U.S. patent application number 14/922423 was filed with the patent office on 2016-02-11 for devices and processes for fabricating multi-component optical systems.
The applicant listed for this patent is CRT Technology, Inc.. Invention is credited to William E. Meyers, Hermann H. Neidlinger.
Application Number | 20160039158 14/922423 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 50147314 |
Filed Date | 2016-02-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160039158 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Meyers; William E. ; et
al. |
February 11, 2016 |
DEVICES AND PROCESSES FOR FABRICATING MULTI-COMPONENT OPTICAL
SYSTEMS
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to devices and processes for
fabricating a multi-component optical system. A device is an
integral mold comprising an attachment portion and a cup portion
having a cavity, and the mold further comprises a first optical
component. The cavity of the mold contains additional optical
components to form a multi-component optical system blank. Another
device is a multi-component optical system blank. A process for
fabricating a multi-component optical system blank comprises
providing an integral mold comprising a first optical component,
adding at least a second optical component, shaping the mold after
addition of an optical component, and shaping the resultant blank
into an optical system. A further device is a multi-component
optical system produced in a process disclosed herein.
Inventors: |
Meyers; William E.;
(Scottsdale, AZ) ; Neidlinger; Hermann H.; (San
Jose, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
CRT Technology, Inc. |
Mesa |
AZ |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
50147314 |
Appl. No.: |
14/922423 |
Filed: |
October 26, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
13592503 |
Aug 23, 2012 |
9180610 |
|
|
14922423 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
351/159.02 ;
249/117; 249/129; 264/1.7 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B29L 2011/00 20130101;
B29D 11/00048 20130101; B29D 11/0048 20130101; B29C 33/0022
20130101; B29C 39/146 20130101; B29C 39/18 20130101; B29C 33/0016
20130101; G02C 7/04 20130101; B29D 11/00403 20130101; G02C 2202/08
20130101; B29C 39/12 20130101; B29C 39/26 20130101; B29C 39/006
20130101; B29K 2105/0002 20130101; B29D 11/00567 20130101; G02B
9/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
B29D 11/00 20060101
B29D011/00; G02C 7/04 20060101 G02C007/04; B29C 39/12 20060101
B29C039/12; B29C 39/18 20060101 B29C039/18; B29C 33/00 20060101
B29C033/00; B29C 39/26 20060101 B29C039/26 |
Claims
1. A mold for fabricating a multi-component optical system blank
comprising: a cup portion, wherein the cup portion comprises an
inner wall and a first cavity defined by the inner wall; and an
attachment portion; wherein the mold comprises a first optical
component, and wherein the mold comprises a portion of the
blank.
2. The mold of claim 1, further comprising a reference surface.
3. The mold of claim 1, wherein the cup portion further comprises a
bottom wall and a first axial wall.
4. The mold of claim 3, wherein the inner wall is concave.
5. The mold of claim 3, the inner wall further comprising a first
bottom surface and a first axial surface.
6. The mold of claim 1, wherein the first cavity contains a second
optical component.
7. The mold of claim 6, wherein the first cavity contains an nth
optical component.
8. The mold of claim 7, wherein at least one optical component is
selected from a group consisting of polarization filters,
refractive lenslets, diffractive lenslets, selective chromatic
filters, bandpass filters, circular polarizing filters, linear
polarizer filters, gray attenuator filters, birefringent filters,
zone plates, mirrors, electronic circuits, electronic devices,
microdisplays, sensors, antennas, and nanowires.
9. The mold of claim 8, wherein the inner wall is shaped to
specification.
10. The mold of claim 9, wherein the first cavity further
comprises: a second cavity defined by a second axial wall and a
second bottom surface within the first cavity, and a third cavity
defined by the second axial wall and a third bottom surface within
the first cavity.
11. The mold of claim 9, wherein the first cavity further comprises
a second cavity defined by a second axial surface and a second
bottom surface within the first cavity.
12. The mold of claim 9, wherein the first cavity further comprises
a second cavity defined by a second axial surface, a third axial
surface, and a second bottom surface within the first cavity.
13. The mold of claim 10, wherein the second cavity and the third
cavity contain separate optical components.
14. The mold of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is
configured for fastening in a collet and comprises a reference
surface.
15. A process for fabricating a multi-component optical system
blank comprising: adding a second optical component to an integral
mold comprising a first optical component, wherein the integral
mold comprises: a cup portion, wherein the cup portion comprises a
cavity defined by an inner wall, and an attachment portion; and
wherein the second optical component is added in the cavity of the
integral mold.
16. The process of claim 15, further comprising adding an nth
optical component in the cavity of the integral mold.
17. The process of claim 16, wherein at least one optical component
is selected from a group consisting of polarization filters,
bandpass filters, selective chromatic filters, circular polarizing
filters, linear polarizer filters, gray attenuator filters,
birefringent filters, refractive lenslets, diffractive lenslets,
pinhole apertures, zone plates, mirrors, electronic circuits,
electronic devices, microdisplays, sensors, antennas, and
nanowires.
18. The process of claim 17, wherein the cup portion further
comprises a bottom wall and a first axial wall.
19. The process of claim 18, wherein the inner wall is concave.
20. A multi-component optical system comprising at least two
optical components having differing properties, wherein during a
manufacturing process of the multi-component optical system a first
optical component serves as a mold for at least a second optical
component, wherein during the manufacturing process the at least
two optical components are shaped into the multi-component optical
system by a material removal step, and wherein the at least two
optical components are in predetermined locations in the
multi-component optical system.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application
Ser. No. 13/592,503 entitled "Devices AND processes for fabricating
multi-component optical systems," filed on Aug. 23, 2012, which
issued as U.S. Pat. No. ______ on ______ which is incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to processes and
devices for the manufacture of optical systems. More particularly,
the disclosure relates to multi-component optical systems and
devices and processes for the manufacture thereof from composites
comprising two or more optical components.
BACKGROUND
[0003] To manufacture hybrid or multi-component optical systems
using traditional methods, each component part or shape may need to
be manufactured from rods or blanks that are processed by cutting
into various shapes using a variety of techniques, for example,
lathing or milling, and subsequently assembled by joining the
components, for example, by using an adhesive assembly process.
This type of assembly process can be problematic, as it may cause
optical distortions in the assembled system through formation of
optical inhomogeneities (such as bubbles, de-adhesion and
retraction, stress birefringence, schlieren, and the like) in the
adhesive layers, adhesive imperfections which may cause the
assembly to exhibit adhesive failure, alignment problems, and
distortions detrimental to the optical performance of the system,
to list several examples.
[0004] As described above, current processes for manufacturing
multi-component optical systems are not commercially attractive due
to high rates of adhesive failure and alignment problems that may
be detrimental to optical performance. Accordingly, the
increasingly stringent optical precision requirements of evolving
miniature multi-component optical systems require improved
manufacturing processes and devices to facilitate such improved
processes.
SUMMARY
[0005] In accordance with various embodiments, the ability to
produce multi-component optical systems is improved by providing
devices and processes for constructing a multi-component optical
system, such as an optical system in the form of a contact lens. As
set forth in more detail below, the various advantages of the
devices and processes of the embodiments disclosed herein include
the ability to more accurately configure and locate various optical
materials or components used in a multi-component optical
system.
[0006] In various embodiments, a mold for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank comprises a cup portion and an
attachment portion. In accordance with various embodiments, the
mold comprises a first optical material that is integral to (i.e.,
becomes a part of) the blank that the mold is used to produce. In
accordance with further aspects, the cup portion comprises a cavity
defined by an inner wall of the cup portion. In various
embodiments, the mold may further comprise additional optical
components, and the cavity of the mold may further comprise
additional cavities or compartments.
[0007] In accordance with various embodiments, a multi-component
optical system blank comprises at least a first optical component
and a second optical component. In various embodiments, the first
optical component comprises an attachment portion and a cup portion
having a cavity defined by an inner wall, and a second optical
component of the blank is in the cavity of the first component. In
various embodiments, the blank may further comprise additional
optical components.
[0008] In various embodiments, a multi-component optical system
blank fabrication process comprises preparing a multi-component
optical system blank mold that will serve as the first component of
the optical system from a first optical material, adding a second
optical component to the multi-component optical system blank mold,
and, optionally, adding additional optical components to the mold.
In various embodiments, the process may further optionally comprise
a shaping step for each optical component that may be added to the
blank.
[0009] In various embodiments, a process for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank comprises adding a second
optical component to an integral mold made from a first optical
material, wherein the mold comprises an attachment portion and a
cup portion having a cavity defined by an inner wall, and wherein
the second optical component is added in the cavity of the mold. In
various embodiments, the process may optionally further comprise
adding additional optical components to the cavity of the mold as
well as optional shaping steps for each component that may be added
to the blank.
[0010] In accordance with various embodiments, a multi-component
optical system comprising at least two optical components having
different properties is produced. In various embodiments, the
multi-component optical system is produced by a manufacturing
process wherein a first optical component serves as a mold for at
least a second optical component. The at least two optical
components may be shaped into a multi-component optical system by a
material removal step.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The subject matter of the present disclosure is particularly
pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the
specification. A more complete understanding of the various
embodiments, however, may best be obtained by referring to the
detailed description when considered in connection with the drawing
figures, wherein:
[0012] FIG. 1A illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a concave inner wall;
[0013] FIG. 1B illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having an inner wall comprising a bottom
surface and an axial surface;
[0014] FIG. 2A illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second optical component in the
cavity of the mold;
[0015] FIG. 2B illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second, third, and fourth
optical component in the cavity of the mold;
[0016] FIG. 2C illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a preformed optical element as a
second optical component embedded in a third optical component;
[0017] FIG. 3A illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having an inner wall with a second axial
wall defining second and third cavities within the first cavity of
the mold;
[0018] FIG. 3B illustrates a top view of a multi-component optical
system blank mold having an inner wall with a second axial wall
defining second and third cavities within the first cavity of the
mold;
[0019] FIG. 3C illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having an inner wall that is recessed
with respect to the bottom surface of the inner wall at the axis of
the mold;
[0020] FIG. 3D illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having an inner wall that is recessed
with respect to the bottom surface of the inner wall at a distance
from the axis of the mold;
[0021] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having an inner wall with a second axial
wall defining second and third cavities within the first cavity of
the mold and having additional optical components in the second and
third cavities of the mold;
[0022] FIG. 5A illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second, third, and fourth
optical component in the cavity of the mold, with the fourth
optical component located in the first cavity as well as in a
second cavity formed in the second and third components;
[0023] FIG. 5B illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second, third, and fourth cavity
located in the first cavity of the mold, with second, third,
fourth, and fifth optical components variously located in the
cavities of the mold;
[0024] FIG. 5C illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second and third cavity formed
in a second optical component, as well as a third optical component
in the first, second, and third cavities of the mold;
[0025] FIG. 5D illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a plurality of additional cavities
and optical components in the cavity of the mold;
[0026] FIG. 5E illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank mold having a second, third, fourth, and fifth
optical component in the cavity of the mold, with the second and
third optical components located asymmetrically and off-center with
respect to the axis of the mold;
[0027] FIG. 6A illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system blank or button formed from a blank mold such as
that illustrated in FIG. 4;
[0028] FIG. 6B illustrates a cross section of a multi-component
optical system formed from a blank such as that illustrated in FIG.
6A; and
[0029] FIG. 7 illustrates a process for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0030] The detailed description of various embodiments herein makes
reference to the accompanying drawing figures, which show various
embodiments and implementations thereof by way of illustration and
best mode, and not of limitation. While these embodiments are
described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art
to practice the embodiments, it should be understood that other
embodiments may be realized and that mechanical and other changes
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this
disclosure. Rather, the following disclosure is intended to teach
both the implementation of the various embodiments and any
equivalent embodiments.
[0031] Furthermore, any reference to singular includes plural
embodiments, and any reference to more than one component may
include a singular embodiment. Moreover, recitation of multiple
embodiments having stated features is not intended to exclude other
embodiments having additional features or other embodiments
incorporating different combinations of the stated features. As
used in this disclosure, the term "or" shall be understood to be
defined as a logical disjunction (e.g., and/or) and shall not
indicate an exclusive disjunction unless expressly indicated.
[0032] As set forth in more detail below, various embodiments
described herein provide significant advancements over prior art
processes, particularly with regard to the ability to consistently
produce multi-component optical systems as compared to processes
that rely on adhesive assembly. Furthermore, the devices and
processes disclosed herein facilitate more accurate configuration
and alignment of optical components and the manufacture of
multi-component optical systems with a capacity for enhanced
optical accuracy and performance. Moreover, existing contact lens
manufacturing processes that utilize a machining process to shape
buttons to specification, in many instances, may be compatible with
the devices provided in the present disclosure and the products of
the processes disclosed herein, and therefore capable of realizing
the many commercial benefits the present disclosure provides.
[0033] In various embodiments, a mold for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank comprises an attachment
portion and a cup portion. The cup portion may further comprise an
inner wall. The inner wall of the cup portion of the mold may
define a first cavity. In various embodiments, the mold comprises a
first optical component. In accordance with further aspects, the
mold is integral to the blank or, described differently, comprises
a constituent of the blank.
[0034] For example, FIGS. 1A-1B illustrate various embodiments of a
multi-component optical system blank mold. In accordance with the
embodiments, the multi-component optical system blank molds 100A
and 100B are comprised of a first optical component which may
become part of the optical system blank the mold produces.
Explained another way, the mold is integral to the multi-component
optical system blank that the mold is used to form and comprises a
part of the blank as well as a part of the multi-component optical
system the blank is used to create.
[0035] In various embodiments, the mold comprises one or more
optical materials. As used herein, the term "optical material"
includes, for example, one or more of fluorosilicon acrylate,
silicon acrylate, polymethylmethacrylate, a silicon hydrogel,
biocompatible materials, transparent materials, and the like, which
can be soft or rigid, and which can be suitable for machining on a
lathe during fabrication of a button or optical system.
[0036] In various embodiments, the mold is shaped or formed to have
a cup portion 101 and an attachment portion 102. The cup portion
101 may further be shaped or formed to have a cavity 103 configured
to receive additional optical components. The shape and dimension
of the cup portion 101 and the cavity 103 may be chosen to
accommodate additional fabrication steps. The cup portion may
comprise a cylindrical section with at least one surface serving as
a reference surface that may be useful as a control plane with
respect to which additional features can be oriented and/or
located. In various embodiments, the cup portion may have a bottom
wall 104 and an axial wall 105. The cavity 103 of cup portion 101
may be defined by an inner wall 106. The inner wall 106 may
comprise a single surface, for example, a concave surface that
defines cavity 103, as illustrated in FIG. 1A. In other
embodiments, cavity 103 may be defined by an inner wall 106
comprising more than one surface, for example, a bottom surface
106a and an axial surface 106b, as illustrated in FIG. 1B. The mold
may be radially symmetrical with a circular cross section. In
accordance with various embodiments, the mold is not provided with
a surface that will comprise an anterior surface of a lens or
component of the lens fabricated from the mold.
[0037] In various embodiments, attachment portion 102 may be shaped
or formed in a manner that allows it to be attached to a lathe,
mill, machine, or other device that may be used for further
fabrication of the mold. For example, attachment portion 102 may be
shaped in a manner that is suitable for attachment in the collet of
a lathe. The attachment portion may comprise a cylindrical section
with at least one surface serving as a reference surface that may
be useful as a control plane with respect to which additional
features can be oriented and/or located. The attachment portion of
a mold may have any shape or configuration suitable for attachment
to any machine or device that may be used for further fabrication
of the mold. In accordance with various embodiments, the attachment
portion used for further fabrication of the mold is comprised of
the first optical component along with the cup portion, and the
attachment portion does not comprise a second optical component
added to the first optical component. In other embodiments, the
attachment portion of a mold may comprise an optical component
added to the first optical component of the mold.
[0038] In accordance with various embodiments and as described
above, a reference surface may be located on the cup portion 101 of
the mold or on the attachment portion 102. In yet other
embodiments, a mold may have more than one reference surface, and
reference surfaces may be variously located on or in the cup
portion of the mold as well as on the attachment portion of the
mold. In various embodiments, the axis of the mold may also serve
as a reference line for controlling the orientation and location of
features of the mold during the fabrication process.
[0039] In various embodiments, a multi-component optical system
blank mold may comprise additional components within the cavity of
the cup portion of the mold. In various embodiments and with
reference to FIG. 2A, mold 200A may comprise a second optical
component 210 contained in cavity 203. Similarly, in various
embodiments, a mold may comprise additional optical components, and
may comprise up to an nth optical component. By way of
illustration, in FIG. 2B, mold 200B contains a second optical
component 210, a third optical component 211, and a fourth optical
component 212 in cavity 203.
[0040] As used herein, the term "optical component" means any type
of optical material, as that term has been defined supra, or a
"preformed optical element," which term includes, for example,
polarization filters, refractive lenslets, diffractive lenslets,
selective chromatic filters, bandpass filters, circular polarizing
filters, linear polarizer filters, gray attenuator filters,
birefringent filters, zone plates, mirrors, electronic circuits,
electronic devices, microdisplays, sensors, antennas, or nanowires.
In accordance with various embodiments, a multi-component optical
system blank mold may comprise a composite of an optical material
and a preformed optical element. By way of example, and as
illustrated in FIG. 2C, multi-component optical system blank mold
200C may comprise a mold having a preformed optical element 215,
such as, for example, a lenslet, as a second optical component.
Preformed optical element 215 may be encapsulated in a third
optical component 211 in cavity 203. As used in this disclosure,
the term preformed optical element may also include an element or
device that itself comprises a composite or multi-component device,
for example, a sensor embedded in a lenslet or a lenslet that also
comprises a filter.
[0041] In various embodiments and as illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D,
multi-component optical system blank molds can comprise a cup
portion 301 having multiple compartments or additional cavities
within cavity 303. For example, the inner wall of the cup portion
may comprise protrusions or walls 306 that are substantially
coaxial and define a second cavity 307 and a third cavity 308
within cavity 303 of the cup portion, as illustrated for molds 300A
and 300B in FIGS. 3A-3B. The surfaces of the protrusions or walls
defining additional cavities may be parallel to the axis of the
mold, or they may define an angle with respect to the axis of the
mold. In other embodiments, the surfaces of the protrusions or
walls may define curves, angles, or other non-linear forms in an
axial dimension.
[0042] Similarly, in other embodiments and as illustrated for molds
300C and 300D shown in FIGS. 3C-3D, the bottom surface of the inner
wall may have a region wherein the inner wall is recessed with
respect to a substantial portion of the remainder of the bottom
surface of the inner wall, thereby forming a second cavity 307.
This second cavity 307 may be at the axis of the mold, as
illustrated for mold 300C in FIG. 3C (as well as molds 300A and
300B, shown in FIGS. 3A-3B), or may be at some distance from the
axis, essentially forming a channel defined by walls that are
substantially coaxial, as illustrated for mold 300D in FIG. 3D,
although the walls may also define curves, angles, or other
non-linear forms. Likewise, in various embodiments, a mold having a
cavity 303 defined by a concave inner wall may also have protruding
or recessed portions or regions that similarly define additional
cavities within cavity 303 of the cup portion. In various
embodiments, the additional cavities may be symmetrical and/or
centered with respect to the axis of the mold, while in other
embodiments, the additional cavities may be asymmetrical and/or
off-center.
[0043] In various embodiments and as previously described with
respect to FIGS. 3A-3D, additional compartments or cavities may be
present with respect to the inner wall of the mold cavity for a
mold comprising one or more optical components. FIG. 4 illustrates
a mold comprising multiple cavities and multiple components. As
shown in FIG. 4, mold 400 comprises first cavity 403 as well as
second cavity 407 and third cavity 408. Mold 400 comprises cup
portion 401 and attachment portion 402 made from a first optical
component. In various embodiments, second cavity 407 may be
partially filled with a second optical component 410, and third
cavity 408 may be partially filled with a third optical component
411, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The first cavity 403 may be further
filled or partially filled with a fourth optical component 412,
which may additionally fill or partially fill second cavity 407 and
third cavity 408. In general, in embodiments having multiple mold
cavities, each cavity may contain different or separate optical
components. For example, a second mold cavity may contain a
different optical component from a third mold cavity, or a second
mold cavity may contain multiple optical components, while a third
mold cavity may contain a single optical component.
[0044] Although the second and third cavities of the mold shown in
FIGS. 3A-4 are illustrated as formed in or from the first optical
component, in various embodiments, additional cavities may be
formed after addition of second, third, or nth optical components
to the first cavity of a mold, for example, by machining a cavity
into or through layers of optical components in the first cavity of
the mold. As will be recognized from the present disclosure, a mold
having any number of possible permutations of number, form, and/or
configuration of additional cavities, which may further contain any
number of possible permutations of optical components, is within
the scope of the present disclosure.
[0045] Furthermore, although not illustrated, a mold comprising
more than one cavity may also comprise a preformed optical element
within one of the cavities of the mold. Similarly, a mold in
accordance with various embodiments may not be comprised entirely
of solid materials but may comprise voids or spaces such as might
be created by unfilled cavities or portions of a cavity within a
mold. For example, an optical component added as a preformed
optical element may be added in such a manner as to occlude a
cavity such as a second cavity formed within the cavity of the cup
portion of mold, thus preventing optical components subsequently
added as an unpolymerized liquid from filling the occluded cavity
and creating a void in the mold. In other embodiments, a preformed
optical element may comprise a void and so create a void in a mold
comprising the preformed optical element. A void in a mold created
in any manner is within the scope of the present disclosure.
[0046] By way of example and as shown in FIGS. 5A-5E, molds
500A-500E illustrate various embodiments comprising a variety of
configurations of cavities and additional optical components,
variously having a second optical component 510, third optical
component 511, fourth optical component 512, fifth optical
component 513, and sixth optical component 514. The embodiments
shown are for purposes of illustrating a range of possible
configurations of cavities and components only, and not for
purposes of limitation.
[0047] In various embodiments, a multi-component optical system
blank comprises at least a first optical component and a second
optical component. FIG. 6A illustrates an example of an embodiment
of a multi-component optical system blank such as might be derived
from a mold illustrated in FIG. 4 having multiple cavities within
the first cavity of the mold and having additional optical
components in the cavities of the mold. In accordance with various
embodiments and as illustrated in FIG. 6A, multi-component optical
system blank 600A comprises first optical component 609. Blank 600A
further comprises at least a second optical component 610, and may
comprise nth additional optical components, such as the third
optical component 611 and fourth optical component 612 shown for
purposes of illustration in FIG. 6A. As illustrated, the first
optical component 609 of blank 600A may comprise a cup portion
having a cavity in which the additional components are located. In
various other embodiments, the first optical component 609 may not
comprise a cup portion having a cavity, and additional components
comprise layers associated with a layer of first optical component
609. The configurations of the various components of the
multi-component optical system blank may have any of a number of
permutations of shapes or forms previously described above with
regard to the optical system blank molds illustrated in FIGS. 1-5E
that might be used to fabricate a blank such as that illustrated in
FIG. 6A. In various embodiments, blank 600A may be formed from such
molds by processes described below in greater detail.
[0048] In accordance with further aspects, blank 600A may have an
attachment portion to facilitate further shaping or machining of
the blank into a lens or optical system, or blank 600A may comprise
a "button," such as that illustrated in FIG. 6A. The blank or
button may have any shape suitable for further processing into an
optical lens or other optical system, such as that discussed
below.
[0049] In various embodiments, a multi-component optical system
comprising at least two optical components having differing
properties is provided. A multi-component optical system in
accordance with various embodiments and such as might be derived
from blank 600A is illustrated in FIG. 6B. As described above with
reference to blank 600A from which it may be derived by further
manufacturing, multi-component optical system 600B comprises first
optical component 609, second optical component 610, third optical
component 611, and fourth optical component 612. As described
previously, the multi-component optical system may comprise first
optical component 609 that served as a mold for additional optical
components during manufacture of the blank. The arrangement and
locations of second optical component 610, third optical component
611, and fourth optical component 612 may be accurately
predetermined in relation to each other, first optical component
609, and their final location and conformation in multi-component
optical system 600B due to the advantages of using the integral
mold provided in the present disclosure.
[0050] In various embodiments, a process for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank comprises providing an
integral optical system blank mold comprising a first optical
component, adding at least a second optical component, and,
optionally, shaping the cavity of the blank mold, adding additional
optical components, and/or shaping the blank into an optical system
or an optical system blank, button, or other optical system
precursor.
[0051] FIG. 7 illustrates a multi-component optical system
fabrication process 700 for manufacturing a multi-component optical
system. In various embodiments, multi-component optical system
fabrication process 700 includes the steps of provide integral
optical system blank mold step 720, add optical component(s) step
730, optional shape to specification step 740, optional repeat
steps 730 and 740 step 750, and optional shape blank into optical
system step 760.
[0052] In accordance with various embodiments, provide integral
optical system blank mold step 720 may comprise shaping or forming
a mold. The mold may be shaped or formed from a first optical
material. In various embodiments, the mold may be shaped from a
blank or button comprising a first optical material, for example,
by machining on a lathe, laser milling, or other material removal
methods. Alternatively, the mold may be formed from a first optical
material by processes, such as, for example, cast molding,
injection molding, or spin casting. In various embodiments, a mold
may be provided or manufactured by a combination of methods, for
example, molding and machining.
[0053] After an optical system blank mold has been prepared or is
otherwise provided for use in the multi-component optical system
blank fabrication process, a second optical system blank component
may be added in the add optical component(s) step 730. In various
embodiments, process 700 may comprise adding unpolymerized optical
materials in the add optical component(s) step 730, and/or the
process may comprise adding preformed optical elements in the add
optical component(s) step 730. In accordance with various
embodiments, add optical component(s) step 730 does not comprise
adding a second optical component to an anterior or convex curve of
an optical system blank mold.
[0054] In accordance with various embodiments, the second optical
component may be an unpolymerized monomer of an optical material.
In various embodiments, and with reference back to FIGS. 1A-1B,
second optical component may be added to the cavity 103 of the cup
portion as an unpolymerized liquid. The second optical component
may be polymerized within cavity 103 and bonded to the mold
comprising a first optical component without additional adhesive
layers, and the cure shrinkage of the second optical material may
be controlled so that it proceeds from the top down to the bottom
since the monomer to be polymerized can be added such that it fills
the cavity of the mold or is added in excess by over-filling the
cavity of the mold. Excess second optical material may be removed
by physical processing later, as described in more detail
below.
[0055] In other embodiments, the second optical component may be
added such that it does not fill the cavity of the cup portion of
the mold, but only partially fills the cavity. In such an
embodiment, the second optical material may still be present in
excess such that an additional shaping step, for example, a
machining step, is required to conform the dimensions of the second
optical material to specification. In yet other embodiments, the
second optical component may be added and cured in such a manner
that the second optical material in its polymerized state in the
cavity of the mold requires no additional shaping or machining. For
example, the second optical component may be added as a uniform
layer, or, the second optical component may be added and formed
during polymerization by addition of a second mold within the
cavity of the cup portion of the integral optical system blank
mold. The second mold may or may not comprise an additional optical
material and may or may not be removed following polymerization of
the second optical material.
[0056] In other embodiments, the second optical component added to
the blank mold in the add optical component(s) step 730 may be a
preformed optical element described above in relation to FIG. 2C.
The preformed optical element may be suspended on or mounted to the
inner wall of the cavity of the mold by a suspending element,
wherein the suspending element suspends the preformed optical
element at a predetermined distance from the inner wall of the mold
cavity or from a reference surface of the mold. In various
embodiments, the suspending element comprises a soft or rigid
polymerized material that has an index of refraction approximately
equal to that of a polymerizable liquid that is used to encapsulate
the preformed optical element in the cavity of the mold after the
polymerizable liquid has cured. For other such embodiments, the
preformed optical element may be suspended or mounted off-center
with respect to the axis or a geometric center of the
multi-component optical system blank mold and any subsequent
multi-component optical system that might be formed thereby. In
various other embodiments, the preformed optical element may
comprise a third, fourth, or nth optical component.
[0057] In various embodiments, the preformed optical element may be
fully encapsulated in the cavity of the mold by a single additional
optical component added in a later step of the fabrication process.
For example, in an embodiment wherein a preformed optical element
is added to the cavity of a mold as the second optical component, a
third optical component may be added to the cavity of the mold as a
polymerizable liquid to a level that fills or partially fills the
cavity of the mold above the level of the preformed optical
element, such that when the third optical component has
polymerized, the preformed optical element is encapsulated by or
embedded within the third optical component. In various other
embodiments, the preformed optical element may be encapsulated in
the cavity of the mold by addition of two or more optical
components. For example, in an embodiment wherein a preformed
optical element is added to the cavity of a mold as the second
optical component, a third optical component may be added to a
level that partially fills the cavity of the mold to a level that
partially encapsulates the preformed optical element. After
polymerization, a fourth and/or additional optical components may
be added to the cavity to partially fill or fill the cavity of the
mold to a level that encapsulates the preformed optical element
within the cavity of the mold.
[0058] In various embodiments, an optical component may be added in
the add optical component(s) step 730 in a manner that creates or
leaves a void or space between the optical component and any one or
more of the previously present or added components. Alternatively,
a preformed optical element may be added that includes a void
within the preformed optical element. Expressed another way, a
multi-component optical system in accordance with the present
disclosure may comprise voids within or between optical components
and need not be entirely comprised of solid material. For example,
a preformed optical element may be placed in the cavity of the cup
portion of a mold in such a manner as to occlude the opening to a
second cavity that has not been filled with an optical component
and prevent later added optical components from filling the cavity,
thus creating a void in the mold. Any manner of addition of an
optical component in the add optical component(s) step 730 that
results in the creation of a void in the multi-component optical
system produced in process 700 is within the scope of the present
disclosure.
[0059] In various embodiments, the add optical component(s) step
730 may comprise addition of a preformed optical element comprising
more than one optical component. For example, a preformed optical
element may comprise a lenslet formed using a polymerizable liquid
monomer comprising a second optical component that is attached to a
filter assembly comprising a third optical component, thereby
forming a multi-component preformed optical element. This
multi-component preformed optical element may be added to the
multi-component blank in the add optical component(s) step 730 as a
second and third optical component in the manner described
above.
[0060] Following addition of an optical component to the blank mold
in the add optical component(s) step 730, the inner wall of the
mold may be shaped to specification in an optional shape to
specification step 740. In various embodiments, the added optical
component may be shaped to specification by molding. For example,
in an embodiment wherein the added optical component comprises an
unpolymerized monomer of an optical material, the monomer may be
shaped during polymerization by placing a second, removable mold in
contact with the unpolymerized monomer within the cavity of the cup
portion of the mold to shape the surface of the second optical
material within the cavity of the mold. In such an embodiment, the
second mold may be removed after polymerization of the second
optical material. The added optical component may or may not be
further shaped after polymerization and removal of the mold using a
material removal step, as described below.
[0061] In other embodiments, the optional shape to specification
step 740 may comprise, for example, a milling or other material
removal step. In various embodiments, an excess volume of an
unpolymerized monomer of an optical material may be added within
the cavity of the mold. The optical material is cured or
polymerized to form an additional optical component of the
multi-component blank. Excess optical material may be removed and
the inner wall of the cavity shaped to specification by any of a
variety of techniques, for example, lathing or milling. The inner
wall of the cavity may be shaped to specification with respect to
various control features of the mold, for example, a reference
surface or surfaces and/or a central axis against which the depth
and location of features of the blank may be determined, such that
the positions of the optical components may be predetermined in
relation to each other and in relation to a finished
multi-component optical system.
[0062] In various embodiments of a process for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank and with continued reference
to FIG. 7, add optical component(s) step 730 and optional shape to
specification step 740 may be repeated any number of times in
optional step 750. In various embodiments, as optical components
are added in the blank fabrication process, the inner wall of the
cavity may comprise portions of the first optical component (i.e.,
the multi-component optical system blank mold) as well as portions
of the additional optical components, for example, the second,
third, or nth optical components. As described above with reference
to FIGS. 3A-3D, the inner wall of the cavity may be shaped or
machined to comprise additional cavities within the first cavity of
the cup portion of the mold. This may be accomplished by, for
example, machining a depression or recessed portion in a bottom
surface of the inner wall of the cavity to form a second cavity
within the first cavity. In various embodiments, such a second
cavity may be formed, for example, at an axis of the mold, or at a
distance from the axis of the mold to form a coaxial channel. In
other embodiments, a second cavity may be formed that is off center
with respect to the axis of the mold. In still other embodiments, a
number of additional cavities, including, for example, second,
third, and nth cavities may be formed in the inner wall of the
first cavity of the mold. The additional cavities may be of any of
a variety of shapes, depths, volumes, or configurations. For
example, the additional cavities may have walls that are axial, or
walls that are angled, curved, or non-linear with respect to the
axis of the mold. Although illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D with respect
to a mold comprising a first optical component, the basic
configurations of additional cavities represented may be fabricated
by material removal in the shape to specification step 740 after
addition of any number of optical components to the mold. As
described above and as illustrated in FIGS. 5A, 5C, and 5E, the
added optical components may be molded or shaped to comprise
additional cavities within the primary cavity of the cup portion of
the mold.
[0063] In various embodiments, after polymerization in the case of
addition of unpolymerized monomers, and either before or after
optional shaping, a surface of the second, third, or nth optical
material may comprise an inner wall of the cavity. In such
embodiments, the original cavity of the cup portion of the mold may
be altered by the addition of the second, third, and nth optical
components, and a new or modified cavity defined by an inner wall
comprising a surface of the cup portion and/or a surface of the
second, third, or nth optical component. For example, after
addition and polymerization of the second optical component and any
subsequent shaping steps, a surface of the second optical component
may comprise all or a portion of the inner wall of the cavity of
the cup portion. In various embodiments, the cup portion has a
bottom wall, an axial wall, and a cup portion defined by an inner
wall having a bottom surface substantially parallel to the bottom
wall and a first axial surface substantially parallel to the axial
wall. In various embodiments, the second optical component may form
a layer having an upper surface substantially parallel to the
bottom wall (e.g., the upper surface of the layer formed by the
second optical component may be substantially orthogonal to the
axis of the mold), and the upper surface of the second optical
component may contribute to defining the altered cavity and
comprise the bottom surface of the cavity. Expressed another way,
the cavity of the cup portion of the mold may be changed in volume
and conformation upon addition of each new component of a
multi-component optical system blank, with each additional optical
component defining or contributing to the definition of the cavity
of the cup portion of the mold.
[0064] The surfaces of the cavity that will comprise the interface
with the additional optical component layers may be shaped or
machined to have different configurations, curves and dimensions,
depending on the application, using any of the various methods
previously described. Furthermore, the effect of dimensional
changes that may occur during curing or polymerization of an added
optical component, for example, an optical material as described
above that is added in an unpolymerized form, may be thereby
eliminated without negatively affecting the optical performance of
the optical system produced. A reference surface or surfaces and/or
an axis of the cylindrical section facilitates the accurate
determination of the location of the position of such interfaces
such that the positions and configurations of the optical
components may be predetermined in relation to each other and in
relation to a finished multi-component optical system.
[0065] In various embodiments, a process for fabricating a
multi-component optical system blank comprises an optional shape
blank into optical system step 760. In various embodiments, a
multi-component optical system blank or button produced by process
700 that contains at least two optical components may be shaped
into a contact lens, for example, a hybrid or scleral contact lens.
The optical components may have different optical properties. In
various embodiments, the blank and the lens produced therefrom has
at least one optical component that may be curved. The lens may
comprise preformed optical elements, for example, apertures or
filters, encapsulated in optical material of the lens. In
accordance with various embodiments, the blank fabricated as
disclosed herein is not a bifocal lens blank. The blank may be
rigid and may be made of a material suitable for lathing or milling
during process 700 to facilitate shaping the blank into a finished
optical system in optional shape blank into optical system step
760. In accordance with various embodiments, the blank produced
during process 700 may comprise certain reference or control
surfaces and/or axes that facilitate accurate shaping, milling, or
machining in optional shape blank into optical system step 760 such
that the optical components of the blank may be accurately located
in predetermined positions in the resultant multi-component optical
system.
[0066] The term integral as used in this disclosure means that the
element described or characterized using this term is incorporated
in or is a constituent part of the final optical system blank or
optical system subsequently produced from the blank.
[0067] The term optical system as used in the description includes
any device that has optical components, as herein defined, and is
in contact with the ocular tissue. This includes, for example, any
hybrid, gas permeable, soft, hard, corneal, or scleral contact
lens, and any intra-corneal or intra-ocular device. Though various
embodiments may be described in terms of a contact lens, one of
ordinary skill in the art will appreciate after reading the
disclosure that any of the optical systems described above could be
used in place of a contact lens without deviating from the scope or
principles of the present disclosure.
[0068] The term filter includes apparatus for selectively
transmitting electromagnetic radiation.
[0069] It is believed that the disclosure set forth above
encompasses at least one distinct invention with independent
utility. While various embodiments have been disclosed, the
specific embodiments thereof as disclosed and illustrated herein
are not to be considered in a limiting sense as numerous variations
are possible. The subject matter of the disclosure includes all
novel and non-obvious combinations and sub combinations of the
various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed
herein and their equivalents.
[0070] The devices and processes described herein may be used to
manufacture multi-component optical systems having improved quality
and features. Other advantages and features of the present devices
and processes may be appreciated from the disclosure herein and the
implementation of the devices and processes.
* * * * *