Dimmable vision correction lens and glasses thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of dimmable liquid crystal, and particularly discloses a dimmable vision correction lens and glasses thereof, the lens comprises a transparent protective layer, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer and a vision correction lens which are laminated and attached in sequence; the binding surface of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer and the vision correction lens is a convex surface of the vision correction lens; the curvature radius of the concave face of the transparent protection layer is R1, the curvature radius of the convex face of the vision correction lens is R2, and the relation between R1 and R2 is that R1 is larger than or equal to R2-50 mm and smaller than or equal to R2 + 50 mm. According to the dimmable vision correction lens, the transparent protection layer firstly plays a role in protecting the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer and preventing the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer from being polluted or scratched; and secondly, the transparent protection layer and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer are tightly attached to the vision correction lens and almost have no influence on the vision correction effect of the vision correction lens, so that the vision correction lens does not need to be specially aligned with the optical centers of the transparent protection layer and the vision correction lens, and the dimmable vision correction lens is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of dimmable liquid crystals, specifically to a dimmable vision correction lens and eyeglasses including the dimmable vision correction lens. Background Technology

[0002] When sunlight is strong and there is a risk of glare, people usually wear sunglasses to block the glare and achieve normal vision. However, regular sunglasses have a constant light transmittance and cannot adjust their transmittance according to varying light intensities.

[0003] As a result, photochromic lenses appeared on the market. Traditional photochromic lenses achieve chemical photochromism by adding silver halide. These lenses will automatically undergo a chemical reaction and darken when exposed to ultraviolet light outdoors, and will automatically return to a transparent state indoors or in places without ultraviolet light. However, their disadvantage is that the response speed is slow and cannot meet the needs of rapid switching of light transmittance for dimming lenses.

[0004] Currently, dimming liquid crystals can quickly respond to changes in light intensity to adaptively change their transmittance, and they have become the mainstream dimming tool.

[0005] To address how to integrate dimming liquid crystals into vision correction lenses for the convenience of those requiring vision correction, the following attempts were made: (1) Dimming liquid crystals were separately fabricated into dimming lenses and then detachably mounted on vision correction lenses. This method resulted in a complex and fragmented overall vision correction lens structure, making it inconvenient to use. Furthermore, since the dimming liquid crystal lens was located on the outer surface, users frequently touched it, leading to contamination or damage. (2) Vision correction lenses were first composed of two lenses to correct vision, and then the dimming liquid crystal was attached between the two lenses. In the above method, the optical center lines of the two lenses needed to be aligned during the lens manufacturing process, which was not conducive to large-scale production. Additionally, placing the dimming liquid crystal between the two lenses significantly increased the overall thickness of the vision correction lens, resulting in an unattractive appearance and inconvenience. Summary of the Invention

[0006] As described in the background section above, in response to one or more of the aforementioned problems, the purpose of this application is to provide a dimmable vision correction lens that has an aesthetically pleasing appearance, is comfortable to wear, and is suitable for large-scale industrial production.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, this application provides the following technical solution:

[0008] One aspect of this application provides a dimmable vision correction lens, the lens comprising a transparent protective layer, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, and a vision correction lens that are sequentially stacked and bonded together; the bonding surface between the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer and the vision correction lens is the convex surface of the vision correction lens;

[0009] The radius of curvature of the concave surface formed by the bonding of the transparent protective layer and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer is R1, and the radius of curvature of the convex surface of the vision correction lens is R2. The relationship between R1 and R2 is R2-50mm≤R1≤R2+50mm.

[0010] In the aforementioned dimmable vision correction lens, the transparent protective layer primarily protects the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, preventing it from being contaminated or scratched. Secondly, after the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer is attached to the convex surface of the vision correction lens, the transparent protective layer is then attached to the opposite side of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, away from the vision correction lens. Simultaneously, the radius of curvature R1 of the concave surface of the transparent protective layer and the radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens satisfy the aforementioned mathematical relationship. With this configuration, the transparent protective layer and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer have almost no impact on the vision correction effect of the vision correction lens, thus eliminating the need for specific alignment of the optical center lines of the transparent protective layer and the vision correction lens, making it suitable for large-scale industrial production.

[0011] Furthermore, the thickness of the transparent protective layer is H, and the range of H is 0.1mm≤H≤2mm.

[0012] Furthermore, the refractive power range of the transparent protective layer is -0.25D to 0.25D.

[0013] Furthermore, the flexural modulus of the transparent protective layer ranges from 1 GPa to 4 GPa.

[0014] Furthermore, the transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer ranges from 0.1% to 80%, and the haze is less than 2%.

[0015] Furthermore, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer has a one-layer, two-layer, or three-layer structure.

[0016] Furthermore, the refractive power of the vision correction lens can be positive or negative.

[0017] Furthermore, the radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens is in the range of R2 > 160 mm.

[0018] Furthermore, the transparent protective layer, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, and the vision correction lens are bonded and fixed together using optical adhesive.

[0019] In another aspect of this application, eyeglasses are provided, including the aforementioned dimmable vision correction lens, wherein the vision correction lens of the dimmable vision correction lens is configured close to the human eye.

[0020] Furthermore, the glasses also include a frame and temples, and the dimmable vision correction lens is configured as a single piece or two pieces, with the dimmable vision correction lens fixedly installed in the corresponding frame.

[0021] Furthermore, the eyeglasses include a control device installed inside the temples, and the control device is electrically connected to the dimmable vision correction lens.

[0022] Furthermore, the control device is configured to use manual control or automatic control. The manual control is one or more of sliding control, touch control, and Bluetooth connection control, while the automatic control is either sensor control or voice control.

[0023] The beneficial effects of this application are as follows: the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer in the dimmable vision correction lens of this application has a fast response speed and a large dimming range. At the same time, the transparent protective layer serves two purposes: firstly, it protects the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer and prevents it from being contaminated or scratched; secondly, the transparent protective layer and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer are closely attached to the convex surface of the vision correction lens, and the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the transparent protective layer is very close to the radius of curvature of the convex surface of the vision correction lens, so it has almost no impact on the vision correction effect of the vision correction lens. Therefore, it is not necessary to specifically align the optical center line of the transparent protective layer and the vision correction lens, which is suitable for large-scale industrial production. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the glasses in one embodiment of this application;

[0025] Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional view of an adjustable vision correction lens in one embodiment of this application;

[0026] Figure 3 for Figure 2 Enlarged structural diagram of part A in the middle;

[0027] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer in one embodiment of this application.

[0028] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0029] 100 - Eyeglasses; 101 - Frame; 102 - Temples;

[0030] 200 - Dimmable vision correction lens; 201 - Transparent protective layer; 202 - Flexible liquid crystal dimming layer; 203 - Vision correction lens; 2021 - Substrate layer; 2022 - Conductive layer; 2023 - Liquid crystal layer. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0032] The flexible liquid crystal dimming layer involved in some embodiments of this application includes a liquid crystal layer confined between substrate layers. The liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer are anisotropic, and dimming can be achieved by changing the light transmittance of the liquid crystal layer under certain control signals (e.g., voltage).

[0033] As mentioned above, the term "tunable" refers to the ability to change the transmittance upwards or downwards through one or more control signals. For example, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer includes a pair of electrodes disposed on the upper and lower sides of the liquid crystal layer. The voltage applied to the upper and lower electrodes causes the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer to change their alignment, thereby changing the transmittance of the entire flexible liquid crystal dimming layer. Based on the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules within the liquid crystal layer, various liquid crystal modes can be classified, including: twisted nematic (TN), super twisted nematic (STN), vertically aligned (VA), and electrically-controlled birefringence (ECB). When the electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer changes, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules changes, causing a change in the retardation of the entire liquid crystal layer. Combined with upper and lower polarizers, the transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer can be adjusted. Alternatively, without using a polarizer, dichroic dyes can be doped into the liquid crystal. When the electric field of the upper and lower electrodes of the liquid crystal layer changes, the alignment of the liquid crystal molecules changes, which in turn causes the alignment of the dye molecules in the liquid crystal to change synchronously. Therefore, the transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer can be adjusted without using a polarizer, such as TN, ECB, VA, STN and other methods based on dye doping.

[0034] The liquid crystal layer can be configured such that its transmittance is highest when the voltage value of the control signal is at its lowest value (e.g., 0 volts), a state sometimes referred to as "Normally-White (NW)". Conversely, the liquid crystal layer can be configured such that its transmittance is lowest when the voltage value of the control signal is at its lowest value (e.g., 0 volts), a state sometimes referred to as "Normally-Black (NB)".

[0035] Although the embodiments of this application are described in combination with binocular glasses (e.g., a pair of glasses), the technical solutions of this application can also be used in combination with monocular glasses, or in some cases in combination with one lens of a pair of glasses instead of two lenses.

[0036] Figure 1 Examples of dimmable and vision-correcting glasses 100 according to some embodiments of this application are shown. Figure 1 As shown, the eyeglasses 100 include a frame 101 and temples 102. The eyeglasses 100 may include one or two dimmable vision correction lenses 200 (the structure of which will be further described below). The dimmable vision correction lenses 200 are fixedly installed in the corresponding frame 101, and the dimmable vision correction lenses 200 are configured such that vision correction lenses 203 are close to the eyes. In some embodiments, the eyeglasses 100 may be frameless and may include a single dimmable vision correction lens 200 or two dimmable vision correction lenses 200, with the two dimmable vision correction lenses 200 connected by a connecting structure.

[0037] The dimmable vision correction lens 200 has a configurable light transmittance that can be configured or adjusted based on ambient light intensity. Specifically, in environments with high ambient light intensity (e.g., outdoor sunlight), the light transmittance of one or more dimmable vision correction lenses 200 can be reduced to decrease the intensity of light passing through them, thereby protecting the eyes from high-energy light. Conversely, in environments with low ambient light intensity (e.g., outdoor at night, indoors, etc.), the light transmittance of one or more dimmable vision correction lenses 200 can be increased, allowing the user to maintain reasonable vision when wearing glasses 100 in low-light environments.

[0038] Figure 2 A cross-sectional view of a dimmable vision correction lens 200 according to some embodiments of this application is shown. Figure 2 In the example shown, the dimmable vision correction lens 200 includes a transparent protective layer 201, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 and a vision correction lens 203 that are sequentially stacked and bonded together; the bonding surface between the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 and the vision correction lens 203 is the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203.

[0039] Vision-correcting lens 203 has various shapes and is typically three-dimensionally curved to form an optical system with a power suitable for correcting a user's visual acuity. Vision-correcting lens 203 may include a surface with three-dimensional curvature, having curvature along a first direction and curvature along a second direction, the two curvatures typically not being the same. The three-dimensional surface of vision-correcting lens 203 may correspond in shape to the surface of a spherical or aspherical lens, with the curvature depending on the user's vision correction needs. The curvature of vision-correcting lens 203 can also be configured to correct other eye conditions, such as astigmatism. Vision-correcting lens 203 may be made of glass or resin.

[0040] The flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 may include a pair of substrate layers 2021, which provide mechanical support and / or constraint for the liquid crystal molecules in the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202. The substrate layers 2021 are typically made of flexible transparent materials, such as polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), triacetate cellulose (TAC), cyclic olefin copolymers, etc. The flexible transparent substrate layer 2021 can be configured to be tightly bonded to the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203, where the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203 can be understood as the side away from the human eye during use. Choosing the side of the vision correction lens 203 away from the human eye as the bonding surface is because the radius of curvature of this surface is relatively larger than that of the side closer to the human eye, reducing the manufacturing difficulty when bonding the flexible transparent substrate layer 2021 to this surface.

[0041] The transparent protective layer 201 is usually made of a flexible transparent material, and the specific material selection is not limited here. For example, it can be PET or TAC material. The transparent protective layer 201 is tightly attached to the side of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 that is away from the vision correction lens 203.

[0042] It should be noted that the thickness of both the transparent protective layer 201 and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 is set as thin as possible and the thickness is uniform throughout to avoid interfering with the refractive power of the vision correction lens 203. The radius of curvature of the concave surface of the transparent protective layer 201 mentioned in this application is R1; this concave surface is the side where the transparent protective layer 201 and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 are attached. The radius of curvature of the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203 is R2; as... Figure 3 As shown in the figure, R1 and R2 represent the radii of curvature of the pointed surfaces.

[0043] The above R1 and R2 are set to R2-50mm≤R1≤R2+50mm, which specifically limits the relationship between the radius of curvature R1 of the concave surface of the transparent protective layer 201 and the radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203, so that the transparent protective layer 201 is attached as tightly as possible to the surface of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 away from the vision correction lens 203.

[0044] In the aforementioned dimmable vision correction lens, the transparent protective layer 201 primarily serves to protect the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, preventing it from being contaminated or scratched. Secondly, after the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 is attached to the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203, the transparent protective layer 201 is then attached to the opposite side of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, away from the vision correction lens 203. Simultaneously, the radius of curvature R1 of the concave surface of the transparent protective layer 201 and the radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203 satisfy the aforementioned mathematical relationship. With this configuration, the transparent protective layer 201 and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 have almost no impact on the vision correction effect of the vision correction lens 203, thus eliminating the need for specific alignment of the optical center lines of the transparent protective layer 201 and the vision correction lens 203, making it suitable for large-scale industrial production.

[0045] According to some embodiments, the following describes in more detail Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 4 The glasses 100, the dimmable vision correction lens 200, and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 are shown respectively. The dimmable vision correction lens 200 is used in the glasses 100.

[0046] The eyeglasses 100 include a frame 101 and temples 102. The frame 101 is provided with two sets of dimmable vision correction lenses 200. A control device (not shown) is disposed in the temples 102 and electrically connected to the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202. The control device may also be integrated into the frame 101, or the control device may be mechanically coupled to the frame 101, and in some cases, it may be detachably connected to the frame 101.

[0047] Specifically, the control device includes a control board, a battery, and control keys or other user input devices. The control board is electrically connected to the control keys, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, and the battery. Users can control the light transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 through the control keys or input devices.

[0048] In another scenario, the control device includes a control board, a battery, and a light sensor. The control board is electrically connected to the light sensor, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, and the battery. The dimmable vision correction glasses 100 can automatically control the light transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 based on the signal from the light sensor.

[0049] In one example, the aforementioned light sensor is an optical sensor that can be used to sense the intensity of ambient light. The optical sensor can be positioned on the bridge of the nose of the frame 101 and / or at some other location on the frame 101. The optical sensor can include any device that can convert light into an electrical signal, such as a photodiode.

[0050] In some embodiments, the optical sensor includes one or more photovoltaic cells, such as solar cells, which can provide a DC current or DC voltage to the control board that reflects the intensity of ambient light; the solar cells can also provide power to the control board, so no additional battery is required, which can reduce the weight and size of the glasses 100.

[0051] The control board may include a power converter to convert DC current / voltage into AC voltage to generate an electric field on the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202. In some examples, the solar cell may include a miniature silicon-based solar cell with a rectangular shape and may have a size range between 6 mm × 8 mm and 10 mm × 10 mm. The glasses 100 may also include a housing to encapsulate the solar cell, the housing being positioned on the frame 101. In some embodiments, the frame 101 may include pinholes or other appropriately sized openings to expose the solar cell encapsulated within the housing to ambient light. Pinholes, etc., can increase the sensitivity of the solar cell to light emitted directly from a light source (e.g., the sun, a lamp, etc.) that accurately represents the intensity of ambient light, while reducing sensitivity to other types of light (e.g., reflected light). This arrangement can improve the correlation between the output of the solar cell and the intensity of ambient light. Furthermore, pinholes can prevent the solar cell from being fully exposed while allowing it to collect light, improving the appearance of the glasses 100 while maintaining its ability to sense ambient light intensity and adjust accordingly.

[0052] The above content describes in detail one of the control methods of the control device for adjusting the light transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202. It can be understood that the control method can also be a sliding control, touch control, Bluetooth connection control or voice control, or other easily implemented control methods.

[0053] For the dimmable vision correction lens 200 applied to eyeglasses 100, the dimmable vision correction lens 200 includes a transparent protective layer 201, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 and a vision correction lens 203 that are sequentially stacked and bonded together; the bonding surface between the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 and the vision correction lens 203 is the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203.

[0054] The transparent protective layer 201, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, and the vision correction lens 203 are tightly bonded together, with no gaps between their bonding surfaces. The bonding of the three layers can be achieved using optical adhesive, such as OCA optical adhesive (Optically Clear Adhesive).

[0055] The transparent protective layer 201 is typically made of a flexible transparent material, such as TCA or PET. The flexural modulus of the transparent protective layer 201 ranges from 1 GPa to 4 GPa. Within this range, the transparent protective layer 201 can maintain a certain strength to protect the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202, while also having a certain degree of flexibility to facilitate curved surface bonding.

[0056] To balance the protective ability of the transparent protective layer 201 to the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 and the light refraction ability of the transparent protective layer 201 (i.e., its impact on vision correction), the thickness H of the transparent protective layer 201 is selected within the range of 0.1mm ≤ H ≤ 2mm. Furthermore, the refractive power range of the transparent protective layer 201 is limited to -0.25D to 0.25D; more preferably, the refractive power of the transparent protective layer 201 is 0, meaning that the transparent protective layer 201 does not affect the propagation of light and does not affect the corrective ability of the vision correction lens 203.

[0057] like Figure 2 and Figure 4 As shown, the specific structure of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 can be configured as needed, and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 can be composed of one or more layers (e.g., two or three layers). The configuration of a multilayer flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 can provide a wider range and / or finer-grained light transmittance transmission options.

[0058] The following is combined Figure 4 The specific structure of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 is described in detail.

[0059] The flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 includes a first substrate layer 2021 and a second substrate layer 2021. A liquid crystal layer 2023 is disposed between the first substrate layer 2021 and the second substrate layer 2021. A first conductive layer 2022 is disposed on the side of the first substrate layer 2021 that is close to (facing) the liquid crystal layer 2023. A second conductive layer 2022 is disposed on the side of the second substrate layer 2021 that is close to the liquid crystal layer 2023.

[0060] The substrate layer 2021 is typically made of a flexible, transparent material, such as polycarbonate (PC), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), triacetate cellulose (TAC), or cyclic olefin copolymers. The conductive layer 2022 includes a conductive material, such as an indium tin oxide (ITO) coating or a nano-silver coating. Specifically, the substrate layer 2021 can be a flexible layer including a conductive material coating (e.g., a flexible material layer with a thickness of approximately 200 μm or less, wherein the flexible substrate is the aforementioned TAC, PC, PET, or other flexible material). When a flexible substrate layer 2021 is used, it can be applied to other curved surfaces, thereby eliminating or at least substantially minimizing gaps and air bubbles present between the surface of the flexible substrate layer 2021 and the curved surface.

[0061] The liquid crystal layer 2023 material can be selected according to the arrangement of liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 2023, including twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal, vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal, or dye-doped TN liquid crystal or VA liquid crystal, etc.

[0062] In some embodiments, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 further includes an alignment layer (not shown in the figure). Specifically, a first alignment layer and a second alignment layer are respectively disposed on the side of the first conductive layer 2022 near the liquid crystal layer 2023 and the side of the second conductive layer 2022 near the liquid crystal layer 2023. The material of the alignment layer can be polyimide (PI) material, and the first and second alignment layers orient the alignment direction of the liquid crystal molecules in the liquid crystal layer 2023.

[0063] Additionally, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 may also include an infrared filter for blocking infrared light (IR) and / or an ultraviolet filter for blocking ultraviolet light (UV) (not shown in the figure). UV or IR filters are beneficial for preventing glare and overheating caused by electromagnetic radiation of IR or UV wavelengths. Similarly, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 may also include one or more anti-reflective coatings (not shown in the figure).

[0064] In some embodiments, the liquid crystal layer 2023 can be configured as a twisted nematic (TN) liquid crystal. Without an applied electric field, an alignment layer can be used to align liquid crystal molecules to form a twisted helical structure. When polarized light passes through the liquid crystal layer 2023, the helical structure can rotate the polarization axis of the polarized light; the rotation angle can be adjusted by an electric field applied to the liquid crystal layer 2023. When polarized light passes through the liquid crystal layer 2023, the helical structure causes the polarization axis of the polarized light to rotate by a specific angle (90° to 110°, typically 90°). If an electric field is applied, the liquid crystal molecules can align parallel to the electric field, and when light passes through, the polarization axis of the polarized light can remain unchanged and not rotate.

[0065] In some embodiments, the conductive layer 2022 corresponding to the electrodes can be divided into different regions, which may have different shapes and / or sizes. These different regions can be formed by chemically or mechanically etching the conductive layer 2022 to create an etch pattern. These regions can be individually dimmed by controlling the liquid crystal arrangement therein to display stripes, logos, text, or other graphics. Accordingly, the conductive layer 2022 may include multiple pairs of electrodes, each pair corresponding to a different region, which can be individually controlled by applying a corresponding electrical signal to establish a voltage across the electrode pair.

[0066] In one example, the liquid crystal layer 2023 is located between the first substrate layer 2021 and the second substrate layer 2021. The liquid crystal layer 2023, the first substrate layer 2021, and the second substrate layer 2021 can be sandwiched between the first polarizing layer (not shown in the figure) and the second polarizing layer (not shown in the figure). In the normally white state configuration, the first polarizing layer may have a polarization axis A, and the second polarizing layer may have a polarization axis B, with the two polarization axes forming a 90-degree angle with each other. Incident light can be converted into linearly polarized light by the first polarizing layer, and then the linearly polarized light can be rotated by the liquid crystal layer 2023 by an angle configured by the TN liquid crystal. When no electric field is applied, the liquid crystal layer 2023 rotates the polarization axis of the polarized light to align with the polarization axis B of the second polarizing layer, thereby achieving maximum transmittance without applying an electric field.

[0067] When an electric field is applied, the TN liquid crystal in the liquid crystal layer 2023 rotates by a specific angle, making the polarization axis of the incident linearly polarized light perpendicular to the polarization axis B of the second polarization layer. In this case, the linearly polarized light is aligned with the absorption axis of the second polarization layer and can be absorbed by the second polarization layer with maximum absorption rate, achieving minimum transmittance. The magnitude of the applied electric field determines the rotation angle of the linearly polarized light, which in turn determines the light transmittance. Typical transmittance ranges for TN liquid crystals are between 0.5% and 36%. Compared with other liquid crystals, TN liquid crystals can have several advantages; for example, TN liquid crystals typically have extremely fast response characteristics, adjusting transmittance in a very short time (e.g., 100 milliseconds or less); TN liquid crystals can also provide good light-shielding properties, for example, the minimum transmittance of TN liquid crystals can be as low as 0.1%; furthermore, since TN liquid crystals do not have suspended particles or polymers to scatter light, TN liquid crystal cells can introduce less haze and improve visibility within a certain transmittance level range.

[0068] In other embodiments, the liquid crystal layer 2023 can be configured to provide an adjustable range of transmittance. This example does not include a polarizing layer; the liquid crystal layer 2023 can be configured as a TN liquid crystal doped with dichroic dyes, comprising liquid crystal molecules acting as the host and dye molecules acting as the guest. The transmittance of the liquid crystal molecules and dye molecules can be modulated according to the host-guest effect. Specifically, under the action of an external electric field, the dichroic dye molecules rotate with the liquid crystal molecules. The dichroic dye molecules exhibit anisotropic light absorption. Based on the orientation relationship between the absorption axis and the molecular axis of the dichroic dye molecules, dichroic dyes can be classified into positive (P-type) dichroic dyes and negative (N-type) dichroic dyes. If the light ray's E vector is perpendicular to the molecular axis of the dye molecule, the light essentially passes through; if the light ray's E vector is parallel to the molecular axis of the dye molecule, the light is essentially absorbed. This type of dye molecule is called a positive dichroic dye; negative dichroic dyes are the opposite. Based on the properties of positive and negative dyes, light is absorbed or transmitted, thereby changing the transmittance of the liquid crystal layer 2023. Since the guest-host type liquid crystal does not require a polarizing layer, but instead utilizes dichroic dyes for selective light transmission, it can meet the performance requirements of the vision correction lens 200, enabling the lens to adjust brightness while maintaining high transmittance. Furthermore, the color of the lens can be adjusted in low-light conditions by using the color of the dichroic dyes.

[0069] With the initial orientation of the liquid crystal molecules and dye molecules, the long axis of the dye molecules is parallel to the incident light. In the normal white mode (transparent, maximum transmission) without an applied electric field, the dye molecules absorb light at its minimum. When an electric field is applied to the liquid crystal layer 2023, the orientation of the liquid crystal molecules causes a corresponding change in the dye molecules, resulting in the dye molecules absorbing a corresponding portion of the incident light. Consequently, the transmittance of the liquid crystal layer 2023 changes accordingly. The transmittance of the liquid crystal layer 2023 can be adjusted by applying an electric field to it.

[0070] Using the aforementioned liquid crystal with guest-host effect can improve the overall achievable transmittance while providing reasonable light blocking characteristics. The overall transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 can range from 10% to 80%.

[0071] In some other embodiments, the liquid crystal layer 2023 may also include vertically aligned (VA) liquid crystal. In VA liquid crystal, the liquid crystal molecules are vertically aligned, and their position is perpendicular to the plane of the substrate layer 2021 when no electric field is applied. By applying an electric field, the liquid crystal molecules are rearranged to be parallel to the plane of the substrate layer 2021. Dye molecules may also be introduced into the VA liquid crystal to create a liquid crystal with a guest-host effect.

[0072] In summary, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 in the above embodiments is only an example of one layer. It can be understood that the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 may also contain two, three, or even more layers; furthermore, the type of liquid crystal molecules in each liquid crystal layer 2023 is not specifically limited. However, for the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 as a whole, its light transmittance ranges from 0.1% to 80%, and its haze is less than 2%.

[0073] For vision correction lenses 203 that serve to correct vision, their refractive power can be positive or negative. When the refractive power is positive, it indicates that it is a hyperopia correction lens, and when the refractive power is negative, it indicates that it is a myopia correction lens, depending on the user's needs.

[0074] As a prescription lens, the refractive power of the vision correction lens 203 is determined according to the user. In order to reduce the difficulty of attaching the transparent protective layer 201 and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer 202 to the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203, the radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens 203 is in the range of R2 > 160 mm.

[0075] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the specific implementation of this application. It should be noted that, for those skilled in the art, various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the concept of this application, and these modifications and changes should also fall within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A dimmable vision correction lens, characterized in that, The dimmable vision correction lens comprises a transparent protective layer, a flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, and a vision correction lens, which are sequentially stacked and bonded together. The surface on which the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer is bonded to the vision correction lens is the convex surface of the vision correction lens; The radius of curvature of the concave surface formed by the bonding of the transparent protective layer and the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer is R1, and the radius of curvature of the convex surface of the vision correction lens is R2. The relationship between R1 and R2 is R2-50mm≤R1≤R2+50mm.

2. The adjustable vision correction lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The thickness of the transparent protective layer is H, and the range of H is 0.1mm≤H≤2mm.

3. The dimmable vision correction lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The refractive power range of the transparent protective layer is -0.25D to 0.25D.

4. The dimmable vision correction lens according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexural modulus of the transparent protective layer ranges from 1 GPa to 4 GPa.

5. The dimmable vision correction lens according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The transmittance of the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer ranges from 0.1% to 80%, and the haze is less than 2%.

6. The dimmable vision correction lens according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The flexible liquid crystal dimming layer has a single, two, or three-layer structure.

7. The dimmable vision correction lens according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The refractive power of the vision correction lens can be positive or negative.

8. The dimmable vision correction lens according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The radius of curvature R2 of the convex surface of the vision correction lens is in the range of R2 > 160 mm.

9. The dimmable vision correction lens according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that, The transparent protective layer, the flexible liquid crystal dimming layer, and the vision correction lens are bonded and fixed together using optical adhesive.

10. A pair of eyeglasses, characterized in that, The adjustable vision correction lens includes any one of claims 1-9, wherein the vision correction lens is configured close to the human eye.

11. The eyeglasses according to claim 10, characterized in that, The glasses also include a frame and temples, and the adjustable vision correction lens is configured as a single piece or two pieces, with the adjustable vision correction lens fixedly installed in the corresponding frame.

12. The eyeglasses according to claim 10, characterized in that, The eyeglasses include a control device installed inside the temples and electrically connected to the dimmable vision correction lens.

13. The eyeglasses according to claim 12, characterized in that, The control device is configured to be either manual or automatic. The manual control is one or more of sliding control, touch control, and Bluetooth connection control. The automatic control is either sensor control or voice control.

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