# US 2021/0240010 A1 · Multi-chamber switchable optical element > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2021/0240010 A1 - Document ID: US20210240010A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/948,924 - Filed: 2020-10-06 - Published: 2021-08-05 - Earliest claimed: 2020-02-04 - Inventors: Valdemar Portney - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210240010A1 ## CPC - G02C 7/085: {Fluid-filled lenses, e.g. electro-wetting lenses} - A61F 2/1635: {for changing shape} - G02C 7/041: {bifocal; multifocal} - G02C 7/06: bifocal; multifocal {; progressive (G02C7/041 takes precedence)} - G02C 7/083: {Electrooptic lenses} - A61F 2250/0003: having an inflatable pocket filled with fluid, e.g. liquid or gas - G02C 2202/20: Diffractive and Fresnel lenses or lens portions - G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00) - A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C) ## Abstract A lens includes a switchable optical element having an optical substrate with a diffraction surface. A substrate cover forms an internal chamber with the optical substrate. An elastic membrane in contact with the diffraction surface of the substrate forms an active chamber. Through channels are placed through the optical substrate's thinnest parts of the grooves connecting the active and internal chambers. The switchable optical element changes focus positions between one focus with the optical fluid filling the active chamber and the elastic membrane taking a non-periodic shape with the membrane's surface forming a refractive shape of certain curvature and another focus where the optical fluid is transported from the active chamber through the through channels to the internal chamber for the elastic membrane to conform to the diffraction surface shape of the optical substrate with the membrane's surface forming diffractive surface of periodicity of the diffractive guiding surface. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A switchable optical element, comprising: an optical substrate on a first side having a plurality of diffractive grooves forming a diffractive guiding surface; an elastic membrane disposed adjacent to the first side of the optical substrate and configured to be movable in contact with the diffractive guiding surface; wherein the elastic membrane and the optical substrate form an active chamber there between, the active chamber defining a plurality of sections where each section is formed over each diffractive groove of the plurality groove and having a variable depth between the elastic membrane and the optical substrate; a substrate cover disposed adjacent to a second side of the optical substrate, the second side being opposite the first side; wherein the substrate cover and the optical substrate form an internal chamber there between; wherein in a first state a first optical fluid fills each plurality of sections of the active chamber; wherein in a second state the first optical fluid is removed from each plurality of sections of the active chamber and flows to the internal chamber through a plurality of channels disposed through the optical substrate fluidically connecting the active and internal chambers; and wherein in the second state the elastic membrane is configured to conform to the plurality of diffractive grooves of the diffractive guiding surface with the periodicity of the diffractive guiding surface. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The switchable optical element of claim 1, wherein the plurality of channels are located respectively at their deepest portion of their variable depth for each diffractive groove. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The switchable optical element of claim 1, wherein the first optical fluid is a matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being equal to or close to a refractive index of the optical substrate. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The switchable optical element of claim 1, wherein the first optical fluid is a non- matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being different to a refractive index of the optical substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The switchable optical element of claim 1, including a membrane cover disposed adjacent to the elastic membrane on an opposite side in comparison to the active chamber, wherein the membrane cover and the elastic membrane form an external chamber there between, wherein a second optical fluid fills the external chamber. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein the first optical fluid is of an opposite matching or non-matching fluid in comparison to the second optical fluid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein the first optical fluid and the second optical fluid do not have the same refractive index. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein the membrane cover comprises an additional optical characteristic being an asphericity or a bi-asphericity. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The switchable optical element of claim 1, wherein the optical substrate comprises an additional optical characteristic being an extended depth of focus at near foci or intermediate foci. ### Claim 10 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein the membrane cover comprises an additional optical characteristic being an asphericity or a bi-asphericity, and wherein the optical substrate comprises an additional optical characteristic being an extended depth of focus at near foci or intermediate foci ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein a gas-filled accumulator pocket is formed in the substrate cover sealed by a portion of the elastic membrane, wherein a portion of the second optical fluid is disposed adjacent the accumulator pocket on an opposite side of the portion of the elastic membrane. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) The switchable optical element of claim 5, wherein a gas-filled accumulator pocket is formed in the membrane cover sealed by a portion of the elastic membrane, wherein a portion of the first optical fluid is disposed adjacent the accumulator pocket on an opposite side of the portion of the elastic membrane. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1, 5) The switchable optical element of claim 1, including an actuator connector in fluidic communication with the first optical fluid, wherein the actuator connector is configured to connect to a means for transporting the first optical fluid in or out of the active chamber to select between the first and second states. cm 14. The switchable optical element of claim 5, including an actuator connector in fluidic communication with the second optical fluid, wherein the actuator connector is configured to connect to a means for transporting the second optical fluid in or out of the external chamber to select between the first and second states. ### Claim 15 A switchable optical element, comprising: an optical substrate on a first side forming a guiding surface; an elastic membrane disposed adjacent to the first side of the optical substrate and configured to be movable in contact with the guiding surface; wherein the elastic membrane and the optical substrate form an active chamber there between, the active chamber having a variable depth between the elastic membrane and the optical substrate; a substrate cover disposed adjacent to a second side of the optical substrate, the second side being opposite the first side; wherein the substrate cover and the optical substrate form an internal chamber there between; wherein in a first state a first optical fluid fills the active chamber; wherein in a second state the first optical fluid is removed from the active chamber and flows to the internal chamber through a plurality of channels disposed through the optical substrate fluidically connecting the active and internal chambers, wherein the plurality of channels are located respectively at their deepest portion of their variable depth of the guiding surface; wherein in the second state the elastic membrane is configured to conform to the guiding surface shape; and a membrane cover disposed adjacent to the elastic membrane on an opposite side in comparison to the active chamber, wherein the membrane cover and the elastic membrane form an external chamber there between, wherein a second optical fluid fills the external chamber. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The switchable optical element of claim 15, wherein the first optical fluid is a matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being equal to or close to a refractive index of the optical substrate, or, wherein the first optical fluid is a non-matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being different to a refractive index of the optical substrate, and wherein the first optical fluid is of an opposite matching or non-matching fluid in comparison to the second optical fluid. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The switchable optical element of claim 16, wherein the membrane cover comprises an additional optical characteristic being an asphericity or a bi-asphericity, and/or wherein the optical substrate comprises an additional optical characteristic being an extended depth of focus at near foci or intermediate foci. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The switchable optical element of claim 15, wherein the guiding surface is a diffractive guiding surface or a refractive guiding surface. ### Claim 19 A switchable optical element, comprising: an optical substrate on a first side having a plurality of diffractive grooves forming a diffractive guiding surface; an elastic membrane disposed adjacent to the first side of the optical substrate and configured to be movable in contact with the diffractive guiding surface; wherein the elastic membrane and the optical substrate form an active chamber there between, the active chamber defining a plurality of sections where each section is formed over each diffractive groove of the plurality groove and having a variable depth between the elastic membrane and the optical substrate; a substrate cover disposed adjacent to a second side of the optical substrate, the second side being opposite the first side; wherein the substrate cover and the optical substrate form an internal chamber there between; wherein in a first state a first optical fluid fills each plurality of sections of the active chamber; wherein in a second state the first optical fluid is removed from each plurality of sections of the active chamber and flows to the internal chamber through a plurality of channels disposed through the optical substrate fluidically connecting the active and internal chambers, wherein the plurality of channels are located respectively at their deepest portion of their variable depth for each diffractive groove; wherein in the second state the elastic membrane is configured to conform to the plurality of diffractive grooves of the diffractive guiding surface with the periodicity of the diffractive guiding surface; a membrane cover disposed adjacent to the elastic membrane on an opposite side in comparison to the active chamber, wherein the membrane cover and the elastic membrane form an external chamber there between, wherein a second optical fluid fills the external chamber; a gas-filled accumulator pocket formed either in: the substrate cover sealed by a portion of the elastic membrane, wherein a portion of the second optical fluid is disposed adjacent the accumulator pocket on an opposite side of the portion of the elastic membrane; or the membrane cover sealed by a portion of the elastic membrane, wherein a portion of the first optical fluid is disposed adjacent the accumulator pocket on an opposite side of the portion of the elastic membrane; and an actuator connector in fluidic communication with the first optical fluid, wherein the actuator connector is configured to connect to a means for transporting the first optical fluid in or out of the active chamber to select between the first and second states. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The switchable optical element of claim 19, wherein the first optical fluid is a matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being equal to or close to a refractive index of the optical substrate, or, wherein the first optical fluid is a non-matching fluid to the optical substrate, a refractive index of the first optical fluid being different to a refractive index of the optical substrate, and wherein the first optical fluid is of an opposite matching or non-matching fluid in comparison to the second optical fluid. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The switchable optical element of claim 20, wherein the membrane cover comprises an additional optical characteristic being an asphericity or a bi-asphericity, and/or wherein the optical substrate comprises an additional optical characteristic being an extended depth of focus at near foci or intermediate foci.