Forming a combined lens
AssigneeAddon Optics Ltd.
InventorsIzhar Halahmi, Haim Engler, Jed Arkin, Amir Erlichman, Roy Cohen, Arye Bar Erez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Apparatus and methods are described including adhering a first lens to a second lens such as to form a combined lens having a given optical design, by placing the first lens and the second lens in respective first and second pressure chambers with an adhesive layer disposed between the first lens and the second lens, bringing a convex surface of the first lens into contact with the adhesive layer, and bringing a concave surface of the second lens into contact with the adhesive layer. Other applications are also described.
Claims18
An apparatus for adhering a first lens having at least one convex surface to a second lens having at least one concave surface, to thereby form a combined lens having a given optical design, the apparatus comprising:
- a first pressure chamber comprising a first chamber atmosphere and configured to house the first lens, and a second pressure chamber comprising a second chamber atmosphere and configured to house the second lens, wherein pressure of the first chamber atmosphere and the second chamber atmosphere is independently controllable;
- an adhesive layer dividing between the first and second pressure chambers to thereby maintain a difference in pressure between the first and second pressure chambers, wherein a first side of the adhesive layer is exposed to the first chamber atmosphere of the first pressure chamber and a second side of the adhesive layer is exposed to the second chamber atmosphere of the second pressure chamber;
- a mechanical pushing element;
- and a computer processor configured:
- to drive the mechanical pushing element to bring the convex surface of the first lens into contact with the adhesive layer, such that a central region of the convex surface of the first lens initially contacts the adhesive layer, and the contact between the convex surface of the first lens and the adhesive layer subsequently radiates outwardly from the central region of the convex surface of the first lens, until the convex surface of the first lens becomes covered by the adhesive layer;
- and to drive the mechanical pushing element to bring the concave surface of the second lens into contact with the adhesive layer, such that a central region of the concave surface of the second lens initially contacts the adhesive layer, and the contact between the concave surface of the second lens and the adhesive layer subsequently radiates outwardly from the central region of the concave surface of the second lens, until the concave surface of the second lens becomes covered by the adhesive layer so as to form the combined lens, the combined lens comprising the first lens, second lens and adhesive layer, the combined lens being configured to be transferred to an additional chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.