Methods of designing and fabricating custom-fit eyeglasses using a 3D printer
First Claim
1. A method of 3D printing eyeglasses comprising the steps of:
- (a) conducting a patient eye examination and determining said patient'"'"'s optical specifications for vision correction, said optical specifications including at least two measurements selected from eye strength, refractive error, sphere, cylinder, axis and prism;
(b) measuring biometric data of a head of said patient, including at least two of a distance between said patient'"'"'s pupils, frontal curvature of patient'"'"'s skull measured from temple to temple, distance from a front of said patient'"'"'s temples to a back of said patient'"'"'s ear, and dimensions and shape of said patient'"'"'s eyes and bridge of the nose;
(c) selecting an eyeglass frame from a plurality of eyeglass frames, each representative of a different style, wherein a style is defined as having at least a distinct thickness between a top of said frame and a lens opening, left and right arms, a distinct bridge for a nose, and a distinct lens opening width or height compared to other styles exhibited;
(d) making a determination of lens dimensions which match said selection of said style of eyeglass frame;
(e) printing said selection of said style of eyeglass layer by layer with a three-dimensional printer, after first modifying a shape of at least two different and separate portions of said selection of said style of eyeglass frame, using said patient biometric data, a color of at least a part of said selection of said style of eyeglass frame, and adding at least one ornamental design selected by said patient to said selection of said style of eyeglass frame.
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Abstract
The disclosed technology describes methods for the selection, design and production of custom-fit eyeglasses, using a 3D printer. Embodiments include an eye examination and biometric measurements of a patient. The data can be used to produce custom-fit eyeglass frames. Eyeglass selection is facilitated by the display of a selection of various frames in both digital and physical form. A 3D version of the patient'"'"'s head may be created from digital images, which can be used to produce a final version of the eyeglass frame. Lens dimensions may be traced and the trace used to modify the eyeglass frame. Half of an eyeglass frame may be generated, from which a mirror image is created, and a final frame produced from the resulting image. Also disclosed is an electronic device system which receives, processes and transmits data for the production of custom-fit eyeglass frames.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method of 3D printing eyeglasses comprising the steps of:
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(a) conducting a patient eye examination and determining said patient'"'"'s optical specifications for vision correction, said optical specifications including at least two measurements selected from eye strength, refractive error, sphere, cylinder, axis and prism; (b) measuring biometric data of a head of said patient, including at least two of a distance between said patient'"'"'s pupils, frontal curvature of patient'"'"'s skull measured from temple to temple, distance from a front of said patient'"'"'s temples to a back of said patient'"'"'s ear, and dimensions and shape of said patient'"'"'s eyes and bridge of the nose; (c) selecting an eyeglass frame from a plurality of eyeglass frames, each representative of a different style, wherein a style is defined as having at least a distinct thickness between a top of said frame and a lens opening, left and right arms, a distinct bridge for a nose, and a distinct lens opening width or height compared to other styles exhibited; (d) making a determination of lens dimensions which match said selection of said style of eyeglass frame; (e) printing said selection of said style of eyeglass layer by layer with a three-dimensional printer, after first modifying a shape of at least two different and separate portions of said selection of said style of eyeglass frame, using said patient biometric data, a color of at least a part of said selection of said style of eyeglass frame, and adding at least one ornamental design selected by said patient to said selection of said style of eyeglass frame. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for custom designing or fitting 3D printed eyeglasses, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) conducting a patient eye examination and determining said patient'"'"'s optical specifications for vision correction, said optical specifications including at least two of said patient'"'"'s eye strength, refractive error, sphere, cylinder, axis, and prism; (b) measuring biometric data of a head of said patient, including at least two of a distance between said patient'"'"'s pupils, frontal curvature of patient'"'"'s skull measured from temple to temple, the distance from a front of said patient'"'"'s temples to a back of said patient'"'"'s ear, and dimensions and shape of said patient'"'"'s eyes, nose and ears; (c) choosing a preliminary lens outline based on said patient biometric data and said optical specifications, wherein said preliminary lens outline is digitally shaped in a preliminary eyeglass frame design to achieve a final lens design, said preliminary eyeglass frame design having at least a distinct thickness between a top of said frame and a lens opening, and a distinct lens opening width or height; (d) generating one-half of a bridge portion of a preliminary eyeglass frame design and further generating a mirror image of said one-half of a nose bridge portion and a mirror image of said preliminary eyeglass frame design; (e) modifying and final shaping of said preliminary eyeglass frame design using said final lens design, said nose bridge portion and said mirror images generated in step (d) to create a final frame design; (f) molding a nose piece, using said patient biometric data and said final frame design; and (g) printing said final frame design as modified, and said nose piece layer by layer, using a three-dimensional printer, after first modifying a color of at least a part of said final frame design and adding at least one design to said final frame design. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A custom eyeglass design and fitting system, comprising:
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a processor; a device, which receives and electronically stores data, information and instructions;
that instructs said processor to perform acts for enabling the fabrication of a custom-fit or custom-designed eyeglass frame, using data and information retrievable from said device, said data and information including;(i) patient eye examination data, wherein said patient eye examination data includes patient'"'"'s optical specifications for vision corrections, said optical specifications including at least two of said patient'"'"'s eye strength, refractive error, sphere, cylinder, axis, prism, and add; (ii) patient biometric data, including at least two of a distance between said patient'"'"'s pupils, frontal curvature of said patient'"'"'s skull measured from temple to temple, distance from a front of said patient'"'"'s temples to a back of said patient'"'"'s ear, and dimensions and shape of said patient'"'"'s eyes, nose, eye sockets and ears; and (iii) preliminary eyeglass frame size data, wherein a preliminary eyeglass frame design includes a frame portion defining two lens receiving openings, said frame portion further supporting left and right arms, the arms located on opposite distal ends of said frame portion, and wherein said preliminary eyeglass frame size data include lens opening width and height, bridge width, temple length and total width; an input mechanism for transmitting said data and information to said processor, wherein said processor implements a fit analysis, using said preliminary eyeglass frame design size data, said patient biometric data and said optical specifications to alter said preliminary eyeglass frame design to generate a custom fit eyeglass frame for said patient; and a three-dimensional printer functionally connected to said processor for printing said custom-fit eyeglass frame layer by layer. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification