Transparent optical component having cells filled with optical material

• US 8,134,782 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2008
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Archambeau, Samuel, Bovet, Christian, Cano, Jean-Paul, Vinsonneau, Sylvie
• Primary Examiner(s): SCHWARTZ, JORDAN MARC
• Application Number:
  US12/522,200
• Publication Number:
  US 20100039611A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,519 Days
• Field of Search: 359665-667, 351/159, 623/6.13
• US Class Current: 359/665
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/06 made of fluids in transparent cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/12 Fluid-filled or evacuated lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/133377 Cells with plural compartments or having plurality of liquid crystal microcells partitioned by walls, e.g. one microcell per pixel
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/1341 Filling or closing of cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02F 1/13415 Drop filling process

Abstract

A transparent optical component having cells (1) filled with an optical material is proposed, which has a high transparency. The cells of the component are filled to levels (h₁, . . . , h₅) which vary randomly, and the variations of which are adapted so as not to cause a perceptible optical defect. To do this, the fill levels of the cells are adapted so that the phase shifts experienced by the light rays (R₁, . . . , R₅) which pass through the cells have a root mean square deviation of less than one quarter of the wavelength (1). Such a component may in particular be an ophthalmic lens.

Claims

1. Method for the production of a transparent optical component having cells filled with optical material, said method comprising the following steps:

/1/ obtaining a base optical component comprising a set of separate cells juxtaposed parallel to a surface of said component, each cell being open with an opening section parallel to the surface of the component; and

/2/ introducing an optical material into the inside of each cell up to an average fill level (h₁, . . . , h₅) determined for this cell, and measured along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the component,

wherein random or pseudo-random variations of the average fill levels of the cells (h₁ . . . , h₅) are introduced voluntarily between at least some of the cells of the component,

the variations of the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) between the different cells of the component are determined so that phase shifts respectively for rays of a visible light (R₁ . . . , R₅) passing through the cells along said direction perpendicular to the surface of the component have a root mean square deviation of less than one quarter of a wavelength (λ

) of said light, and

said fill levels of the cells are selected so as to exhibit a discontinuity between at least two of the cells.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the variations of the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) are determined so that the phase shifts respectively for the rays of visible light (R₁ . . . , R₅) passing through the cells along the direction perpendicular to the surface of the component have a root mean square deviation of less than one eighth of the wavelength (λ

).

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the respective fill levels of the cells (h₁ . . . , h₅) are digitally determined.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the optical material is inserted into each cell in step /2/ in the form of multiple portions, each having one same basic volume, and wherein the variations in the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) are produced by varying the number of portions introduced into different cells of the component.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein said basic volume is comprised between 0.1 and 50 picoliters.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the optical material is inserted into each cell in step /2/ using a nozzle for spraying a substance.

7. Method according to claim 1, further comprising the following step:

/3/ sealing the cells using a portion of a sealing material extending over the opening section of each cell.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the step /3/ comprises arranging a transparent film over the cell set, said film being fixed onto separation walls situated between the cells.

9. Method according to claim 1, wherein the transparent optical component comprises a lens.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the transparent optical component comprises an ophthalmic spectacle lens.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the base optical component comprises a layered structure itself incorporating the set of cells, and wherein said layered structure is fixed on a substrate of the optical component after step /2/.

12. Transparent optical component comprising a set of separate cells juxtaposed parallel to a surface of said component, each cell being filled with an optical material up to an average fill level (h₁ . . . , h₅) measured for said cell along a direction perpendicular to the surface of the component,

wherein the average fill levels of the cells (h₁ . . . , h₅) have random or pseudo-random variations between at least some of the cells of the component,

the variations in the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) between different cells are adapted so that the phase shifts respectively for rays of a visible light (R₁ . . . , R₅) passing through the cells along said direction perpendicular to the surface of the component have a root mean square deviation of less than one quarter of a wavelength (λ

) of said light, and

said fill levels of the cells are selected so as to exhibit a discontinuity between at least two of the cells.

13. Component according to claim 12, characterized in that the variations of the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) are adapted so that the phase shifts respectively for the rays of visible light (R₁ . . . , R₅) passing through the cells along the direction perpendicular to the surface of the component have a root mean square deviation of less than one eighth of the wavelength (λ

).

14. Component according to claim 12, wherein the variations of the fill levels (h₁ . . . , h₅) are multiple of one same basic volume.

15. Method according to claim 14, in which said basic volume is comprised between 0.1 and 50 picoliters.

16. Component according to claim 12, further comprising a transparent film arranged on the cell set, and fixed onto separation walls situated between the cells in order to seal each cell.

17. Component according to claim 12, comprising a lens.

18. Component according to claim 17, comprising an ophthalmic spectacle lens.

19. Component according to claim 12, comprising a substrate and a layered structure in which the cell set is formed, said layered structure being fixed on said substrate.