Process for producing a transparent optical element, optical component involved in this process and optical element thus obtained

• US 20060006336A1
• Filed: 07/01/2005
• Published: 01/12/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Inventors: Cano, Jean-Paul, Bovet, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,808,707 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/345
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/14 Photorefractive lens material
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/102 Photochromic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers

Abstract

To produce a transparent optical element, the process starts with the production of an optical component having at least one transparent array of cells that are juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being hermetically sealed and containing a substance having an optical property. This optical component is then cut along a defined contour on its surface, corresponding to a predetermined shape of the optical element. Preferably, the array of cells constitutes a layer having a height of less than 100 μm perpendicular to the surface of the component.

Claims

1. Process for producing a transparent optical element, comprising the following steps:

producing an optical component having at least one transparent array of cells that are juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being hermetically sealed and containing a substance having an optical property; and

cutting the optical component along a defined contour on said surface, corresponding to a predetermined shape of the optical element.

2. Process according to claim 1, wherein the array of cells constitutes a layer having, perpendicular to said surface, a height of less than 100 μ

m.

3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of between 10 μ

m and 50 μ

m.

4. Process according to claim 2, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of between 1 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

5. Process according to claim 4, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of about 5 μ

m.

6. Process according to claim 1, which furthermore includes a step of drilling through the optical component in order to fasten the optical element to a holding support.

7. Process according to claim 1, wherein the production of the optical component comprises the formation of the array of cells on a rigid transparent substrate.

8. Process according to claim 1, wherein the production of the optical component comprises the formation of the array of cells within a flexible transparent film followed by the transfer of said film onto a rigid transparent substrate.

9. Process according to claim 7, wherein the rigid transparent substrate is convex, concave or plane on that side which receives the array of cells.

10. Process according to claim 1, wherein the substance having an optical property contained in at least some of the cells is in the form of a liquid or gel.

11. Process according to claim 10, wherein the production of the optical component comprises the formation, on a substrate, of a grid of walls for defining the cells parallel to said surface of the component, the collective or individual filling of the cells with the substance having an optical property in the form of a liquid or gel, and the closing of the cells on their opposite side from the substrate.

12. Process according to claim 1, wherein the optical property is chosen from a coloration, photochromism, polarization or refractive-index property.

13. Process according to claim 1, wherein different cells contain substances having a different refractive index.

14. Process according to claim 13, wherein the substances having a different refractive index comprise photopolymers, liquid crystals or mesoporous materials.

15. Process according to claim 14, wherein the production of the optical component comprises the formation, on a substrate, of a grid of walls for defining the cells parallel to said surface of the component, the collective filling of the cells with a solution or a suspension of monomers or liquid crystals, the closing of the cells on their opposite side from the substrate, and the selective curing of said solution or suspension in the presence of differentiated electromagnetic radiation parallel to said surface of the component.

16. Process according to claim 13, wherein the refractive index of the substances contained in the cells are adapted in order to vary said index over the surface of the component according to the estimated ametropia of an eye to be corrected.

17. Process according to claim 1, wherein the array of cells includes several groups of cells containing different substances.

18. Process according to claim 17, wherein the production of the optical component comprises the formation, on a substrate, of a grid of walls for defining the cells parallel to said surface of the component, the differentiated filling of the cells with the substances having an optical property, using ink-jet heads, and the closing of the cells on their opposite side from the substrate.

19. Process according to claim 1, wherein several arrays of cells are stacked on the thickness of the component.

20. Process according to claim 19, wherein each array of cells has identical optical properties, or each array of cells has different optical properties, or the cells within each array of cells have different optical properties.

21. Process according to claim 1, wherein the fill factor τ

is greater than 90%, parallel to the surface of the component.

22. Process according to claim 21, wherein the fill factor is between 90% and 99.5% inclusive.

23. Process according to claim 22, wherein the fill factor is between 96% and 98.5%.

24. Process according to claim 1, wherein the cells of the array are arranged in a hexagonal-type lattice.

25. Process according to claim 1, wherein the cells have dimensions of greater than 1 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

26. Process according to claim 25, wherein the cells have a dimension of between 5 μ

m and 100 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

27. Process according to claim 26, wherein the cells have a dimension of between 10 μ

m and 40 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

28. Process according to claim 1, wherein the cells are separated by walls having dimensions of between 0.10 μ

m and 5 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

29. Process according to claim 28, wherein the walls (18) have dimensions of less than 0.35 μ

m.

30. Process according to claim 28, wherein the cells are separated by walls made of a material that does not reflect light and have dimensions of between 0.40 μ

m and 3.00 μ

m.

31. Process according to claim 30, wherein the walls have dimensions of between 0.40 μ

m and 1.00 μ

m.

32. Optical component, comprising at least one transparent array of cells that are juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being hermetically sealed and containing a substance having an optical property.

33. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the array of cells constitutes a layer having, perpendicular to said surface, a height of less than 100 μ

m.

34. Optical component according to claim 33, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of between 10 μ

m and 50 μ

m.

35. Optical component according to claim 33, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of between 1 μ

m and 10 μ

m.

36. Optical component according to claim 35, wherein the layer formed by the array of cells has a height of about 5 μ

m.

37. Optical component according to claim 32, which comprises a rigid transparent substrate on which the array of cells is formed.

38. Optical component according to claim 32, which comprises a rigid transparent substrate onto which a transparent film incorporating the array of cells is transferred.

39. Optical component according to claim 37, wherein the rigid transparent substrate is convex, concave or plane on that side which has the array of cells.

40. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the substance having an optical property contained in at least certain of the cells is in the form of a liquid or gel.

41. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the optical property is chosen from a coloration, photochromism, polarization or refractive-index property.

42. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein different cells contain substances having a different refractive index.

43. Optical component according to claim 42, wherein the substances having a different refractive index are photopolymers, liquid crystals or mesoporous materials.

44. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the array of cells includes several groups of cells containing different substances.

45. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein several arrays of cells are stacked on the thickness of said component.

46. Optical component according to claim 45, wherein each array of cells has identical optical properties, or each array of cells has different optical properties, or the cells within each array of cells have different optical properties.

47. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the array of cells has a fill factor τ

of greater than 90%, parallel to the surface of the component.

48. Optical component according to claim 47, wherein the fill factor is between 90% and 99.5% inclusive.

49. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the cells of the array are arranged in a hexagonal-type lattice.

50. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the cells have dimensions of greater than 1 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

51. Optical component according to claim 50, wherein the cells have a dimension of between 5 μ

m and 100 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

52. Optical component according to claim 49, wherein the cells have a dimension of between 10 μ

m and 40 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

53. Optical component according to claim 32, wherein the cells are separated by walls having dimensions of between 0.10 μ

m and 5 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

54. Optical component according to claim 53, wherein the cells are separated by walls having dimensions of between 0.10 μ

m and 0.40 μ

m parallel to the surface of the component.

55. Optical component according to claim 54, wherein the walls have dimensions of less than 0.35 μ

m.

56. Optical component according to claim 53, wherein the cells are separated by walls made of a material that does not reflect light and have dimensions of between 0.40 μ

m and 3.00 μ

m.

57. Optical component according to claim 56, wherein the walls have dimensions of between 0.40 μ

m and 1.00 μ

m.

58. Optical component according to claim 32, useful for the manufacture of a transparent optical element chosen from ophthalmic lenses, lenses for optical instruments, filters, optical sight lenses, eye visors, and optics that are intended for illumination devices.

59. Use of an optical component according to claim 32 in the manufacture of a transparent optical element chosen from ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses, ocular implants, lenses for optical instruments, filters, optical sight lenses, eye visors, and optics for illumination devices.

60. Spectacle lens, produced by cutting an optical component according to claim 32.

61. Spectacle lens according to claim 60, wherein at least one hole is drilled through the component in order to fasten the lens to a spectacle frame.

62. Spectacle lens according to claim 60, wherein the optical property of the substance contained in the cells is adapted in order to vary over the surface of the lens as a function of the estimated ametropia of an eye to be corrected.

63. Spectacle lens according to claim 60, wherein the substance contained in the cells is a photochromic substance.