Decentered noncorrective lens for eyewear
AssigneeOakley, Inc.
InventorsMalcolm Neal Houston, James H. Jannard, Carlos D. Reyes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is an optically corrected lens for nonprescription, dual lens eyeglasses. In a preferred embodiment, the anterior surface of the lens lies on a portion of a first sphere having a first center. The posterior surface of the lens lies on the surface of a second sphere having a second center. The first and second centers are offset from one another to provide a tapered lens. The lens is oriented on the head of the wearer by a frame that maintains the lens in a position such that a line drawn through the first and second centers is maintained substantially in parallel to the normal sight line of the wearer. Methods of making the lenses, and eyewear incorporating the lenses, are also disclosed.
Claims15
A method of manufacturing a right lens for dual lens optically corrected eyewear exhibiting wrap and downward rake, the method comprising:
- providing a lens blank, the lens blank having a thickness which is vertically tapered symmetrically on either side of a central equatorial line and horizontally tapered from a relatively greater thickness at an optical center located between the geometric center of the blank and a medial edge of the blank to a relatively lesser thickness at a lateral edge of the blank, the equatorial line dividing the lens blank into an upper half and a lower half;
- and
- cutting the right lens from the lens blank such that greater than 50% of the right lens is cut from the lower half.
A method of manufacturing noncorrective, dual lens eyewear exhibiting wrap and downward rake, the method comprising:
- obtaining a lens blank comprising an inner surface conforming to a first sphere having a first center, and an outer surface conforming to a second sphere having a second center offset from the first center, a vertically and horizontally tapered lens thickness defined between the inner and outer surfaces, and an optical centerline passing through the first and second centers;
- selecting a desired lens shape;
- selecting a desired lens orientation relative to a wearer's normal line of sight;
- projecting the desired lens shape onto the lens blank;
- cutting a lens having the desired lens shape from a preselected location on the lens blank which location relates to the desired lens orientation;
- mounting the lens in a frame such that the optical centerline is vertically spaced from and substantially parallel with the wearer's theoretical normal straight ahead line of sight.
A method of manufacturing optically corrected, nonpower eyewear, comprising the steps of:
- providing a lens blank having a thickness which tapers in both a vertical and horizontal plane, and having an optical centerline;
- providing an eyeglass frame configured to maintain at least one lens in a predetermined relationship with respect to a wearer's reference line of sight when the eyewear is worn on the head of the wearer;
- cutting a lens from a location on the lens blank such that the optical centerline is maintained generally parallel with the reference line of sight when the lens is supported by the eyeglass frame and worn on the head of the wearer;
- and
- attaching the lens to the eyeglass frame to produce optically corrected eyewear.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.