Transparent pixelized optical component with absorbing walls, its method of manufacture and its use in the manufacture of a transparent optical element

• US 8,172,397 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2006
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Ballet, Jerome, Bovet, Christian, Cano, Jean-Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): WILKES, ZACHARY W
• Application Number:
  US11/996,101
• Publication Number:
  US 20080212018A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,126 Days
• Field of Search: 351/159, 351/41, 351/163, 351165-167, 359618-622, 359294-296, 359/290, 359/237, 264/1.7, 264/2.7, 349/13, 623 627- 628, 623/6.22
• US Class Current: 351/177
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• 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: G02C 7/102 Photochromic filters
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/12 Polarisers

Abstract

A transparent optical component (10) comprises at least one transparent set of cells (15) juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being separated by absorbing walls (18) parallel to the component surface, and each cell being hermetically sealed and containing at least one substance with an optical property. The optical component may be cut out along a predefined contour and optionally drilled. The invention also relates to a method of producing such an optical component and its use for the production of an optical element. The optical element may especially be a spectacle lens.

Claims

1. Method for the production of a transparent optical element, the transparent optical element selected from ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses and ocular implants, the method comprising the production of a transparent optical component having at least one set of cells juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being hermetically sealed and containing a substance with an optical property, the cells being separated by absorbing walls, said walls being absorbing on sidewalls oriented substantially perpendicular to the component surface, the transparent optical component configured so that a single image of an object is obtained when the object is viewed through the whole set of cells, the set of cells having a fill factor of between 90% and 99.5% inclusive parallel to said component surface.

2. Method for the production of a transparent optical element according to claim 1, additionally comprising a step of cutting out the optical component along a defined contour on said surface, corresponding to a shape determined for the optical element.

3. Method according to claim 1, in which the absorbing walls have at least one absorption band at a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm.

4. Method according to claim 3, in which the absorbing walls also have a spectral absorption band in at least one of the near infrared, including wavelengths above 700 nm, and in the near ultraviolet, including wavelengths below 400 nm.

5. Method according to claim 1, in which the absorbing walls have an absorption band over the entire visible spectrum.

6. Method according to claim 1, in which the walls comprise one or more materials chosen from absorbing crosslinkable materials, absorbing polymerizable materials, hybrid materials, composites and metals.

7. Method according to claim 6, in which the constituent absorbing material or materials of the walls are chosen from intrinsically absorbing materials or materials rendered absorbing by doping, by diffusion or by absorption of absorbing particles.

8. Method according to claim 6, in which the absorbing crosslinkable and polymerizable materials include particles chosen from dyes, inks, pigments, colloids, carbon nanotubes, carbon black, metal particles and metal alloy particles.

9. Method according to claim 8, in which the metal particles are chosen from silver, chromium, titanium, platinum, nickel, copper, iron, zinc, tin, palladium and gold.

10. Method according to claim 1, which further includes a step of drilling through the transparent optical component, in order to fix the optical element to a maintaining support.

11. Method according to claim 1, in which the set of cells of the optical component is formed directly on a rigid transparent support, or within a flexible transparent film subsequently bonded to a rigid transparent support.

12. Method according to claim 11, in which the production of the transparent optical component comprises the formation of the set of cells and of the absorbing walls within a flexible transparent film followed by the bonding of said film to a rigid transparent support.

13. Method according to claim 11, in which the rigid transparent support is selected from convex, concave and plane, on the side receiving the cell network.

14. Method according to claim 1, in which the substance with an optical property contained in the set of cells is in liquid or gel form.

15. Method according to claim 1, in which the production of the transparent optical component comprises the formation, on a substrate, of a network of absorbing walls in order to delimit the cells parallel to said surface of the component, the collective or individual filling of the cells with the substance exhibiting an optical property, in liquid or gel form, and the closure of the cells on their opposite side from the substrate.

16. Method according to claim 1, in which the optical property is selected from a property of tinting, photochromism, polarization and refractive index.

17. Method according to claim 1, in which the cells are separated by absorbing walls of thickness in a direction parallel to the component surface between 0.10 μ

m and 5 μ

m.

18. Method according to claim 1, in which the set of cells constitutes a layer of thickness between 1 μ

m and 50 μ

m inclusive.

19. Transparent optical component comprising at least one transparent set of cells juxtaposed parallel to one surface of the component, each cell being separated by absorbing walls parallel to the component surface, each cell being hermetically sealed and containing at least one substance with an optical property, said walls being absorbing on sidewalls oriented substantially perpendicular to the component surface,

the transparent optical component configured as a transparent optical element selected from ophthalmic lenses, contact lenses and ocular implants, the transparent optical component further configured so that a single image of an object is obtained when the object is viewed through the whole set of cells, the set of cells having a fill factor of between 90% and 99.5% inclusive parallel to said component surface.

20. Optical component according to claim 19, comprising a rigid transparent support on which the set of cells and the set of absorbing walls are formed.

21. Optical component according to claim 20, which comprises a rigid transparent support to which a transparent film incorporating the set of cells and the set of absorbing walls is bonded.

22. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the absorbing walls have at least one absorption band at a wavelength between 400 nm and 700 nm.

23. Optical component according to claim 22, in which the absorbing walls have an absorption band over the entire visible spectrum.

24. Optical component according to claim 22, in which the absorbing walls also have a spectral absorption band in at least one of the near infrared, including wavelengths above 700 nm, and in the near ultraviolet, including wavelengths below 400 nm.

25. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the walls comprise one or more materials chosen from absorbing crosslinkable materials, absorbing polymerizable materials, hybrid materials, composites and metals.

26. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the constituent absorbing material or materials of the walls are chosen from intrinsically absorbing materials or materials rendered absorbing by doping, by diffusion or by absorption of absorbing particles.

27. Optical component according to claim 26, in which the absorbing particles are chosen from dyes, inks, pigments, colloids, carbon nanotubes, carbon black, metal particles and metal alloy particles.

28. Optical component according to claim 27, in which the metal particles are chosen from silver, chromium, titanium, platinum, nickel, copper, iron, zinc, tin, palladium and gold.

29. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the substance with an optical property contained in at least some of the cells is in liquid or gel form.

30. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the optical property is selected from a property of tinting, photochromism, polarization, refractive index.

31. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the cells are separated by absorbing walls of thickness in a direction parallel to the component surface between 0.10 μ

m and 5 μ

m.

32. Optical component according to claim 19, in which the set of cells constitutes a layer of thickness between 1 μ

m and 50 μ

m inclusive.

33. Spectacle lens, made by cutting out an optical component according to claim 19.

34. Spectacle lens according to claim 33, in which at least one hole is drilled through the component to fasten the lens to a frame.