Method of manufacturing an electro-active lens

• US 6,986,579 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2003
• Issued: 01/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E-Vision Optics LLC
• Original Assignee: e-Vision, LLC (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Duston, Dwight P., Kokonaski, William
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US10/644,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20040084790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 351/159, 351/161, 351163-165, 351168-169, 351176-177, 351/41, 351/44, 351/205, 351/209, 359665-666
• US Class Current: 351/177
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00028 Bifocal lenses; Multifocal lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00817 Producing electro-active lenses or lenses with energy receptors, e.g. batteries or antennas
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/08 Auxiliary lenses; Arrangements for varying focal length
• 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: 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 1/13452 Conductors connecting driver circuitry and terminals of panels
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/29 for the control of the position or the direction of light beams, i.e. deflection
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/18 adaptive optics, e.g. wavefront correction

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an electro-active lens is disclosed. The lens is manufactured by providing a lens blank having a front and back surface, a thickness, and an index of refraction. An electro-active element is placed on one of the front or back surfaces of the lens blank. A covering surface is then formed over the surface of the lens blank containing the electro-active element. In some embodiments, the electro-active lens may then be surfaced to provide a desired fixed optical power and edged to fit within a spectacles frame.

Claims

1. A method of manufacturing an electro-active lens comprising:

providing an electro-active element; and

covering an exposed surface of the electro-active element to produce an electro-active lens;

wherein the electro-active element comprises a plurality of pixels; and

wherein the electro-active lens is capable of focusing an image from ambient light;

wherein the electro-active element is connected to a power source; and

wherein the power source is connected to a hinge screw of a spectacle frame.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein the exposed surface of the electro-active element is covered by a lens blank;

and

wherein the lens blank is selected from the group consisting of a semi-finished blank, an unfinished lens blank, a lens wafer, a preformed optic and a finished lens blank.

3. A method as in claim 2, further comprising the forming of a recess in the front or back surface of the lens blank for receiving the electro-active element which is placed on the lens blank.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the recess is formed by one of machining or molding the surface of the lens blank.

5. A method as in claim 1, wherein the electro-active element is connected to an electrical bus.

6. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus is flexible.

7. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus at least partially encircles the electro-active element.

8. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus is connected to a transparent electro-active lead that reaches into a periphery of the electro-active lens.

9. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus comprises a plurality of transparent electrical leads that radiate outward from the electro-active element.

10. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus contains at least one perforation.

11. A method as in claim 1, wherein the electro-active element is connected to a controller.

12. A method as in claim 1, wherein the covering is formed by molding.

13. A method as in claim 1, wherein the covering is formed by surface-casting.

14. A method as in claim 1, wherein the covering is formed by conformal sealing.

15. A method as in claim 1, wherein the covering is formed by a lens wafer.

16. A method as in claim 2, wherein the lens blank is a finished lens blank having an optical power equal to a wearer'"'"'s distance vision prescription.

17. A method as in claim 2, wherein the lens blank is a finished lens blank having an optical power equal to zero.

18. A method as in claim 1, wherein the electro-active element provides a refractive change.

19. A method as in claim 18, wherein the refractive change corrects for a higher order aberration.

20. A method as in claim 18, wherein the refractive change corrects for a refractive error of an eye other than myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and regular astigmatism.

21. A method as in claim 18, wherein the refractive change corrects for conventional refractive error of an eye;

wherein the conventional refractive error is at least one of myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia or regular astigmatism.

22. The method of claim 1 where in the electro-active element is connected to a view detector.

25. A method as in claim 5, wherein the bus is bonded to the lens blank.

23. A method of manufacturing an electro-active lens comprising:

providing an electro-active element;

covering an exposed surface of the electro-active element to produce an electro-active lens;

wherein the electro-active element comprises a plurality of pixels,

the electro-active lens is capable of focusing an image from ambient light,

the exposed surface of the electro-active element is covered by a lens blank,

the lens blank is selected from a group comprising a semi-finished blank, an unfinished lens blank, a lens wafer, a preformed optic and a finished lens blank,

the lens blank corrects a wearer'"'"'s refractive error other than myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia, and regular astigmatism, and

the electro-active element corrects a spherical error of the wearer.

24. A method of manufacturing an electro-active lens from a lens blank comprising

providing a lens blank comprising a front and back surface, a thickness and an index of refraction, the front or back lens blank surface having a recess;

placing an electro-active element containing a plurality of pixels within the recess of the lens blank surface; and

forming a covering layer over the surface of the lens blank containing the electro-active element;

wherein the electro-active element is capable of focusing an image in ambient light; and

wherein the covering layer is formed by way of curing an optical resin.