Electro-active lens with resistive arcs

A tunable electro-optic lens device comprising:

• a first transparent substrate comprising a transparent conductive first electrode layer operatively connected thereto, the first electrode layer being patterned and comprising a first plurality of substantially concentric ring electrodes that form a first resistive divider network;
• a second transparent substrate comprising a transparent conductive second electrode layer operatively connected thereto;
• and
• an electro-active liquid crystal material layer located between the first transparent substrate and the second transparent substrate;
• wherein:
• a first ring electrode from the first plurality of ring electrodes is electrically connected to a substantially adjacent ring electrode from the first plurality of ring electrodes by a substantially co-planar first resistive arc that electrically spans a gap overlap zone defined by a spiralesque insulating gap that substantially separates the first ring electrode from the adjacent ring electrode;
• the spiralesque insulating gap extends more than one revolution, and less than two revolutions, substantially around a rotational axis of the at least one ring electrode to define the gap overlap zone;
• the gap overlap zone defines a gap overlap zone arc length and a gap overlap zone width;
• the gap overlap zone arc length defines a length of the first resistive arc and the gap overlap zone width defines a width of the first resistive arc;
• the first resistive arc defines a resistive path through the gap overlap zone;
• a first sub-plurality of continuous ring electrodes from the first plurality of continuous ring electrodes is connected to a first input connection, the first input connection terminating an input line;
• the electro-optic lens device is tunable from a first optical power to a second optical power when a first voltage is applied to the first input connection;
• the first electrode layer comprises a plurality of sets of ring electrodes, wherein:
• each set comprises a corresponding plurality of ring electrodes;
• a dedicated input connection is provided for each set each set is adapted to be individually controlled;
• and
• a dedicated resistive arc is provided between each adjacent pair of ring electrodes in each set;
• at least one ring electrode on the second transparent substrate completely covers in a planar direction at least two co-planar ring electrodes of the first transparent substrate;
• the first electrode layer is adapted to create an index of refraction gradient in the electro-active liquid crystal material layer;
• the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer are adapted to electrically cooperate to generate a radially varying electric field across the electro-active liquid crystal material layer;
• the spiralesque insulating gap extends more than two revolutions substantially around the rotational axis of the at least one ring electrode;
• and
• a width of the first resistive arc is between approximately 0.1 microns and approximately 10 microns.