Progressive lens apparatus and process
AssigneeQ2100, Inc.
InventorsLoren C. Lossman, Larry H. Joel, James S. Carr
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A progressive lens mold, a method of making a progressive lens mold, and progressive lenses made using such mold or method. Back faces of progressive molds are preferentially tapered at their edges to reduce prism effects in lenses made using such molds. The tapering is accomplished by removing more of the back face adjacent the near portion vision zone of the mold versus the back face adjacent to the far vision zone of the molds.
Claims70
A method for making a progressive plastic eyeglass lens with a front face, a back face, a near vision correction zone, a far vision correction zone, and a vision transition zone between the near vision correction zone and the far vision correction zone, comprising:
- placing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold cavity defined in part between a first mold and a second mold;
- and
- curing the polymerizable lens forming material;
- wherein the first mold comprises:
- a back face configured to cast the front face of the lens, and comprising a centrally located concave surface having a near vision correction zone configured to cast the near vision correction zone of the lens, a far vision correction zone configured to cast the far vision correction zone of the lens, a vision transition zone configured to cast the vision transition zone of the lens;
- and an annular surface which tapers at an angle from the edges of the back face to the edges of the concave surface in the back face;
- a front face;
- and
- side surfaces connecting the front face to the back face.
A method for making a progressive plastic eyeglass lens with a front face, a back face, a near vision correction zone, a far vision correction zone, and a vision transition zone between the near vision correction zone and the far vision correction zone, comprising:
- placing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold cavity defined in part between a first mold and a second mold;
- and
- curing the polymerizable lens forming material;
- wherein the first mold comprises:
- a front face, a back face and a side surface connecting the front face to the back face, the back face being configured to cast a front face of the eyeglass lens, wherein the back face of the mold comprises a centrally located concave surface having a near vision correction zone configured to cast a near vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens, a far vision correction zone configured to cast a far vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens, and a transition vision correction zone configured to cast the transition vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens, wherein the transition vision correction zone is positioned between the near vision correction zone and the far vision correction zone, and wherein the mold is produced by the method comprising:
- forming the mold;
- and
- tapering peripheral edges of the back face of the mold such that an annular band which tapers at an angle from the edges of the back face to the edges of the concave surface of the back face is formed.
A method for making a progressive optical lens, the progressive optical lens comprising a convex front face including an upper far vision zone, a lower near vision zone and a transition zone between the far and near vision zones;
- comprising:
- placing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold cavity defined in part between a first mold and a second mold;
- and
- curing the polymerizable lens forming material;
- wherein the first mold comprises:
- a concave back surface configured to form the convex front face of the lens, wherein the concave surface comprises a near vision correction zone configured to cast the near vision correction zone of the lens, a far vision correction zone configured to cast the far vision correction zone of the lens, and a vision transition zone configured to cast the vision transition zone of the lens;
- an annular surface surrounding the concave back surface configured to seat opposite a peripheral surface of a companion mold or a gasket, wherein the annular surface proximate the near vision correction zone is tapered inwards towards a center portion of the mold, and wherein the annular surface proximate the far vision correction zone is tapered inward away from the center portion of the mold;
- a front face;
- and
- side surfaces connecting the front face to the back face.
A method for making a progressive optical lens, the progressive optical lens comprising a convex front face including an upper far vision zone, a lower near vision zone and a transition zone between the far and near vision zones;
- comprising:
- placing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold cavity defined in part between a first mold and a second mold;
- and
- curing the polymerizable lens forming material;
- wherein the first mold comprises:
- a back face configured to cast a front face of the eyeglass lens, wherein the back face of the mold comprises:
- a near vision correction zone configured to cast the near vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens;
- a far vision correction zone configured to cast the far vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens;
- and
- a transition vision correction zone configured to cast the transition vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens,
- a front face;
- side surfaces connecting the front face to the back face;
- and
- a substantially flat band along a peripheral edge of the back face of the mold, wherein a width of the band proximate the near vision correction zone is substantially greater than a width of the band proximate the far vision correction zone, and wherein a width of the band between the portion of the band proximate the near vision correction zone and the portion of the band proximate the far vision correction zone is substantially narrower than a width of the band proximate the far vision correction zone.
A method for making a progressive optical lens, the progressive optical lens comprising a convex front face including an upper far vision zone, a lower near vision zone and a transition zone between the far and near vision zones;
- comprising:
- placing a polymerizable lens forming material in a mold cavity defined in part between a first mold and a second mold;
- and
- curing the polymerizable lens forming material;
- wherein the first mold comprises:
- a back face configured to cast a front face of the eyeglass lens, wherein the back face of the mold comprises:
- a near vision correction zone configured to cast the near vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens;
- a far vision correction zone configured to cast the far vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens;
- and
- a transition vision correction zone configured to cast the transition vision correction zone of the eyeglass lens;
- a front face;
- side surfaces connecting the front face to the back face;
- and
- wherein peripheral edges of the back face proximate to the near vision correction zone of the mold are tapered such that vertical prism effects in the eyeglass lens cast by the mold are substantially reduced.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.