Lens casting with deformable molds
AssigneeMeta Platforms Technologies, LLC
InventorsKatherine Marie Smyth, John Cooke, Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A casting method involves providing a precursor to a mold that includes a deformable surface overlying a chamber, shaping the deformable surface according to a surface profile by adjusting a fluid pressure within the chamber and driving one or more actuators that are configured to distort the deformable surface, and solidifying the precursor while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile to form an optical element.
Claims20
A method for forming an optical element, the method comprising:
- providing a precursor to a mold, wherein the mold includes a deformable surface overlying a chamber, wherein an outer periphery of the deformable surface is supported by a frame that peripherally surrounds the chamber;
- shaping the deformable surface according to a surface profile by:
- adjusting a fluid pressure within the chamber to introduce a spherical geometry into the deformable surface;
- and
- driving a plurality of actuators that are configured to introduce a cylindrical deformation into the deformable surface;
- and
- solidifying the precursor while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile to form the optical element.
A casting assembly for forming an optical element, the casting assembly comprising:
- a deformable surface that is overlying a chamber and that is shaped by adjusting a fluid pressure to introduce a spherical geometry into the deformable surface;
- a frame that peripherally surrounds the chamber, wherein an outer periphery of the deformable surface is supported by the frame;
- and
- a plurality of actuators that are configured to introduce a cylindrical deformation into the deformable surface.
A casting assembly for forming an optical element, the casting assembly comprising:
- a deformable surface shaped by adjusting a pressure overlying a fluid-filled chamber to introduce a spherical geometry into the deformable surface;
- a frame that peripherally surrounds the fluid-filled chamber, wherein an outer periphery of the deformable surface is supported by the frame;
- and
- a plurality of actuators that are configured to introduce a cylindrical deformation into the deformable surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.