Patent Description:
<CIT> and <CIT> disclose methods for manufacturing optical films wherein the image sharpness and other optical properties of samples are determined by processing the MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) value.

In various contexts, it is advantageous to affix transparent coverings to a substrate. Windows of buildings or vehicles may be covered with transparent window films for tinting (e.g. for privacy), for thermal insulation, to block ultraviolet (UV) radiation, or for decoration. Protective eyewear (e.g. goggles, glasses, and facemasks for off-road vehicle use, medical procedures, etc.) may be covered with a stack of transparent lenses for easy tear-away as the eyewear becomes dirty and obstructs the wearer's vision. Display screens of mobile phones, personal computers, ATMs and vending terminals, etc. may be covered with protective lenses to prevent damage to the underlying screen or block side viewing (e.g. for privacy and security in public places). While the majority of such applications transmit light to an observer at normal incidence, non-normal incidence applications exist as well. In the case of automobile windshields, for example, there has been a trend to increase the angle of incidence to <NUM>-<NUM> degrees from normal or even higher in an effort to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency.

The co-inventors have discovered an increase in optical distortion when transparent coverings (e.g. glazing films) are applied at high angles of incidence (e.g. greater than <NUM> degrees from normal) as in the case of transparent coverings applied to vehicle windshields. The present disclosure contemplates various apparatuses and methods for manufacturing polymer films that overcome this difficulty, as well as polymer films made in accordance therewith. One aspect of the embodiments of the disclosure is a method of manufacturing a polymer film. The method may include melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

The process parameter may be a temperature setting of a heater used in the melting.

The process parameter may be a rotation speed of an extrusion screw used in the extruding.

The process parameter may be a rotation speed of a roller used in the shaping or the cooling.

The method may include capturing an additional image of the test pattern through the polymer film with the polymer film at a different angle relative to the test pattern and calculating an additional modulation transfer function value from the additional image. The adjusting may be based on the calculated additional modulation transfer function value. During the capturing of the image, the polymer film may be at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees. During the capturing of the additional image of the test pattern through the polymer film, the polymer film may be at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees.

The capturing of the image may be performed by an imaging radiometer <NUM>-<NUM> meters from the test pattern. The capturing of the image may be performed with the test pattern <NUM>-<NUM> meters from the polymer film.

The test pattern may comprise line pairs.

The method may include capturing a baseline image of the test pattern that is not taken through the polymer film and calculating a baseline modulation transfer function value from the baseline image. The adjusting may be based on a difference between the calculated modulation transfer function value and the calculated baseline modulation transfer function value. During the capturing of the image, the polymer film may be at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees. The adjusting may be performed such that the difference between the calculated modulation transfer function value and the calculated baseline modulation transfer function value is kept below <NUM>. The method may include capturing an additional image of the test pattern through the polymer film with the polymer film at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees and calculating an additional modulation transfer function value from the additional image. The adjusting may be performed such that the difference between the calculated additional modulation transfer function and the calculated baseline modulation transfer function is kept below <NUM>. During the capturing of the image, the polymer film may be at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM> degrees. During the capturing of the additional image, the polymer film may be at an angle relative to the test pattern of <NUM> degrees.

The polymer film may be a biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate film.

The process parameter may affect a density variation of the polymer film.

The process parameter may affect a refractive index variation in the polymer film. The process parameter may affect a frequency of refractive index changes on the order of <NUM> in the polymer film.

Another aspect of the embodiments of the disclosure is a polymer film. The polymer film may have a density variation such that a difference between i) a first modulation transfer function value calculated from an image of a test pattern captured through the polymer film with the polymer film at an angle of <NUM> degrees relative to the test pattern and ii) a baseline modulation transfer function calculated from an image of the test pattern that is not taken through the polymer film is less than <NUM>. The density variation may be such that a difference between i) a second modulation transfer function value calculated from an image of a test pattern captured through the polymer film with the polymer film at an angle of <NUM> degrees relative to the test pattern and ii) the baseline modulation transfer function is less than <NUM>.

Another aspect of the embodiments of the disclosure is an apparatus for manufacturing a polymer film. The apparatus may include an extruder assembly for melting a resin and extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, a roller for shaping and/or cooling the polymer film, an image sensor for capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, and a computer for calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image and adjusting a process parameter of the extruder assembly or the roller based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

These and other features and advantages of the various embodiments disclosed herein will be better understood with respect to the following description and drawings, in which like numbers refer to like parts throughout, and in which:.

The present disclosure encompasses polymer films and polymer film manufacturing apparatuses and methods. The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of several embodiments. It is not intended to represent the only form in which the disclosed subject matter may be developed or utilized within the scope of the appended claims. The description sets forth the functions and features in connection with the illustrated embodiments. It is further understood that the use of relational terms such as first and second and the like are used solely to distinguish one from another entity without necessarily requiring or implying any actual such relationship or order between such entities.

<FIG> shows an example apparatus <NUM> for manufacturing a polymer film <NUM> such as a biaxially oriented polyethelene terephthalate (BoPET) film according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. During or after the manufacture of the polymer film <NUM>, an image sensor <NUM>, such as an imaging radiometer or camera, captures an image of a test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM>. A computer <NUM> calculates a modulation transfer function (MTF) value from the captured image and feeds the result back into the manufacturing process of the polymer film <NUM>. In this way, the apparatus <NUM> may adjust one or more process parameters that have been found by the inventor to influence optical distortion in the manufactured polymer film <NUM>.

<FIG> and <FIG> show example graphical representations of MTF data for various brands of BoPET films at various angles of incidence. The data, shown as a line graph in <FIG> and a bar graph in <FIG>, represents the difference in measured MTF values (ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> on the y-axis) between an image of a test pattern <NUM> viewed through a transparent sample and an image of the test pattern <NUM> directly, as a function of angle of incidence (ranging from <NUM> to <NUM> degrees from normal) for four BoPET film samples T10, T9, T8, and T7, as well as for a <NUM> Med. <NUM>-Ply (i.e., medical grade) BoPET film sample and a bare glass sample. As can be seen, for all of the polymer film samples, the distortion represented by the MTF difference gradually increases with angle of incidence until around <NUM> degrees, at which point the data exhibits a "knee" indicative of a sudden increase in distortion as the MTF of the films starts to collapse. This sudden worsening of the MTF of polymer films at around <NUM> degrees, which is not present in bare glass, is believed to be due to the occurrence of random small changes in refractive index on the order of <NUM> caused by density variations across the polymer film as it is extruded and cooled during manufacturing. By feeding MTF data back into the manufacturing process, it is thus possible to tune the relevant process parameters to produce a polymer film having improved distortion characteristics at off-normal incidence.

Referring back to <FIG>, an example extruder assembly <NUM> of the apparatus <NUM> may include a hopper <NUM> for loading polymer resin (e.g. pellets, beads, etc.), a heater <NUM> for providing heat to the extruder assembly <NUM> to melt the resin, an extrusion screw <NUM> for moving the resin forward through one or more heated regions of the extruder assembly <NUM> (e.g. by rotating within a barrel), and a die <NUM> having a desired shape through which the melted resin is forced to produce the resulting polymer film <NUM>. The polymer film <NUM> may thereafter be cooled and/or further shaped by one or more downstream rollers <NUM>, eventually bringing the polymer film <NUM> to its final thickness and shape.

As noted above, it is believed that density variations across the polymer film as it is extruded and cooled cause changes in the index of refraction that result in the increased distortion found at higher angles of incidence. Therefore, it is contemplated that the apparatus <NUM> may be configured to adjust one or more process parameters that affect the density variation of the polymer film <NUM> and/or the refractive index variation in the polymer film <NUM>. Relevant process parameters may include, for example, a temperature setting of the heater <NUM> used in melting the resin (e.g. absolute temperature or relative temperatures of a gradient or profile of a plurality of heated regions of the extruder assembly <NUM>), a rotation speed of the extrusion screw <NUM> (which may determine melting time as well as degree of mixing of the resin), and/or a rotation speed of the one or more rollers <NUM> (which may determine cooling time and/or a degree of force acting on the polymer film <NUM> during or prior to cooling to stretch or otherwise shape the polymer film <NUM> in longitudinal and/or transverse directions while the polymer film <NUM> is still pliable). The computer <NUM> may be programmed to adjust one or more such process parameters or any other relevant process parameters of the melting, extruding, shaping, or cooling based on a calculated MTF value associated with the manufactured polymer film <NUM>. In this way, the distortion of the polymer film <NUM> may be optimized for the intended angle of incidence at which the polymer film <NUM> will be used.

The MTF value calculated by the computer <NUM> may be, for example, a single value of a modulation transfer function corresponding to a specific spatial frequency (e.g. a contrast percentage when resolving a specific number of line pairs per millimeter), an average value of a modulation transfer function over a range of spatial frequencies, or any other value representative of or derived from a modulation transfer function. In the example of the apparatus <NUM> shown in <FIG>, a test pattern <NUM> comprising line pairs defining one or more spatial frequencies (e.g. <NUM> LP/mm) is set up behind the polymer film <NUM>, and an image sensor <NUM> (e.g. a <NUM>-megapixel imaging radiometer) is positioned to capture an image of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM>. The test pattern may be <NUM>-<NUM> meters (e.g. <NUM> meters) from the polymer film <NUM>, and the image sensor <NUM> may be <NUM>-<NUM> meters (e.g. <NUM> meters) from the polymer film <NUM>. The test pattern <NUM> may be produced by an LCD pattern generator, for example, in which case the one or more spatial frequencies may be sequentially generated. Alternatively, the test pattern <NUM> may be printed on a substrate and may include one or more spatial frequencies located in different regions of the substrate.

The MTF value calculated from the image captured through the polymer film <NUM> may be compared to a baseline MTF value calculated from a direct image of the test pattern <NUM> without the polymer film <NUM>. For example, the baseline MTF value may be subtracted from the MTF value associated with the polymer film <NUM> such that a difference value of "<NUM>" represents no distortion caused by the polymer film <NUM> and a difference value of "<NUM>" represents total distortion (i.e. no resolution). In this way, a difference in measured MTF values between an image of the test pattern <NUM> viewed through the polymer film <NUM> and an image of the test pattern <NUM> directly may be obtained, such as difference data of the type shown in <FIG> and <FIG>. To this end, as shown in the example of <FIG>, the test pattern <NUM> may be positioned relative to the polymer film <NUM> and the image sensor <NUM> such that the field of view of the image sensor <NUM> encompasses both a region R1 of the test pattern <NUM> that is behind the polymer film <NUM> and a region R2 of the test pattern <NUM> that is not behind the polymer film <NUM>. With such arrangement, the image sensor <NUM> may capture a baseline image of the test pattern <NUM> that is not taken through the polymer film <NUM> but is otherwise taken under the same conditions as the image captured through the polymer film <NUM>. Alternatively, the baseline image of the test pattern <NUM> may be captured at a different time under substantially the same conditions.

In order to obtain MTF values for different angles of the polymer film <NUM>, multiple images may be taken with the polymer film <NUM> rotated relative to the image sensor <NUM> and/or test pattern <NUM>. For example, during the capturing of a first image of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM>, the polymer film may be at an angle relative of the test pattern <NUM> of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees (e.g. <NUM> degrees) and, during capturing of an additional image of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM>, the polymer film <NUM> may be at an angle relative to the test pattern <NUM> of <NUM>-<NUM> degrees (e.g. <NUM> degrees). The computer <NUM> may then adjust the manufacturing process parameter(s) based on both the MTF value calculated form the first image and an additional MTF value calculated from the additional image, both relative to a baseline MTF value as described above. It is contemplated that a sufficiently distortion-free film for use at off-normal incidence (e.g. for vehicle windshields) may have an MTF value difference (relative to baseline) of below <NUM> at <NUM> degrees and an MTF value difference (relative to baseline) of below <NUM> at <NUM> degrees.

It is contemplated that the computer <NUM> may be programmed to adjust the process parameter(s) automatically without user input or in response to commands entered into a user interface of the computer <NUM>. In this regard, the apparatus <NUM> may be set up to allow the image sensor <NUM> to capture images of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM> in a continuous process. For example, the various images described above may be captured during or after cooling while the polymer film <NUM> is on the roller(s) <NUM>. In the case of multiple images at different angles of incidence, multiple image sensors <NUM> and/or test patterns <NUM> may be set up at different stages or a single image sensor <NUM> and/or test pattern <NUM> may automatically move to multiple positions. As the computer <NUM> calculates MTF values from the captured images, the computer <NUM> continuously adjusts the relevant process parameters in order to keep the desired MTF value(s) (or difference(s) from baseline thereof) below specified values. Alternatively, the apparatus <NUM> may be set up to capture images and make adjustments to process parameters in a batch to batch process, either automatically or by manual operation. For example, after a polymer film <NUM> batch is completed (or during cooling), the relevant MTF values may be calculated and the computer <NUM> may make adjustments to the process parameters to improve the distortion characteristics of the next batch or to optimize the distortion characteristics of the next batch for a different purpose (e.g. to minimize distortion at a different range of angles of incidence).

<FIG> and <FIG> show an example operational flow according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, with <FIG> detailing an example subprocess of step <NUM> of <FIG>. Referring by way of example to the apparatus <NUM> shown in <FIG>, the operational flow may begin with a step <NUM> of melting a resin, a step <NUM> of extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film <NUM>, and steps <NUM> and <NUM> of shaping (e.g. stretching) and cooling the polymer film <NUM>. For example, steps <NUM>, <NUM>, <NUM>, and <NUM> may be performed by an extruder assembly <NUM> and downstream roller(s) <NUM> as described in relation to <FIG>. During or subsequent to these steps, the operational flow may include a step <NUM> of capturing one or more images of a test pattern <NUM> (e.g. using an image sensor <NUM>). As shown in <FIG>, the capturing of one or more images of the test pattern <NUM> may include a step <NUM> of capturing a first image of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM> at a first angle (e.g. around <NUM> degrees from normal), a step <NUM> of capturing an additional image of the test pattern <NUM> through the polymer film <NUM> at a second angle (e.g. around <NUM> degrees from normal), and a step <NUM> of capturing a baseline image of the test pattern <NUM> that is not taken through the polymer film <NUM>. For example, the baseline image may be taken by the image sensor <NUM> of a region R2 of the test pattern <NUM> that is not behind the polymer film <NUM>. In some cases, the baseline image <NUM> may be taken at a different time altogether.

Claim 1:
A method of manufacturing a polymer film, the method comprising:
melting a resin;
extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film;
shaping the polymer film;
cooling the polymer film;
capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film;
calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image; and
characterised by continuously
adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.