Polarized lens and method of making polarized lens

• US 7,927,522 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2007
• Issued: 04/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eye Ojo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Eye Ojo Corporation
• Inventors: Hsu, Wen-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Del Sole; Joseph S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le; Ninh V
• Application Number:
  US12/281,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20100012262A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,272 Days
• Field of Search: 264/1.32, 264/1.7, 264/2.7, 264/1.34
• US Class Current: 264/2.7
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00634 Production of filters
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/08 made of polarising materials
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/23 Photochromic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/305 including organic materials, e.g. polymeric layers
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers

Abstract

An eyeglass lens is made of layers which include an outer, convex hard coating, a layer of hard epoxy, a PVA film, a layer of soft epoxy, a layer of adhesive, a base material, and an inner, concave hard coating. The major steps in producing the lens are to 1: prepare a clean, soft PVA film; 2: form the PVA film into the desired curved shape using a convex mold; 3: add hard epoxy to the outer, convex side of the PVA film; 4: add soft epoxy to the inner, concave side; 5: add the base material to the inner, concave side; and 6: harden and package the lens.

Claims

1. A method of making a polarized lens comprising the steps of:

progressively wetting, stretching, dyeing, and cleaning a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) film by an assembly line having rollers so as to let molecules of the PVA film have a parallel linear direction;

providing a holder having a lower frame and an upper frame coupled by a hinge;

clipping the PVA film by having the upper frame closed onto the lower frame wherein a first surface of the PVA film faces the lower frame and a second surface of the PVA film faces the upper frame, so that both of the upper frame and the lower frame with two opposite plates clip the PVA film along a direction perpendicular to the parallel direction of molecules in order to prevent the PVA film itself from shrinking;

pressing a convex mold against the first surface of the PVA film through an opening of the lower frame of the holder, thereby substantially conforming the PVA film to the convex mold, and the first surface becoming a concave surface and a second surface opposite the first surface becoming a convex surface;

drying the PVA film.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

applying a quantity of first epoxy on a center of an upper surface of a concave mold;

up-side down pressing the convex mold having the second surface of the PVA against the first epoxy so as to form a laminated first epoxy film by spreading the first epoxy in a circular motion and help remove air bubbles;

hardening the laminated first epoxy film;

removing the convex mold to expose the first surface removing the holder;

applying a quantity of second epoxy on a center of the first surface;

pressing the convex mold against the first surface of the PVA film so as to form a laminated second epoxy film;

and hardening the laminated second epoxy film.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of progressively wetting, stretching, dyeing, and cleaning a PVA film, comprising the steps of providing a roll of PVA film;

providing an assembly line having rollers;

mounting the roll of PVA film at the beginning of the assembly line;

using water to wet the PVA film at a first stage of the assembly line until it has moisture content between 70% and 85%;

stretching the PVA film at a second stage of the assembly line;

and dye-dipping the PVA film at a third stage of the assembly line until the PVA film substantially polarized.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein each stage having at least one bath and each bath having rollers placed at a lower position closed to the bottom and rollers placed at a higher position and from a bath to another also having rollers placed atop sidewalls between two adjacent baths so that the PVA film can be stretched continuously.

5. The method of claim 1, after the step of clipping the PVA film with a first surface thereof downward in the holder and before the steps of pressing a convex mold against the first surface of the PVA film further comprises the steps of:

stabilizing the PVA film;

and cutting the PVA film.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of progressively wetting, stretching, dyeing, and cleaning a PVA film by an assembly line further comprises:

dipping the PVA film to add gradient tinting.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of drying the PVA film further comprises:

substantially reducing moisture content of the PVA film so that the PVA film will become stiff enough to generally retain its shape.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the first epoxy film in the polarized lens has a pencil softness rating of from approximately B to 3 B.

9. The method of claim 2, wherein the first epoxy comprises more than half epoxy resin combined with one or more polyurethane, acrylic resin, CR-39, or silicon.

10. The method of claim 2, wherein the first epoxy for performing the step of applying a quantity of first epoxy on a center of an upper surface of a concave mold is at liquid or semi-liquid state.

11. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of up-side down pressing the convex mold having the second surface of the PVA against the first epoxy is performed using a pressing machine so that the first epoxy presses against the concave mold and the first epoxy out to a generally consistent thickness.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the pressing machine includes a UV light source and performs at least partial UV curing of the first epoxy film.

13. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

combining the polarized lens with a base material.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the base material comprises:

at least one material selected from the group of polycarbonate, polyurethane, polyethylene, nylon, CR-39, and PMMA.