Anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article

• US 6,394,613 B1
• Filed: 07/31/1998
• Issued: 05/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Hatakeyama, Hideyuki, Ukuda, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafer, Ricky D.
• Application Number:
  US09/127,606
• Time in Patent Office: 1,397 Days
• Field of Search: 359/507,512,581,582, 312.6, 318.4, 319.1, 428 428/908.8,457,450,432,212,213,336,439,441,442,448,451,452,913,215,216,312.2
• US Class Current: 359/507
• CPC Class Codes: A44B 18/0011 Female or loop elements A44B18/0007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/51462 being defined by a value or parameter
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/5148 having an impervious inner layer and a cloth-like outer layer
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 13/62 Mechanical fastening means, A61F13/5611, A61F13/5616, A61F13/581, A61F13/66 take precedence; Fabric strip fastener elements, e.g. hook and loop
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 2013/15544 Permeability
• CPC Class Codes: B32B 27/12 next to a fibrous or filamentary layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/10 Optical coatings produced by application to, or surface treatment of, optical elements G02B1/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/11 Anti-reflection coatings
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/18 Coatings for keeping optical surfaces clean, e.g. hydrophobic or photo-catalytic films G02B1/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/913 Material designed to be responsive to temperature, light, moisture
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24942 including components having same physical characteristic in differing degree
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2495 Thickness [relative or absolute]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31638 Cellulosic ester
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31645 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31649 Ester, halide or nitrile of addition polymer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

An anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article included a substrate, a first water-absorbing film provided on the substrate, a thin film of high refractive index provided on the first water-absorbing film, and a second water-absorbing film provided on the thin film of high refractive index. The first water-absorbing film contains a water-absorbing polymer and is provided on the substrate. The thin film of high refractive index includes a polycondensation product of a hydrolysate of a metal alkoxide, and the second water-absorbing film includes a water-absorbing polymer.

Claims

1. An anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article comprising a substrate, a first water-absorbing film provided on the substrate, a thin film of high refractive index provided on the first water-absorbing film having a thickness of from 1 to 20 μ

m, and a second water-absorbing film provided on the thin film of high refractive index, the first water-absorbing film containing a water-absorbing polymer and provided on the substrate, the thin film of high refractive index comprising a polycondensation product of a hydrolysate of a metal alkoxide, and the second water-absorbing film containing a second water-absorbing polymer.

2. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first water-absorbing film and the second water-absorbing film is formed by conducting a polycondensation reaction of a hydrolysate of a metal alkoxide in the presence of the water-absorbing polymer.

3. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the water-absorbing polymer contained in at least one of the first water-absorbing film and the second water-absorbing film is polyacrylic acid.

4. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the refractive index of the thin film of high refractive index is higher than those of the first and second water absorbing films.

5. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the metal alkoxide is a compound represented by a formula

6. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the metal alkoxide is a compound selected from the group consisting of Si(OC₂H₅)₄, Al(O-iso-C₃H₇)₃, Ti(O-iso-C₃H₇)₄, Zr(O-t-C₄H₉)₄, Zr(O-n-C₄H₉)₄, Ca(OC₂H₅)₂, Fe(OC₂H₅)₃, V(O-iso-C₃H₇)₄, Sn(O-t-C₄H₉)₄, Li(OC₂H₅), Be(OC₂H₅)₂, B(OC₂H₅)₃, P(OC₂H₅)₂ and P(OCH₃)₃.

7. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the optical thickness n₁d₁ of the high refractive film is at most 300 nm.

8. The anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article according to claim 1, wherein the first water-absorbing film, the thin film of high refractive index and the second water-absorbing film are formed on the substrate selected from the group consisting of lenses, filters and mirrors.

9. An anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article comprising a substrate, a first water-absorbing film provided on the substrate, a thin film of high refractive index provided on the first water absorbing film, and a second water-absorbing film provided on the thin film of high refractive index, the first water-absorbing film containing a water-absorbing polymer and provided on the substrate, the thin film of high refractive index comprising a polycondensation product of a hydrolysate of a metal alkoxide, and the second water-absorbing film containing a second water-absorbing polymer, and the water-absorbing polymer contained in at least one of the first water-absorbing film and the second water-absorbing film being polyacrylic acid.

10. An anti-fogging and anti-reflection optical article comprising a substrate, a first water-absorbing film providing on the substrate, a thin film of high refractive index provided on the first water-absorbing film, and a second water-absorbing film provided on the thin film of high refractive index, the first water-absorbing film containing a water-absorbing polymer and provided on the substrate, the thin film of high refractive index comprising a polycondensation product of a hydrolysate of a metal alkoxide, and the second water-absorbing film containing a second water-absorbing polymer, and the metal alkoxide being a compound selected from the group consisting of Si(OC₂H₅)₄, Al(O-iso-C₃H₇)₃, Ti(O-iso-C₃H₇)₄, Zr(O-t-C₄H₉)₄, Zr(O-n-C₄H₉)₄, Ca(OC₂H₅)₂, Fe(OC₂H₅)₃, V(O-iso-C₃H₇)₄, Sn(O-t-C₄H₉)₄, Li(OC₂H₅), Be(OC₂H₅)₂, B(OC₂H₅)₃, P(OC₂H₅)₂ and P(OCH₃)₃.