Process for forming a coated layer on a toric surface of an optical article

• US 20050269721A1
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Published: 12/08/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Essilor International Compagnie Generale D Optique (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Essilor International Compagnie Generale D Optique (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Adileh, Fadi, Jiang, Peiqi
• Application Number:
  US10/861,580
• Publication Number:
  US 20050269721A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 264/1.320
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 2035/0827 using UV radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/1406 Ultraviolet [UV] radiation
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/4845 Radiation curing adhesives, e.g. UV light curing adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/452 the article having a disc form, e.g. making CDs or DVDs
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/545 one hollow-preform being placed inside the other
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/723 being multi-layered B29C66/7292, B29C66/72941 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/72325 Ceramics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73161 Roughness or rugosity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73175 Hydrophobicity
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/733 characterised by the optical properties of the material of the parts to be joined, e.g. fluorescence, phosphorescence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73343 at least one of the parts to be joined being matt or refractive
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73365 at least one of the parts to be joined being transparent or translucent to visible light
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7338 at least one of the parts to be joined being polarising
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/7352 Thickness, e.g. very thin
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/81455 being a fluid inflatable bag or bladder, a diaphragm or a vacuum bag for applying isostatic pressure inflatable element positioned between the joining tool and a backing-up part B29C66/82421
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/8322 Joining or pressing tools reciprocating along one axis
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00019 with non-spherical faces, e.g. toric faces
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0027 : for light outside the visible spectrum
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/007 : Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2995/0072 : Roughness, e.g. anti-slip
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0025 : Toric lenses

Abstract

A process for making a coating layer of a curable composition on a toric surface of an optical article, in particular an ophthalmic lens or lens blank, and in particular a functional coating layer; compositions and apparatus useful for the practice of the process; and products obtained from the practice of the process.

Claims

1. A process for forming at least one coating layer on a toric surface of an optical article which comprises:

providing an optical article having a toric surface comprising a first principal meridian with a lower radius of curvature r and a second principal meridian with a higher radius of curvature R (r<

R) and a periphery;

depositing on said toric surface of the optical article a pre-measured amount of a liquid curable composition;

applying pressure on said pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition to cause said liquid curable composition to spread over the toric surface of the optical article;

curing the liquid curable composition; and

recovering an optical article coated with at least one coating layer;

wherein, the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing on the toric surface at least two drops of the liquid curable composition, each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the first principal meridian of lower radius of curvature r and having an apex angle up to 40°

.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein the opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°

.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least two drops are deposited on the first principal meridian.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least two drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least two drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing an additional drop of the liquid curable composition at the center of the toric surface.

7. The process of claim 1, wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing two additional drops of the liquid curable composition each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the second principal meridian of higher radius of curvature R and having an apex angle of up to 40°

.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the two opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°

.

9. The process of claim 7, wherein the two additional drops are deposited on the second principal meridian.

10. The process of claim 7, wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.

11. The process of claim 7, wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.

12. The process of claim 6, wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing two additional drops of the liquid curable composition each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the second principal meridian of higher radius of curvature R and having an apex angle of up to 40°

.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein the two opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°

.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein the two additional drops are deposited on the second principal meridian.

15. The process of claim 12, wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.

16. The process of claim 12, wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.

17. The process of claim 1, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.

18. The process of claim 1, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.

19. The process of claim 6, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.

20. The process of claim 6, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.

21. The process of claim 7, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.

22. The process of claim 7, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.

23. The process of claim 12, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.

24. The process of claim 12, wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.

25. The process of claim 1, wherein the pressure application step comprises:

providing a mold part having an internal and an external surface;

moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to bring the internal face of the mold part into contact with the liquid curable composition; and

applying pressure on the external face of the mold part.

26. The process of claim 25, wherein the mold part is a flexible wafer.

27. The process of claim 25, wherein the internal face of the mold part bears one or more additional coating layers, whereby said one or more additional coating layers are transferred on the toric surface of the optical article at the completion of the process.

28. The process of claim 27, wherein the coating layer or layers comprise a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.

29. The process of claim 12, wherein the pressure application step comprises:

providing a mold part having an internal and an external surface;

moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to bring the internal face of the mold part into contact with the liquid curable composition; and

applying pressure on the external face of the mold part.

30. The process of claim 29, wherein the mold part is a flexible wafer.

31. The process of claim 30, wherein the internal face of the mold part bears one or more additional coating layers, whereby said one or more additional coating layers are transferred on the toric surface of the optical article at the completion of the process.

32. The process of claim 31, wherein the coating layer or layers comprise a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.

33. The process of claim 1, wherein said at least one coating layer, after curing, has a thickness of 100 μ

m or less.

34. The process of claim 27, wherein said at least one coating layer, after curing, has a thickness of 100 μ

m or less.

35. The process of claim 25, further comprising placing a transparent film between the internal face of the mold part and the toric surface of the optical article having the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition deposited thereon, whereby, after completion of the process, the film is glued on the toric surface of the optical article.

36. The process of claim 35, wherein an external face of the transparent film is coated with at least one coating layer.

37. The process of claim 36, wherein said at least one coating layer comprises a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.

38. The process of claim 35, wherein the mold part is an inflatable membrane.