Invisible Edge Lenses

Abstract

A lens for use in frameless eyeglasses is provided, the lens body comprising a substantially flat angled peripheral edge joining an inner peripheral rim and an outer peripheral rim, the angled peripheral rim having an inner surface inside the lens body and an outer surface defining the exterior of the lens body. The junction between the angled peripheral edge and the inner lens surface forms a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim. The junction between the angled peripheral edge and the outer lens surface forms an apex that is sufficiently radiused to eliminate a sharp edge at the outer peripheral rim. An invisibility zone is created between a line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim and a refracted line of sight P1 through the lens at the peripheral rim. During use, the inner and outer surfaces of the angled peripheral edge of the lens body and the outer peripheral rim are within the invisibility zone and are therefore invisible to a user.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] This document claims priority to AU2021902108, entitled Lens With Invisible Edges, filed on July 9, 2021, and AU2021902219, entitled Lens With Invisible Edges, filed on July 19, 2021, and is further related to AU2022202255, entitled Lens With Invisible Edges, filed on April 5, 2022, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to lenses used to correct vision. In one embodiment, the eyeglass lenses are for use in frameless eyeglasses. [Background technology]

[0003] It is estimated that about 75% of people will require some form of vision correction in their lives. A commonly used form of vision correction is a pair of spectacles or glasses worn in front of the eyes, supported by frames that rest on the ears and nose. Some glasses have frames that cover the entire circumference of the lens. These frames add weight and are visible to the wearer and bystanders.

[0004] Alternatively, the glasses can have a frame that partially covers the edges of the lenses, which may be supported by nylon strips attached to the frame for a more discrete look. Some people prefer to wear "frameless" or "rimless" glasses, which have lenses that are not surrounded by any frame to minimize the appearance of wearing glasses. However, with these frameless glasses, there is still the discomfort of the lens edges visible to the wearer. This appears as a partial ring of dark or gray in the wearer's peripheral vision, or as a ring of reflected light, both of which vary continuously according to the lighting conditions. This effect disrupts the continuity of the scene being viewed, in contrast to the vision experienced by a person without glasses. The visibility of the edges constantly reminds the wearer that they are wearing glasses. In cases where one is participating in sports or other activities that require unobstructed vision, this discomfort is particularly irritating.

[0005] Thus, a need exists for frameless glasses or lenses for use in glasses in embodiments that improve the user experience. Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a lens for use in frameless eyeglasses for a user having an eye with a line of sight along an axis S (S being straight ahead) that is approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead, and a peripheral line of sight P, the lens comprising a lens body, said lens body comprising: an inner lens surface closest to the eye and having an inner peripheral rim, and an outer lens surface surrounded by an outer peripheral rim, wherein the inner lens surface may be described as being concave and the outer lens surface may be described as being convex; an angled peripheral edge joining the inner peripheral rim and the outer peripheral rim, the angled peripheral edge having an interior surface on the inside of the lens body and an exterior surface defining an exterior of the lens body, the angled peripheral edge may be described as essentially flat when viewed from a user's pupil; the juncture between the angled peripheral edge and the inner lens surface forms a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim, and the juncture between the angled peripheral edge and the outer lens surface forms a apex that is sufficiently radiused to eliminate any sharp edges at the outer peripheral rim; The invisible zone created between the line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim and the line of sight P1 passing through the lens and refracted at the outer peripheral rim. having During use, the angled peripheral edge is located entirely within the invisibility zone such that any line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim does not strike either the outer surface of the angled peripheral edge or the outer peripheral rim, and refracted line of sight P1 within the lens body does not strike either the inner surface of the angled peripheral edge or the outer peripheral rim, such that the inner and outer surfaces of the angled peripheral edge and the outer peripheral rim are not visible to a user during use.

[0007] In this lens, the angle of the angled peripheral edge is always greater than the refracted line of sight P1, but less than the peripheral line of sight P, so that the outer edge surface and the inner inner edge surface of the lens body and the outer peripheral rim are not visible to the user during use.

[0008] Thus, a lens design is disclosed having an inner lens surface having an inner peripheral rim closest to the eye, and an outer opposing lens surface having an outer peripheral rim, the outer peripheral rim being the boundary of the lens material. The two rims are formed by the intersection of the inner and outer lens surfaces, respectively, with a machined edge (angled lens edge) at the periphery tip of the lens.

[0009] The angled peripheral edge around the periphery of the lens is machined at an angle calculated to keep the angled peripheral lens edge hidden from the user's peripheral and frontal vision at all angles of natural eye movement during use. The angle is always within the sector (invisibility zone) created between the line of sight passing through the inner peripheral rim and the line of sight refracted at the inner peripheral rim. The angle of the angled peripheral edge may bisect this invisibility zone sector, but the angle may be varied in either direction toward the outer boundary of the invisibility zone to maximize optical strength or minimize lens material used.

[0010] The angled peripheral lens edge may be around the entire circumference of the lens. In a preferred embodiment, the angled peripheral lens edge is around the entire circumference of the lens. The angled peripheral edge may be essentially flat with respect to a radial line of sight from the user's eye. The angled edge occupies the entire thickness of the lens edge.

[0011] Any transparent material has an inner and outer surface at its boundary, both of which are reflective and therefore visible in a variety of lighting conditions. The angled peripheral lens edge has an inner surface on the inside of the lens body that is surrounded by inner lens material. The angled peripheral lens edge has an outer surface that defines the outer edge of the lens body, which is surrounded on the outside by air. In conventionally machined frameless lenses, the lens edges are visible to both bystanders and the wearer whether or not they are polished to a clear finish.

[0012] The objective of the present invention is to combine new lens designs with the properties of the human eye to improve the user experience by eliminating visibility and reflections at the lens edges even in the most extreme lighting conditions, for example when the wearer is in a dark environment such as driving at night and looking at direct sunlight or bright moving lights. In these conditions, in embodiments, zero reflection or stray light is noticeable to the user at the lens edges.

[0013] In embodiments, the lenses may feature a frame attachment system that is lightweight in nature and may be lightweight and nearly invisible to the wearer during use, which, in combination with invisible lens edges, in embodiments, creates a user experience that is as close as possible to the experience of not wearing glasses.

[0014] The angled peripheral lens edge has an inner surface and an outer surface. Light and images may be reflected from both the inner and outer surfaces, making the light and images visible. It is taught that when the lens edge is polished at the disclosed angles, the outer surface of the angled peripheral edge (and the outer peripheral rim) is hidden from the wearer's field of view by the inner peripheral rim. At the disclosed edge angles, the inner surface of the angled peripheral edge (and the outer peripheral rim) is also hidden from the wearer due to the phenomenon of refraction, as the line of sight is "bent" or refracted away from the inner surface. The angle contained between the actual line of sight and the refracted line of sight creates a "sector" or "zone" that is invisible to the wearer. Thus, hiding of both the inner edge surface and the outer edge surface occurs at the apex, which is the inner peripheral rim.

[0015] The sector of invisibility or invisible zone is defined as the area of ​​lost vision between and beyond the line of sight passing outside the inner peripheral rim and the refracted line of sight within the lens. In a two-dimensional view, as in Figure 2, this may be described as an "area", but in use, in three dimensions, for example with a circular lens, the sector is described as the partially cone-shaped hollow volume of the image reaching the eye and bounded on the outside by the periphery of the inner peripheral rim, and on the inside by the refracted line of sight as it radially intersects with the outer surface of the lens near the periphery of the lens and near the edge of the lens. The invisible zone extends beyond the lens.

[0016] If the line of sight occurs at a 45 degree angle of incidence to the inner lens surface, the deflection of that angle due to refraction is approximately 18 degrees in polycarbonate. As the angle of incidence increases, for example to 70 degrees, the magnitude of the refraction increases to about 33 degrees. Thus, the included angle of the invisible zone increases as the size of the lens increases.

[0017] Refraction within the lens causes the image at the edge of the lens to appear to "jump" or shift, disappearing as the user's view transitions from through the lens to outside the lens's influence. This is a property of any lens, whether angled edge or not, framed or not. The "shifting" of the image at the edge of the lens occurs almost always in peripheral vision during normal use. In the case of angled edge lenses, the effect of the "shifting" of the image at the lens edge is not noticeable when the scene being viewed is a relatively uniform natural object such as a wall, ceiling, sky, ocean, grassland or forest. This is because the eye / brain interface tends to minimize attention to images in the peripheral field, allocating nearly all of the emphasis to the direct, focused field of view perceived by the macula. Peripheral vision assists us to orient ourselves relative to objects in our environment as we move. In contrast, the frontal field of view always provides vital information. Only sudden changes, large objects, lights, shadows and movements in the peripheral area attract the attention of the brain, as these may constitute a danger. The dominant eye accurately sets the necessary information for coordinated safe movement when the head, and therefore the rest of the body, is pointed straight ahead. The focused field of vision of both eyes acts to calculate distances through the field of vision of the two eyes. Because these factors are so important, the brain prioritizes what is in the direct, focused field of vision, while peripheral images lack detail and are ignored in comparison, unless they constitute a danger.

[0018] Thus, in embodiments, the angled edges take advantage of the eye / brain boundary's tendency to ignore peripheral vision and work together to improve the ability to focus attention on the focused field of view. This makes the lenses of embodiments of the present invention extremely comfortable to wear. The result is that in many situations, the wearer forgets they are wearing glasses because no edges or reflections are visible and image "shift" at the lens edges is minimized.

[0019] The embodiments of the present invention are applicable to fashion glasses, prescription glasses, reading glasses and sunglasses. In this specification, the terms glasses and spectacles are used interchangeably. The lenses may be clear or they may be tinted. The lenses may be any shape, including round, oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal, octagonal. In the case of tinted lenses, the tint may be faded near the edge of the lens so that there is a gradual transition from tinted vision to normal brightness vision, and there is no sharp cut-off, and therefore it is less noticeable.

[0020] While eyeglasses are mentioned herein as a use for the angled edge design, it should be understood that the angled edge design is also applicable to magnifying lenses (hand held or supported by a flexible arm) such as those used by jewelers, crafters, or hobbyists.

[0021] To effectively manufacture angled edge lenses, the starting point may be a lens already made to a customer's prescription and cut to the desired shape and size, including a small radius at the outer rim but without angled edges. Alternatively, the following steps in the machining process may be performed in one operation.

[0022] To create the angled edge, one skilled in the art would use distances A and B, which are measured during an optional ophthalmic examination as part of the eyeglass fitting. The lens would then be prepared taking into account distances A and B. The lens may be prepared using existing lens machining equipment.

[0023] Distances A and B may be combined into a geometric program or algorithm to electronically calculate the desired optimum grinding angle for edge non-visibility at all points on the lens circumference. Distance A represents a longitudinal measurement from the cornea adjacent the center of the pupil to any point on the outer peripheral rim of the lens. Distance B is a lateral measurement from the optical center of the lens (where the line of sight is directly up and depicted by axis S) to any point on the outer peripheral rim. Distance A may include the typical distance between the user's cornea and the center of the pupil for use in the calculation. The distance between the ocular surface and the lens inner surface, measured along axis S, may also be used to calculate the desired edge angle. The optical center of the lens may be the mounting point of the lens on a spindle that rotates as the angled lens edge is machined. Both the machining cutter and the lens mounting spindle may be adjusted in position during operation to achieve the desired lens shape and edge angle.

[0024] According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of making an angled peripheral edge of an optically corrected cut-to-size lens for use in frameless eyeglasses for a user having a conventional edge and an eye with a line of sight along an axis S (S is straight ahead) that is approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead, and a peripheral line of sight P, the method comprising: measuring a distance A, which is a longitudinal measurement from the surface of the user's eye adjacent the center of the pupil to the outer peripheral rim of the lens; measuring a distance B, which is a lateral measurement from the optical center (axis S) of the lens to the outer peripheral rim; placing a lens, modified to a user's prescription and cut to a desired shape, with conventional edges and an optionally radiused outer peripheral rim, into a lens machining device; modifying the conventional edge of the lens to an angled peripheral edge joining the inner peripheral rim and the outer peripheral rim according to a program incorporating distances A and B to result in a manufactured lens in which the angle of the angled peripheral edge is less than any line of sight P but greater than any line of sight P1 passing through the lens and refracted at the inner peripheral rim; enabling or apexing the interface between the angled peripheral edge and the inner lens surface to a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim; forming a radiused apex at the outer peripheral rim; Includes.

[0025] Also provided herein is a lens machining apparatus for manufacturing a lens as described herein, said lens machining apparatus comprising a pivoting spindle having a cutter for modifying a lens edge and a carrier for holding said lens, said spindle being capable of replicating a user's line of sight P by pivoting a full 360 degrees, a pivot point corresponding to the center of the user's pupil on axis S; said carrier holding the lens in a position corresponding to the position of said lens on a user's face during use, with the optical centre of the lens at or near axis S, relative to the eye, as measured during an ophthalmic examination and during eyeglass fitting; said apparatus thus being capable of replicating the juxtaposition of the user's eye and the lens on the user's face during machining, and the cutter being mechanically controlled by a feeler or guide integral with the cutter, following the periphery of the lens outer rim to obtain the desired edge angle with fine adjustment of the peripheral edge angle to allow for refraction of the peripheral line of sight at the cornea by varying the distance of the lens to the pivot point during machining and changes in pupil position due to natural eye movements.

[0026] Also provided herein is a lens machining apparatus comprising a carrier for a lens and a pivoting spindle having a cutter for modifying the lens edge, the cutter being mechanically controlled by a feeler or guide integral with the cutter.

[0027] Also provided herein is a method of using lens machining equipment to manufacture a lens as described herein, the method comprising: placing a pre-finished lens having a conventional edge into a carrier, said carrier holding a lens having a lens optical center at or approximately near axis S, in a position relative to the eye corresponding to the position of said lens on a user's face during use as measured during an ophthalmic examination or during eyeglass fitting; said lens machining equipment can thus replicate the juxtaposition of the user's eye and the lens on the user's face during machining; applying a cutter mounted on a spindle that pivots against the lens edge, the spindle being capable of replicating a user's line of sight P by pivoting a full 360 degrees, the pivot point of the pivoting spindle corresponding to the center of the user's pupil on an axis S; and mechanically controlling the cutter with a feeler or guide integral with the cutter, the feeler or guide causing the cutter to follow the circumference of a conventional lens outer rim to obtain the desired peripheral edge angle with minor adjustments of the peripheral edge angle to allow for refraction of the peripheral line of sight at the cornea and changes in pupil position due to natural eye movements caused by changing the distance of the lens to the pivot point during machining.

[0028] The cutter is mechanically guided by an integral "feeler" or roller that follows the outer circumference of the otherwise finished lens, thus maintaining the desired angle around the entire lens edge according to the customer's actual facial measurements. Since light from the peripheral corners enters the ocular surface other than at axis S, the edge angle can therefore be adjusted or fine-tuned by changing the relative position between the lens and the spindle pivot point.

[0029] The junction between the angled peripheral edge and the inner lens surface is a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim. By cleanly machined apex, it is meant that there is no radius resulting from the manufacturing process. In cross section, this junction should appear as a clean apex (see FIG. 2, the intersection between lines 12 and 22 at angle 18). The apex at the outer peripheral rim is radiused or rounded as described herein to remove the sharp apex. The radiused apex may be seen in FIG. 2 at the intersection between lines 14 and 22 at point 20. The outer peripheral rim is a sharp edge by manufacture and in the embodiment has a radiused finish for cosmetic, tactile and safety reasons. The minimum radius may be provided by machining or by polishing and is of the smallest dimension required to blunt the edge sufficiently to prevent cutting the user's skin during use or handling. A large radius here compromises the non-visible properties of the lens. In contrast, the inner peripheral rim must have a cleanly machined edge, i.e., an edge with no chamfers or radii. The inner peripheral rim is sometimes referred to as the apex, which is the point where the inner lens surface meets the peripheral edge surface. This angular junction, cleanly machined and without radii, is crucial to the lens design, since any radii or blemishes here would allow for extra reflections seen by the user.

[0030] All of the factors that make the lens edge invisible occur at the inner peripheral rim.

[0031] The angled edge must be ground essentially flat to a radial line in all directions from the ocular surface at the axis S to the lens edge. A slight concave or convex shape may be desirable to minimize reflections on the outer or external surface of the edge. Of course, the edge may be continuously curved in the circumferential direction. The angled edge occupies the entire thickness of the lens edge.

[0032] Polishing of the lens edge, if necessary, should be done using a relatively hard surface such as a hard rubber roller with a fine polishing surface to avoid any rounding of the inner rim that may occur with softer polishing means. The polishing roller may be of the same program as the machining cutter and follow the same contour as that of the lens edge cutter during fitting according to a compatible program.

[0033] The primary emphasis of the present invention is to create a rimless lens that hides the entire perimeter of the lens edge from the user's peripheral view during use.

[0034] There is an ideal angle for the lens edge to make said edge invisible for all combinations of the user's front and peripheral vision and any normal line of sight to any portion of the modified lens. The present invention identifies and applies the ideal angle for any portion of the spectacle lens edge.

[0035] At any point on the lens circumference there is an optimum edge angle. This angle varies from the angle that bisects the invisibility zone primarily toward the refracted line of sight P1 to move the outer edge surface away from line of sight P and to minimize the amount of lens material used. The edge angle adjustment is weighted to favor invisibility at the peripheral angles of the field of view with the eye oriented on axis S.

[0036] The wearer may turn his / her eye towards the lens edge while wearing the eyeglasses. The wearer may use his / her front vision to search for the invisible lens edge. When this happens, the angle from the pupil to the lens edge changes slightly. This is allowed for during machining by adjusting the edge angle.

[0037] If the user were to look for the lens edge in his or her frontal field of view, the user would still not be able to see the lens edge. No user's line of sight can hit both the inner and outer peripheral rims at the same time during use (see Figure 2). In reality, it is difficult for the eye to maintain such an extreme angle of curvature, as this movement would be tiring and confusing. Users rarely look for the lens edge. However, even if they do, it is desirable that the lens edge should not be visible to the eye.

[0038] Angled edge lenses pose a cosmetic problem when the modified edge is visible to others as a ring of reflected light during use, although this is not visible to the wearer. When the user looks, there is a more accentuated halo around the outer edge of the glasses than the halo of a conventional design frameless lens. This effect may be addressed by polishing the edge to make it more transparent. Alternatively, it may be tinted with a natural shade such as grey or flesh color. Preferably, the edge may be painted with a clear or tint color to complement the frame color. For example, a clear color may be used to complement frames with an anodized or metallic finish, and a tint color may be used to complement a painted frame. The color may be applied with high precision by a roller set with the same program as the grinding or polishing process. Paints may be specifically formulated to be equivalent or bonded to a given lens material for a durable finish. Paints may also be dyes. The color can give the final product an attractive and unique look and does not affect the user's vision as the lens edges, whether painted or not, are always within the invisibility zone. Since lenses of this design were not previously available, new market segments may be created and the design also appeals to customers including the existing market for traditional rimless or small rimmed glasses. Additionally, pre-fitted rimless glasses may be modified in a retro style to incorporate the angled peripheral edge design.

[0039] The lenses may be made from any material that lenses are typically made from including glass, plastic [CR39], polycarbonate or Trivex. Polycarbonate is by far the preferred material for frameless lenses due to its combination of durability, light weight, excellent optical properties and cost. The technology for manufacturing lenses is well developed and those skilled in the art will recognize that lenses are typically ground and polished or molded to the desired shape prior to use. The shape / profile of the lens may be modified according to a user's prescription. The prescription can be obtained from an optometrist who examines the user's eyes using various ophthalmic examination techniques. Measurements A and B for calculating the angled edge may be obtained during the user's examination. Measurements may also consist of the vertical and horizontal angles of the lens on the user's face relative to a plane perpendicular to the axis S to be replicated on a lens modification device or input into a program to create the desired edge angle.

[0040] The actual angle of the edge depends on the shape and size of the lens, and ideally it approximately bisects the included angle (invisible sector) between the line of sight P and the refracted line of sight P1. As lenses get larger, the peripheral line of sight becomes more acute with respect to the lens inner surface. This creates a greater refraction of the line of sight and therefore a wider invisible sector 24. At these larger lens widths, the edge angle can be changed from bisecting the invisible sector to being closer to the refracted line of sight, thus using less lens material while maintaining edge invisibility.

[0041] Real-life examples In the figure, the angle of incidence of the line of sight P on the inner lens surface is approximately 45 degrees. In Fig. 1 the relative sizes of the eyeball and lens are somewhat isometric, but magnified by 33%. The human eyeball is approximately 24 mm in diameter.

[0042] The larger the lens, the larger (more acute) the angle of incidence of the line of sight P with respect to the inner lens surface 12. If the lens is 60 mm wide or larger and surrounds the user's face, the angle of incidence can exceed 70 degrees.

[0043] Below is a table of typical lens sizes, along with the corresponding angles of incidence and the resulting deviation of the line of sight due to refraction. Note that these are the amounts the line of sight is bent by refraction, not the angles of refraction. The numbers are approximate due to variables such as the angle of the lens on the user's face and its distance from the user's eyes, but are useful for comparison purposes. The refractive index used is 1.59, which is the refractive index of polycarbonate. The refractive indices of plastic [CR39], Trivex and optical glass vary very slightly and adjustments during the lens making process can take such into account.

[0044] Lens size Incident angle Deflection due to refraction 26mm 30 degrees 11 degrees 38mm 45 degrees 18 degrees 45mm 60 degrees 26 degrees 60mm 70 degrees 33 degrees

[0045] The angle through which the line of sight is bent due to refraction is also the angle of the triangular invisibility zone (Figure 2).

[0046] As the numbers show, as the lens gets wider and the incidence angle gets more extreme (acute), the invisibility zone gets wider, providing a larger field of view in which to place the angled peripheral edge. Conversely, as the lens gets smaller, say at a 30 degree incidence angle, there is only about 11 degrees in which to place the angled peripheral edge.

[0047] When a person bends their line of sight to look towards the lens edge, slight changes in the angle of incidence tend to bring the outer surface 22A of the lens into view. Conversely, when the user gazes straight ahead or points their eyes away from the angled lens edge, the inner surface 22B will tend to come into view. A further complication is that the glasses can move slightly around on the face during use. For example, the glasses can slide down the nose, changing the angle of incidence. Also, the line of sight as depicted in the drawings as a thin line is only illustrative since the actual line of sight is a narrow beam, such as a torch beam, and the width of the pupil determines the width of the beam that enters the eye, so multiple rays can enter at different angles. These factors combine to create variations in the line of sight, resulting in a situation where moving the lens edge angle too close to P or P1 (which may bring the outline of the lens edge into view) is undesirable. It is therefore preferable if the angled peripheral edge of the lens bisects the invisibility zone. It may be desirable for the angled peripheral edge to be positioned at least about 4 degrees or 6 degrees away from either line of sight P or line of sight P1 for optimal effect. Depending on the width of the lens, measured as distance B, the angle of the peripheral edge may be adjusted by between 1 degree and about 12 degrees from the bisection angle.

[0048] At a 30 degree angle of incidence, the lens edge may vary over a total range of approximately 3 degrees, or 1.5 in either direction from the central bisection of the lens edge in the invisibility zone. At a 45 degree angle of incidence, the lens edge may vary over a total range of approximately 10 degrees, or 5 in either direction from the central bisection of the lens edge in the invisibility zone. At a 60 degree angle of incidence, the lens edge may vary over a total range of approximately 18 degrees, or 9 in either direction from the central bisection of the lens edge in the invisibility zone. At a 70 degree angle of incidence, the lens edge may vary over a total range of approximately 24 degrees, or 12 in either direction from the central bisection of the lens edge in the invisibility zone.

[0049] Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are drawn approximately to scale and are for illustrative purposes only. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0050] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is an elevational view through the center of the eye and the optical center of the lens, showing the relative positions of the eye and the lens. [Diagram 2] 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the lens of FIG. 1 showing various details of the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0051] The lens 10 may be of any application. In one embodiment, the lens 10 may be used in frameless eyeglasses. A user of the lens has an eye 16 as shown in FIG. 1, with a line of sight along an axis S that is approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead (S is straight ahead), and a peripheral line of sight P.

[0052] The lens 10 has a lens body, which is the natural volume of the lens 10. The lens 10 has an inner surface 12 that should be closest to the eye 16 during use. The lens has an outer surface 14 opposite the inner surface 12. The inner surface 12 may be described as concave, while the outer surface 14 may be described as convex. The overall effect is a curved lens 10, typical of those used in eyeglasses, for example. In some embodiments, the lens 10 is not curved, or the curvature equates to a neutral optical effect, although this is not typical of eyeglasses that are intended to correct vision. All surfaces may be modified with surface treatments, such as anti-glare, anti-reflective, scratch resistant, UV filters, etc.

[0053] The inner surface 12 has an inner peripheral rim 18. The outer surface 14 of the lens 10 has an outer peripheral rim 20. There is a substantially flat angled peripheral edge 22 joining the inner peripheral rim 18 and the outer peripheral rim 20. The angled peripheral edge 22 has an inner surface 22B on the inside of the lens body 10. The angled peripheral edge 22 has an outer surface 22A that defines the outer dimension of the lens body 10.

[0054] The inner peripheral rim 18 is a clean edge and is not chamfered, rounded, radiused or otherwise modified. Thus, the inner peripheral rim 18 is defined by the apex formed between the inner lens surface 12 and the angled peripheral edge surface 22. The outer peripheral rim 20 is the outer boundary of the lens material. The outer peripheral rim 20 is minimally radiused or radiused.

[0055] 1, the distance may be measured from the outer circumferential rim 20 to the surface of the cornea of ​​the eye 16 adjacent the pupil (distance A). Note that this is not the distance of the lens surface 12 from the surface of the eye 16, but rather the distance of the outer circumferential rim 20 to the surface of the eye 16 measured in a longitudinal orientation as shown.

[0056] The distance may be measured from the outer circumferential rim 20 to the axis S (distance B) (see FIG. 1). The distance B may vary according to the size of the lens, the larger the lens, the greater the distance B. The size of the lens may vary according to the selected style of lens.

[0057] In one embodiment, the angle of the angled peripheral edge surface 22 is based on the angle of a line drawn from a point on the corneal surface corresponding to the center of the pupil, on axis S, to the edge of the lens 10. This point is a fixed factor and a starting point for the calculation. At the peripheral angle of the line of sight, light enters the cornea at a point other than that corresponding to axis S, so the angle required to obtain total invisibility is continuously variable. The edge angle is calculated by a geometric equation using distances A and B, since distances A and B determine the points at which the peripheral line of sight enters the cornea, and thus the variation of these points from the point at axis S. Distances A and B are not constant, and the edge angle may not be the same at any two points on the lens edge circumference. Existing equipment used to manufacture lenses may be programmed to machine lenses with angles that can vary continuously based on distances A and B.

[0058] Alternatively, in another embodiment, the aforementioned angle may be obtained by a mechanical connection between the cutter of the lens modification tool and a "feeler" or guide that follows the outer peripheral rim 20. In this case, the pivot point for the edge cutter is equivalent to the center of the user's pupil. Fine adjustment of the edge angle is achieved by varying the distance A between the cutter and the lens during machining.

[0059] In Figure 2, one can see the invisibility zone 24 created between a line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim 18 and a line of sight P1 refracted through the lens body 10 at the inner peripheral rim 18. As shown, the angled peripheral edge 22 is located entirely within the invisibility zone 24. By entirely located, it is meant that no portion of the angled peripheral edge 22 is outside the boundary of the invisibility zone 24. As shown in Figure 2, the angled peripheral edge 22 can bisect the invisibility zone in some embodiments. By bisecting, it is meant that when viewed in cross section, the angle of the invisibility zone at the inner rim 18 is approximately divided into two substantially equal portions.

[0060] The angled peripheral edge 22 may be machined at any angle as long as it is within the boundaries of the invisible zone 24. Any line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim 18 does not strike the outer surface 22A of the angled peripheral edge or the outer peripheral rim 18, and any refracted line of sight P1 within the lens body 10 does not strike the inner surface 22B of the angled peripheral edge 22, such that the inner and outer surfaces 22B and 22A of the angled peripheral edge 22 and the outer peripheral rim 20 are not visible to the user during use.

[0061] In FIG. 2, the angle of the peripheral edge 22 of the lens 10 is shown to be smaller than the line of sight P mentioned above. In the embodiment, this is to prevent the outer surface 22A of the lens edge 22 from becoming visible when the eyeball rotates in the eye socket from straight ahead, usually less than about 30 degrees. This movement of the eye 16 in the eye socket causes the angle of the line of sight to change slightly from the pupil to the lens edge 22. The inner surface 22B of the lens edge 22 is made invisible by the phenomenon of refraction, which is exploited at the inner rim to create a "sector of invisibility" or invisible zone 24. The sector of invisibility 24 is described as the angle between the refracted line of sight P1 and the actual line of sight P.

[0062] The body of the lens 10 has the following characteristics: an inner lens surface 12 closest to the eye, having an inner peripheral rim 18, and an outer lens surface 14 surrounded by an outer peripheral rim 20; an angled peripheral edge 22 joining the inner peripheral rim 18 and the outer peripheral rim 18, the angled peripheral edge 22 having an inner surface 22B on the inside of the lens body 10 and an outer surface 22A defining the outside of the lens body 10; having Here, the junction between the angled peripheral edge 22 and the inner lens surface 12 forms a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim 18; the junction between the angled peripheral edge 22 and the outer lens surface 14 forms an apex that is sufficiently radiused to eliminate a sharply machined edge at the outer peripheral rim 20; an invisible zone 24 created between a line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim 18 and a line of sight P1 passing through the lens 10 and refracted at the inner peripheral rim 18; having During use, the angled peripheral edge 22 is located entirely within the invisible zone 24 such that any line of sight P passing through the inner peripheral rim 18 does not strike either the outer surface 14 of the angled peripheral edge 22 or the outer peripheral rim 18; and line of sight P1 refracted within the lens body 10 does not strike the inner surface 22B of the angled peripheral edge 22 such that the inner surface 22B and outer surface 22A of the angled peripheral edge 22 and the outer peripheral rim 20 are invisible to the user during use.

[0063] Disclosed herein is a method for making an angled peripheral edge 22 of an optically corrected cut-to-size lens for use in frameless eyeglasses for a user having an eye 16 with a line of sight along an axis S (S is straight ahead) that is approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead, and a peripheral line of sight P. The disclosed method includes: measuring a distance A, which is a longitudinal measurement from the surface of the user's eye adjacent the center of the pupil to the outer peripheral rim of the lens; Calculating a distance B, which is the lateral measurement from the optical center (axis S) of the lens to the outer peripheral rim; shaping a conventional peripheral edge into an angled edge joining the inner peripheral rim 18 and the outer peripheral rim 20 using distances A and B in an algorithm to result in a manufactured lens 10 where the angle of the angled peripheral edge 22 is less than any line of sight P but greater than any line of sight P1 passing through the manufactured lens 10 and refracted at the inner peripheral rim 18; enabling or causing the junction between the angled peripheral edge 22 and the inner lens surface 12 to be a cleanly machined apex at the inner peripheral rim 18; forming a radiused apex at the outer peripheral rim 20; Includes.

[0064] While the foregoing is provided as illustrative examples of the invention, it will of course be understood that all such and other modifications and variations apparent to those skilled in the art are deemed to be within the broad scope and sphere of the invention as described herein.

[0065] It will be understood that where any prior art publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an acknowledgment that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

[0066] In the event of any conflict with the contents of this specification when compared with any document incorporated herein, the specification in the form at the time of evaluation shall control unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

[0067] In the following claims and the preceding description of the invention, unless the context requires otherwise due to language or necessary implication, the term "comprises" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" are used in their inclusive sense, i.e., to specify the presence of stated features but not to exclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

[0068] Any promises made herein should be understood to relate to some embodiments of the invention, and are not promises made with respect to the invention as a whole. If any promise is believed to apply to all embodiments of the invention, the applicant / patentee reserves the right to subsequently delete the promise from the description, and shall not rely on such promise for the receipt or subsequent grant of a patent in any country.

Claims

1. A lens for use in frameless glasses for a user having an eye with a line of sight along axis S (S being straight ahead) at approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead and a peripheral line of sight P, wherein the lens comprises a lens body of lens material, the lens body having, an inner, concave lens surface closest to the eye and having an inner outer rim, and an outer, convex lens surface surrounded by an outer outer rim, a substantially flat angled outer edge joining the inner outer rim and the outer outer rim, the angled outer edge having an inner surface defining the inside of the lens body and an outer surface defining the outside of the lens body, and having, a junction between the angled outer edge and the inner lens surface forming a cleanly machined apex at the inner outer rim, and a junction between the angled outer edge and the outer lens surface forming a rounded apex sufficient to remove the sharp edge at the outer outer rim, and an invisible zone created between the line of sight P passing through the inner outer rim and the line of sight P1 refracted at the inner outer rim through the lens material, in a lens, wherein in use, the angled outer edge is completely disposed within the invisible zone such that any line of sight P passing through the inner outer rim does not strike the outer surface of the angled outer edge nor the outer outer rim, and the refracted line of sight P1 within the lens body does not strike the inner surface of the angled outer edge nor the outer outer rim such that the inner surface of the angled outer edge and the outer outer rim are not visible to the user during use, characterized in that, a lens.

2. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the entire outer periphery of the angled outer edge is completely disposed within the invisible zone, making the entire outer periphery of the lens edge invisible to the user.

3. Distance A represents a longitudinal measurement from the surface of the user's eye adjacent to the center of the pupil to any point on the outer peripheral rim of the lens, distance B is a lateral measurement from the optical center (axis S) of the lens to any point on the outer peripheral rim, and the angle of the angled outer peripheral lens edge may be calculated by a program that uses varying measurements for distances A and B, using a line parallel to axis S to form a reference point when the line intersects the outer peripheral rim, the line representing zero degrees of the edge angle, the lens according to claim 1.

4. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the angled outer peripheral edge is modified with a colored material.

5. The lens according to claim 1, wherein the lens is selected from the group of shapes including, but not limited to, circular, oval, square, rectangular, pentagonal, hexagonal, and octagonal.

6. The lens according to claim 1, wherein any surface is modified with a treatment selected from anti-glare, non-reflective, scratch-resistant, UV filter, etc.

7. A method of generating an angled outer peripheral edge of a lens optically corrected for use in frameless glasses for a user having an eye with a line of sight along axis S (S is straight ahead) that is approximately 0 degrees when the user is looking straight ahead and an outer peripheral line of sight P, the lens being cut to a desired size and shape, the method comprising: Inputting into a program a distance A that is a longitudinal measurement from the surface of the user's eye adjacent to the center of the pupil to a point on the outer peripheral rim of the lens; Inputting into the program a distance B that is a lateral measurement from the optical center (axis S) of the lens to the point on the outer peripheral rim; Installing in a lens manufacturing device a lens that is optically corrected for the user's prescription, cut to a desired size and shape, and has an inner concave lens surface surrounded by an inner peripheral rim and an outer convex lens surface surrounded by an outer peripheral rim; The step of modifying the edge of the lens so as to form an angled outer periphery edge that joins the inner outer rim and the outer outer rim according to the program incorporating the distance A and the distance B so as to result in a lens being manufactured in which the angled outer periphery edge angle is smaller than any line of sight P but larger than any line of sight P1 refracted at the inner outer rim through the lens; The step of enabling or making the joint between the angled outer periphery edge and the inner lens surface to be a vertex machined cleanly at the inner outer rim; The step of forming a rounded vertex at the outer outer rim; A method comprising.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the entire outer periphery of the lens is modified by the method so as to be invisible to the user.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of modifying the outer surface of the angled outer periphery edge with a colored material.

10. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the step of modifying any surface with a treatment selected from anti-glare, non-reflective, scratch-resistant, UV filter, etc.

11. Using a geometric algorithm based on distance A and a factor-set adjustment based on distance B that allows for changes in the location of the intersection of the outer peripheral line of sight P with the cornea and changes in the position of the pupil due to natural eye movement when the line of sight is straight ahead, to program a lens manufacturing device to produce a lens having an edge angle that is always between the line of sight P passing through the inner outer rim and the line of sight P1 refracted at the rim and that varies continuously around the entire outer periphery. The method according to claim 7, comprising the step of programming.

12. A lens when prepared by the method according to claim 7.

13. A method of manufacturing an angled edge lens as claimed in claim 1 using a lens machining device having a proximal lens edge cutter on a pivotally rotating spindle that can pivotally rotate 360 degrees to replicate the lens carrier and the user's outer peripheral line of sight. Mounting a lens, which is optically corrected according to a user's prescription and cut to a desired size and shape, on a carrier with the optical center of the lens aligned with the spindle pivot point on a common axis, with the lens thus mounted in a position that replicates the position of the lens above the user's face relative to the user's eye as measured during a glasses fitting, where the axis represents axis S and the pivot point represents the center of the user's pupil; Applying a cutter that pivotally rotates about the lens edge, mechanically guided by an integral feeler or guide that follows the lens outer periphery or by a computer program that simulates the angle of the user's outer peripheral line of sight to the lens edge during machining; and causing the cutter to produce an outer peripheral angled edge that is always disposed within an invisible zone between the outer peripheral line of sight at the lens inner rim and the refracted outer peripheral line of sight at the inner outer rim, using the fine adjustment of the edge angle to allow for changes in the position of the pupil due to refraction of the outer peripheral line of sight at the user's cornea and natural eye movement by varying the distance between the lens and the cutter pivot point during machining; A method comprising the above steps.

14. A pair of glasses comprising the lens according to Claim 1.

15. An edge-free magnifying glasses lens according to Claim 1.

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