Contact lens assembly and method of manufacturing the same
By machining the reference surface during the manufacturing process of the contact lens assembly and precisely machining the lens components after assembly, the problems of lens component positioning and assembly errors are solved, achieving higher manufacturing precision and efficiency.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202580011736.5
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2024-01-31
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-29
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-25
AI Technical Summary
Existing technologies make it difficult to precisely position and join the lens components of contact lens assemblies, resulting in shape errors that affect the precision and efficiency of the manufacturing process.
By machining a reference surface before joining the lens components and then precisely machining the surface of the lens components after joining, alignment and thickness consistency between the lens components are ensured. Reference surfaces and mandrels are used to assist machining to reduce errors.
It improves the manufacturing precision and efficiency of contact lens assemblies, reduces shape errors, ensures the alignment and thickness consistency of lens components, and improves the quality of the final product.
Smart Images
Figure CN122641544A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This disclosure relates to contact lens assemblies, and more specifically, but not exclusively, to contact lens assemblies manufactured by joining first and second lens components together. Background Technology
[0002] It is generally desirable to create a contact lens assembly by joining the first and second lens components together so that one or more components (such as electronic components, optical components and / or liquid crystal layers) can be positioned between the first and second lens components.
[0003] Such lens assemblies can be produced by machining (e.g., cutting, for example using a lathe) one or more lens component blanks to shape them and then joining the lens component blanks together, wherein the lens component blanks optionally have one or more components, coatings, or liquid fillers (e.g., liquid crystal layers). During machining, the lens component blanks are mounted on a mandrel (or arbour) using wax.
[0004] When using such methods, it is difficult to accurately position the blank on the mandrel and achieve a constant wax thickness. For the joining step, it is also difficult to accurately position the second lens component and other components relative to the first lens component. This can lead to shape errors in the contact lens assembly because components may deviate from their intended position or tilt relative to the mandrel during cutting and / or deviate from their intended position or tilt relative to each other during assembly. Reducing such error rates during the manufacturing process would be advantageous.
[0005] This disclosure attempts to mitigate the aforementioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, this disclosure attempts to provide an improved process for the manufacture of contact lens assemblies. Summary of the Invention
[0006] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a contact lens assembly, the method comprising: joining anterior surface of a first lens member to a posterior surface of a second lens member; and subsequently processing the anterior surface of the second lens member and the posterior surface of the first lens member.
[0007] In a second aspect, this disclosure provides a method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly, the method comprising the following steps:
[0008] A region of the front surface of the first lens component is machined to create a first reference surface, and a region of the rear surface of the first lens component is machined to provide a second reference surface, the first reference surface and the second reference surface defining a first reference thickness therebetween; and
[0009] A region of the front surface of the second lens component is machined to create a third reference surface, and a region of the rear surface of the second lens component is machined to provide a fourth reference surface, the third and fourth reference surfaces defining a second reference thickness therebetween; and
[0010] The front surface of the first lens component is joined to the rear surface of the second lens component to produce a contact lens assembly; and then
[0011] Process the front surface of the second lens component and / or the rear surface of the first lens component.
[0012] Of course, it should be understood that features described with respect to one aspect of this disclosure may be incorporated into other aspects of this disclosure. For example, the method of this disclosure may incorporate any of the features described with respect to the device of this disclosure, and vice versa. Attached Figure Description
[0013] The exemplary embodiments will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic diagrams, wherein:
[0014] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional side view of a lens component according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure.
[0015] Figure 2A Demonstrating the processing of exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure. Figure 1 The rear lens component is formed by the front surface of the lens component.
[0016] Figure 2B exhibit Figure 2A A close-up image of a part of the main body of the lens component.
[0017] Figure 3A Demonstrating the processing of exemplary embodiments according to this disclosure. Figure 1 The front lens component is formed by the front of the lens component.
[0018] Figure 3B exhibit Figure 3A A close-up of a portion of the main body of the lens component.
[0019] Figure 4A A contact lens assembly according to an example embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.
[0020] Figure 4B exhibit Figure 4A A close-up image of the area of the contact lens assembly.
[0021] Figure 5 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 4A Contact lens assembly.
[0022] Figure 6 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 5 Contact lens assembly.
[0023] Figure 7 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 6 Contact lens assembly.
[0024] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a first example method of manufacturing a contact lens assembly according to the present disclosure.
[0025] Figure 9 This is a flowchart illustrating a second example method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly according to the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation
[0026] According to a first aspect of this disclosure, a method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly is provided, the method comprising: joining a front surface of a first lens member to a rear surface of a second lens member; and subsequently processing the front surface of the second lens member and the rear surface of the first lens member.
[0027] Therefore, the front and rear surfaces of the resulting contact lens assembly are machined after the first and second lens components have been joined together. Machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component after the lens components have been joined together reduces the risk that any misalignment between the two lens components will affect the final shape of the contact lens assembly.
[0028] Contact lens assemblies can be configured such that, during use, the front surface of the lens member is positioned further from the surface of the eye than the rear surface of the lens member. Therefore, when describing a surface as "front," it can refer to the surface facing away from the eye when the contact lens assembly is used on the eye. Similarly, when describing a surface as "rear," it can refer to the surface facing the eye when the contact lens assembly is used on the eye.
[0029] The rear surface of the first lens component may be machined to include a concave region, such as a bowl-shaped region. The front surface of the second lens component may be machined to include a convex region, such as a dome-shaped region. The step of machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component after the lens components have been joined together may include machining the surfaces to produce the final shape of the contact lens assembly. The step of machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component after the lens components have been joined together may include shaping the surfaces to define at least a portion of the optical zone of the lens.
[0030] The step of joining the front surface of the first lens component to the rear surface of the second lens component to create a contact lens assembly may include: applying an adhesive to the front surface of the first lens component and / or the rear surface of the second lens component, and then joining the first and second lens components together, for example until the adhesive has cured and / or the lens components remain in a fixed relationship.
[0031] Processing the surface of a lens component may include removing material from the lens component using a machine tool (e.g., a lathe).
[0032] Prior to any of the processing steps in this disclosure, each lens component may include a body and a spigot. The spigot may be connected to the body at one end. The spigot may include an elongated member (e.g., with a generally cylindrical cross-section) such that the spigot can be received in a chuck or collet of a machine tool (e.g., a lathe), thereby securing the lens component for processing. Therefore, methods may include using the spigot to mount the lens component for processing, for example by inserting the spigot into a chuck or collet of a lathe or other machine tool. Prior to any of the processing steps in this disclosure, the body may be generally cylindrical. Prior to any of the processing steps in this disclosure, the body may have a front surface on the side opposite the spigot and a back surface on the side opposite the front surface (i.e., the same side of the body and the spigot). Prior to any of the processing steps in this disclosure, the front and / or back surface may be generally flat. The body may have a diameter and a thickness. Prior to any of the processing steps in this disclosure, the diameter of the body may be larger than the diameter of the spigot and / or the thickness of the body may be smaller than the length of the spigot.
[0033] The steps of machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component may include: removing the plug of the first lens component and / or the plug of the second lens component. The method may include removing the plug and then machining the front or rear surface to provide a convex or concave surface as described above.
[0034] For each of the first and second lens components, the steps of machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component may include: a first stage in which the plug of the lens component is removed; and a second stage in which the surface of the lens component is machined to provide a concave or convex surface, for example, machined to its final shape. For example, the method may include: a first stage in which the first lens component is machined to remove its plug; and a second stage in which the rear surface of the first lens component is machined to its concave / final shape. The method may include: a third stage in which the second lens component is machined to remove its plug; and a fourth stage in which the front surface of the second lens component is machined to its convex / final shape. The third and fourth stages may be performed before, after, or simultaneously with the first and second stages. The step of machining the lens component to remove its plug may be performed on a different machine tool than the step of machining the surface of the lens component to its final shape. For example, plug removal may require lower precision than other machining steps, and therefore the removal step may be performed on a non-optical lathe. Thus, the plug removal step may be performed on a non-optical machine tool, while the surface machining step is performed on an optical machine tool (e.g., a machine tool capable of achieving optical-grade surfaces). Non-optical machine tools can achieve a tolerance of approximately + / - 0.02 mm, while optical machine tools can achieve a tolerance of approximately + / - 0.002 mm. Generally, optical machine tools are more expensive and / or remove material at a lower rate compared to non-optical machine tools. Therefore, reducing the amount of machining that must be performed on, for example, optical lathes can reduce costs and / or increase the efficiency of the manufacturing process.
[0035] During the machining of the front surface of the second lens component, the contact lens assembly can be mounted onto the machine tool using the plug of the first lens component. Alternatively, during the machining of the front surface of the second lens component, a mandrel can be used to mount the contact lens assembly onto the machine tool, for example, where the rear surface of the first lens component is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel. This allows for cases where the plug of the first lens component has been removed prior to machining the front surface.
[0036] During the machining of the rear surface of the first lens component, the contact lens assembly can be mounted onto the machine tool using the plug of the second lens component. Alternatively, during the machining of the rear surface of the first lens component, a mandrel can be used to mount the contact lens assembly onto the machine tool, for example, where the front surface of the first lens component is adjacent to the front of the mandrel. This allows for situations where the plug of the second lens component has been removed before the machining of the rear surface.
[0037] The method may further include: joining the front surface of a first lens member to the rear surface of a second lens member; and then, prior to performing the step of processing the front surface of the second lens member and the rear surface of the first lens member, mounting the so-called joined first and second lens members onto a (first) mandrel. When joined together, the first and second lens members may be referred to as a contact lens assembly. Therefore, the method may include joining the first and second lens members together to produce a contact lens assembly, and then mounting the contact lens assembly onto a (first) mandrel.
[0038] The steps of machining the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component may include machining the rear surface of the first lens component and then machining the front surface of the second lens component. Therefore, the rear surface of the first lens component can be machined before the front surface of the second lens component.
[0039] Compared to the ease of machining the rear surface when the front surface is cut first, it is easier to machine the front surface before machining the (concave) rear surface.
[0040] The method may include machining the front surface of the first lens member and the rear surface of the second lens member before joining the front surface of the first lens member to the rear surface of the second lens member. Therefore, internal features of the contact lens assembly can be machined before the lens members are joined together. The front surface of the first lens member may be machined such that it includes a convex region. The rear surface of the second lens member may be machined such that it includes a concave region. Each lens member may be mounted on a machine tool using a connector for each lens member during machining of the front surface of the first lens member and / or the rear surface of the second lens member.
[0041] After processing the front surface of the first lens component and the rear surface of the second lens component and / or before joining the lens components together, the method may include the steps of applying one or more coatings or layers (e.g., a liquid crystal layer) to the front surface of the first lens component and / or the rear surface of the second lens component, and / or positioning one or more components on the front surface of the first lens component and / or the rear surface of the second lens component. The method may also include joining the lens components together such that the coating, layer, and / or components are positioned between the first lens component and the second lens component.
[0042] According to a second aspect of this disclosure, a method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly is provided. The method may include the steps of: machining a region of the front surface of a first lens member to create a first reference surface, and / or machining a region of the rear surface of the first lens member to provide a second reference surface, wherein the first reference surface and the second reference surface define a first reference thickness therebetween; and / or machining a region of the front surface of a second lens member to create a third reference surface, and / or machining a region of the rear surface of the second lens member to provide a fourth reference surface, wherein the third reference surface and the fourth reference surface define a second reference thickness therebetween. The method may then include bonding the front surface of the first lens member to the rear surface of the second lens member to produce a contact lens assembly. The method may then include machining the front surface of the second lens member and / or the rear surface of the first lens member (for clarity, these steps performed after the first and second lens members have been bonded together may be referred to hereinafter as "post-bonding" machining steps).
[0043] Therefore, each of the first and second lens components may have a reference thickness and a reference surface on both sides of the component before being joined together. Providing a reference surface facilitates precise positioning of the lens component / lens assembly during subsequent manufacturing steps, thereby reducing the risk of errors in the final shape of the contact lens assembly. Additionally or alternatively, having a known reference thickness on each lens component allows the resulting contact lens assembly to have a known reference thickness, thereby promoting increased accuracy in any subsequent processing.
[0044] The second aspect of the method may have any of the features described above with respect to the first aspect, and vice versa.
[0045] The first and third reference surfaces may be on the front surfaces of the first and second lens components (i.e., the surfaces of the lens components on the side of the body opposite to the plug, prior to any processing step). The second and fourth reference surfaces may be on the back surfaces of the first and second lens components. The first, second, third, and / or fourth reference surfaces may be positioned radially outward from the diameter of the finished contact lens.
[0046] Post-joining processing of the front surface of the second lens component includes: mounting the contact lens assembly onto the (second) mandrel (wherein the second reference surface is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel), and then processing the front surface while the contact lens assembly is mounted onto the mandrel. Post-joining processing of the rear surface of the first lens component may include: mounting the contact lens assembly onto the (third) mandrel (wherein the third reference surface is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel), and then processing the rear surface while the contact lens assembly is mounted onto the mandrel. Therefore, the provision of the second and / or third reference surfaces can improve the accuracy and / or reliability of positioning the contact lens assembly on the mandrel, and thereby reduce the risk of processing errors.
[0047] Post-joining processing of the rear surface of the first lens component may include: removing the plug of the first lens component, and then machining the rear surface into a convex shape / its final shape. Post-joining processing of the front surface of the second lens component may include: removing the plug of the second lens component, and then machining the rear surface into a concave shape / its final shape. Post-joining processing of the front or rear surfaces may be performed in a two-stage process as described above in conjunction with the first aspect.
[0048] Each or every spindle may include a body having a front side and a spindle extending from the body on a side of the body opposite the front side. The spindle may be configured such that, in use, a lens component or contact lens assembly may be mounted to the front side of the spindle for processing, for example, using wax. For example, the spindle may include one or more recesses configured to receive a portion of the lens component and / or contact lens assembly. The spindle may be configured to be received in a collet or chuck of a machine tool. Thus, the spindle can be used to mount the lens component and / or contact lens assembly onto a machine tool for processing. The front side of the spindle may include a flat area configured to abut a reference surface of the contact lens assembly during post-engagement processing. The front side of the spindle may include a processing channel, the spindle being configured such that when the reference surface abuts the flat area, the channel receives a portion of the contact lens assembly, and the portion of the contact lens assembly does not contact the portion of the front side of the spindle defining the channel. The processing channel may be configured to receive a portion of the edge of the contact lens assembly forming a finished contact lens. This recess facilitates the machining of the lens edge by allowing the machine tool to access the surface adjacent to the mandrel of the contact lens assembly. Therefore, the method may include post-machining of the area when the edge region of the contact lens is received within the channel and the reference surface of the contact lens assembly adjoins a flat region.
[0049] When the contact lens assembly is mounted on a machine tool for post-joining machining of the front surface of the second lens component, material can also be removed from the first lens component. For example, the post-joining machining step of the front surface of the second lens component may include: removing the entire thickness of the second lens component in a region, and machining the front surface of the first lens component in said region to provide a fifth reference surface. Therefore, the method may include removing the entire thickness of the second lens component in a region when post-joining machining of the front surface of the contact lens assembly, and then machining the front surface of the first lens component in said region to provide a fifth reference surface. The second and fifth reference surfaces may define a further reference thickness between them. For post-joining machining of the rear surface of the first lens component, the contact lens assembly may be mounted on a mandrel, wherein the fifth reference surface is adjacent to the front side of the mandrel. The use of this fifth reference surface can further increase the accuracy and / or reliability of achieving the final shape of the contact lens assembly.
[0050] When the contact lens assembly is mounted on a machine tool for post-joining machining of the rear surface of the first lens component, material can also be removed from the second lens component. For example, the post-joining machining step of the rear surface of the first lens component may include: removing the entire thickness of the first lens component in a region, and machining the rear surface of the second lens component in said region to provide a sixth reference surface. Therefore, the method may include removing the entire thickness of the first lens component in a region when post-joining machining of the rear surface of the contact lens assembly, and then machining the rear surface of the second lens component in said region to provide a sixth reference surface. The third and sixth reference surfaces may define a further reference thickness between them. For post-joining machining of the front surface of the second lens component, the contact lens assembly may be mounted on a mandrel, wherein the sixth reference surface is adjacent to the front side of the mandrel. The use of this sixth reference surface can further increase the accuracy and / or reliability of achieving the final shape of the contact lens assembly.
[0051] The method may include mounting a first lens component or a second lens component on a machine tool. During all steps of machining the surfaces of the lens component to provide reference surfaces, the lens component may be held in place on the machine tool. During all steps of machining the area of the front surface of the first lens component to generate a first reference surface and machining the area of the rear surface of the first lens component to provide a second reference surface, the first lens component may be held mounted on the same machine tool. During all steps of machining the area of the front surface of the second lens component to generate a third reference surface and machining the area of the rear surface of the second lens component to provide a fourth reference surface, the second lens component may be held mounted on the same machine tool. Holding the lens component in place while cutting the two reference surfaces allows for accurate and / or reliable generation of reference thicknesses, even if the lens component is tilted or otherwise misaligned with the mandrel. Additionally or alternatively, more accurate / reliable generation of reference thicknesses reduces the risk of machining errors in subsequent machining steps. During the steps of machining the front and rear surfaces to provide reference surfaces, the lens component may not be removed or disassembled from the machine tool. The first and second reference surfaces and / or the third and fourth reference surfaces can be machined without removing the relevant lens components from the machine tool. The first and second reference surfaces can be produced as part of the same (continuous) cutting operation. The third and fourth reference surfaces can be produced as part of the same (continuous) cutting operation. For example, the method may include cutting the first and second reference surfaces or the third and fourth reference surfaces while maintaining continuous contact between the cutting tool and the lens component. The method may include cutting one of the reference surfaces, the edge of the lens component, and the other reference surface while maintaining continuous contact between the cutting tool and the lens component. The first and second lens components may be mounted on the same machine tool (e.g., the first machine tool) or different machine tools and / or machined using the same machine tool (e.g., the first machine tool) or different machine tools (e.g., the first lens component may be mounted on the first machine tool or machined on the first machine tool, while the second lens component may be mounted on the second machine tool or machined on the second machine tool). Mounting the lens component on the machine tool for machining the reference surfaces may include: receiving the plug of the lens component in the chuck or collet of the machine tool and / or mounting the lens component on a mandrel.
[0052] The front surface of the first lens component can be joined to the rear surface of the second lens component, so that the first reference thickness and the second reference thickness are aligned to define the third reference thickness between the second reference plane and the third reference plane.
[0053] Therefore, the first and second reference thicknesses can be used to ensure that the contact lens assembly has a known reference thickness after assembly, which can increase the accuracy and / or reliability of any subsequent processing steps. This is especially true when the lens assembly is being shaped without removing the first and second lens components from the mandrel / machine tool. Thickness can be defined as the distance measured parallel to the longitudinal axis of the part (e.g., a lens component or contact lens assembly) between opposite sides of the part.
[0054] The front surface of the first lens component can be bonded to the rear surface of the second lens component, wherein the first reference surface contacts (e.g., directly contacts) the fourth reference surface. This can further increase the accuracy and / or reliability of achieving the third reference thickness.
[0055] During the initial machining, when viewed in a plan view, the first, second, third, fourth, fifth (if present) and / or sixth (if present) reference planes may be annular.
[0056] According to a third aspect of this disclosure, a contact lens assembly manufactured according to the method of the first and / or second aspects is provided.
[0057] According to a fourth aspect of this disclosure, a first lens component including first and second reference surfaces, and / or a second lens component including third and fourth reference surfaces, as described above. The first and second lens components of the fourth aspect may have any of the features described above with respect to the first to third aspects, or vice versa.
[0058] According to a fifth aspect of this disclosure, a contact lens assembly is provided, including, for example, a first lens member and a second lens member according to a fourth aspect. The contact lens assembly of the fifth aspect may have any of the features described above with respect to the first to fourth aspects, or vice versa.
[0059] The contact lens assembly disclosed herein can form all or part of a contact lens. As used herein, "contact lens" means an ophthalmic lens that can be placed on a human eye. It should be understood that this contact lens will provide clinically acceptable supraocular movement without restricting one or both eyes. The contact lens can be a corneal lens (e.g., a lens placed on the cornea of the eye) or a scleral lens (e.g., a lens placed on the sclera of the eye). The contact lens can be a soft contact lens, such as a hydrogel contact lens or a silicone hydrogel contact lens. The contact lens can be a rigid gaspermeable contact lens. The contact lens, contact lens assembly, first lens component, and / or second lens component may include, be substantially composed of, be composed of, and / or be made of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).
[0060] The contact lens of this disclosure may be circular in shape. The contact lens may have a diameter from 4 mm to 22 mm (inclusive), for example from 10 mm to 22 mm (inclusive). The contact lens may have an optical zone. The optical zone corresponds to the portion of the contact lens that covers the pupil of the eye, and the optical zone refracts light to provide the wearer with the desired visual benefit. The shape of the optical zone may be circular. The optical zone may have a diameter from 2 mm to 10 mm (inclusive). In some embodiments, the contact lens has a diameter from 13 mm to 16 mm (inclusive), for example from 14 mm to 15 mm (inclusive), and the optical zone has a diameter from 5 mm to 9 mm (inclusive), for example from 8 mm to 9 mm (inclusive). The contact lens may be rotationally symmetrical within the optical zone.
[0061] Prior to any processing step, the body of the lens component may have a diameter of 23 mm to 25 mm (inclusive), for example, 23 mm to 24 mm (inclusive). Prior to any processing step, the body may have a thickness of 6 mm to 7 mm (inclusive), for example, 6.5 mm to 7 mm (inclusive). The plug may have a diameter of 8 mm to 10 mm (inclusive), for example, 9 mm to 10 mm (inclusive). The plug may have a length of 9 mm to 11 mm, for example, 10 mm to 11 mm (inclusive). Prior to any processing step, the first and second lens components may be identical.
[0062] Figure 1 This is a cross-sectional side view of the lens component 100 at the start of the manufacturing process of this disclosure. The lens component includes a plug 102 extending from a body 104. The body 104 has a front face 103 on the side of the body 104 opposite to the plug 102. The body 104 has a back face 105 on the side of the body 104 opposite to the front face 103. The front face 103 and the back face 105 are flat. The plug 102 and the body 104 are cylindrical and about the longitudinal axis of the lens component 100 (by...). Figure 1 The dashed line 99 in the figure indicates rotational symmetry.
[0063] Figure 2A The display is achieved through processing Figure 1 The rear lens component 110 is formed by the front surface 103 of the lens component 100. Only the rear lens component 110 and... Figure 1 The lens components have 100 different aspects, and such as in Figure 1 and Figure 2A Between, identical components are indicated by the same reference numerals. The front surface 103 of the rear lens component 110 includes a convex region 109, a first flat surface region 108, and a second flat surface region 111. The convex region 109 is located in... Figure 2A The center is dome-shaped. A convex region 109 defines at least a portion of the optical region of the lens. The convex region 109 is surrounded by a first flat surface region 108, which is annular when viewed in a plan view. The first flat surface region 108 is surrounded by a second flat surface region 111, which is annular when viewed in a plan view. The thickness t of the body 104 decreases with distance from the longitudinal axis of the rear lens member 110 (i.e., the body 104 is thinnest at the second flat surface region 111).
[0064] Figure 2B A close-up view of a region of the body 104 of the rear lens component 110 is shown. The back surface 105 of the body 104 includes a third flat surface region 113 formed by removing material from the back surface 105 of the body 104. The shape of the body 104 before processing is determined by... Figure 2B The reference thickness R1 is defined between the third flat surface region 113 and the first flat surface region 108, and the opposite portions of the first flat surface region 108 and the third flat surface region 113 respectively constitute the first reference plane 119 and the second reference plane 121.
[0065] Figure 3A The display is achieved through processing Figure 1 The front lens component 112 is formed on the front surface 103 of the lens component 100. Only the front lens component 112 and... Figure 1 Different aspects of the lens components, and such as in Figure 1 and Figure 3A The same components are indicated by the same reference numerals. The front surface 103 of the front lens component 112 includes a concave region 118, a first flat surface region 108, and a second flat surface region 111. The concave region 118 is located in... Figure 3A The middle part is bowl-shaped. A concave region 118 defines at least a portion of the optical region of the lens. The concave region 118 is surrounded by a first flat surface region 108, which is annular when viewed in a plan view. The first flat surface region 108 is surrounded by a second flat surface region 111, which is annular when viewed in a plan view. The thickness t of the body 104 increases with distance from the longitudinal axis of the front lens member 112 (i.e., the body 104 is thickest at the second flat surface region 111).
[0066] Figure 3BA close-up view of a region of the body 104 of the front lens component 112. The back surface 105 of the body 104 includes a third flat surface region 113 formed by removing material from the back surface 105 of the body 104. The shape of the body 104 before processing is determined by... Figure 3B The reference thickness R2 is defined between the third flat surface region 113 and the first flat surface region 108, and the opposite portions of the third flat surface region 113 and the first flat surface region 108 respectively constitute the third reference plane 120 and the fourth reference plane 123.
[0067] Figure 4A The display will be achieved by Figure 2A Front lens component 112 and Figure 3A The rear lens component 110 is joined together to form a contact lens assembly 200. The convex region 109 of the rear lens component 110 is received in the concave region 118 of the front lens component 112. The shape of the blank is similar to... Figure 2A and Figure 3A There is no change compared to the previous version. For example, in... Figures 1 to 3A To 3B and Figure 4A The same elements are indicated by the same reference numerals.
[0068] Figure 4B A close-up view of an area of the contact lens assembly 200 shows the fourth reference surface 123 of the anterior lens member 112 contacting the first reference surface 119 of the rear lens member 110. Therefore, in Figure 4B In this context, reference thickness R1 is aligned with reference thickness R2. In this manner, the thickness of the contact lens assembly 200 is referred to as this point, and the thickness of the contact lens assembly at this point can be referred to as the third reference thickness R3.
[0069] Figure 5 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 4A and 4B Contact lens assembly 200. (As in...) Figures 1 to 4A To 4B and Figure 5 Between, identical elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. Figure 5 In this embodiment, the plug 102 of the front lens component 112 has been removed. The contact lens assembly 200 is mounted on the spindle 130, wherein the third reference surface 120 of the front lens component 112 abuts the front surface 132 of the spindle 130. The spindle includes a spindle plug 134, which is received in a lathe chuck during use. It should be understood that in other embodiments, the plug 102 of the rear lens component 110 may be removed first, and the contact lens assembly 200 may be mounted on the spindle 130, wherein the second reference surface 121 of the rear lens component 110 abuts the front surface 132 of the spindle 130, and then the subsequent steps of the method will be modified accordingly.
[0070] Figure 6 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 5 Contact lens assembly 200. (As in...) Figures 1 to 5 and Figure 6 Between, identical elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. Figure 6 In the middle, the rear lens component 110 has been machined to remove its plug 102 and provide its final shape. The original shapes of the front lens component 112 and the rear lens component 110 are in Figure 6 The image is shown using cross-hatching. The back surface 105 of the rear lens component 110 includes a concave region 135 that defines at least a portion of the optical zone of the lens. Figure 5 In comparison, the thickness of the rear lens component 110 has been significantly reduced. It can also be seen that material has been removed from the front surface 103 of the front lens component 112 to provide a sixth reference surface 126, further referencing the thickness R. f It is defined between the sixth datum plane 126 and the third datum plane 120.
[0071] Figure 7 Displayed after further processing steps Figure 6 Contact lens assembly 200. (As in...) Figures 1 to 6 and Figure 7 Between, identical elements are indicated by the same reference numerals. Figure 7 middle, Figure 6 The shape of the body 104 of the anterior lens component 112 (i.e., prior to further processing steps) is shown using crosshairs. Prior to processing, the contact lens assembly 200 is mounted on the mandrel 130, wherein the sixth reference surface 126 of the anterior lens component 112 is adjacent to the front surface 132 of the mandrel 130. Figure 7 In this process, the front lens component 112 has been machined to provide its final shape. The back surface 105 of the front lens component 112 includes a convex region 136 that defines at least a portion of the optical zone of the lens. Figure 6 In comparison, the thickness of the front lens component 112 has been reduced significantly.
[0072] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a first example method 300 for manufacturing a contact lens assembly according to the present disclosure. The method includes joining 350 the front surface of a first lens member to the rear surface of a second lens member to form a contact lens assembly. After joining 350, the method includes machining 352 the front surface of the second lens member and machining 354 the rear surface of the first lens member. Steps 352 and 354 can be performed in any order. For example, in… Figure 8In the method, the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354 is performed before the step of machining the front surface of the second lens component 352. Optionally, the method includes mounting the contact lens assembly formed by the first and second lens components 355 onto a machine tool using the plug of the second lens component, and then machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354. Optionally, machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354 includes: a process machining step 356, wherein, for example, the plug of the lens component is removed using a non-optical lathe; and a finishing step 358, wherein, for example, the surface of the lens component is cut into its final shape using an optical lathe. Once the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354 is completed, the method may optionally include: mounting the contact lens assembly formed by the first and second lens components 357 onto a mandrel, for example, wherein the rear surface of the first lens component is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel; and then machining the front surface of the second lens component 352. Optionally, machining the front surface of the second lens component 352 includes: a process machining step 356, wherein, for example, a non-optical lathe is used to remove the plug of the lens component; and a subsequent finishing step 358, wherein, for example, an optical lathe is used to cut the surface of the lens component into its final shape. In embodiments where the step of machining the front surface of the second lens component 352 is performed prior to the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354, the plug of the first lens component is then optionally used to mount the lens assembly while machining the front surface of the second lens component 352, and the contact lens assembly is mounted with the front surface of the second lens component adjacent to the mandrel while machining the rear surface of the first lens component 354. Optionally, before joining the front surface of the first lens component 350 to the rear surface of the second lens component, the method may include machining the front surface of the first lens component 360 and / or machining the rear surface of the second lens component 362. The plug of each lens component can be used to mount the lens for machining. Optionally, processing the front surface of the first lens component 360 and / or processing the rear surface of the second lens component 362 may include cutting one or more diffractive optical elements 361 into said surfaces. Optionally, before joining the front surface of the first lens component 350 to the rear surface of the second lens component, the method may include applying a coating and / or liquid filler (e.g., a liquid crystal layer) 364 to the front surface of the first lens component and / or the rear surface of the second lens component.
[0073] Figure 9This is a flowchart illustrating a second example method 400 for manufacturing a contact lens assembly according to the present disclosure. The method includes machining 480 the front and rear surfaces of a first lens member to provide a first reference thickness, for example by machining the front and rear surfaces without removing the first lens member from a lathe collet. The area of the front surface defining the reference thickness therebetween and the area of the rear surface may be referred to as the front and rear reference surfaces, respectively. The method also includes machining 482 the front and rear surfaces of a second lens member to provide a second reference thickness, for example by machining the front and rear surfaces without removing the second lens member from a lathe collet. Steps 480 and 482 may be performed in parallel or sequentially in any order. After steps 480 and 482, the method includes joining 450 the front surface of the first lens member to the rear surface of the second lens member. Optionally, the first and second lens members are joined 450 such that the front reference surface of the first lens member contacts the rear reference surface of the second lens member. After joining 450, the method includes machining 452 the front surface of the second lens component and / or machining 454 the rear surface of the first lens component to produce the final shape of the contact lens assembly. Steps 452 and 454 can be performed in any order. For example, in Figure 9In the method, the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454 is performed before the step of machining the front surface of the second lens component 452. Optionally, the method includes mounting the contact lens assembly formed by the first and second lens components 455 onto a mandrel using the plug of the second lens component, and then machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454. The step of mounting the contact lens assembly 455 onto the mandrel may include positioning the lens assembly 484 on the mandrel by adjoining the front reference surface of the second lens component and the front surface of the mandrel. Optionally, machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454 includes: a process machining step 456, in which the plug of the lens component is removed, for example, using a non-optical lathe; and then performing a finishing step 458, in which the surface of the lens component is cut into its final shape, for example, using an optical lathe. Optionally, the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454 includes: removing the entire thickness of the lens component, and then removing 459 material from the rear surface of the second lens component while the contact lens assembly is still mounted on the machine tool to create a new rear reference surface on the second lens component. Once the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454 is completed (and optionally after removing material 459 from the rear surface of the second lens component), the method may optically include: mounting the contact lens assembly formed by the first and second lens components 457 onto a mandrel, for example, wherein the front reference surface of the first lens component or the rear reference surface of the second lens component is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel; and then machining the front surface of the second lens component 452. Optionally, machining the front surface of the second lens component 452 includes: a process machining step 456, wherein, for example, a non-optical lathe is used to remove the plug of the lens component; and then performing a finishing step 458, wherein, for example, an optical lathe is used to cut the surface of the lens component into its final shape. In an embodiment where the step of machining the front surface of the second lens component 452 is performed before the step of machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454, optionally, the plug of the first lens component is then used to mount the lens assembly with the front reference surface of the first lens component adjacent to the front of the mandrel when machining the front surface of the second lens component 452, and the contact lens assembly is mounted with the front reference surface of the first or second lens component adjacent to the front of the mandrel when machining the rear surface of the first lens component 454. Optionally, the method may further include cutting 461 one or more diffractive optical elements and / or applying 462 a coating and / or liquid filler, as described above, before joining 450.
[0074] Although this disclosure has been described and illustrated with respect to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will understand that this disclosure is adaptable to many different variations not specifically described herein.
[0075] Where references are made to elements or components having known, obvious, or foreseeable equivalents in the foregoing description, such equivalents are incorporated herein as individually stated. The true scope of this disclosure should be determined with reference to the claims, and should be construed as encompassing any such equivalents. The reader should also understand that elements or features of this disclosure described as preferred, advantageous, convenient, or similar are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Furthermore, it should be understood that while such optional elements or features may be beneficial in some embodiments of this disclosure, they may not be desirable in other embodiments and therefore may not be present.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly, the method comprising: The front surface of the first lens component is joined to the rear surface of the second lens component; Then the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component are processed.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising processing the front surface of the first lens member and the rear surface of the second lens member before joining the front surface of the first lens member to the rear surface of the second lens member.
3. The method of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each of the first lens component and the second lens component includes a plug, and the step of processing the front surface of the second lens component and the rear surface of the first lens component includes: Remove the plug from the first lens component and / or the plug from the second lens component, respectively.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the step of removing the plug of the first lens member is performed on a different device than the step of processing the rear surface of the first lens member, and / or the step of removing the first lens member and / or the step of removing the plug of the second lens member are performed on a different device than the step of processing the front surface of the second lens member.
5. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises joining the front surface of the first lens member to the rear surface of the second lens member; and then, prior to performing the step of processing the front surface of the second lens member and the rear surface of the first lens member, mounting the joined first lens member and the second lens member onto a mandrel.
6. The method according to any preceding claim, wherein the step of processing the front surface of the second lens member and the rear surface of the first lens member comprises: The rear surface of the first lens component is processed, and then the front surface of the second lens component is processed.
7. A method for manufacturing a contact lens assembly, the method comprising the following steps: A region of the front surface of the first lens component is machined to generate a first reference surface, and a region of the rear surface of the first lens component is machined to provide a second reference surface, the first reference surface and the second reference surface defining a first reference thickness therebetween. and A region of the front surface of the second lens component is machined to create a third reference surface, and a region of the rear surface of the second lens component is machined to provide a fourth reference surface, the third and fourth reference surfaces defining a second reference thickness therebetween; and The front surface of the first lens component is joined to the rear surface of the second lens component to produce a contact lens assembly; And then Process the front surface of the second lens component and / or the rear surface of the first lens component.
8. The method of claim 7, wherein post-joining processing of the front surface of the second lens member is performed when the contact lens assembly is mounted on the mandrel, wherein the second reference surface is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel.
9. The method of claim 7 or claim 8, wherein post-joining processing of the rear surface of the first lens member is performed when the contact lens assembly is mounted on the mandrel, wherein the third reference surface is adjacent to the front surface of the mandrel.
10. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein in all the steps of machining the area of the front surface of the first lens member to generate a first reference surface and machining the area of the rear surface of the first lens member to provide a second reference surface, the first lens member is held in a suitable position on the same machine tool.
11. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein in all the steps of machining the area of the front surface of the second lens member to generate the third reference surface and machining the area of the rear surface of the second lens member to provide the fourth reference surface, the second lens member is held in a suitable position on the same machine tool.
12. The method according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the front surface of the first lens member is joined to the rear surface of the second lens member such that the first reference thickness and the second reference thickness are aligned to define a third reference thickness between the second reference plane and the third reference plane.
13. The method of claim 12, wherein the front surface of the first lens member is bonded to the rear surface of the second lens member, wherein the first reference surface contacts the fourth reference surface.
14. The method according to claims 7 to 13, wherein during the first processing, when viewed in a plan view, the first reference plane, the second reference plane, the third reference plane and / or the fourth reference plane are annular.
15. A contact lens assembly manufactured according to the method of any of the preceding claims.
16. The contact lens assembly of claim 15, wherein the first lens component and the second lens component are polymethyl methacrylate lens components.
17. A first lens component having a first reference surface and a second reference surface, the reference surfaces being machined surfaces that define a first reference thickness therebetween, and / or a second lens component having a third reference surface and a fourth reference surface, the reference surfaces being machined surfaces that define a second reference thickness therebetween.
18. A contact lens assembly comprising the first and second lens components according to claim 17, wherein the first reference thickness and the second reference thickness are aligned to provide a third reference thickness of the contact lens assembly.