Adherent corrective lens

• US 5,478,824 A
• Filed: 02/17/1994
• Issued: 12/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: VSI International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Gargoyles, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Burns, Dennis L., Bernheiser, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sugarman, Scott J.
• Application Number:
  US08/198,183
• Time in Patent Office: 677 Days
• Field of Search: 351/159, 351/168, 351/169, 351/170, 351/171, 351/172, 351/177
• US Class Current: 351/172
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/758 containing two or more cycloaliphatic rings
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/041 Lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/086 Auxiliary lenses located directly on a main spectacle lens or in the immediate vicinity of main spectacles

Abstract

A corrective lens that is removably adherent to, and substantially in contact with, a pane of a pair of spectacles without the use of a mechanical retention device, and that has at least one curved surface and a refractive index such that the curved surface and the refractive index cooperatively produce a nominal magnifying power. In a preferred embodiment, the corrective lens comprises a flexible plastic capable of conforming to a variety of surface shapes and of adhering via tactile interactions to the pane without the use of an adhesive. Also, a pair of spectacles that comprise a corrective lens securely adhered to a pane of a pair of spectacles without the use of a mechanical retention device. A method of producing a cosmetically appealing pair of spectacles is also disclosed. The method comprises adhering a corrective lens to at least one pane of a pair of spectacles without the use of a mechanical retention device.

Claims

1. A pair of spectacles comprising a corrective lens removably adhered to a substantially curved pane of the pair of spectacles, the corrective lens having a nominal magnifying power and comprised of clear elastomeric material, the corrective lens removably adherent to a pane of a rear surface of a pair of spectacles, the corrective lens having, before it is adhered to the pane, a non-Fresnel convex surface and a non-Fresnel non-concave surface, and comprising a corrective lens material having a refractive index such that the nominal magnifying power of the corrective lens is produced solely by cooperation of the refractive index with the corrective lens surfaces, and the lens material having a flexibility such that the corrective lens is conformable to a variety of shapes of the rear surface of the pane;

wherein the corrective lens is removably adherent to the pane through inherent tactile interactions and substantial contact between a surface of the corrective lens and the rear surface of the pane when the corrective lens is pressed against the pane.

2. The spectacles of claim 1 wherein the corrective lens is a prescription lens.

3. A method of producing a cosmetically appealing pair of optically magnified, substantially curved lens spectacles comprising the steps of:

(1) molding a flexible corrective lens to have a nominal magnifying power and a non-Fresnel convex surface and a non-Fresnel non-concave surface, wherein the corrective lens is comprised of material having a refractive index such that the nominal magnifying power of the corrective lens is produced solely by cooperation of the refractive index with the corrective lens surfaces;

(2) removably adhering the corrective lens to a substantially curved pane of the pair of spectacles by pressing the corrective lens to deform the corrective lens and thereby bring the corrective lens substantially into contact with a rear surface of the pane to adhere the corrective lens to the pane through inherent tactile interactions.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising removing the corrective lens from the pane of the spectacles and then applying the corrective lens to a pane of a second pair of spectacles.

5. A corrective lens having a nominal magnifying power and comprised of clear elastomeric material, the corrective lens removably adherent to a substantially curved rear surface of a pane of a pair of spectacles, the corrective lens having, before it is adhered to the pane, a non-Fresnel convex surface and a non-Fresnel non-concave surface, and comprising a lens material having a refractive index such that the nominal magnifying power of the corrective lens is produced solely by cooperation of the refractive index with the corrective lens surfaces, and the corrective lens material having a flexibility such that the corrective lens is conformable to a variety of shapes of the rear surface of the pane;

wherein the corrective lens is removably adherent to the pane through inherent tactile interactions and substantial contact between a surface of the corrective lens and the rear surface of the pane when the corrective lens is pressed against the pane.

6. The lens of claim 5 where said lens has a front curved surface and a rear curved surface, and said surfaces are molded to produce a prescription optical correction.

7. The lens of claim 6 wherein said lens is made of a flexible plastic having a front curved surface substantially corresponding to a rear surface shape of said pane of said pair of spectacles.

8. The lens of claim 5, wherein a front surface of the lens is flat, the flat surface being deformed to the shape of the rear surface of the pane as the lens is brought substantially into contact with the rear surface.

9. The lens of claim 5 wherein the difference between a nominal magnifying power of the lens after it is adhered to the pane, and the nominal magnifying power of the lens before it is adhered to the pane, is not significant.