Multiple layer multifocal composite lens

• US 8,075,132 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals Incorporated (Mitsui Chemicals)
• Original Assignee: Pixeloptics Incorporated
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William, Haddock, Joshua N., Iyer, Venkatramani S., Mattison-Shupnick, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US12/915,783
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043751A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 351/159, 623/6.33
• US Class Current: 351/159
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/16 Laminated or compound lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/06 bifocal; multifocal ; progressive G02C7/041 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/061 Spectacle lenses with progressively varying focal power
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/063 Shape of the progressive surface

Abstract

Aspects of the present invention provide multiple-layer (multi-layer) composite lenses comprising two or more materials and methods for making the same. A multi-layer composite lens of the present invention can use multiple surfaces (internal or external) to form optical elements that can contribute to a total desired add power. The multiple contributing optical elements can be aligned so as to be in optical communication to form multiple stable vision zones to enhance optical performance and the vision experience of the wearer. Distributing the total desired add power across multiple appropriately aligned optical elements that are in optical communication with one another can reduce the total distortion of the lens, minimize the number of optical discontinuities introduced, can reduce optical power jump as experienced by the wearer'"'"'s eye when traversing any discontinuity, and can reduce the visibility of any introduced optical discontinuity as perceived by an observer looking at the wearer.

Claims

1. A composite ophthalmic lens product, comprising:

a first plastic layer comprising a first material having a first index of refraction n₁;

a second plastic layer comprising a second material different from the first material and having a second index of refraction n₂greater than the first index of refraction n₁,

wherein, the first layer is an anterior layer and the second layer is a posterior layer,

the first layer is in optical communication with at least a portion of the second layer, and the first layer and the second layer are configured to contribute to a corrective optical power of an ophthalmic lens formed at least partially from the composite ophthalmic lens product,

the first layer comprises a first thickness in a range of approximately 0.2mm to 1.0 mm, and

n₁/n₂ is in a range of approximately 0.88 to 0.96.

2. The lens product of claim 1, wherein n₁/n₂ is approximately 0.92.

3. The lens product of claim 2, wherein n₁ is approximately 1.53 and n₂ is approximately 1.67.

4. The lens product of claim 1, wherein n₁ is in a range of approximately 1.50 to 1.60 and n₂ is in a range of approximately 1.60 to 1.74.

5. The lens product of claim 1, wherein:

the lens product is an unfinished lens blank.

6. The lens product of claim 5, wherein:

the second layer comprises a second thickness in a range of approximately 3mm to 7mm.

7. The lens product of claim 6, wherein:

the first layer and the second layer have a combined thickness in a range of approximately 2.5mm to 12mm.

8. The lens product of claim 1, wherein:

the lens product is an at least partially finished lens blank.

9. The lens product of claim 8, wherein:

the second layer comprises a second thickness in a range of approximately 0.2mm to 2mm.

10. The lens product of claim 8, wherein:

the lens product is finished to a prescription; and

the first layer and the second layer have a combined center thickness in a range of approximately 0.5mm to 3mm.

11. The lens product of claim 10, wherein the combined center thickness is approximately 1mm.

12. The lens product of claim 1, further comprising at least a third layer disposed between the first layer and the second layer.

13. The lens product of claim 1, wherein the first layer is substantially conformal to the second layer.

14. The lens product of claim 1, wherein the first layer is directly bonded to the second layer.