PROCESS FOR MANUFACTURING A SERIES OF OPHTHALMIC LENSES AND SHEET OF FILM USED IN SUCH A PROCESS

• US 20100007847A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 01/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Original Assignee: Essilor International SA
• Inventors: Cano, Jean-Paul, Bovet, Christian
• Granted Patent: US 7,938,536 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/166
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0073 Optical laminates
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2202/18 Cellular lens surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/083 Electrooptic lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/10 Filters, e.g. for facilitating adaptation of the eyes to the dark; Sunglasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F

Abstract

According to a process for manufacturing a series of ophthalmic lenses, each lens consists of a substrate and a film portion (3) attached to the substrate. The characteristics specific to each lens are obtained by functionalizing the film portion. Film functionalization is carried out when the film is in the form of a large planar sheet (2), and then each portion is cut from the sheet. To obtain economic lens manufacture, with a good production yield, the film portions have, right from the start of the process, dimensions corresponding substantially to the housing of a frame into which each lens is intended to be fitted.

Claims

1-48. -48. (canceled)

49. Process for manufacturing a series of ophthalmic lenses intended to be fitted into respective housings of frames, each lens consisting of a substrate and a functionalized film portion attached to the substrate, the process comprising the following steps:

(i) for each ophthalmic lens of the series, collecting the following data;

dimensions of the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted, and

optical characteristics of the functionalized film portion corresponding to said lens;

(ii) determining an arrangement of the film portion in a planar sheet of said film, each portion having substantially the dimensions of the frame housing for the corresponding lens;

(iii) depositing at least one functional material on each film portion within the sheet of film, said portion having a planar configuration, and said material being suitable for obtaining the optical characteristics of said portion, so as to functionalize said film portion;

(iv) cutting the functionalized film portions out from the sheet of film; and

(v) assembling each functionalized film portion with the substrate of the corresponding lens.

50. Process according to claim 49, in which, after step (iii), at least two of the functionalized film portions within the sheet of film have different respective dimensions and/or optical characteristics.

51. Process according to claim 49, in which the optical characteristics of the functionalized film portion corresponding to at least one of the lenses of the series are determined according to a prescription for correcting an ametropia of a person wearing said lens.

52. Process according to claim 51, in which the optical characteristics of the functionalized film portion determined according to the prescription are adapted in order to compensate for a reduction in a curvature of the lens relative to said prescription.

53. Process according to claim 49, in which, in step (ii), the arrangement of the film portions within the planar sheet of film is determined numerically and iteratively, by simulating several possible arrangements and by selecting one of said possible arrangements that corresponds to maximum occupancy of the sheet of film by said portions.

54. Process according to claim 49, in which the substrate of at least one of the lenses of the series has a curved surface, and in which the corresponding functionalized film portion is applied to said curved surface in step (v) while deforming said functionalized film portion.

55. Process according to claim 54, in which the curved surface of the substrate is not developable.

56. Process according to claim 54, in which the functionalized film portion is carried by a transfer film that can be deformed when said functionalized film portion is assembled with the corresponding lens substrate in step (v).

57. Process according to claim 49, in which, for each lens of the series, the optical characteristics of the corresponding functionalized film portion are produced in step (iii) by depositing said at least one functional material on the planar sheet of film in the form of separate and juxtaposed portions on the film portion, each portion of functional material having dimensions of between 1 μ

m and 500 μ

m measured parallel to the sheet of film.

58. Process according to claim 57, in which the portions of functional material are deposited on the sheet of film into respective cells formed beforehand on said sheet of film.

59. Process according to claim 58, which furthermore includes a step of hermetically sealing the cells, which is performed between steps (iii) and (v).

60. Process according to claim 49, which furthermore includes, after step (iii), the addition of at least one functional coating on a face of each functionalized film portion.

61. Process according to claim 60, in which the functional coating is added before step (iv), so as to continuously cover all of the functionalized film portions on the planar sheet of film.

62. Process according to claim 60, in which the functional coating is carried by a sealing film, said sealing film being applied onto the cells so as to hermetically seal said cells.

63. Process according to claim 60, in which the functional coating is initially provided in the form of a roll of functional film, said functional film being unwound and then applied between steps (iii) and (iv) onto the planar sheet of film comprising the functionalized film portions.

64. Process according to claim 49, in which the optical characteristics of the functionalized film portion corresponding to one of the lenses of the series comprise positioning data selected from:

positioning data for characteristics of a progressive lens positioning it with respect to the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted,

data for positioning an opaque area of the lens with respect to the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted,

data for positioning a polarizing area of the lens with respect to the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted,

data for positioning a coloured area of said functionalized film portion with respect to the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted, and

data for positioning a photochromic area of said functionalized film portion with respect to the frame housing into which said lens is intended to be fitted.

65. Planar, and possibly pliable, sheet of film comprising a series of film portions functionalized by at least one functional material arranged on each portion, said portions being suitable for being combined with respective substrates so as to form ophthalmic lenses, and said portions having respective dimensions corresponding approximately to frame housings into which said lenses are intended to be fitted.

66. Sheet according to claim 65, in which at least two of said functionalized film portions have different respective dimensions and/or optical characteristics.

67. Sheet according to claim 65, in which at least one of the functionalized film portions has dimensions corresponding approximately to a housing in a frame for a pair of spectacles, into which frame the lens corresponding to said film portion is intended to be fitted.

68. Sheet according to claim 65, in which at least one of the functionalized film portions has optical characteristics corresponding to a prescription for correcting an ametropia of a person wearing the lens corresponding to said film portion.

69. Sheet according to claim 68, in which the optical characteristics of the functionalized film portion determined according to the prescription are adapted so as to compensate for a reduction in a curvature of the lens with respect to said prescription.

70. Sheet according to claim 65, in which the functional material is arranged on each functionalized film portion in the form of separate and juxtaposed portions on said film portion, each portion of functional material having dimensions of between 1 μ

m and 500 μ

m, measured parallel to the sheet of film.

71. Sheet according to claim 70, comprising groups of cells corresponding respectively to the functionalized film portions, each cell containing a portion of functional material.

72. Sheet according to claim 71, which furthermore includes a film for sealing the cells, which is arranged on said cells, said film for sealing the cells continuously covering all of the functionalized film portions in the planar sheet of film.

73. Sheet according to claim 65, which furthermore includes at least one functional coating arranged on a face of at least one of the functionalized film portions.

74. Sheet according to claim 72, in which the functional coating is carried by the film for sealing the cells.

75. Sheet according to claim 73, in which the functional coating is selected from an anti-reflection coating, an anti-impact coating, an anti-soiling coating, an antistatic coating, an anti-abrasion coating, a reflecting coating, a polarizing coating, a photochromic coating, a tinted coating, or a combination of some of said coatings.