Method of forming and incorporating a polymeric lens within a lens housing
AssigneeSTERIS Instrument Management Services, Inc.
InventorPeter Pal Bodor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for forming a lens housing containing a polymeric lens including inserting a mandrel having a distal face with negative features of the desired polymeric lens into a cylinder and filling a reservoir formed between the distal face and a distal end of the cylinder with a curable polymeric lens material. The curable polymeric lens material is cured in place within the reservoir thereby forming the desired polymeric lens. The proximal surface of the polymeric lens is formed and shaped by the distal face of the mandrel, while the distal surface of the polymeric lens is dependent upon the amount of the curable polymeric lens material placed in the reservoir and the volume of the reservoir.
Claims23
A method of forming a polymeric lens comprising:
- providing a lens housing including a continuous sidewall, a lens curing end, a mandrel insertion end opposite the lens curing end, and a pathway defined by the continuous sidewall and extending to and between the lens curing end and the mandrel insertion end,
- providing a mandrel having a distal face by inserting the distal face through the mandrel insertion end,
- arranging the mandrel within the pathway with the distal face located proximally to the lens curing end of the lens housing thereby forming a reservoir defined by the distal face, the continuous sidewall, and the lens curing end of the lens housing,
- placing an amount of a curable polymeric lens material through the lens curing end of the lens housing opposite the mandrel insertion end and into the reservoir sufficient to cover the distal face of the mandrel, and
- curing the curable polymeric lens material within the reservoir thereby forming the polymeric lens within the lens housing.
A method of forming and incorporating a polymeric lens within a lens housing comprising:
- providing a cylinder having a distal end, a continuous sidewall and an inner diameter,
- providing only one rod having a distal face and an outer diameter,
- positioning the only one rod within the cylinder with the distal face located proximally to the distal end of the cylinder thereby forming a reservoir within the cylinder defined by the distal face of the only one rod, the distal end of the cylinder, and the continuous sidewall of the cylinder,
- placing a curable polymeric lens material through the distal end of the cylinder and into the reservoir, wherein the inner diameter of the cylinder and the outer diameter of the only one rod are configured for preventing the curable polymeric lens material from migrating proximally between the cylinder and the only one rod, and
- curing the curable polymeric lens material within the reservoir thereby forming the polymeric lens within the cylinder.
A method of forming and incorporating a polymeric lens within a lens housing comprising:
- providing a cylinder having a continuous inner sidewall, a rod insertion end, and a lens curing end opposite the rod insertion end,
- providing only one rod having a distal face by inserting the distal face through the rod insertion end,
- positioning the only one rod within the cylinder with the distal face located proximally to the lens curing end of the cylinder thereby forming a reservoir within the cylinder defined by the distal face of the only one rod, the lens curing end of the cylinder and the continuous sidewall,
- placing a curable polymeric lens material within the reservoir through the lens curing end of the cylinder opposite the rod insertion end, and
- curing the curable polymeric lens material within the reservoir thereby forming the polymeric lens within the cylinder,
- wherein a shape of the distal surface of the polymeric lens is not dependent upon a shape of a proximal face of a mold.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.