Method and apparatus for manufacturing lenses and a lens manufactured thereby

A method of manufacturing a lens having a lens body integral with a functional sheet on one side thereof, comprising an insert molding process including the steps of:

• placing the functional sheet as an insert in position between a concave molding surface of a concave mold part of a mold and a convex molding surface of a convex mold part of the mold, the concave molding surface having a curvature equal to a curvature of the lens, the convex molding surface having a curvature equal to a curvature of the lens, one of the concave mold part and the convex mold part including a plurality of suction holes therein;
• applying suction force sufficient to hold the functional sheet through the plurality of suction holes such that the functional sheet is held against one of the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface by a peripheral portion of the functional sheet;
• and
• while holding the functional sheet against one of the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface by the peripheral portion of the functional sheet, supplying into a cavity defined between the concave molding surface of the concave mold part and the convex molding surface of the convex mold part a molten plastic material for forming the lens body, thereby forming the lens.

An apparatus for manufacturing a lens having a lens body integral with a functional sheet on one side thereof, the apparatus comprising:

• a mold configured to perform an insert molding process to form the lens, the mold including a concave mold part having a concave molding surface and a convex mold part having a convex molding surface, the concave molding surface having a curvature equal to a curvature of the lens, the convex molding surface having a curvature equal to a curvature of the lens, one of the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface being configured to receive the functional sheet as an insert in position;
• and
• a plurality of suction holes provided in one of the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface, and configured to apply suction force sufficient to hold the functional sheet and to hold the functional sheet against said one of the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface by a peripheral portion of the functional sheet by suction therethrough,
• wherein the concave molding surface and the convex molding surface together define a cavity therebetween for receiving a molten plastic material for forming the lens body.