U.S. patent application number 12/791308 was filed with the patent office on 2010-12-09 for method of producing a dyed optical component.
This patent application is currently assigned to NIDEK CO., LTD.. Invention is credited to Hirokazu HYODO, Minoru Inuzuka.
Application Number | 20100308488 12/791308 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43300162 |
Filed Date | 2010-12-09 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100308488 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
HYODO; Hirokazu ; et
al. |
December 9, 2010 |
METHOD OF PRODUCING A DYED OPTICAL COMPONENT
Abstract
A method of producing a dyed optical component, comprises: a
first step of dyeing one surface of a film made of transparent
resin to produce a dyed film; and a second step of setting the dyed
film in a predetermined mold and injecting the thermoplastic resin
melted by heat into the mold in which the dyed film has been set to
produce a dyed optical component integrally including the dyed film
by film insert molding, the dyed film being set in the mold to make
a dyed surface of the dyed film contact with the melted
thermoplastic resin.
Inventors: |
HYODO; Hirokazu;
(Toyohashi-shi, JP) ; Inuzuka; Minoru; (Hazu-gun,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OLIFF & BERRIDGE, PLC
P.O. BOX 320850
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22320-4850
US
|
Assignee: |
NIDEK CO., LTD.
Gamagori-Shi
JP
|
Family ID: |
43300162 |
Appl. No.: |
12/791308 |
Filed: |
June 1, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
264/78 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29C 45/1418 20130101;
B29K 2995/0087 20130101; B29C 2045/14237 20130101; B29D 11/0073
20130101; G02C 7/108 20130101; B29K 2995/002 20130101; B29L
2011/0016 20130101; B29D 11/00903 20130101; B29C 2045/14737
20130101; D06P 5/004 20130101; G02C 2202/16 20130101; B29C 45/14811
20130101; B29C 45/14688 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
264/78 |
International
Class: |
D01F 1/06 20060101
D01F001/06 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 3, 2009 |
JP |
2009-134195 |
Claims
1. A method of producing a dyed optical component, comprising: a
first step of dyeing one surface of a film made of transparent
resin to produce a dyed film; and a second step of setting the dyed
film in a predetermined mold and injecting the thermoplastic resin
melted by heat into the mold in which the dyed film has been set to
produce a dyed optical component integrally including the dyed film
by film insert molding, the dyed film being set in the mold to make
a dyed surface of the dyed film contact with the melted
thermoplastic resin.
2. The method of producing a dyed optical component according to
claim 1, wherein the dyeing in the first step is performed
according to a vapor deposition transfer dyeing method.
3. The method of producing a dyed optical component according to
claim 2, wherein the second step is a step of performing the film
insert molding so that an, undyed surface of the dyed film forms a
front surface of the optical component.
4. The method of producing a dyed optical component according to
claim 3 further comprising, after the second step, a third step of
forming a hard coat on the front surface of the optical
component.
5. The method of producing a dyed optical component according to
claim 4, wherein the dyed optical component produced in the second
step is a semi-finished lens, and the mold used in the second step
is configured so that a wall surface for forming the front surface
of the semi-finished lens is designed to form a predetermined
optical surface and a wall surface for forming a rear surface of
the semi-finished lens is designed to form a curved surface having
no optic surface that determines a lens diopter.
6. The method of producing a dyed optical component according to
claim 5, wherein the thermoplastic resin used in the film
insert-molding is a material selected from polycarbonate,
polyamide, polyurethane, polystyrene, and acrylic resin, and a
material of the film is the same material as the thermoplastic
resin used in the film insert-molding.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based upon and claims the benefit of
priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-134195
filed on Jun. 3, 2009, the entire contents of which are
incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a method of producing a
dyed optical component to be used as sunglasses, spectacle lenses,
or others.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] There are heretofore known an optical component called a
Plano lens (a lens having no diopter) and a semi-finished lens. In
the semi-finished lens, a convex surface side to form a lens front
surface has a predetermined optic surface and a concave surface
side to form a lens rear surface is a simple concave surface that
will be formed as an optic surface later by cutting. This concave
surface is then appropriately cut or machined to obtain a desired
diopter. On the other hand, in many cases where such semi-finished
lens is to be dyed, the concave surface of the semi-finished lens
is first subjected to a machining (cutting) work to have a required
diopter, and the lens is immersed and dyed in a dye solution and
then subjected to a hard coat treatment for lens protection (JP
2000-288891A).
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0004] When a dyed finished lens is to be produced from the
semi-finished lens as explained above, the semi-finished lens has
to undergo the machining work and then the dyeing work. It
therefore takes long to produce the dyed finished lens. It is also
conceivable to dye the semi-finished lens in a predetermined color
in advance to shorten the dyeing process and store such lens. The
concave surface of the semi-finished lens is shaved or cut away,
resulting in a change in color density.
[0005] In the case of applying a hard coat on the dyed
semi-finished lens, the hard coat less easily adheres to a dyed
surface. Particularly, the problems with adhesion and dye-affinity
of the hard coat with respect to the dyed surface are important
when polycarbonate is used as a lens material. Furthermore, the
Plano lens, the semi-finished lens, and other lenses of such type
are often mass-produced and carried in stock and also selectable
dyeing patterns often have been determined in advance in order to
be offered at as low a price as possible.
[0006] The present invention has been made in view of the
circumstances to solve the above problems and has a purpose to
provide a method of efficiently producing a dyed optical component
from an optical component having been mass-produced such as a
semi-finished lens and a Plano lens, the method being able to
appropriately adhere a hard coat to a surface of the optical
component.
Solution to Problem
[0007] To achieve the above purpose, one aspect of the invention
provides a method of producing a dyed optical component,
comprising: a first step of dyeing one surface of a film made of
transparent resin to produce a dyed film; and a second step of
setting the dyed film in a predetermined mold and injecting the
thermoplastic resin melted by heat into the mold in which the dyed
film has been set to produce a dyed optical component integrally
including the dyed film by film insert molding, the dyed film being
set in the mold to make a dyed surface of the dyed film contact
with the melted thermoplastic resin.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0008] FIG. 1 is a view showing a structure of a dyed semi-finished
lens with a hard coat in an embodiment;
[0009] FIG. 2 is a schematic view schematically showing a process
of a vapor deposition transfer dyeing method used in the
embodiment; and
[0010] FIG. 3 is a view showing a modified example of the
embodiment.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0011] A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention will now be given referring to the accompanying
drawings. FIG. 1 is a view showing a structure of a semi-finished
lens as a dyed optical component in this embodiment. A dyed
semi-finished lens 10 includes a semi-finished lens 1 having a
spherical or aspheric optical surface in a front surface (a convex
surface) and a simply concave surface in a rear surface, the
concave surface being to be machined later, and a dyed film 2
joined to the front surface of the semi-finished lens 1. A joining
surface of the film 2 that contacts with the semi-finished lens 1
has a dyed layer 3 dyed in a desired color. Further, an opposite
surface of the film 2 from the dyed layer 3 is formed with a hard
coat layer 4 for the purpose of surface protection. If the
semi-finished lens does not need the surface protection, the hard
coat layer 4 does not always have to be formed. The hard coat layer
4 may be a hard coat single layer or be configured in a double
layer including a primer coat for enhancing adhesion and a hard
coat formed on the primer coat.
[0012] As a lens material of the semi-finished lens 1, a
conventionally known thermoplastic resin may be adopted. To be
concrete, polycarbonate, polyamide, polyurethane, polystyrene,
acrylic resin, and others are selectable. The film 2 has only to be
made of a transparent resin heretofore known and available for film
insert molding. Preferably, the film 2 is made of the same material
as that used for the semi-finished lens 1 or a resin having a
refractive index (power) approximate to that of the lens material
forming the semi-finished lens 1. Specifically, the aforementioned
materials and polyethylene terephthalate can be used. The film 2
may be configured not only in a single film form but also in a
laminated film form including two or more films bonded to each
other. The thickness of the film 2 is determined to be able to be
so softened by heat as to firmly adhere to a metal mold. It is
preferably 0.005 mm to 5 mm and more preferably 0.1 mm to 1 mm. If
the thickness of the film 2 is thinner than 0.005 mm, the film 2 is
likely to constrict or the like by heat.
[0013] The hard coat layer 4 formed on the front surface of the
film 2 is made of a conventionally known ultraviolet curing or
thermosetting hard coat solution such as an acrylic solution and a
silicone solution (a siloxane solution). Such hard coat solution is
applied on the front surface of the film 2 by a conventionally
known method such as a brush coating technique and a spin coating
technique and is subjected to a curing treatment.
[0014] A method of producing a dyed semi-finished lens in the
present embodiment will be explained below. The rear surface (a
surface to be joined with the semi-finished lens) of the film 2 is
first dyed. The dyeing method is not particularly limited as long
as it is able to dye the film 2. However, a vapor deposition
transfer dyeing method is appropriately used.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic view schematically showing a process
of the vapor transfer dyeing method.
[0016] Three kinds (Red, Blue, and Yellow) of vapor deposition
transfer dyeing inks are individually filled in ink cartridges 41
of a commercially available inkjet printer. The cartridges filled
with the inks are mounted in an inkjet printer 40 (hereinafter,
referred to as a "printer") not shown. A commercially available
printer may be used as the printer 40 in this embodiment. As dyes
used for the vapor deposition transfer dyeing inks, sublimable dyes
such as quinophthalone dyes and anthraquinon dyes are appropriately
used.
[0017] To output a desired color by use of this printer 40, hue and
density of the inks to be printed on a base body are adjusted by
use of a personal computer (hereinafter, referred to as a PC) 50.
The hue adjustment is made by a drawing software in the PC 50.
Accordingly, desired color data can be stored in the PC 50 and the
same color tone can be obtained as many times as it is needed.
Furthermore, color shade (contrast) is also digital-controlled and
thus the color with the same density can be produced as many times
as it is needed.
[0018] The base body on which the sublimable dye is to be printed
is not particularly limited as long as it is usable in the printer
40. For example, a commercially-available A4 paper is usable. Since
the base body is heated during the vapor deposition transfer, a
base body exhibiting good heat absorbing properties is preferably
used.
[0019] After a base body 100 is set in the printer 40, the PC 50 is
operated to print on the base body 100 in previously selected hue
and density. After printing, the base body 100 has a printed
colored layer 100a formed of the dyeing inks (the sublimable dyes).
The size of the colored layer 100a is preferably determined to be
slightly larger than the outer shape of the film 2 to be used.
[0020] Subsequently, the film 2 is dyed according to the vapor
deposition transfer dyeing method by using the base body 100 on
which the dyeing inks have been applied. This vapor deposition
transfer dyeing method is to dye a film by heating the base body
100 applied with the sublimable dyes in a vacuum atmosphere to
thereby sublimate the sublimable dyes to deposit on the film placed
to face the base body, and heating the film at a predetermined
temperature to fix the dyes. Firstly, the base body 100 applied
with the dyeing inks and the film 2 are placed in a vacuum
vapor-deposition transfer machine body 20, and the sublimable dyes
contained in the dyeing inks are vaporized. The front side of the
machine body 20 has a port not shown through which the base body
100 and the film 2 are taken in and out. A halogen lamp 21 is
placed in the machine body 20 and used to heat the base body 100 in
non-contact relation. A rotary pump 22 is used to create an almost
vacuum in the machine body 20. A leak valve 23 is to admit outside
air in the machine body 20 to return the vacuum to atmospheric
pressure.
[0021] A jig 30 is configured to set therein the base body 100 and
the film 2. This jig 30 includes a film holder for holding the film
2, and a base body holder for holding the base body 100 at a
predetermined interval from the film 2. When the film 2 and the
base body 100 are set in the jig 30, a to-be-dyed surface of the
film 2 and a surface of the base body 100 on the colored layer 100a
side face each other in non-contact relation. After setting of the
film 2 and the base body 100, the machine body 20 is sealed and
evacuated to create a vacuum by the rotary pump 22. When the vacuum
in the machine body 20 reaches a predetermined level, the halogen
lamp 21 is turned on to heat the base body 100 from above in
non-contact relation. A heating temperature of the base body 100 is
determined to be as high as possible in a range causing no
degradation of the dyes and deformation of the film 2.
[0022] Since the base body 100 is heated by turn-on of the halogen
lamp 21, the dyes sublimate and evaporate from the colored layer
100a and deposit on the to-be-dyed surface of the film 2. Heating
of the base body 100 by turn-on of the halogen lamp 21 has only to
be continued until almost all the dyes on the colored layer 100a
evaporate.
[0023] After a lapse of time in which almost all the dyes are
sublimated by heat, the halogen lamp 21 is turned off. Thereafter,
the leak valve 23 is opened to return the internal pressure of the
machine body 20 to normal pressure and then the film 2 with the
dyes deposited thereon is taken out. The sublimated dyes have been
deposited on the film 2 but those dyes in this state are liable to
come off the film 2. Accordingly, the film 2 is put in an oven 60
and heated at normal pressure to fix the dyes on the film 2. This
process is performed through the steps of heating the inside of the
oven at a temperature set to be as high as possible below an
allowable temperature limit of the film 2, and taking the film 2
out of the oven 60 after a lapse of a predetermined time required
to obtain desired hue and density. The heating temperature of the
oven 60 is preferably set to be as high as possible in a range that
does not cause degradation of the dyes and deformation of the film.
For example, the heating temperature is about 50.degree. C. to
about 150.degree. C. When the film 2 is heated for the
predetermined time in the oven 60, the dyes deposited on the film 2
is fixed thereon, so that one surface of the film 2 is dyed in a
desired color.
[0024] Next, a semi-finished lens joined with the dyed film 2 is
produced by film insert molding. In this film insert molding, the
dyed film 2 is set in a mold for semi-finished lens molding and
then the lens material melted by heat is injected into the mold to
unite the film 2 and the lens material. In this embodiment, a metal
mold is used as the mold but not limited thereto. Any molds usable
in the film insert molding can be used. The film 2 is subjected in
advance to cutting and punching to have almost the same diameter
and the same shape as those of the lens front surface. In the metal
mold used in the molding, a wall surface for forming the lens front
surface (the convex surface) is previously designed to form a
predetermined optic surface. On the other hand, a wall surface of
the metal mold for forming the lens rear surface (the concave
surface) is designed to form a simple curved surface having no
optic surface that determines the lens diopter. In such metal mold,
the opposite surface of the film 2 from the dyed layer is placed in
close contact with the wall surface of the metal mold to form the
lens front surface. For allowing close contact with the metal mold,
the film 2 is heated in advance and the softened film 2 is brought
in close contact with the wall surface of the metal mold by
utilizing aspiration of air. After the film 2 is placed in close
contact with the metal mold, the thermoplastic lens material is
poured into the metal mold and cured. Thus, a semi-finished lens
joined with the dyed film 2 is produced. The produced dyed
semi-finished lens includes the film 2 integrally joined to the
lens front surface so that an undyed surface of the film 2 is
placed as the frontmost surface of the lens.
[0025] In the dyed semi-finished lens produced as above, the undyed
surface of the film 2 is the lens (the dyed semi-finished lens)
front surface. Even when a hard coat having high abrasion
resistance is applied on the lens front surface, that coat layer is
unlikely to come off. Thus, a dyed semi-finished lens with an
appropriate hard coat can be produced. The film used in this
embodiment is a film having no optical function but not limited
thereto. As an alternative, for example, a polarizing film may be
used. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the film insert molding is
conducted to join the dyed film 2 to the lens front surface but not
limited thereto. For instance, the film insert molding may be
performed to place a dyed film inside a semi-finished lens as shown
in FIG. 3. Moreover, in this embodiment, the film is dyed in a
desired color according to the vapor deposition transfer dyeing
method but not limited thereto. Any methods capable of
appropriately dyeing only one surface of a film may be adopted. For
instance, only one surface of the film can be dyed in such a way
that the other surface of the film is covered with a mask and then
the film is immersed in a dye solution. However, polycarbonate is a
material very hard to dye and can hardly be dyed by normal
immersion into the dye solution. In the case of using the film made
of such poorly-dyable material, the aforementioned vapor deposition
transfer dyeing method is particularly effective to dye the film.
Although the present embodiment exemplifies the semi-finished lens,
the present invention is not limited thereto and may be applied
particularly appropriately to dyed optical components that can be
previously prepared in large numbers in stock, e.g., a lens having
no diopter (a Plano lens) used as sunglasses.
[0026] An example and a comparative example are described below but
the present invention is not limited thereto.
Example 1
[0027] By using the vapor deposition transfer dyeing method, a film
(380 mm.times.310 mm) made of polycarbonate having a thickness of
0.5 mm was subjected to dyeing to dye one surface thereof. By use
of the drawing software preinstalled in the commercially available
personal computer, output quantities of red, blue, and yellow inks
were set to 44%, 70%, and 88% respectively. Then, an A4-size paper
was printed by the printer. The inks used in this example were Red
NK-1, Yellow NK-2, and Blue NK-3 each containing anthraquinon dye
and being produced by Nidek Co., Ltd. The printer was PX-6250S
manufactured by Seiko Epson Corporation. Sublimation and deposition
of the dyes from the paper applied with the inks to the film were
conducted by use of the aforementioned vacuum vapor transfer
machine. As a deposition condition, a degree of vacuum was set at
0.2 kPa and the halogen lamp was continuously turned on until the
heating temperature reached 230.degree. C. on the paper. To perform
a dye fixing work, the film having one surface deposited with the
dyes was heated in an oven (DKN612 by Yamato Scientific Co., Ltd)
at 135.degree. C. for 2 hours.
[0028] The dyed film was punched out into a circular shape with a
diameter of 78 mm. Then, the circular dyed film was placed in close
contact with the wall surface of the metal mold corresponding to a
lens convex surface side so that an undyed surface of the film
contact with the wall surface of the metal mold. Successively, a
lens material, polycarbonate, was injected into the metal mold for
insert molding to produce a semi-finished lens in which the dyed
film was joined to the lens front surface. The mold temperature was
about 90.degree. C. and the resin temperature was about 290.degree.
C. In order to enhance adhesion, a primer hard solution NSC-PR by
Nippon Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. was applied to the front surface
(the convex surface side) of the produced dyed semi-finished lens.
This semi-finished lens was dried in the oven at 80.degree. C. for
5 minutes. Then, the lens was applied with a silicone hard coat
solution (NSC-5140 by Nippon Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.) and heated in
the oven at 130.degree. C. for three hours to polymerize and cure
the hard coat solution, thereby forming a hard coat layer on the
front surface of the semi-finished lens.
[0029] The obtained dyed semi-finished lens had a good appearance
having no dyeing unevenness. The dyed semi-finished lens produced
in the above process was subjected to a test according to the
following method. Results of this test are shown in Table 1.
[0030] (1) Abrasion test: An abrasion test was conducted by rubbing
the surface of a coat with a steel wool #0000 at five
reciprocations under a load of 1500 g and observing and determining
the state of that coat by the naked eyes. This determination was
evaluated as follows:
[0031] .smallcircle.: Almost no scratches were generated (0 to 5
scratches).
[0032] .DELTA.: Some scratches were generated (6 to 10
scratches).
[0033] x : Many scratches were generated (more than 11
scratches).
[0034] (2) Adhesion test: An adhesion test was conducted by
grooving a lens surface with a cutter to make 100 grids at
intervals of 1 mm and then performing a peeling test using an
adhesive cellophane tape (a cross-cut tape test) three times and
examining the number of remaining grids.
Comparative Example 1
[0035] A semi-finished lens was molded of polycarbonate by use of
the same metal mold as in the example 1. A front surface (a convex
surface) of this semi-finished lens was directly dyed according to
the vapor deposition transfer dyeing method. After dyeing, a hard
coat was formed on the dyed surface. The dyeing condition and the
hard coat condition were the same as those in the example 1. The
produced dyed semi-finished lens had a good appearance having no
dyeing unevenness. The abrasion test and the adhesion test also
were conducted in the same manner as in the example 1. Results
thereof are shown in Table 1.
TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Adhesion Test Abrasion Test 1.sup.st time
2.sup.nd time 3.sup.rd time Example 1 .smallcircle. 100/100 100/100
100/100 Comparative .smallcircle. 90/100 92/100 90/100 example
1
[0036] While the presently preferred embodiment of the present
invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that
this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various
changes and modifications may be made without departing from the
scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *