# US 11,298,874 B2 · 3D printing of an intraocular lens having smooth, curved surfaces

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- Number: US 11,298,874 B2
- Document ID: US11298874B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/920,495
- Filed: 2018-03-14
- Published: 2018-09-27
- Granted: 2022-04-12
- Earliest claimed: 2017-03-22
- Assignees: Alcon Inc.
- Applicants: Alcon Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Craig Cox; Fernando Enrique Oritz; Austin Xavier Rodeheaver
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11298874B2

## CPC

- B29C 64/135: the energy source being concentrated, e.g. scanning lasers or focused light sources
- B29C 64/227: Driving means
- B29C 64/245: Platforms or substrates (support structures intended to be sacrificed after manufacture B29C64/40)
- B29C 64/255: Enclosures for the building material, e.g. powder containers
- B29C 64/264: Arrangements for irradiation
- B29D 11/00009: {Production of simple or compound lenses}
- B29D 11/023: {Implants for natural eyes}
- B33Y 10/00: Processes of additive manufacturing
- B33Y 30/00: Apparatus for additive manufacturing; Details thereof or accessories therefor
- B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING

## Abstract

A continuous additive fabrication system comprises a bath of photopolymer resin and a light source assembly having a light source and a motorized variable aperture. The light source assembly is operable to generate a focus point in the bath of photopolymer resin, the shape of the focus point at a curing plane within the bath of photopolymer resin corresponding to the shape of the motorized variable aperture. The continuous additive fabrication system further comprises a platform configured to support a build object and a drive mechanism (coupled to at least one of the platform and the light source assembly) configured to continuously move the curing plane through the bath of photopolymer resin. A size and/or shape of the motorized variable aperture is changed while the curing plane in continuously moved through the bath of photopolymer resin.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming an intraocular lens (IOL) using continuous additive fabrication, comprising:
generating, via a light source assembly, a focus point in a bath of photopolymer resin, the shape of the focus point at a curing plane within the bath of photopolymer resin corresponding to the shape of a motorized variable aperture of the light source assembly;
moving the curing plane through the bath of photopolymer resin by moving the light source assembly vertically up and away from a surface of the photopolymer resin, thereby moving the curing plane vertically through the photopolymer resin towards the surface of the photopolymer resin; and
changing the diameter of the motorized variable aperture at a rate that varies as the light source assembly is moved away from the surface of the photopolymer resin so as to form the IOL with a smooth hemispherical shape;
wherein moving the curing plane through the bath of photopolymer resin further comprises varying the speed that the light source assembly moves away from the surface of the photopolymer resin according to calculated parameters to create an aspherical surface on the IOL.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a position of a platform located within the bath of photopolymer resin remains fixed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising setting an initial position of the curing plane at a predetermined distance above a platform located within the bath of photopolymer resin.