodiment 4: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, there is provided an optical structure in which an air gap is prevented from occurring between the transparent body and the thin-film optical layer so that the luminance of the thin-film optical layer is not impaired. can be provided.
<Embodiment 5>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 5 and the like.

<Embodiment 5: Overview>
The optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment is basically the same as the optical structures of Embodiments 1 to 4, but is characterized in that a design is embedded in a transparent body.

<Embodiment 5: Configuration>
FIG. 9 shows an example of the shape of the optical structure of this embodiment. Of these, (a) is a perspective view showing the overall shape, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line XX of (a). As shown in the figure, an optical structure 0900 of this embodiment comprises a retroreflective film 0910 , a thin optical body layer 0920 , a transparent body 0930 and a design 0950 . The configuration of the design will be described below. Since the rest of the configuration is the same as described in the first embodiment, the description is omitted.

<designed object>
In the present invention, the term "designed article" refers to characters, figures, symbols, patterns, colors, or combinations thereof that can be visually recognized by humans. It may be something to convey a specific meaning to the viewer, or it may be just a decoration. FIG. 9 shows an example in which the design is English characters. Moreover, as a form in which the design is "embedded in the transparent body", it may be completely contained inside the transparent body, or may be in contact with the bottom surface of the transparent body. When the design touches the bottom surface, the design object may have no thickness, so to speak, drawn on the bottom surface of the transparent body, or it may be something with a certain thickness embedded flush with the transparent body. can be anything. The above example of FIG. 9 is an example in which the design is completely contained inside the transparent body. When the design is completely contained inside the transparent body in this way, the design placed at a distance from the thin-film optical body layer appears to be reflected by the thin-film optical body layer. It looks as if two vertically symmetrical designs exist, and can enhance the decorative effect and the attention-calling effect. FIG. 9 also shows a state 0906 in which the design 0905 is reflected by the thin-film optical layer.

Further, the optical structure of the present embodiment, as described in Embodiment 2, uses the technology related to the wide-field indicator disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2021-55466, so that the thin-film optical body layer In addition, it is also possible to adopt a configuration in which the design is made to stand out and can be visually recognized even from the oblique direction or the lateral direction.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an example of the shape of the optical structure of the present embodiment, and shows a state in which the thin-film optical body layer and the design appear floating as seen from the side. . The example in this figure is an example in which the design is embedded in the transparent body in the same state as shown in FIG. The whole thin-film optical body layer looks floating, and the design and the thin-film optical body can be visually recognized even from the side.
<Embodiment 5: Manufacturing method of optical structure>
Next, a method for manufacturing the optical structure of this embodiment will be described.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart showing an example of the manufacturing process of the optical structure of this embodiment. Of these steps, the details of the processes in the retroreflective film preparation step S1301 and the thin film optical body layer arrangement step S1302 are the same as those described in the optical structure manufacturing method of the first embodiment, and therefore description thereof is omitted.

After step S1302, in design placement step S1303, the design is placed by embedding the design in the transparent body. As a specific processing procedure, for example, when the transparent body is a silicone resin, liquid silicone is poured into a mold, for example, about half of it, heated to solidify, and then a design is placed on the solidified surface to melt the liquid. The silicone is poured into the remaining space of the mold and heated and solidified. As the liquid silicone, for example, a liquid material made of phenyl silicone (product name: X-32-3360AB) manufactured by Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd. is used. Further, heating is performed, for example, by placing the mold on a hot plate and heating at 100 to 140° C. for about 8 to 12 minutes, and then using a dryer at 100 to 140° C. for about 1.8 to 2.2 hours. Heating may be considered. By using a hot plate for heating, it is possible to obtain a transparent body with a flat surface by preventing wrinkles on the surface of the transparent body and generation of air bubbles in the interior of the body, thereby obtaining an optical structure. It has the advantage that it is possible not to impair the luminance of the emitted light.

Next, in a transparent body arrangement step S1304, a transparent body in which the design object is embedded in step S1303 is arranged on the thin film optical body layer.

<Embodiment 5: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, by embedding a design in a transparent body, it is possible to provide an optical structure capable of transmitting various information and enhancing decorative effects. .
<Embodiment 6>

This embodiment mainly relates to claim 6 and the like.

<Embodiment 6: Overview>
The optical structure according to the invention of this embodiment is basically the same as the optical structure of Embodiment 5, but is characterized in that at least a part of the design is composed of a phosphorescent material and/or a fluorescent material. be.

<Embodiment 6: Configuration>
At least a part of the design of the optical structure of the present embodiment is composed of a luminous body and/or a phosphor. The configuration of such a design will be described below. Since the rest of the configuration is the same as that described in the fifth embodiment, the description is omitted.

(Design objects: those composed of luminous bodies and/or phosphors)
Of the luminous bodies and/or phosphors that make up the design, the luminous bodies receive irradiation of light such as sunlight, absorb the light energy, emit light, and remain for a certain period of time even after the supply of light energy is stopped. It is a member that continues to emit light by emitting light. As a specific material for the luminous body, for example, a material obtained by using strontium aluminate as a mother crystal and adding silicon, phosphorus, calcium, cerium, europium, dysprosium, or the like thereto is used. At that time, SrAl2O4 or Sr4Al14O25 is desirable as strontium aluminate. On the other hand, phosphors similarly absorb light energy and emit light, but do not emit light after the supply of light energy is stopped. Europium, cerium, yttrium, etc. are generally used as specific materials for the phosphor.

<Embodiment 6: Effects>
According to the invention of this embodiment, the design embedded in the transparent body can be made visible even at night. It is possible to provide an optical structure capable of

Claims (8)

a retroreflective film or/and a specular film;
A thin-film optical body layer composed of an optical body directly or indirectly disposed on the retroreflective film or/and the specular film, wherein the pigment is dispersed in a transparent polymer material and the color is distinguished depending on the viewing direction. a thin-film optical body layer that is a layer of a thin-film optical body configured to change the
a transparent body disposed on the thin-film optical body layer;
An optical structure consisting of: The optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said transparent body has a lens structure. 3. An optical structure according to claim 1, wherein said transparent body is made of a silicone material. 4. The optical structure according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the transparent body and the thin-film optical layer are at least partially adhered using a silicone gel. 5. The optical structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein a design is embedded in the transparent body. 6. The optical structure according to claim 5, wherein at least part of said design is composed of a phosphorescent material and/or a fluorescent material. An accessory using the optical structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6. A label using the optical structure according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

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