Voice coil for speaker and speaker device using the same

Abstract

Ophthalmic lenses for selective scattering, filtering, or absorption of selected wavelengths for the treatment of various conditions. The ophthalmic lenses may contain dispersed particles or dyes configured to scatter, filter, or absorb such wavelengths. The dispersed particles may be formed into a laminate or film that is incorporated into the ophthalmic lens, such as by being positioned between a pair of polycarbonate sheets. The dispersed particles may be composed of core-shell nanoparticles with various properties, such as core and shell size, to control the wavelengths scattered, filtered, or absorbed.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] (Related Applications) This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 520,306, filed August 17, 2023, entitled "Lens for Wavelength-Selective Scattering," and U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 480,878, filed January 20, 2023, entitled "Selective Wavelength Scattering Lens Articles and Methods," both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. [Background technology]

[0002] Myopia, commonly known as "nearsightedness," is a common and increasing progressive eye disease. Myopia usually involves a refractive error caused by the eyeball being too long, which causes images formed by the lens to be focused in front of the retina rather than on it, resulting in objects farther from the eye appearing blurry.

[0003] There is evidence that myopia can be treated using wavelength-dependent vision therapy. Eye growth is known to be controlled by color stimuli. Ocular physiology indicates that longer wavelengths of light control this process. When blur is detected at these longer wavelengths, the eye attempts to compensate by shortening its axial growth. This corrective action may result in eyes that accurately perceive images at maturity.

[0004] Patients experiencing migraine attacks may experience photophobia, an abnormal sensitivity to light. It has been found that discomfort may be increased by longer (red) and / or shorter (blue) wavelengths of light. It has been suggested that light may trigger a migraine attack in some patients. Ophthalmic devices capable of scattering specific wavelengths may offer a potential solution to this problem.

[0005] Some studies have observed wavelength dependence of photo-seizure responses in epileptic patients. These studies have found that the wavelength range of 680-700 nm is the primary cause of photosensitivity in patients. Therefore, selective scattering of these wavelengths may alleviate or reduce light-induced epileptic seizures.

[0006] Furthermore, seasonal affective disorder ("SAD") is a condition in which normally mentally healthy individuals may experience depression during the same season each year, such as during the winter when the days are shorter. Research has found that SAD may be amenable to treatment using light therapy. Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate that the wavelength of light used in light therapy may have an optimum value for best effect.

[0007] In all applications, it is desirable to modulate the light spectrum incident on the wearer's eye. In applications that guide the eye for proper growth (i.e., emmetropization), existing treatments focus on presenting a therapeutic image to the patient, such as a therapeutic image in which selected wavelengths are blurred, which may prompt the eye to correct aberrations as it grows. In the treatment of SAD, current solutions rely on colored light, with shorter wavelengths (e.g., green or blue) typically filtered out. Summary of the Invention

[0008] Disclosed herein are systems, devices, and / or methods that provide wavelength selectivity by using ophthalmic lenses as optical filters to eliminate the need for specially processed images or tuned light sources.

[0009] In one form of embodiment, dispersing particles or dyes may be utilized that selectively absorb or filter some wavelengths while passing others.

[0010] In one embodiment, such dispersed particles or dyes may include one or more pigments.

[0011] In one embodiment, such dyes may include organic molecules.

[0012] In one embodiment, such pigments may include finely divided minerals.

[0013] In one form of embodiment, selected wavelengths may be blurred.

[0014] In one form of embodiment, colored particles or dyes may be dispersed in a transparent matrix.

[0015] In one form of embodiment, such colored particles or dyes may be dispersed in a reactive liquid solution.

[0016] In one form of embodiment, such reactive liquid solutions may be applied to ophthalmic lenses using a variety of methods or processes.

[0017] In one form of embodiment, a reactive liquid solution may be applied to an ophthalmic lens using a thin particle or dye-containing film.

[0018] In one form of embodiment, such thin particle or dye-containing films may be laminated onto or within an ophthalmic lens during lens manufacturing.

[0019] In one embodiment, the size (ie, outer diameter) of the dispersed particles may be between about 10 and 1,700 nm.

[0020] In one embodiment, the dispersed particles or dyes may comprise between about 0.2% and 20% by weight of the particle- or dye-containing laminate.

[0021] In one form of embodiment, nanoparticles with sharp resonances may be dispersed in a transparent medium to form a stack that may be incorporated into one or more ophthalmic lenses to induce wavelength-selective scattering.

[0022] In one form of embodiment, core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed in a refractive medium.

[0023] In one embodiment, solid particles of known size (e.g., about 10-1,900 nm) may be dispersed in a two-part reactive polyurethane prepolymer matrix to a concentration of about 1.5%-4.5% by weight.

[0024] In one embodiment, the reactive liquid mixture can be drawn into a thin film and formed into a laminate between two polycarbonate sheets. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] These and other aspects, features and advantages of which embodiments of the present invention are possible will become apparent and elucidated from the following description of embodiments of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0026] [Figure 1A] FIG. 1A is a table showing selective wavelength scattering by controlling the core radius and shell thickness in core-shell nanoparticles. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of a core-shell nanoparticle. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a table showing the environmental resistance of certain laminates and reinforcing their suitability for ophthalmic lens applications. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a table comparing various films. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a side view of a selective wavelength scattering ophthalmic lens according to one embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. The terminology used in the detailed description of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings is not intended to be limiting. In the drawings, like numbers refer to like elements.

[0028] For purposes of this specification, the use of the terms "about," "around," or "approximately" when referring to a value means within 5% of the stated value (whether greater or less), inclusive.

[0029] Disclosed herein are various embodiments of ophthalmic lenses for wavelength-selective scattering, absorption, or fluorescence, and methods for manufacturing and / or using such lenses. Optical filtering, such as by wavelength-dependent scattering with dispersed particles and / or dyes as discussed herein, can provide various benefits. Non-limiting examples of such benefits include reduced incidence of myopia in heavy screen users and others with daily excessive exposure to blue light, improved migraine symptoms, reduced light-induced attacks, and / or reduced seasonal depression.

[0030] Ophthalmic lenses may be formed with dispersed particles or dyes configured to selectively absorb, scatter, and / or filter certain wavelengths while allowing other wavelengths to pass. As an example, longer wavelengths may be absorbed while shorter wavelengths are allowed to pass. As another example, shorter wavelengths may be absorbed, scattered, or filtered while longer wavelengths are allowed to pass. As yet another example, a combination of longer and shorter wavelengths may be absorbed, scattered, or filtered while remaining wavelengths, such as those between the shorter and longer wavelengths, are allowed to pass.

[0031] Ophthalmic lenses can be configured to obscure selected wavelengths. Colored particles or dyes can be dispersed in a transparent matrix, such as by dispersing the colored particles or dyes in a reactive liquid solution. Such reactive liquid solutions can include, but are not limited to, thermally or photochemically cured compositions in which dyes and / or pigments can be dispersed. Reactive liquid solutions can also include various materials (e.g., liquid crystals) that respond in various ways to electric and / or magnetic fields.

[0032] The reactive liquid solution may be applied to the ophthalmic lens using a variety of methods or processes, such as through the use of a film or laminate containing thin particles or dyes. By way of example, the reactive liquid solution may be applied to a surface and cured into a film containing the dye and / or particles therein. Such particle- or dye-containing films or laminates may be applied into or onto the ophthalmic lens, such as by being laminated into the ophthalmic lens during its manufacture.

[0033] The size (e.g., outer diameter) of the dispersed particles can vary. For example, the outer diameter of the dispersed particles can range from about 10 nm to about 1,700 nm. When a laminate is formed, the dispersed particles can comprise about 0.2% to 20% of the weight of the laminate.

[0034] For example, nanoparticles with sharp resonances could be dispersed in a transparent medium, forming a laminate that could then be incorporated into an ophthalmic lens, such as between two layers of a substrate, to induce selective scattering of specific wavelengths.

[0035] In certain embodiment embodiments, a wide variety of dyes may be utilized, including, but not limited to, thymol blue, bromothymol blue, methylene blue, disperse red, indigo, cresol blue, Congo red, rhodamine 101, rhodamine B, fluorescein, coumarin 334, pyrromethene 567, and / or various other dyes known to be used in connection with ophthalmic applications.

[0036] Core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed in a refractive medium. For example, solid particles of known size, such as from about 10 nm to about 1,900 nm, may be dispersed in a two-part reactive polyurethane prepolymer matrix. The concentration of such particles may vary, including concentrations of about 1.5% to 4.5% by weight. The reactive liquid mixture may be drawn into a thin film and then formed into a laminate between two polycarbonate sheets.

[0037] The various laminates may be formed into blanks that can then be fabricated into polycarbonate eyeglass lenses using a variety of methods or processes. Alternatively, cast lenses may be fabricated using any of a range of suitable, familiar reactive matrix materials. The resulting lenses will have the optical filtering capabilities inherent to the starting composite material.

[0038] Specific embodiments are described below. However, it should be understood that any features from any of the embodiments may be mixed and matched with each other in any combination. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to only these embodiments, but to broader combinations thereof.

[0039] In one embodiment, an ophthalmic lens may be configured to selectively absorb, scatter, and / or filter certain undesirable wavelengths to treat or inhibit various conditions. As an example, such an ophthalmic lens may be used to treat myopia. As another example, such an ophthalmic lens may be used to prevent migraine attacks and / or photophobia. As yet another example, such an ophthalmic lens may be used to alleviate or reduce light-induced epileptic seizures. As yet another example, such an ophthalmic lens may be used to treat seasonal affective disorder.

[0040] The wavelengths filtered or scattered by the ophthalmic lens may vary in different embodiments depending on the condition being treated. Non-limiting examples of conditions that may be treated utilizing the systems, devices, and / or methods described herein include migraine attacks, photophobia, seizures, and / or seasonal affective disorder.

[0041] For the treatment of migraine attacks and / or photophobia, longer or shorter wavelengths may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered, with the specific wavelengths being determined based on the patient's particular condition and treatment protocol. For example, longer wavelengths, such as red wavelengths between about 620 nm and 700 nm, may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered.

[0042] As another example, shorter wavelengths may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered, such as blue wavelengths between about 450 nm and 495 nm, and in some embodiments, both shorter and longer wavelengths may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered, such as wavelengths between about 620 nm and 700 nm and wavelengths between about 450 nm and 495 nm.

[0043] For the treatment of seizures, such as reducing or diminishing light-induced epileptic seizures, wavelengths in the range of about 680 nm to about 700 nm may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered.

[0044] For the treatment of seasonal affective disorder, shorter wavelengths may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered. For example, green wavelengths between about 500 nm and 600 nm may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered. As another example, blue wavelengths between about 450 nm and 495 nm may be filtered, absorbed, and / or scattered.

[0045] In one embodiment, an ophthalmic lens may be formed with dispersed particles or dyes configured to selectively absorb, scatter, and / or filter certain wavelengths while passing other wavelengths. The manner in which the dispersed particles or dyes are introduced into the lens may vary in different embodiments. In one embodiment, particles or dyes, which may be colored, may be dispersed in a transparent matrix, such as by dispersion in a reactive liquid solution. The reactive liquid solution containing the dispersed particles or dyes may then be applied to the ophthalmic lens using a variety of methods or processes, including, but not limited to, the use of a thin particle- or dye-containing film laminated between layers of substrate, such as between two layers of polycarbonate.

[0046] In one form of embodiment, selective scattering of specific wavelengths may be achieved through the use of nanoparticles with sharp resonances dispersed within a transparent medium, which may be formed into a laminate that may itself be incorporated into an ophthalmic lens.

[0047] In one form of embodiment, selective absorption may be achieved through the use of absorbing dyes. When dye-containing regions are placed around the lens to align with the lens portions having corrective (and, if desired, plano) power, this can improve the lens' ability to eliminate or delay the development of myopia or other refractive errors in the wearer.

[0048] In one form of example, selective filtering, scattering, and / or absorption may be achieved through the use of particles, such as finely divided minerals, dispersed within a transparent medium. Such finely divided minerals may include, but are not limited to, iron oxide, mica, silver, titanium dioxide, and the like. The transparent medium containing the dispersed minerals may be formed into a laminate that may itself be incorporated into an ophthalmic lens. The material type of such particles may vary in different embodiments, with the particle properties and material type affecting the types of wavelengths that may be filtered, scattered, and / or absorbed.

[0049] FIG. 1A is a table showing that specific wavelengths can be scattered by controlling the radius of the core and the thickness of the shell in core-shell nanoparticles.

[0050] In the example configuration shown in Figure 1A, the core-shell nanoparticles may be comprised of nanoparticles having a silica core and a silver shell. However, it should be understood that the shell and / or core of such core-shell nanoparticles may vary in different embodiments and should not be construed as limited to the configuration shown in Figure 1A. Such core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed in a refractive medium, which may be formed into a laminate that may be applied to an ophthalmic lens.

[0051] For the silica-core-silver-shell nanoparticles identified in Figure 1A, a blue wavelength of approximately 458 nm can be scattered by a core-shell nanoparticle with a core radius of approximately 1.3 nm, a shell thickness of approximately 30.8 nm, and a figure of merit of approximately 1.01. A green wavelength of approximately 532 nm can be scattered by a core-shell nanoparticle with a core radius of approximately 22.2 nm, a shell thickness of approximately 15.8 nm, and a figure of merit of approximately 0.91. A red wavelength of approximately 640 nm can be scattered by a core-shell nanoparticle with a core radius of approximately 34.3 nm, a shell thickness of approximately 11.0 nm, and a figure of merit of approximately 0.81.

[0052] Thus, in example embodiments in which core-shell nanoparticles are dispersed in a medium, it should be understood that the core radius, shell thickness, and figure of merit of such core-shell nanoparticles may be varied to scatter different wavelengths of light and thereby treat different conditions. By way of example, in embodiments utilizing silica-core-silver-shell nanoparticles, the core radius of such core-shell nanoparticles may vary between about 1.0 nm and 40 nm, the shell thickness of such core-shell nanoparticles may vary between about 10 nm and 35 nm, and the figure of merit of such core-shell nanoparticles may vary between about 0.75 and 1.10.

[0053] 1B is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example morphology of a core-shell nanoparticle including a core 130 and a shell 135 surrounding the core. While both the core 130 and the shell 135 can be spherical, it should be understood that in some example morphologies, the core 130 and / or the shell 135 may not form a perfect sphere and may instead comprise a variety of other shapes, including irregular shapes. It should also be understood that the respective diameters of the core 130 and the shell 135 may vary in different embodiments, and therefore the respective diameters shown in FIG. 1B should not be construed as limiting.

[0054] The core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed in a medium, such as a transparent or refractive medium. The number of core-shell nanoparticles dispersed in the medium may vary in different embodiments. Additionally, the positioning of the core-shell nanoparticles within the base lens substrate may vary.

[0055] In one embodiment, the core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed only in the portion of the lens having a corrective power, which may eliminate or delay the development of myopia or other refractive errors in the wearer. In another embodiment, the core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed only in the portion of the lens having no corrective power (i.e., plano-power). In another embodiment, the core-shell nanoparticles may be dispersed in both the corrective and plano-power portions of the lens.

[0056] FIG. 2 is a table showing that such stacks comprising core-shell nanoparticles dispersed in a refractive medium have been shown to exhibit environmental resistance and are therefore suitable for application in ophthalmic lenses.

[0057] Figure 3 is a comparison of different wavelength scattering technologies used in various displays, including front projection films and localized surface plasmon resonance-based films that can project monochromatic light as well as the full spectrum.

[0058]

[0013] Figure 4 is a side view of an example form of an ophthalmic lens 100 configured to scatter, filter, and / or absorb specific wavelengths of light for the treatment of various conditions. As shown in Figure 4, the ophthalmic lens 100 may be formed by sandwiching a laminate or film 120 between two layers 110A, 110B of substrate, such as polycarbonate. More specifically, it can be seen that the laminate or film 120 containing dispersed particles is positioned between a first layer 110A and a second polycarbonate layer 110B to form the ophthalmic lens 100.

[0059] It should be understood that the example configuration shown in FIG. 4 is for illustrative purposes only and therefore should not be considered limiting in scope. For example, the positioning of the laminate or film 120 relative to layers 110A, 110B may vary in different embodiments. While FIG. 4 shows the laminate or film 120 centered between layers 110A, 110B, it should be understood that in some example configurations, the first layer 110A may have a greater depth than the second layer 110B, or vice versa. In other embodiments, the laminate or film 120 may face outward.

[0060] While the present invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments and applications, those skilled in the art in light of this teaching can generate additional embodiments and modifications without departing from the spirit or beyond the scope of the claimed invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that the drawings and descriptions herein are provided by way of example to facilitate understanding of the invention and should not be construed as limiting its scope.

Claims

1. 1. An ophthalmic lens for wavelength selective filtering, fluorescence and / or scattering, comprising: a first layer of a substrate; a second layer of the substrate; and and a film positioned between the first layer and the second layer, the film including a plurality of particles or dyes configured to scatter, filter, blur, generate, or absorb light of selected wavelengths.

2. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the film is composed of the plurality of particles or dyes dispersed in a transparent matrix.

3. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the film is comprised of the plurality of particles or dyes dispersed in a reactive liquid solution.

4. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles is composed of a plurality of colored particles or dyes.

5. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the outer diameter of each of the plurality of particles is between 10 nm and 1700 nm.

6. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles comprises between 0.2% and 20% of the weight of the film.

7. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles comprises nanoparticles having a sharp resonance.

8. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles comprises core-shell nanoparticles.

9. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein each of said plurality of particles has a size between 10 nm and 1900 nm.

10. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective scattering according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of particles or dyes are dispersed in a two-part reactive polyurethane prepolymer matrix.

11. 11. The ophthalmic lens for wavelength-selective filtering and / or scattering according to claim 10, wherein the concentration of said plurality of particles or dyes is between 1.5% and 4.5% by weight of said two-part reactive polyurethane prepolymer matrix.

12. 1. A method of making an ophthalmic lens for wavelength selective scattering, comprising: Dispersing a plurality of particles or dyes in a medium; applying the medium to an ophthalmic lens; A method comprising:

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the medium comprises a refractive medium.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the medium is comprised of a two-part reactive polyurethane prepolymer matrix.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the medium comprises a reactive liquid solution.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of particles or dyes are dispersed in a transparent matrix.

17. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of applying the medium to the ophthalmic lens comprises forming the medium into a film and placing the film between a pair of polycarbonate sheets.

18. The method of claim 12 , wherein applying the medium to the ophthalmic lens comprises laminating the medium to the ophthalmic lens.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of particles is comprised of nanoparticles having a sharp resonance.

20. The method of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of particles is comprised of core-shell nanoparticles.

Images