System for marking coated ophthalmic lenses

Abstract

A system for marking a coated optical article (10) having at least one first mark (18) on a surface of a substrate (20) of the coated optical article (10), the system comprising at least one mark (18) identification device having at least one electromagnetic radiation source (111) configured to illuminate at least a portion of the surface of the substrate (20) having the at least one first mark (18) with electromagnetic radiation (119A, 123). The at least one mark (18) identification device further comprises at least one imaging device configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation (119A, 123) reflected from the surface of the substrate (20) having the at least one first mark (18) and to determine a position of the at least one first mark (18) on the surface of the substrate (20). The system further comprises at least one marking device configured for marking the coated optical article (10) with at least one second mark (180) based on the position of the at least one first mark (18).

Description

background Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure generally relates to a system and method for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article. The system and method involve identifying the location of the at least one first mark and marking the coated optical article with at least one second mark based on the location of the at least one first mark. Background Technology

[0004] Regarding optical articles (such as ophthalmic lenses), one or more markings are often associated with at least one surface of the substrate of the optical article. Such markings can be used for various purposes, such as identifying the manufacturer of the optical article, identifying the specific production operation that resulted in the formation of the optical article, and / or providing information about the optical article, such as optical characteristics (e.g., optical axis, centering point, etc.), which can be used by optometrists to correctly and accurately fit the optical article into lens frames. When the optical article is in normal use, such markings are typically difficult to observe, for example, by a person wearing a pair of ophthalmic lenses with such markings. In certain limited circumstances, such as exposure to light of a specific wavelength, these markings can become observable to determine the information contained within them. Typically, the markings are relatively small (1.0 mm to 2.0 mm). It is often expected that the markings are permanent, so that the information they provide can be accessed multiple times and / or at a time long after the markings were formed. In some examples, the markings are introduced into the substrate by physically engraving the surface of the substrate (e.g., using a pen or laser), chemically etching the surface of the substrate, or molding the markings during the manufacture of the substrate.

[0005] Current methods for introducing markings into optical articles can create markings that are not easily observed under certain conditions when the substrate is coated with one or more coatings. There is a desire to develop new systems and methods to mark coated optical articles with at least one second mark, having at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate of the coated optical article, to increase the visibility of the at least one first mark. Summary of the Invention

[0006] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, a system for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article. The system may include at least one mark recognition device having at least one electromagnetic radiation source configured to irradiate at least a portion of the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark with electromagnetic radiation. The system may further include at least one imaging device configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark and determine the position of the at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate. The system may further include at least one marking device configured to mark the coated optical article with at least one second mark positioned based on the position of the at least one first mark.

[0007] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source may be a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 10,000 nm. The at least one imaging device may have an observation surface and a camera, the observation surface being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of a substrate, and the camera being configured to image the observation surface.

[0008] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one marker identification device may further include at least one beam manipulation device configured to control at least one characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation. The at least one beam manipulation device may include at least one of a beam expander, a collimating lens, a converging lens, a diverging lens, a spatial filter, a galvanometer, a servo device, and a gimbal.

[0009] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one mark identification device may further include at least one source manipulation device configured to control the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source relative to the coated optical article.

[0010] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one marking device may be configured to mark the at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article. The at least one second mark may be an array of elements on at least one coating of the coated optical article. The at least one marking device may be configured to adjust at least one of the size of each element in the element array, the depth of each element in the element array, and the density of the element array.

[0011] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one marking device may include an etching device and at least one mirror configured to reflect a beam from the etching device onto the coated optical article. The etching device may be a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 30,000 nm.

[0012] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one imaging device may include a camera and a mask having at least one opening, the mask being positioned between the camera and the coated optical article.

[0013] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the system may further include a verification device configured to compare the position of the at least one second mark with respect to the position of the at least one first mark and determine whether the position of the at least one second mark is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first mark. The verification device may include a verification camera and a backlight. The coated optical article may be configured to be positioned between the verification camera and the backlight. The verification device may be further configured to guide the at least one marking device such that the position of the at least one second mark at least partially overlaps with the position of the at least one first mark.

[0014] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, a method for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article. The method may include: irradiating at least a portion of the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark with electromagnetic radiation using at least one electromagnetic radiation source, and determining the position of the at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate by receiving a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark using the at least one mark identification device. The method may further include marking the coated optical article with at least one second mark at a position based on the position of the at least one first mark using at least one marking device.

[0015] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source may be a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 10,000 nm. A portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate may be received on the observation surface of the at least one imaging device of the at least one mark identification device, wherein the observation surface is imaged using a camera.

[0016] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the method may further include controlling at least one characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation using at least one beam manipulation device employing at least one marker identification device. The at least one beam manipulation device may include at least one of a beam expander, collimating lens, converging lens, diverging lens, spatial filter, galvanometer, servo device, and gimbal.

[0017] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the method may further include controlling the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source relative to the coated optical article using at least one source manipulation device with at least one mark identification device.

[0018] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, marking the coated optical article may include etching at least one second mark into at least one coating of the coated optical article using an etching apparatus. The etching apparatus may be a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 30,000 nm.

[0019] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the at least one imaging device may include a camera and a mask having at least one opening, wherein the mask is positioned between the camera and the coated optical article. The at least one marking device may be configured to mark at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0020] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, marking the coated optical article with at least one second mark may include marking an array of elements on at least one coating of the coated optical article. The method may further include adjusting at least one of the size of each element in the element array, the depth of each element in the element array, and the density of the element array.

[0021] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the method may further include using a verification device to compare the position of the at least one second mark with respect to the position of the at least one first mark and determine whether the position of the at least one second mark is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first mark. The verification device may include a verification camera and a backlight. The coated optical article may be configured to be positioned between the verification camera and the backlight. The verification device may be further configured to guide the at least one marking device such that the position of the at least one second mark at least partially overlaps with the position of the at least one first mark.

[0022] According to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, a coated optical article is provided having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article and at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article, wherein the optical article can be obtained by any of the methods described herein.

[0023] Systems and methods for making optical articles can be characterized by one or more of the following aspects.

[0024] In a first aspect, the present invention may relate to a system for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article, the system comprising: at least one mark identification device, the at least one mark identification device comprising: at least one electromagnetic radiation source configured to irradiate at least a portion of the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark with electromagnetic radiation; at least one imaging device configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark and determine the position of the at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate; and at least one marking device configured to mark the coated optical article with at least one second mark at a position based on the position of the at least one first mark.

[0025] In the second aspect, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source of the system according to the first aspect is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 10,000 nm.

[0026] In a third aspect, the at least one imaging device according to the first or second aspect includes an observation surface and a camera, the observation surface being configured to receive a portion of electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate, and the camera being configured to image the observation surface.

[0027] In a fourth aspect, the at least one mark identification device according to any one of the first to third aspects further includes at least one beam manipulation device configured to control at least one characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation.

[0028] In the fifth aspect, the at least one beam manipulation device according to the fourth aspect includes at least one of a beam expander, a collimating lens, a converging lens, a spatial filter, a diverging lens, a galvanometer, a servo device, or a gimbal.

[0029] In a sixth aspect, the at least one marking identification device according to any one of the first to fifth aspects further includes at least one source manipulation device configured to control the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source relative to the coated optical article.

[0030] In the seventh aspect, the at least one marking device according to any one of the first to sixth aspects is configured to mark the at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0031] In the eighth aspect, the at least one second mark according to any one of the first to seventh aspects is an array of elements on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0032] In the ninth aspect, the at least one marking device according to the eighth aspect is configured to adjust at least one of the size of each element in the element array, the depth of each element in the element array, or the density of the element array.

[0033] In the tenth aspect, the at least one marking device according to any one of the first to ninth aspects includes an etching device and at least one mirror configured to reflect a beam from the etching device onto the coated optical article.

[0034] In the eleventh aspect, the etching apparatus according to the tenth aspect is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 30,000 nm.

[0035] In the twelfth aspect, the at least one imaging device according to any one of the first to eleventh aspects includes a camera and a mask having at least one opening, the mask being positioned between the camera and the coated optical article.

[0036] In the thirteenth aspect, the system according to any one of the first to twelfth aspects further includes a verification device configured to compare the position of the at least one second marker with respect to the position of the at least one first marker and determine whether the position of the at least one second marker is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first marker.

[0037] In the fourteenth aspect, the verification apparatus according to the thirteenth aspect includes a verification camera and a backlight, wherein the coated optical article is configured to be positioned between the verification camera and the backlight.

[0038] In the fifteenth aspect, the verification device according to the thirteenth or fourteenth aspect is further configured to guide the at least one marking device such that the position of the at least one second mark at least partially overlaps with the position of the at least one first mark.

[0039] In a sixteenth aspect, a method for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article is provided, the method comprising: irradiating at least a portion of the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark with electromagnetic radiation using at least one electromagnetic radiation source; determining the position of the at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate by receiving a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark using at least one mark identification device; and marking the coated optical article with at least one second mark at a position based on the position of the at least one first mark using at least one mark identification device.

[0040] In the seventeenth aspect, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source according to the sixteenth aspect is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 10,000 nm.

[0041] In the eighteenth aspect, a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate according to the sixteenth or seventeenth aspect is received on the observation surface of the at least one imaging device of the at least one marking identification device, and wherein the observation surface is imaged using a camera.

[0042] In the nineteenth aspect, the method according to any one of the sixteenth to eighteenth aspects further includes controlling at least one characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation using at least one beam manipulation device employing at least one marking identification device.

[0043] In the twentieth aspect, the at least one beam manipulation device according to the nineteenth aspect includes at least one of a beam expander, a collimating lens, a converging lens, a diverging lens, a spatial filter, a galvanometer, a servo device, or a gimbal.

[0044] In the twentieth aspect, the method according to any one of the sixteenth to twentieth aspects further includes controlling the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source relative to the coated optical article using at least one source manipulation device with at least one marking identification device.

[0045] In the twenty-second aspect, marking the coated optical article according to any one of the aforementioned sixteenth to twenty-first aspects includes: etching the at least one second mark into at least one coating of the coated optical article using an etching apparatus.

[0046] In the twenty-third aspect, the etching apparatus according to the twenty-second aspect is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 30,000 nm.

[0047] In the twenty-fourth aspect, the at least one imaging device according to any one of the sixteenth to twenty-third aspects mentioned above includes a camera and a mask having at least one opening, the mask being positioned between the camera and the coated optical article.

[0048] In the twenty-fifth aspect, the at least one marking device according to any one of the aforementioned sixteenth to twenty-fourth aspects is configured to mark the at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0049] In the twenty-sixth aspect, marking at least one second mark on the coated optical article according to any one of the aforementioned sixteenth to twenty-fifth aspects includes marking an array of elements on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0050] In the twenty-seventh aspect, the method according to any one of the sixteenth to twenty-sixth aspects further includes adjusting at least one of the size of each element in the element array, the depth of each element in the element array, or the density of the element array.

[0051] In the twentieth aspect, the method according to any one of the sixteenth to twenty-seventh aspects further includes using a verification device to compare the position of the at least one second mark with respect to the position of the at least one first mark and to determine whether the position of the at least one second mark is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first mark.

[0052] In the twentieth aspect, the verification apparatus according to the twentieth aspect includes a verification camera and a backlight, wherein the coated optical article is configured to be positioned between the verification camera and the backlight.

[0053] In the thirtieth aspect, the verification device according to the twenty-eighth or twenty-ninth aspect is further configured to guide the at least one marking device such that the position of the at least one second mark at least partially overlaps with the position of the at least one first mark.

[0054] In the thirty-first aspect, a coated optical article is obtained by any one of the sixteenth to thirtieth aspects, having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article and at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

[0055] These and other features and properties of the optical articles described herein, as well as the methods of manufacturing such articles, will become clearer when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, all of which form part of this specification, wherein like reference numerals in the various figures refer to corresponding parts. However, it should be clearly understood that the drawings are for illustrative and descriptive purposes only. Attached Figure Description

[0056] Figure 1 This is a representative partial cross-sectional perspective view of a coated optical article having a first mark and one or more coatings, according to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure;

[0057] Figure 2 It is a labeling based on some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure. Figure 1 A schematic diagram of a system of coated optical products;

[0058] Figures 3A to 3B yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the tag recognition device of the system shown;

[0059] Figure 4 It is a top view of the first marker and the identification mark used by the marker recognition device to identify the position of the first marker;

[0060] Figure 5 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the marking device of the system shown;

[0061] Figure 6 It is a representative partial cross-sectional perspective view of an optical article coated with a first mark and a second mark given by a marking device;

[0062] Figure 7 yes Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the verification device for the system shown; and

[0063] Figure 8 This is a flowchart of a method for marking a second mark on a coated optical article.

[0064] exist Figures 1 to 8 In Chinese, unless otherwise specified, the same character represents the same component. Detailed Implementation

[0065] As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular forms of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references.

[0066] Spatial or directional terms, such as “left,” “right,” “inner,” “outer,” “above,” “below,” etc., are relevant to the invention shown in the accompanying drawings and should not be considered limiting, as the invention can take various alternative orientations.

[0067] All figures used in the specification and claims should be understood to be modified in all cases by the term "about". "About" means plus or minus twenty-five percent of the value, such as plus or minus ten percent of the value. However, it should not be construed as limiting any analysis of these values ​​under the principle of equivalence.

[0068] Unless otherwise specified, all ranges or ratios disclosed herein should be understood to include both the starting and ending values, and any and all subranges or subratios contained therein. For example, the stated range or ratio “1 to 10” should be considered as including any and all subranges or subratios between the minimum value of 1 and the maximum value of 10 (and including the endpoints); that is, all subranges or subratios that begin with a minimum value of 1 or greater and end with a maximum value of 10 or less. The ranges and / or ratios disclosed herein represent averages over the specified ranges and / or ratios.

[0069] The terms “first,” “second,” etc., are not intended to refer to any particular order or chronology, but rather to different conditions, characteristics, or elements.

[0070] All documents mentioned in this article are incorporated by reference.

[0071] The term "at least" is synonymous with "greater than or equal to".

[0072] As used herein, “at least one” is synonymous with “one or more”. For example, the phrase “at least one of A, B or C” means any one of A, B or C, or any combination of any two or more of A, B or C. Furthermore, “at least one of A, B and C” includes A alone; or B alone; or C alone; or A and B; or A and C; or B and C; or all of A, B and C.

[0073] The terms "include" and "include" are synonymous.

[0074] As used herein, the term “parallel” or “substantially parallel” means that the relative angle between two objects (such as elongated objects and including reference lines) is (if extended to the theoretical point of intersection) from 0° to 5°, or from 0° to 3°, or from 0° to 2°, or from 0° to 1°, or from 0° to 0.5°, or from 0° to 0.25°, or from 0° to 0.1°, including the listed values.

[0075] As used herein, the term “perpendicular” or “substantially perpendicular” means that the relative angle between two objects at their actual or theoretical point of intersection is between 85° and 90°, or between 87° and 90°, or between 88° and 90°, or between 89° and 90°, or between 89.5° and 90°, or between 89.75° and 90°, or between 89.9° and 90°, including the listed values.

[0076] As used herein, the term "optical" refers to something relating to or associated with light and / or vision. For example, based on the various non-limiting aspects disclosed herein, an optical article, article, or device may be selected from ophthalmic elements, articles, and devices, display elements, articles, and devices, windows, and mirrors.

[0077] As used herein, the term “ophthalmology” refers to anything relating to or associated with the eyes and vision. Non-limiting examples of ophthalmic articles or components include corrective and uncorrective lenses, including single-vision or multi-vision lenses, which may be segmented or non-segmented multi-vision lenses (such as, but not limited to, bifocal, trifocal, and progressive lenses), and other components used to correct, protect, or enhance (cosmetic or other) vision, including but not limited to contact lenses, intraocular lenses, magnifying glasses, and protective lenses or visors.

[0078] As used herein, the term “lens” means and includes at least a single lens, a pair of lenses, a partially formed (or semi-finished) lens, a fully formed (or finished) lens, and a lens blank.

[0079] As used herein, the term “ophthalmic substrate” refers to lenses, partially formed lenses, and lens blanks.

[0080] As used herein, the term "coating" refers to a supported film obtained from a flowable composition, which may or may not have a uniform thickness, and specifically excludes polymer sheets.

[0081] As used herein, the term “tag” refers to one or more tags.

[0082] As used herein, the terms “visible light” or “visible radiation” refer to electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths in the range of 380 nm to 780 nm.

[0083] As used herein, the terms “ultraviolet,” “ultraviolet radiation,” and “ultraviolet light” refer to electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from 100 nm to less than 380 nm. The term “UV” refers to ultraviolet light, such as ultraviolet radiation.

[0084] As used herein, the terms “infrared,” “infrared radiation,” and “infrared light” refer to electromagnetic radiation having wavelengths ranging from over 780 nm to up to 30,000 nm.

[0085] The discussion of various examples or aspects may describe certain features as “particularly” or “preferred” within certain limitations (e.g., “preferred,” “more preferred,” or “even more preferred” within certain limitations). It should be understood that the invention is not limited to these specific or preferred limitations, but covers the entire scope of the various examples and aspects described herein.

[0086] This disclosure includes, constitutes, or substantially comprises the following examples or aspects in any combination. Various examples or aspects of this disclosure are illustrated in separate accompanying drawings. However, it should be understood that this is merely for illustrative and discussion purposes. In practice, one or more examples or aspects shown in one drawing may be combined with one or more examples or aspects shown in one or more other drawings.

[0087] In some embodiments or aspects, this disclosure generally relates to an optical article 10, and a system and method for marking a coated optical article having at least one first mark on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article. Before describing the system and method, an exemplary optical article 10 will now be described.

[0088] In various embodiments or aspects of this disclosure, the optical article 10 may be selected from ophthalmic articles or elements, display articles or elements, windows, mirrors, active liquid crystal cell articles or elements, or passive liquid crystal cell articles or elements.

[0089] Examples of ophthalmic products or components include, but are not limited to, corrective and uncorrective lenses, including single-vision or multi-vision lenses, which may be segmented or non-segmented multi-vision lenses (such as, but not limited to, bifocal, trifocal, and progressive lenses), and other components for correcting, protecting, or enhancing (cosmetic or other) vision, including but not limited to contact lenses, intraocular lenses, magnifying glasses, and protective lenses or visors.

[0090] Examples of display articles, components, and devices include, but are not limited to, screens, monitors, and safety elements, including, but not limited to, safety markings and certification markings.

[0091] Examples of windows include, but are not limited to, car and airplane clear glass, filters, blinds, and optical switches.

[0092] refer to Figure 1 An optical article 10 typically includes a substrate 20 and one or more coatings applied to one or more surfaces of the substrate 20. In some embodiments or aspects, the one or more coatings may include a first coating 22 applied to at least a portion of at least one surface of the optical article 10. The optical article 10 may further include one or more additional coatings 24 applied to at least a portion of the first coating 22.

[0093] Continue to refer to Figure 1The substrate 20 has a forward or top surface 12, a rearward or bottom surface 14, and a side surface 16 extending between the top surface 12 and the bottom surface 14. When the optical article 10 is an ophthalmic lens, the bottom surface 14 faces the eye of the person wearing the optical article 10, the side surface 16 is typically located within a supporting frame, and the top surface 12 faces incident light (not shown), at least a portion of which passes through the optical article 10 and enters the person's eye.

[0094] In some embodiments or aspects, at least one of the top surface 12, bottom surface 14, and side surface 16 may be convex, concave, or planar. The top surface 12, bottom surface 14, and side surface 16 collectively define the exterior 26 of the substrate 20, which generally defines the overall external physical shape of the optical article 10. The first coating 22 and the one or more additional coatings 24 may be applied to any portion of the exterior 26 of the substrate 20.

[0095] Substrate 20 may include inorganic materials, organic polymer materials, or combinations thereof. In some aspects, substrate 20 may be an ophthalmic substrate. Non-limiting examples of organic materials suitable for forming ophthalmic substrates include, but are not limited to, polymers recognized in the art as suitable for use as ophthalmic substrates, such as organic optical resins used to prepare optically transparent castings for optical applications (such as ophthalmic lenses). Non-limiting examples of inorganic materials suitable for substrate 20 forming the optical article 10 of this disclosure include glass, such as silicon-based glass, minerals, ceramics, and metals. For example, in one non-limiting aspect, substrate 20 may include glass.

[0096] Continue to refer to Figure 1 At least one mark, such as at least one first mark 18, may be provided on the substrate 20. In some embodiments or aspects, the first mark 18 may be provided on a surface of the substrate 20, such as the top surface 12. The first mark 18 may be formed on a concave, convex, or planar surface of the outer surface 26 of the substrate 20. The first mark 18 may be formed as a topographic feature that can protrude from the outer surface 26 of the substrate 20, or as a topographic feature that is recessed into the outer surface 26 of the substrate 20.

[0097] In some embodiments or aspects, the shape of the first mark 18 may be designed to define an optical reference mark, which a practitioner may use as a reference point to match the power of the optical article 10 with the wearer's prescription. In other aspects, the first mark 18 may be a symbol, such as an identifier. The first mark 18 may be formed as an array of multiple individual marks 18, which together define an overall mark. When multiple marks 18 are provided on the outer surface 26 of the substrate 20, these multiple marks 18 may be provided in the same plane or in multiple offset planes. Various dimensions of the first mark 18 (including depth, height, and width) may be selected according to methods recognized in the art.

[0098] In some embodiments or aspects, the first mark 18 may be provided on the substrate 20 in a variety of ways. For example, one or more first marks 18 may be integrally formed on the substrate 20, for example, by molding. In other aspects, one or more marks 18 may be formed on the substrate 20 by etching, engraving, or other methods known to those skilled in the art to imprint the desired first mark 18 on the substrate 20. For example, a laser may be used to engrave the mark on the exterior 26 of the substrate 20. In various embodiments or aspects, the first mark 18 is formed on the substrate 20 prior to the application of one or more coatings to the substrate.

[0099] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The optical article 10 includes one or more coatings, such as a first coating 22 and one or more additional coatings 24, which are applied to at least a portion of the exterior 26 of the substrate 20 and the first mark 18. Examples of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 include, but are not limited to: primer coatings and films; protective coatings and films, including transition coatings and films and abrasion-resistant coatings and films; antireflective coatings and films; polarizing coatings and films; and combinations thereof.

[0100] The first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 may be optically transparent (without tint) or have a desired tint. For some additional aspects, the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 may include static dyes, photochromic materials, or combinations of two or more thereof. In some embodiments or aspects, the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 do not contain static dyes or photochromic materials.

[0101] The first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 may be formed on the entire exterior 26 of the substrate 20, or on at least a portion of at least one surface (e.g., top surface 12) of the substrate 20. The first coating 22 may be conformal to the exterior 26 and the first mark 18, or it may form a flat surface on the exterior 26 and the first mark 18. In various embodiments or aspects, the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 may be applied to at least a portion of the exterior 26 of the substrate 20 using various coating methods, including but not limited to rotation, spraying, dipping, flowing, curtain, PVD (physical vapor deposition), CVD (chemical vapor deposition), plasma-enhanced CVD, evaporation, sputtering, electrodeposition, and printing (e.g., inkjet printing).

[0102] The first coating 22 and other optional films and / or layers (such as, but not limited to, the one or more additional coatings 24) formed on or over the substrate 20 each have at least sufficient clarity to allow observation of electromagnetic energy sources transmitted through the coated optical article 10 and reflections of electromagnetic energy incident on the surface of the coated optical article 10. In some aspects, the first coating 22 and the one or more additional layers 24 each independently have a percentage transmittance (e.g., percentage transmittance of visible light) greater than 0% and less than or equal to 100% (e.g., from 50% to 100%). In some embodiments or aspects, the first coating 22 and the one or more additional coatings 24 have at least sufficient reflectivity to allow reflection of at least a portion of the electromagnetic energy incident on the outer surface of the coated optical article 10.

[0103] In some embodiments or aspects, the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 have refractive index values ​​similar to those of the substrate 20, depending on the thickness of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24. For example, the refractive index values ​​of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 are within + / - 0.04 or less of the refractive index value of the substrate 20. In other embodiments or aspects, the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 have refractive index values ​​different from those of the substrate 20, depending on the thickness of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24. For example, the refractive index values ​​of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 are at least + / - 0.04 higher or lower than the refractive index value of the substrate 20. While not intended to be bound by any theory, it is believed that the similarity or difference between the refractive index values ​​of the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 and the refractive index value of the substrate 20 makes it difficult for the human eye to observe the first mark 18 when inspecting the coated optical article 10. In other words, although the first mark 18 may be visible on the uncoated substrate 20, applying the first coating 22 and / or the one or more additional coatings 24 to the substrate 20 and the first mark 18 may make it more difficult or impossible to visually observe the first mark 18.

[0104] In some embodiments or aspects, a system 100 is provided for marking a second mark on a coated optical article 10 having a first mark 18 based on the position of the first mark 18. The system 100 may be configured to identify the position of the first mark 18 and mark the coated optical article 10 with the second mark. In this way, the second mark may be visible when an electromagnetic energy source is viewed through the coated optical article 10 relative to the second mark, or when an electromagnetic energy source is reflected from the surface of the coated optical article 10. In some embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may be further configured to compare the position of the second mark relative to the first mark 18 and determine whether the position of the second mark is within a predetermined distance of the position of the first mark 18.

[0105] refer to Figure 2 The system 100 includes a mark recognition device 110 configured to identify the position of a first mark 18 on the substrate 20 of the coated optical article 10. The system 100 further includes a marking device 120 configured to mark the coated optical article 10 with a second mark 180. The system 100 further includes a verification device 130 configured to compare the position of the second mark 180 relative to the first mark 18 and determine whether the position of the second mark 180 is within a predetermined distance of the position of the first mark 18. In various embodiments or aspects, the system 100 may include one or more mark recognition devices 110, one or more marking devices 120, one or more mark verification devices 130, and / or one or more controllers 140.

[0106] In some embodiments or aspects, increasing the visibility of the first mark 18 by marking the optical article 10 with a second mark can be helpful to practitioners who must check and match the lens power according to the wearer's prescription. For example, symbols representing the lens power and other identification information useful to practitioners can be marked on the optical article 10 in the form of a second mark, even when the first mark 18 is not easily identifiable. The highly visible second mark of this disclosure may be useful to quality control personnel responsible for inspecting optical articles, or it can be used as a marker in an automated verification system. When the optical article 10 of this disclosure with the second mark is inspected in the presence of an electromagnetic energy source, the second mark is easily identifiable relative to the surrounding surface of the optical article 10.

[0107] In some embodiments or aspects, system 100 may include controller 140 configured to control the operation of one or more components of system 100, such as tag identification device 110, tagging device 120, and verification device 130. Controller 140 may be configured to transmit data to and / or receive data from one or more components of system 100 via a communication network 160 having wired or wireless communication connections. In some embodiments or aspects, a wired communication connection may be one or more physical wires connecting one or more components of system 100 to controller 140. Examples of wireless communication connections include, but are not limited to, cellular networks (e.g., Long Term Evolution (LTE) networks, 3G networks, 4G networks, Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) networks, etc.), Public Land Mobile Networks (PLMN), Local Area Networks (LAN), Wide Area Networks (WAN), Metropolitan Area Networks (MAN), telephone networks (e.g., Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)), private networks, ad hoc networks, intranets, the Internet, fiber-optic networks, cloud computing networks and / or similar networks, NFC communication connections, RFID communication connections, etc. Communication connections and / or similar communication connections, and / or combinations of some or all of these or other types of networks.

[0108] Figure 1 The number and arrangement of components in the system 100 shown are provided as an example. Additional systems and / or devices, fewer systems and / or devices, different systems and / or devices, or devices may exist. Figure 1 Systems and / or devices arranged differently as shown. Figure 1 One or more devices or components of the system 100 shown can perform one or more functions described as being performed by another device or component.

[0109] Continue to refer to Figure 1 The controller 140 may include a bus 142, a processor 144, a memory 146, a storage unit 148, an input unit 150, an output unit 152, and a communication interface 154.

[0110] Bus 142 may include components that allow communication between parts of system 100. In some non-limiting embodiments or aspects, processor 144 may be implemented in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software. For example, processor 144 may include a processor (e.g., a central processing unit (CPU), graphics processing unit (GPU), accelerated processing unit (APU), etc.), microprocessor, digital signal processor (DSP), and / or any processing unit that can be programmed to perform functions (e.g., a field-programmable gate array (FPGA), application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), etc.). Memory 146 may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), and / or another type of dynamic or static storage device storing information and / or instructions for use by processor 144 (e.g., flash memory, magnetic storage, optical storage, etc.).

[0111] Storage component 148 may store information and / or software related to the operation and use of one or more components of system 100. For example, storage component 148 may include hard disks (e.g., magnetic disks, optical disks, magneto-optical disks, solid-state disks, etc.), optical discs (CDs), digital versatile optical discs (DVDs), floppy disks, magnetic tape cassettes, magnetic tapes, and / or another type of computer-readable medium, and corresponding drives.

[0112] Input component 150 may include a component that allows one or more components of system 100 to receive information, such as via user input (e.g., touchscreen display, keyboard, keypad, mouse, button, switch, microphone, camera, etc.). Output component 152 may include a component that provides output information from one or more components of system 100 (e.g., display, speaker, one or more light-emitting diodes (LEDs), etc.).

[0113] Communication interface 154 may include transceiver-like components (e.g., transceiver, separate receiver and transmitter, etc.) that enable one or more components of system 100 to communicate with other devices, such as via wired connection, wireless connection, or a combination of wired and wireless connection. Communication interface 154 may allow one or more components of system 100 to receive information from and / or provide information to another device. For example, communication interface 154 may include an Ethernet interface, an optical interface, a coaxial interface, an infrared interface, a radio frequency (RF) interface, a universal serial bus (USB) interface, etc. Interfaces, cellular network interfaces, and / or similar interfaces.

[0114] Controller 140 can execute one or more processes described herein. Controller 140 can execute these processes based on software instructions stored in a computer-readable medium (such as memory 146 and / or storage unit 148) executed by processor 144. Computer-readable media (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable media) are defined herein as non-transitory storage devices. Non-transitory storage devices include storage space located within a single physical storage device or storage space distributed across multiple physical storage devices.

[0115] Software instructions may be read from another computer-readable medium or from another device via communication interface 154 into memory 146 and / or storage unit 148. When executed, the software instructions stored in memory 146 and / or storage unit 148 may cause processor 144 to perform one or more processes described herein. Additionally or alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with software instructions to perform one or more processes described herein. Therefore, the embodiments or aspects described herein are not limited to any particular combination of hardware circuitry and software.

[0116] Memory 146 and / or storage unit 148 may include data storage or one or more data structures (e.g., databases, and / or the like). Controller 140 may be able to receive information from, store information therein, communicate information to, or search for information stored therein from the data storage or one or more data structures in memory 146 and / or storage unit 148. For example, the information may include data associated with a set of configuration files, input data, output data, transaction data, account data, or any combination thereof.

[0117] refer to Figure 3A A mark identification device 110 is shown according to some embodiments or aspects of this disclosure. Generally, the mark identification device 110 includes at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 and at least one imaging device 112. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 may be configured to irradiate at least a portion of the surface of a substrate 20 having at least one first mark 18 with a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a. The at least one imaging device 112 may be configured to receive at least a portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a reflected from the surface of the substrate 20 having at least one first mark 18 and determine the position of the at least one first mark 18 on the surface of the substrate 20.

[0118] Continue to refer to Figure 3AThe at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 may be a laser. The laser may be a continuous-wave laser or a pulsed-wave laser. In some embodiments or aspects, the laser may be a visible laser having a wavelength in the range of 380 nm to 780 nm. In other embodiments or aspects, the laser may be an ultraviolet laser having a wavelength in the range of 100 nm to less than 380 nm. In other embodiments or aspects, the laser may be an infrared laser having a wavelength in the range of more than 780 nm to up to 30,000 nm. In other embodiments or aspects, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 may be a coherent monochromatic (or near-monochromatic) visible light source. In different embodiments or aspects, the visible light source may be a high-intensity xenon arc lamp, a light-emitting diode (LED), a fluorescent lamp, or any other visible light source. The monochromatic characteristics of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 may vary depending on the type of electromagnetic source 111; for example, if the electromagnetic radiation source 111 is an LED, it may be generated using at least one of a filter and a monochromator.

[0119] The at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 is configured to project a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a (e.g., a laser) onto at least a portion of the exterior 26 of the substrate 20 having a first mark 18 thereon. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 may be configured to project a converging, diverging, or collimated first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a onto at least a portion of the exterior 26 of the substrate 20 having a first mark 18 thereon.

[0120] At least one beam manipulation device 113 may be provided for manipulating characteristics of a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111, such as the shape of the beam and / or the position of the beam projected onto the surface of the substrate 20. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be configured to manipulate the size of the electromagnetic radiation beam emitted from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111. For example, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be configured to control the size of the electromagnetic radiation beam between 0.2 mm and 80 mm. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be configured to converge, diverge, or collimate the beam emitted from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111. For example, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may have at least one beam expander, at least one converging lens, at least one diverging lens, at least one collimating lens, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be a plano-concave beam expander configured to control the position of the beam from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 projected onto the surface of the substrate 20. For example, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be a galvanometer, a servo device, a gimbal, and / or any combination thereof. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may be a space filter configured to improve the uniformity of electromagnetic radiation emitted from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111. In various embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 may include a plurality of individual beam manipulation devices 113.

[0121] In other embodiments or aspects, the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 relative to the substrate 20 can be controlled via at least one source manipulation device 114. For example, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 can be configured to move the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 in any direction relative to the substrate 20 in a Cartesian coordinate system, and / or change the angular orientation of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 relative to the substrate 20.

[0122] Continue to refer to Figure 3AThe at least one imaging device 112 is configured to receive a portion of a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a reflected from the surface of a substrate 20 having at least one first mark 18 and to determine the position of the at least one first mark 18 on the surface of the substrate 20. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one imaging device 112 may be a camera, such as an optical camera. The camera may be configured to capture image data of the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a reflected from the surface of the substrate 20 having the first mark 18 and projected onto an observation surface 115. For example, the camera may be configured to capture image data including a reflected image of the first mark 18. The camera may be selected such that it is configured to capture image data based on the characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111. For example, the camera may be a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a UV camera. Various lenses may be used to enhance the optical characteristics of the camera. The observation surface 115 is configured to receive this portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a reflected from the surface of the substrate 20, such that the first beam 119a can be captured by the camera. In some embodiments or aspects, the observation surface 115 may be a planar screen positioned between the at least one imaging device 112 and the optical article 10. The observation surface 115 may be transparent or translucent. One or more masks 116 (each mask 116 having at least one opening 117) may be used to block at least a portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a reflected onto the observation surface 115. Each mask 117 may be positioned between the camera and the coated optical article 10.

[0123] Continue to refer to Figure 3A The at least one imaging device 112 can be programmed or configured to capture image data of a portion of the reflected first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a. For example, the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 can be focused onto a portion of the top surface of the optical article 10, for example via the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114. Controller 140 (in Figure 2 The image data (shown in the diagram) can be configured or programmed to analyze the image data recorded by the at least one imaging device 112 and determine whether the image data includes information indicating the presence of a reflected image of the first mark 18. If a reflected image of the first mark 18 is found, the position of the reflected mark 18 is stored. For example, the controller 140 can be configured or programmed to store the position of the reflected mark 18 as coordinate data in memory 146 and / or storage unit 148. In some examples or aspects, the coordinate data may be a set of X-axis and Y-axis coordinates corresponding to a top view plane of the optical article 10.

[0124] If no reflected image of the first mark 18 is found in the image data of a portion of the optical article 10 captured by the at least one imaging device 112, a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 can be focused onto a previously unimaged portion of the top surface of the optical article 10, for example, via the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114. The controller 140 can then analyze the image data associated with that different portion of the top surface 12 of the optical article 10 and determine whether the image data includes information indicating the presence of a reflected image of the first mark 18. The process of capturing image data of a portion of the optical article 10 and analyzing whether the image data includes a reflected image of the first mark 18 can be repeated until the reflected image is found or the optical article 10 is deemed to lack the first mark 18.

[0125] In some embodiments or aspects, instead of iteratively capturing and analyzing image data of discrete portions of the optical article, the at least one imaging device 112 may be configured to continuously capture image data of the reflected first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a as it is manipulated to scan or sweep across the entire top surface of the optical article 10. For example, the controller 140 may be configured or programmed to control the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114 such that electromagnetic radiation from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 illuminates the entire surface of the optical article 10 by continuously scanning or sweeping across different portions of the optical article 10. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114 may be controlled such that the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 is projected as a line sweeping across the surface of the optical article 10.

[0126] In other embodiments or aspects, the mask 116 may be placed between the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 and the observation surface 115 such that the mask 116 blocks the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a except for a portion of the first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a passing through the opening 117 of the mask 116.

[0127] refer to Figure 3BAfter determining that the image data of the optical article 10 has a reflected image of the first mark 18, the system 100 can be configured to verify the position of the reflected image of the mark 18 by guiding a second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b to a location on the top surface of the optical article 10 based on coordinate data determined during the initial analysis of the image data. The second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b can be a focused beam having the same general size as the first mark 18; for example, the focused beam can have a diameter of up to 2.0 mm. For example, the controller 140 can be configured or programmed to control the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114 in such a way that the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111 is guided to a location on the top surface 12 of the optical article 10 that has X-axis and Y-axis coordinates in the top view plane of the optical article 10 corresponding to the position of the reflected image of the first mark 18. The at least one imaging device 112 can capture new image data.

[0128] refer to Figure 4 Image data captured by the at least one imaging device 112 can be used to verify the alignment of the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b with respect to the reflected image of the first mark 18. For example, if the position of the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b is not aligned with the position of the reflected image of the first mark 18, the controller 140 can be configured or programmed to control the at least one beam manipulation device 113 and / or the at least one source manipulation device 114 in a manner that guides the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b in the direction of arrow A (e.g., corresponding to the Y-axis direction in the top view plane of the optical article) and / or in the direction of arrow B (e.g., corresponding to the X-axis direction in the top view plane of the optical article). Once the position of the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b is aligned with the position of the reflected image of the first mark 18, the coordinate data of this position can be used to guide the at least one marking device 120 to mark the second mark 180 on the optical article 10, as described herein.

[0129] refer to Figure 5 At least one marking device 120 is shown according to some embodiments or aspects. As discussed herein, the at least one marking device 120 is configured to mark at least one second mark 180 on at least a portion of a coated article 10. In some embodiments or aspects, the at least one marking device 120 may be configured to mark at least one coating, such as a first coating 22 and / or the at least one additional coating 24, at a location on the optical article 10 corresponding to the location of the first mark 18. In other embodiments or aspects, the at least one marking device 120 may be configured to mark at least one coating and a substrate 20, such as at least one surface of the substrate 20.

[0130] Continue to refer to Figure 5 The at least one marking device 120 includes an etching device 122 configured to project a beam of electromagnetic radiation 123 onto the surface of the optical article 10, such as the at least one coating of the optical article 10. The etching device 122 may be a laser. The laser may be a continuous-wave laser or a pulsed-wave laser. In some embodiments or aspects, the laser may be a visible laser having a wavelength in the range of 380 nm to 780 nm. In other embodiments or aspects, the laser may be an ultraviolet laser having a wavelength in the range of 100 nm to less than 380 nm. In other embodiments or aspects, the laser may be an infrared laser having a wavelength in the range of more than 780 nm to up to 30,000 nm.

[0131] The electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching apparatus 122 can be configured to etch at least one coating (such as the first coating 22 and / or at least one additional coating 24) of the optical article 10 at a location corresponding to the position of the first mark 18 on the optical article 10 using a second mark 180. The second mark 180 can be etched at a depth of 2.75 μm to 5 μm.

[0132] In some embodiments or aspects, etching apparatus 122 may be configured to perform subsurface etching of a second mark 180 beneath the outer surface of the at least one coating on the optical substrate 20. In other embodiments or aspects, etching apparatus 122 may be configured to perform subsurface etching of the second mark 180 beneath the surface of the optical substrate 20. An electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from etching apparatus 122 may be focused (e.g., using one or more focusing elements) to a desired depth beneath the outer surface of the at least one coating or beneath the outer surface of the substrate 20. The subsurface depth of the second mark 180 may be further controlled by varying the distance between etching apparatus 122 and the optical article 10, such as by moving one or both of etching apparatus 122 and the optical article 10. Etching apparatus 122 may be angled relative to the coated optical article 10 to account for any surface curvature of the substrate 20, such that the electromagnetic radiation beam from etching apparatus 122 is symmetrically diffracted. In some embodiments or aspects, the second mark 180 may be fabricated by layering multiple subsurface layers at different depths beneath the surface of the at least one coating or beneath the surface of the optical substrate 20. In this way, the second mark 180 can have a three-dimensional shape.

[0133] The at least one marking device 120 further includes a mirror 126 configured to reflect the electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching device 122 toward the surface of the optical article 10. In some embodiments or aspects, the mirror 126 may be a one-way mirror. At least one etching beam manipulation device 124 may be provided for controlling the position of the electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching device 122 projected onto the optical article 10. For example, the at least one etching beam manipulation device 124 may be a galvanometer, a servo device, a gimbal, and / or any combination thereof that controls the orientation of the at least one mirror 126. Controller 140 (in Figure 2 (shown in the figure) can be configured or programmed to control the at least one etching beam manipulation device 124 in such a way that the electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching device 122 is guided as a focused beam 123 toward the top surface of the optical article 10 to a position having X-axis and Y-axis coordinates in the top view plane of the optical article 10 corresponding to the position of the reflected image of the first mark 18.

[0134] Continue to refer to Figure 5 The at least one marking device 120 may have a camera 128 positioned between a mirror 126 and an optical article 10. The camera 128 may be configured to capture image data of the optical article 10 via the mirror 126 (e.g., a one-way mirror). In some embodiments or aspects, the camera 128 may be aligned such that it is positioned directly above the top surface of the optical article 10 at an angle substantially perpendicular to a plane perpendicular to the top surface of the optical article 10. The camera may be a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a UV camera. Various lenses and filters can be used to enhance the optical characteristics of the camera. Controller 140 (in...) Figure 2 (As shown in the figure) can be configured or programmed to analyze image data recorded by camera 128 and determine whether the image data includes information indicating the presence of focus beam 123 on the top surface of optical article 10.

[0135] Controller 140 (in) Figure 2(As shown in the diagram) can be further configured to guide the at least one etching beam manipulation device 124 to position the mirror 126 such that the focused electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching device 122 is guided to the same position as the second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111, which indicates the position of the first mark 18 on the substrate 20 of the optical article 10. In this way, the camera 128 can be used to guide the position of the mirror 126 such that the focused electromagnetic radiation beam 123 from the etching device 122 can be aligned with the second beam 119b from the at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111. This alignment of the focused beam 123 with the second beam 119b ensures that the position of the second mark 180 corresponds to the position of the first mark 18. The at least one marking device 120 can be calibrated with the at least one mark recognition device 110 to account for any differences in the angles at which the focused beam 123 and the second beam 119b are projected onto the optical article 10.

[0136] Continue to refer to Figure 5 After the at least one marking device 120 is aligned to project the focused electromagnetic radiation beam 123 onto the optical article 10 at a desired position corresponding to the position of the first marking 18, the etching device 122 can be operated to etch at least one coating of the coated optical article 10 with the second marking 180.

[0137] In some embodiments or aspects, the second mark 180 may be an array of elements 184 on at least one coating of the coated optical article 10 (such as the first coating 22 and / or the additional coating 24) (see Figure 6 In some embodiments or aspects, each element 184 can be a point, a line, or any other geometric element. For example, element 184 can have a circular shape, an elliptical shape, a rectangular shape, a triangular shape, or any other geometric shape. Elements 184 in an array of elements 184 can be identical or different from each other. Elements 184 in an array of elements 184 can be connected to each other or separated from each other. For example, elements 184 can have a spacing between each other between 15 and 30 μm. The array of elements 184 can define a pattern, such as a crosshair pattern, a honeycomb pattern, a circular pattern, or any other pattern. The at least one marking device 120 can be configured to adjust at least one of the size of each element 184 in the array of elements 184, the depth of each element 184 in the array of elements 184, and the density of the array of elements 184.

[0138] In some embodiments or aspects, the size and shape of the second mark 180 may be selected to correspond to the size and shape of the first mark 18.

[0139] In some embodiments or aspects, the shape of the second mark 180 may be designed to define the same optical reference mark as the first mark 18, which practitioners can use as a reference point to match the power of the optical article 10 with the wearer's prescription. In other aspects, the second mark 180 may be a sign, such as an identifier. Various dimensions of the second mark 180 (including depth, height, and width) may be selected based on the desired characteristics of the second mark 180.

[0140] refer to Figure 7 The verification device 130 can be configured to compare the position of the at least one second mark 180 relative to the position of the at least one first mark 18 and determine whether the position of the at least one second mark 180 is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first mark 18. In some embodiments or aspects, the verification device 130 may include a verification camera 132 and a backlight 136. The coated optical article 10 marked with the second mark 180 is positioned between the verification camera 132 and the backlight 136. The second mark 180 can be seen when electromagnetic energy from the backlight 136 is observed passing through the coated optical article 10. As in some aspects, the observation of the second mark 180 can be enhanced by simultaneously using magnification of the second mark 180, such as by inserting one or more magnifying glasses (not shown) between the second mark 180 and the observer.

[0141] In some embodiments or aspects, the verification camera 132 may be the same camera as camera 128 used on the at least one marking device 120. A backlight 136 may be provided on a platform 134 supporting the optical article 10, such that the optical article 10 can be illuminated from the bottom using the backlight 136. In some embodiments or aspects, the backlight 136 may be a light bulb configured to emit light in the visible spectrum. For some aspects, the visible light backlight 136 may have one or more wavelengths from 380 nm to 710 nm, including the listed values. In other embodiments or aspects, the backlight 136 may be an infrared or ultraviolet light source. The verification camera 132 may be selected to be configured to capture image data based on the characteristics of the electromagnetic radiation emitted from the backlight 136. For example, the verification camera 132 may be a visible light camera, an infrared camera, or a UV camera. Various lenses and filters may be used to enhance the optical characteristics of the verification camera 132.

[0142] Continue to refer to Figure 7 The verification camera 132 can be programmed or configured to capture image data of the top surface of the marked optical article 10, including the second mark 180. The controller 140 (in...) Figure 2The image data (shown in the diagram) can be configured or programmed to analyze the image data recorded by the verification camera 132 and determine whether the image data includes information indicating the presence of the second marker 180. If the second marker 180 is found, the position of the second marker 180 is compared with the position of the stored first marker 18. For example, the controller 140 can be configured or programmed to store the position of the second marker 180 as coordinate data in the memory 146 and / or storage unit 148. In some examples or aspects, the coordinate data may be a set of X-axis and Y-axis coordinates corresponding to the top view plane of the optical article 10.

[0143] The controller 140 can be further configured or programmed to compare the position of the second mark 180 with the position of the stored first mark 18. If the position of the second mark 180 is within a predetermined distance of the position of the first mark 18, the marked optical article 10 is considered acceptable. If the position of the second mark 180 is outside the predetermined distance of the position of the first mark 18, the marked optical article 10 is considered unacceptable. In some embodiments or aspects, the unacceptable optical article 10 can be marked with a new second mark 180, and the position of the new second mark 180 can be compared with the position of the first mark 18 to determine whether the new second mark 180 is acceptable.

[0144] Having described the structure of the coated optical article 10 and the system 100 for marking the coated optical article 10 with a second mark 180 at the position of the first mark 18 on the substrate 20 based on the optical article 10, reference will now be made to... Figure 8 This describes a method 200 for marking an optical article 10. In some embodiments or aspects, method 200 includes using at least one mark recognition device 110 in step 201 to determine the position of a first mark 18 on the substrate 20 of the optical article 10. For example, as Figure 3A As shown, the first mark 18 can be illuminated by a first electromagnetic radiation beam 119a from at least one electromagnetic radiation source 111, and the reflected image of the first mark 18 can be captured by at least one imaging device 112. The controller 140 can analyze image data of the top surface of the optical article 10 and determine whether the image data includes information indicating the presence of the reflected image of the first mark 18. As shown in FIG3, the position of the reflected image of the mark 18 can be verified by guiding a second electromagnetic radiation beam 119b to a location on the top surface of the optical article 10 based on coordinate data determined during preliminary analysis of the image data.

[0145] Continue to refer to Figure 8 In step 202, at least one marking device 120 is used to mark the coated optical article 10 with a second mark 180. For example... Figure 5As shown, the at least one marking device 120 can be configured to mark at least one coating, such as the first coating 22 and / or the at least one additional coating 24, at a position on the optical article 10 corresponding to the position of the first mark 18. The etching device 122 of the at least one marking device 120 is configured to project an electromagnetic radiation beam 123 onto the surface of the optical article 10 (e.g., at least one coating of the optical article 10) at a position corresponding to the position of the first mark 18, in order to mark or etch a second mark 180 onto at least one coating of the coated optical article 10. The shape of the second mark 180 can be designed to define the same optical reference mark as the first mark 18, which practitioners can use as a reference point to match the power of the optical article 10 with the wearer's prescription.

[0146] Continue to refer to Figure 8 In step 203, the verification device 130 is used to determine the position of the second mark 180, and to verify that the position of the at least one second mark 180 is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first mark 18. Figure 7 As shown, the marked optical article 10 is positioned between the verification camera 132 and the backlight 136, such that the second mark 180 can be seen by the camera 132. The position of the second mark 180 is then compared with the position of the stored first mark 18 to determine whether the second mark 180 is within a predetermined distance of the first mark 18, thereby determining that the marked optical article 10 is acceptable.

[0147] This disclosure has been described with reference to specific details of certain aspects thereof. This is not intended to be construed as limiting the scope of this disclosure, except where such details are included in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A system for marking a coated optical article, wherein at least one first mark is present on the surface of a substrate of the coated optical article, the system comprising: At least one tag recognition device, the at least one tag recognition device comprising: At least one electromagnetic radiation source, the at least one electromagnetic radiation source being configured to irradiate at least a portion of the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark with electromagnetic radiation; and At least one imaging device, the at least one imaging device being configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate having the at least one first mark and to determine the position of the at least one first mark on the surface of the substrate; and At least one marking device, the at least one marking device being configured to mark at least one second mark on the coated optical article based on the position of the at least one first mark; Wherein, the at least one mark recognition device further includes at least one of the following: At least one beam manipulation device, the at least one beam manipulation device being configured to control at least one characteristic of the electromagnetic radiation, and At least one source manipulation device, the at least one source manipulation device being configured to control the position of the at least one electromagnetic radiation source relative to the coated optical article.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one electromagnetic radiation source is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 10,000 nm.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one imaging device includes an observation surface and a camera, the observation surface being configured to receive a portion of the electromagnetic radiation reflected from the surface of the substrate, and the camera being configured to image the observation surface.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein, The at least one beam manipulation device includes at least one of a beam expander, a collimating lens, a converging lens, a diverging lens, a spatial filter, a galvanometer, a servo device, or a gimbal.

5. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The at least one marking device is configured to mark the at least one second mark on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

6. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The at least one second mark is an array of elements on at least one coating of the coated optical article.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein, The at least one marking device is configured to adjust at least one of the size of each element in the element array, the depth of each element in the element array, or the density of the element array.

8. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The at least one marking device includes an etching device and at least one mirror, the at least one mirror being configured to reflect a beam from the etching device onto the coated optical article.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein, The etching apparatus is a laser having a wavelength in the range of 190 nm to 30,000 nm.

10. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein, The at least one imaging device includes a camera and a mask having at least one opening, the mask being positioned between the camera and the coated optical material.

11. The system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a verification device configured to compare the position of the at least one second marker with respect to the position of the at least one first marker and determine whether the position of the at least one second marker is within a predetermined distance of the position of the at least one first marker.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The verification device includes a verification camera and a backlight, wherein the coated optical article is configured to be positioned between the verification camera and the backlight.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein, The verification device is further configured to guide the at least one marking device such that the position of the at least one second mark at least partially overlaps with the position of the at least one first mark.

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