# US 2023/0056732 A1 · Optical element comprising mix of nir dyes for broader nir cut and better aesthetic > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2023/0056732 A1 - Document ID: US20230056732A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/442,473 - Filed: 2020-03-23 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Earliest claimed: 2019-03-25 - Assignees: Essilor International - Applicants: Essilor International - Inventors: Pierre FROMENTIN; Harutsai WAIPUNYA; Haifeng SHAN; Hao-Wen CHIU - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20230056732A1 ## CPC - G02B 5/208: {for use with infrared or ultraviolet radiation, e.g. for separating visible light from infrared and/or ultraviolet radiation} - G02B 1/041: {Lenses} - G02B 5/206: {comprising particles embedded in a solid matrix} - G02B 5/223: {containing organic substances, e.g. dyes, inks or pigments} - G02C 7/108: {Colouring materials} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - 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) ## Abstract Disclosed are optical elements that contains two or more near infrared absorbers and methods of producing the same. Two near infrared absorbers with different near infrared wavelengths absorption ranges and residual colors are mixed with a precursor of an optical substrate. The resulting mixture is subsequently processed to produce optical elements that have a broad near infrared wavelength absorption range and a neutral residual color. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An optical element comprising an optical substrate and two or more near infrared absorbers mixed in the optical substrate, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers have different near infrared cut ranges and different residual colors. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers are mixed in the optical substrate substantially homogenously. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers in the optical substrate are adapted to generate a synergistic infrared absorption level that is higher than individual near infrared absorption level of any of the two or more near infrared absorbers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers in the optical substrate are adapted to generate a synergistic infrared absorption range that is broader than individual infrared absorption range of each of the two or more near infrared absorbers. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers in the optical substrate are adapted to generate a synergistic color intensity that is lower than individual color intensity of each of the two or more near infrared absorbers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The optical element of claim 5, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers in the optical substrate are synergistically neutral colored. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers are adapted to synergistically cause less than 10% reduction on the average optical transmittance in the 380-780 nm wavelength range for the optical substrate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises an ophthalmic lens. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the optical substrate comprises allyl diglycol carbonate, polyurethane, acrylic, polycarbonate, polyamide, poly(methyl methacrylate), co-polyester, cellulose triacetate, polyepisulfides, trivex, polyacrylics, polyols, polyamines, polyanhydrides, polycarboxilic acids, polyepoxides, polyisocyanates, polynorbornenes, polysiloxanes, polysilazanes, polystyrenes, polyolefinics, polyesters, polyimides, polyurethanes, polythiourethanes, polyallylics, polysulfides, polyvinylesters, polyvinylethers, polyarylenes, polyoxides, polysulfones, poly cyclo olefins, polyacrylonitriles, polyethylene terephtalates, polyetherimides, polypentenes, or any combinations thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The optical element of claim 1, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers comprise polymethine, phthalocyanine, porphyrine, triphenylmethane, iminium, squarylium, croconium, dithiolene, quinone,polyperylene, pyrilium, thiopyrilium, cyanine, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The optical substrate of claim 1, wherein the optical element comprises 1 to 500 ppm of the two or more near infrared absorbers. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of preparing the optical element of claim 1, the method comprising: providing a precursor material for the optical substrate and the two or more near infrared absorbers that have different near infrared cut ranges and/or different residual colors; determining a concentration for each of the two or more infrared absorbers in the optical substrate, at which the synergistic color intensity of the two or more near infrared absorbers is lower than the individual color intensity of any of the two or more near infrared absorbers; mixing the precursor material with the two or more infrared absorbers at the determined concentrations to produce a substantially homogenous mixture; and producing the optical element using the mixture of the optical substrate and the two or more near infrared absorbers. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the producing step comprises casting, injection molding, extrusion compression molding, compression molding, transfer molding, 3D printing, or any combination thereof. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising mixing one or more of an ultraviolet light absorbing dye, a color balancing dye, a color enhancing dye, a blue light absorbing dye, and other visible light absorbing dyes with the precursor material before the producing step. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of preparing an optical element of claim 1, the method comprising: providing a precursor material for the optical substrate and two or more near infrared absorbers that have different near infrared cut ranges and/or different residual colors; determining a concentration for each of the two or more infrared absorbers in the substrate, at which synergistic color intensity of two or more near infrared absorbers is lower than the individual color intensity of any of the two or more near infrared absorbers; dissolving the two or more infrared absorbers in a first amount of the precursor material to produce a near infrared dye master batch; mixing a second amount of the precursor material with one or more of an ultraviolet dye, a monomer, a catalyst, and a releasing agent at a temperature of 23 to 27° C. under vacuum to produce a first mixture that is substantially homogenous; cooling the first mixture to a temperature of 0 to 4° C.; flowing an inert gas over the cooled first mixture; mixing the near infrared dye master batch into the first mixture under vacuum at a temperature of 0 to 4° C. to produce a second mixture, which is a substantially homogenous mixture with each of the two or more near infrared absorbers at its determined concentration; and producing the optical element using the second mixture via casting. ### Claim 16 (depends on 5) The optical element of claim 5, wherein the two or more near infrared absorbers in the optical substrate are achromatic.