Electro-active spectacle employing modal liquid crystal lenses

• US 20050185135A1
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Published: 08/25/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Vision Optics LLC
• Original Assignee: e-Vision, LLC (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Duston, Dwight P., Kokonaski, William
• Granted Patent: US 7,404,636 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/168
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 2039/505 comprising antibodies
• CPC Class Codes: A61K 38/00 Medicinal preparations containing peptides peptides containing beta-lactam rings A61K31/00; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, A61K31/00; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type A61K31/48; containing macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units A61K31/74; medicinal preparations containing antigens or antibodies A61K39/00; medicinal preparations characterised by the non-active ingredients, e.g. peptides as drug carriers, A61K47/00
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 14/5443 IL-15
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/244 Interleukins [IL]
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 16/2866 against receptors for cytokines, lymphokines, interferons
• CPC Class Codes: C07K 2319/00 Fusion polypeptide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/04 Contact lenses for the eyes disinfection or sterilisation of contact lenses A61L12/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/048 Means for stabilising the orientation of lenses in the eye
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133371 Cells with varying thickness of the liquid crystal layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133553 Reflecting elements associated to illuminating devices G02F1/133605
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1341 Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13415 Drop filling process
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection

Abstract

An electro-active spectacle lens is disclosed. The spectacle lens comprises a first substrate having a first outer region and first inner region, a first electrode layer disposed adjacent to the first inner region, the first electrode layer including an outer electrode region having a first conductivity and an inner electrode region having a second conductivity, the first conductivity being greater than the second conductivity, a second substrate having a second outer region and second inner region, a second electrode layer disposed adjacent to the second inner region, the second electrode layer having a third conductivity, and an electro-active cell disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the electro-active cell containing an electro-active material. The first outer region and second outer region are configurable for fitting the spectacle lens within a lens frame without altering the electro-active cell.

Claims

1. An electro-active spectacle lens comprising:

a first substrate having a first outer region and first inner region;

a first electrode layer disposed adjacent to the first inner region, the first electrode layer including an outer electrode region having a first conductivity and an inner electrode region having a second conductivity, the first conductivity being greater than the second conductivity;

a second substrate having a second outer region and second inner region;

a second electrode layer disposed adjacent to the second inner region, the second electrode layer having a third conductivity; and

an electro-active cell disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the electro-active cell containing an electro-active material,

wherein the first outer region and second outer region are configurable for fitting the spectacle lens within a lens frame without altering the electro-active cell.

2. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to produce a retardance profile across the electro-active cell in response to an applied voltage.

3. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to produce spherical power across the electro-active cell in response to an applied voltage.

4. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a first bus electrode coupled to first electrode layer, and a second bus electrode coupled to second electrode layer.

5. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a controller for directing application of voltage to the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer.

6. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a spacer ring disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

7. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a first base lens attached to the first substrate.

8. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a second base lens attached to the second substrate.

9. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, wherein the spectacle lens is configured in a curved fashion.

10. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 1, further comprising a blended region disposed between the outer electrode region and the inner electrode region, the blended region having a having a graded conductivity that decreases radially from a first boundary adjacent the outer electrode region to a second boundary adjacent the inner electrode region.

11. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 10, wherein the graded conductivity of the blended region is lesser than the first conductivity of the outer electrode region and greater than the second conductivity of the inner electrode region.

12. An electro-active spectacle lens comprising:

a first modal liquid crystal lens assembly having

a first substrate having a first outer region and first inner region;

a first electrode layer disposed adjacent to the first inner region, the first electrode layer including a first outer electrode region having a first conductivity and a first inner electrode region having a second conductivity, the first conductivity being greater than the second conductivity;

a second substrate having a second outer region and second inner region;

a second electrode layer disposed adjacent to the second inner region, the second electrode layer having a third conductivity; and

a first electro-active cell disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, the first electro-active cell containing a first electro-active material;

a second modal liquid crystal lens assembly having

a third substrate having a third outer region and third inner region;

a third electrode layer disposed adjacent to the third inner region, the third electrode layer including a second outer electrode region having a fourth conductivity and a second inner electrode region having a fifth conductivity, the fourth conductivity being greater than the fifth conductivity;

a fourth substrate having a fourth outer region and fourth inner region;

a fourth electrode layer disposed adjacent to the fourth inner region, the fourth electrode layer having a sixth conductivity; and

a second electro-active cell disposed between the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer, the second electro-active cell containing a second electro-active material; and

a controller for directing application of voltage to the first electrode layer, second electrode layer, third electrode layer and fourth electrode layer.

13. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to produce a retardance profile across the first electro-active cell in response to a first applied voltage.

14. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 13, wherein the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer are adapted to produce a retardance profile across the second electro-active cell in response to a second applied voltage.

15. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, wherein the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to produce spherical power across the first electro-active cell in response to a first applied voltage.

16. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 15, wherein the third electrode layer and the fourth electrode layer are adapted to produce spherical power across the second electro-active cell in response to a second applied voltage.

17. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, further comprising a first bus electrode coupled to first electrode layer, and a second bus electrode coupled to second electrode layer.

18. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, further comprising a spacer ring disposed between the first substrate and the second substrate.

19. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, further comprising a first base lens attached to the first substrate.

20. The electro-active spectacle lens of claim 12, wherein the first electro-active cell has a first diameter and the second electro-active cell has a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter.

21. An electro-active spectacle lens comprising:

a first modal liquid crystal lens assembly having a first electro-active cell with a first diameter; and

a second modal liquid crystal lens assembly attached to the first modal liquid crystal lens assembly, the second modal liquid crystal lens assembly having a second electro-active cell with a second diameter, the second diameter being greater than the first diameter of the first electro-active cell.

22. The electro-active spectacle lens of clam 21, wherein the first electro-active cell and second electro-active cell are adapted to produce a first blended zone in the electro-active spectacle lens.