Electro-active spectacles and method of fabricating same

• US 7,290,875 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: E-Vision Optics LLC
• Original Assignee: e-Vision, LLC (New Smart Optics, Inc.)
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US11/263,049
• Publication Number:
  US 20060092340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 351/159, 351/41, 349/200, 349/13
• US Class Current: 351/159
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/08 Auxiliary lenses; Arrangements for varying focal length
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/134309 characterised by their geometrical arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1345 Conductors connecting electrodes to cell terminals
• 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 2201/42 Arrangements for providing conduction through an insulating substrate
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 2203/28 focussing or defocussing

Abstract

A composite lens assembly comprising an electro-active lens assembly, a first lens wafer, and a second lens wafer is provided. The electro-active lens assembly has an upper substrate layer with a planar upper surface and a lower substrate layer with a planar lower surface. The first lens wafer has a planar lower wafer surface adjacent and parallel to the planar upper surface of the upper substrate layer of the electro-active lens assembly. The second lens wafer has a planar upper wafer surface adjacent and parallel to the planar lower surface of the lower substrate layer of the electro-active lens assembly.

Claims

1. A composite eyeglass lens assembly for an eyeglass frame, comprising:

a. a first lens having a fixed optical power;

b. a second lens having a fixed optical power;

c. a dynamic electro-active lens disposed between said first and said second lenses; and

d. a connecting element extending through said first lens, said second lens, and said electro-active lens for securing to the eyeglass frame, wherein said connecting element is adapted for conducting electricity to said electro-active lens from the eyeglass frame.

2. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second lenses is formed from a polymeric material.

3. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second lenses is formed from a glass material.

4. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said connecting element is a bolt.

5. The composite lens assembly of claim 4, wherein the dynamic electro-active lens comprises:

a. a first electrode layer;

b. a second electrode layer; and

c. a liquid crystal layer disposed between said first and said second electrode layers.

6. The composite lens assembly of claim 5, wherein the dynamic electro-active lens further comprises:

a. a driver chip in electrical communication with the first and second electrode layers for controlling application of electrical power to the first and second electrode layers; and

b. at least one electrical contact layer in electrical communication with said driver chip, wherein said at least one electrical contact layer has a first contact area and a second contact area, wherein said second contact area is electrically isolated from the first contact area.

7. The composite lens assembly according to claim 6, wherein said first and said second contact areas are formed from a substantially transparent material.

8. An electrical composite eyeglass lens assembly, comprising:

a. a first lens having a fixed optical power;

b. a second lens having a fixed optical power;

c. a dynamic electro-active lens disposed between said first lens and said second lens; and

d. a connecting element extending through said first lens, said second lens, and said electro-active lens, wherein said connecting element secures the first lens, the second lens, and the electro-active lens together, wherein said connecting element is adapted for providing electrical communication to said dynamic electro-active lens.