Eyeglass lens manufacturing method

Abstract

To provide a new method for manufacturing eyeglass lenses having a functional layer. A method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens includes forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam evaporation, the method including irradiating an electron beam onto an evaporation source having metal particles supported on a carrier.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing eyeglass lenses. [Background technology]

[0002] Spectacle lenses generally have a configuration in which one or more functional layers are formed on the surface of a lens substrate (see, for example, Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 9-327622 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-327622 (Patent Document 1) discloses that a surface-hardened film formed by hardening an antibacterial coating agent is formed on a synthetic resin molded body as a functional layer. Providing such a functional layer can contribute to increasing the added value of eyeglass lenses.

[0005] However, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 9-327622 (Patent Document 1) states that the thickness of the surface-hardened film is preferably 0.5 μm or more (see paragraph 0019 of the same publication). Such a thick film layer can significantly affect the reflection and / or transmission characteristics of a spectacle lens, so when providing such a layer on a spectacle lens to impart functionality, it is generally considered necessary to significantly change the optical design of an existing product. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to manufacture spectacle lenses having a functional layer without changing or significantly changing the optical design of an existing product.

[0006] Under these circumstances, an object of one aspect of the present invention is to provide a new method for manufacturing a spectacle lens having a functional layer. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] One aspect of the present invention is A method for manufacturing eyeglass lenses, comprising: the spectacle lens has a metal-containing layer; a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens (hereinafter also simply referred to as "manufacturing method"), which comprises forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam (EB) deposition, which comprises irradiating an electron beam onto a deposition source in which metal particles are supported on a carrier; Regarding.

[0008] In the manufacturing method, the metal-containing layer can be formed into a thin film by electron beam evaporation, which includes irradiating an evaporation source having metal particles supported on a carrier with an electron beam. This makes it possible to manufacture eyeglass lenses that can exhibit the functions provided by the metal-containing layer without changing or significantly changing the optical design of existing products. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to one aspect of the present invention, a new method for manufacturing a spectacle lens having a functional layer can be provided. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a vacuum deposition apparatus equipped with an electron gun. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The method for manufacturing the above-mentioned eyeglass lenses will now be described in more detail.

[0012] <Metal-containing layer> The manufacturing method produces a spectacle lens having a metal-containing layer. The functions that the metal-containing layer can exhibit can be controlled by the type and / or combination of metals contained in the metal-containing layer. For example, when forming a metal-containing layer that can function as an antibacterial layer that contributes to imparting the spectacle lens with the function of inhibiting bacterial growth (i.e., antibacterial properties), one embodiment of the metal contained in the metal-containing layer can include silver. In another embodiment, the metal contained in the metal-containing layer can include silver and one or more metals selected from the group consisting of platinum (Pt), gold (Au), palladium (Pd), mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), and titanium (Ti). That is, in one embodiment, the metal-containing layer contains silver as a first metal and one or more metals other than silver as a second metal. The second metal is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, gold, palladium, mercury, cadmium, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, and titanium, preferably at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, palladium, and gold, and more preferably platinum. In one embodiment, the metal-containing layer may contain only one metal selected from the above group as the second metal, or in another embodiment, may contain two or more metals selected from the above group.

[0013] The metal in the metal-containing layer may exist in the form of a single metal or alloy, an inorganic compound or organic compound, or a metal ion. In the metal-containing layer, for example, silver may exist in multiple forms. This also applies to other metals. The inventors believe that silver can exhibit antibacterial properties by ionizing at least a portion of the silver through oxidation, which contributes to the ability of the silver-containing metal layer to function as an antibacterial layer. Furthermore, the inventors believe that in a metal-containing layer containing silver and one or more second metals selected from the above group, selecting a metal that has the effect of suppressing the progression of silver oxidation as the second metal contributes to enhancing the durability of the antibacterial properties. However, the present invention is not limited to the speculations described herein.

[0014] In one embodiment, the metal-containing layer can be a metal-containing inorganic layer. In the present invention and this specification, an "inorganic layer" refers to a layer containing an inorganic substance, preferably a layer containing an inorganic substance as a main component. Here, the "main component" refers to the component that occupies the largest portion of the layer, typically accounting for approximately 50% to 100% by mass, and even approximately 90% to 100% by mass, of the mass of the layer. The same applies to the main component described below. The metal-containing inorganic layer can contain the metal in the form of an inorganic substance, such as a simple metal, an alloy, or an inorganic compound. Inorganic substances tend to be highly stable to heat and less susceptible to thermal decomposition, making them preferable as components for layers provided on spectacle lenses, which are often subjected to heat-related processes during their manufacturing process.

[0015] <Electron beam evaporation> In the above-described manufacturing method, the metal-containing layer is formed by electron beam evaporation, which involves irradiating an electron beam onto an evaporation source in which metal particles are supported on a carrier. By employing such a film-forming method, it is possible to easily form a thin metal-containing layer. Furthermore, being able to form a thin film layer with good film thickness uniformity is preferable from the viewpoint of improving the functionality or sustainability of the layer. From this perspective, it is also preferable to employ the above-described film-forming method to form the metal-containing layer.

[0016] Electron beam evaporation is a film formation method in which an electron beam is irradiated from an electron gun onto an evaporation source in a vacuum, heating and vaporizing the evaporation material contained in the evaporation source, and depositing it on a substrate to form a vapor-deposited film. In contrast, another evaporation method (hereinafter referred to as "thermal evaporation") involves heating the internal atmosphere of an evaporation apparatus using a heating means (e.g., a heater) placed within the apparatus to heat and vaporize the evaporation material (hereinafter referred to as "thermal evaporation"). In thermal evaporation, the substrate placed within the evaporation apparatus is also heated. While plastic lens substrates are preferred as lens substrates for eyeglass lenses, as described below, plastic lens substrates can deform when exposed to high temperatures. Therefore, when using thermal evaporation to form a film on a plastic lens substrate, it is preferable to set the heating temperature while taking into consideration the prevention of deformation of the plastic lens substrate. However, the heating temperature may not necessarily be suitable for the evaporation material, making it difficult to form a thin vapor-deposited film with excellent thickness uniformity. Alternatively, it may be necessary to select an evaporation material that can vaporize at the set heating temperature, which may limit the types of evaporation materials that can be used. In contrast, in the electron beam evaporation method, the evaporation material is heated by irradiating the evaporation source with an electron beam, so that an evaporated film can be formed without exposing the film-forming object to high temperatures as in the above-mentioned thermal evaporation method.

[0017] Specific embodiments of the method for forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam evaporation will be described below, although the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0018] The deposition source used is a deposition source in which metal particles are supported on a carrier. For example, when the metal contained in the metal-containing layer is a combination of the first metal (i.e., silver) and one or more second metals described above, the deposition source can be prepared, for example, by the following method. A solution containing silver particles (silver particles), which is a first metal, is prepared (hereinafter also referred to as a "first metal solution"). Such a solution can be, for example, an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion of silver particles. The concentration of silver particles in the first metal solution can be, for example, in the range of 1,000 to 10,000 ppm. In the present invention and this specification, ppm is based on mass. Separately from the above solution, a solution containing one or more types of second metal particles (hereinafter also referred to as "second metal solution") is prepared. Such a solution can be, for example, an aqueous solution or an aqueous dispersion of second metal particles. Furthermore, as the second metal solution, only one type of solution containing one or more types of second metal particles can be used, or two or more types of solutions containing one or more types of second metal particles can be used. In either case, the concentration of the second metal particles in the second metal solution can be, for example, in the range of 1,000 to 10,000 ppm. Here, when the second metal solution contains two or more types of second metal particles, the above concentration refers to the total concentration of the particles of those two or more metals. As each of the above solutions, for example, commercially available products available as aqueous dispersions of metal particles can be used as they are, or the commercially available products can be diluted and used. After preparing the solution in this manner, the support is impregnated with the solution. The multiple solutions may be impregnated into the support separately or simultaneously, or a mixture of multiple solutions may be impregnated into the support. The amount of the first metal solution impregnated into the support may be, for example, in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 ml. The amount of the second metal solution impregnated into the support may be, for example, in the range of 0.1 to 5.0 ml. Furthermore, the amount of the second metal solution may be 0.1 to 5 times the amount of the first metal solution. Here, when two or more solutions are used as the second metal solution, the above amount refers to the total amount of the two or more solutions. Examples of methods for impregnating the support with the solution include a method in which the solution is poured or sprayed onto the support, and a method in which the support is immersed in the solution. The carrier may be, for example, a porous body, such as a metal, alloy, or ceramic. A specific example of a porous body is a sintered filter. The sintered filter may be a sintered body made by sintering a powder material such as a metal powder, an alloy powder, or a ceramic powder. After the support is impregnated with the solution, the support is dried by a known method, whereby the particles of the first metal and the particles of the second metal can be supported on the support.

[0019] The particle size of each of the above metal particles is preferably 1 nm or more and 10 nm or less, more preferably 1 nm or more and 5 nm or less, from the viewpoint of ease of vaporization by electron beam irradiation.

[0020] Electron beam evaporation can be carried out in a vacuum evaporation apparatus equipped with an electron gun, an example of which is shown in a schematic diagram in FIG. Inside a vacuum deposition apparatus 1 (commonly referred to as a "vacuum chamber") shown in FIG. 1, a film-forming target 11 and an electron gun 3 are arranged opposite each other with a deposition source 2 sandwiched therebetween. The surface of the film-forming target 11 facing the deposition source is the surface on which a metal-containing layer 14 is formed. This surface is the surface of a lens substrate when the metal-containing layer is directly formed on the surface of a lens substrate, or the surface of a layer formed on a lens substrate when the metal-containing layer is laminated on that layer. The electron beam can be generated by passing a heating current through a filament provided in the electron gun 3. The heating current can be set depending on the configuration of the electron gun used, the type of deposition material, etc. In addition, irradiation conditions such as the electron beam irradiation time can be set depending on the desired film thickness, etc. When the electron beam EB generated from the electron gun is irradiated onto the deposition source 2, the deposition material contained in the deposition source is heated and vaporized, and then deposited on the surface of the film-forming target 11 to form the metal-containing layer 14. When a deposition source in which particles of a first metal and particles of a second metal are supported on a carrier is used as the deposition source as described above, the particles of the first metal and particles of the second metal, which are the deposition materials, are heated and vaporized by electron beam irradiation, and a metal-containing layer 14 can be formed on the deposition target 11 as a deposition film containing these metals. The inside of the vacuum chamber is, for example, atmospheric, and the internal pressure may be a pressure generally used for vacuum deposition, for example, 2×10 -2 The electron beam evaporation process can be performed once or more times, and can be performed two or more times using the same or different types of evaporation sources. For example, by performing the electron beam evaporation process two or more times using the same or different types of evaporation sources, a thicker metal-containing layer can be formed.

[0021] Although the above description has been given of an example in which a metal-containing layer containing two or more metals is formed, in one embodiment, the metal-containing layer may contain only one metal. The above description can also be referred to for the formation of such a metal-containing layer.

[0022] As described above, from the viewpoint of enabling the manufacture of eyeglass lenses having a functional layer without changing or significantly changing the optical design of existing products, it is preferable that the presence of the functional layer has little effect on the reflection and / or transmission characteristics of the eyeglass lens. From this perspective, it is preferable that the thickness of the metal-containing layer is thin, and the thickness of the metal-containing layer is preferably 5 nm or less, more preferably 4 nm or less, and even more preferably 3 nm or less (e.g., 1 nm or more and 3 nm or less). In the present invention and this specification, the thickness of the metal-containing layer is the physical thickness. This also applies to various thicknesses in the present invention and this specification. For eyeglass lenses in which two or more metal-containing layers of the same or different types are laminated by two or more film formation processes, the thickness of the metal-containing layer refers to the total thickness of these two or more layers. As described above, forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam evaporation is preferable for forming a vapor-deposited film with a thickness within the above range and excellent thickness uniformity. The thickness of the various layers included in the spectacle lens, such as the metal-containing layer, and the thickness of the lens substrate can be determined, for example, by observing a cross section using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) or the like.

[0023] In one embodiment, the metal-containing layer described above can be provided directly on the surface of the lens substrate of the eyeglass lens, or in another embodiment, it can be provided indirectly on the surface of the lens substrate via one or more other layers. The lens substrate and various layers that can be included in the eyeglass lens manufactured by the above manufacturing method will be described below.

[0024] <Lens substrate> The lens substrate of the spectacle lens can be a plastic lens substrate or a glass lens substrate. The glass lens substrate can be, for example, a lens substrate made of inorganic glass. Plastic lens substrates are preferred as lens substrates because they are lightweight, shatter-resistant, and easy to handle. Examples of plastic lens substrates include styrene resins such as (meth)acrylic resins, polycarbonate resins, allyl resins, allyl carbonate resins such as diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate resin (CR-39), vinyl resins, polyester resins, polyether resins, urethane resins obtained by reacting an isocyanate compound with a hydroxy compound such as diethylene glycol, thiourethane resins obtained by reacting an isocyanate compound with a polythiol compound, and cured products (generally referred to as transparent resins) obtained by curing a curable composition containing a (thio)epoxy compound having one or more disulfide bonds in the molecule. The lens substrate may be undyed (colorless lenses) or dyed (dyed lenses). The refractive index of the lens substrate can be, for example, about 1.60 to 1.75. However, the refractive index of the lens substrate is not limited to the above range, and may be within the above range or may deviate above or below the above range. In this invention and this specification, the refractive index refers to the refractive index for light with a wavelength of 500 nm. Furthermore, the lens substrate may be a lens with refractive power (so-called prescription lens) or a lens without refractive power (so-called non-prescription lens).

[0025] Spectacle lenses can be various types of lenses, such as single-vision lenses, multifocal lenses, and progressive-power lenses. The type of lens is determined by the surface shapes of both sides of the lens substrate. The surface of the lens substrate may be convex, concave, or flat. In typical lens substrates and spectacle lenses, the object-side surface is convex and the eyeball-side surface is concave. However, the present invention is not limited to this.

[0026] <Layers that can be included in eyeglass lenses> (Inorganic layer) The spectacle lens may have an inorganic layer on the lens substrate. In the present invention and this specification, the term "inorganic layer" refers to a layer containing an inorganic substance, preferably a layer containing an inorganic substance as a main component, as described above. The main component is as described above. The inorganic layer may be a layer directly laminated on the surface of the lens substrate, or a layer indirectly laminated on the surface of the lens substrate via one or more other layers. Examples of such other layers include one or more known layers, such as a cured layer of a curable composition commonly referred to as a hard coat layer, and a primer layer provided to improve adhesion. The type and thickness of these layers are not particularly limited and can be determined depending on the desired functions and optical properties of the spectacle lens.

[0027] In one embodiment, the inorganic layer can be a multilayer film of two or more inorganic layers. When the inorganic layer is a multilayer film, the metal-containing layer can be provided on the uppermost inorganic layer of the multilayer film (i.e., the inorganic layer located farthest from the lens substrate). Examples of such a multilayer film include a multilayer film containing one or more high-refractive-index layers and one or more low-refractive-index layers. Such a multilayer film can be an anti-reflection film that has the property of preventing the reflection of light of a specific wavelength or light in a specific wavelength range, or a reflective film that has the property of reflecting light of a specific wavelength or light in a specific wavelength range. In the present invention and this specification, the terms "high" and "low" in "high refractive index" and "low refractive index" are relative terms. That is, a high-refractive-index layer refers to a layer with a higher refractive index than a low-refractive-index layer contained in the same multilayer film. In other words, a low-refractive-index layer refers to a layer with a lower refractive index than a high-refractive-index layer contained in the same multilayer film. The refractive index of the high refractive index material constituting the high refractive index layer can be, for example, 1.60 or more (for example, in the range of 1.60 to 2.40), and the refractive index of the low refractive index material constituting the low refractive index layer can be, for example, 1.59 or less (for example, in the range of 1.37 to 1.59). However, as mentioned above, the terms "high" and "low" regarding high and low refractive indexes are relative, and therefore the refractive indices of the high refractive index material and the low refractive index material are not limited to the above ranges.

[0028] Specifically, examples of high-refractive-index materials for forming high-refractive-index layers include one or a mixture of two or more oxides selected from the group consisting of zirconium oxide (e.g., ZrO), tantalum oxide (e.g., TaO), titanium oxide (e.g., TiO), aluminum oxide (e.g., AlO), yttrium oxide (e.g., YO), hafnium oxide (e.g., HfO), and niobium oxide (e.g., NbO). Examples of low-refractive-index materials for forming low-refractive-index layers include one or a mixture of two or more oxides or fluorides selected from the group consisting of silicon oxide (e.g., SiO), magnesium fluoride (e.g., MgF), and barium fluoride (e.g., BaF). In the above examples, for convenience, the oxides and fluorides are shown in terms of stoichiometric composition. However, oxides and fluorides with a deficiency or excess of oxygen or fluorine relative to the stoichiometric composition can also be used as high-refractive-index or low-refractive-index materials.

[0029] Preferably, the high-refractive index layer is a film primarily composed of a high-refractive index material, and the low-refractive index layer is a film primarily composed of a low-refractive index material. Such films (e.g., vapor-deposited films) can be formed by depositing a film using a film-forming material (e.g., a vapor-deposition material) primarily composed of the high-refractive index material or the low-refractive index material. The film and film-forming material may contain unavoidable impurities. Furthermore, other components, such as other inorganic substances or known additives that assist film formation, may be included within a range that does not impair the function of the main component. Film formation can be performed by known film-forming methods. From the viewpoint of ease of film formation, vapor deposition is preferred, and vacuum deposition is more preferred. The anti-reflection film can be, for example, a multilayer film in which a total of 3 to 10 high-refractive index layers and low-refractive index layers are alternately stacked. The film thicknesses of the high-refractive index layers and the low-refractive index layers can be determined depending on the layer structure. Specifically, the combination of layers included in the multilayer film and the film thickness of each layer can be determined by optical design simulation using a known method, based on the refractive index of the film-forming materials for forming the high-refractive-index layer and the low-refractive-index layer, and the desired reflection and transmission characteristics that the multilayer film is intended to impart to the eyeglass lens. Furthermore, the multilayer film may include, at any position, a layer (conductive oxide layer) whose main component is a conductive oxide, preferably one or more vapor-deposited films of conductive oxide formed by vapor deposition using a vapor deposition material whose main component is a conductive oxide.

[0030] In one embodiment, the eyeglass lens manufactured by the manufacturing method can have the metal-containing layer on the surface of the inorganic layer. For example, the metal-containing layer can be a layer directly laminated on the surface of the inorganic layer, or a layer indirectly laminated on the surface of the inorganic layer via one or more other layers. For other layers, please refer to the above description.

[0031] (water-repellent layer) The spectacle lens manufactured by the above manufacturing method can have a water-repellent layer. In the present invention and this specification, the term "water-repellent layer" refers to a layer that contributes to the water-repellent properties of the spectacle lens surface or contributes to better water-repellent properties than when this layer is not present. In one embodiment, the spectacle lens manufactured by the above manufacturing method can have a water-repellent layer on the surface of the metal-containing layer. For example, the water-repellent layer can be a layer directly laminated on the surface of the metal-containing layer, or a layer indirectly laminated on the surface of the metal-containing layer via one or more other layers. For other layers, please refer to the above description.

[0032] The water-repellent layer can be laminated on the metal-containing layer by performing a film-forming process using a film-forming material that can function as a water-repellent agent. Examples of the film-forming method include a film-forming method selected from the group consisting of dry film-forming methods and wet film-forming methods. Examples of the dry film-forming method include physical vapor deposition and chemical vapor deposition, and examples of the wet film-forming method include coating methods. Examples of the physical vapor deposition method include evaporation and sputtering, with evaporation being preferred.

[0033] In one embodiment, the water-repellent layer can be a fluorine-based organic layer. Here, "based" is used to mean "comprise." In addition, in the present invention and this specification, an "organic layer" refers to a layer containing an organic substance, preferably a layer containing an organic substance as a main component. The main component is as described above.

[0034] The fluorine-containing organic layer can be laminated on the metal-containing layer by performing a film formation process using a fluorine-containing organic substance as a film formation material. A preferred film formation method for forming the fluorine-containing organic layer is a dry film formation method, with vapor deposition being more preferred. Because fluorine-containing organic substances tend to have lower boiling points than the vapor deposition materials that can be used to form the metal-containing layer described above, thermal vapor deposition is also preferred. A vapor deposition source in which the fluorine-containing organic substance is supported on a carrier can be prepared by impregnating a carrier with a solution containing the fluorine-containing organic substance and then performing a drying process. For the method of preparing the vapor deposition source, the above description regarding the formation of the metal-containing layer can also be referenced as appropriate.

[0035] An example of the fluorine-based organic substance is metaxylene hexafluoride (C6H4(CF3)2).

[0036] Further, examples of the fluorine-containing organic substance include fluorine-containing organic silane compounds represented by the following general formula (1).

[0037] [ka]

[0038] In the general formula (1), Rf is a linear or branched perfluoroalkyl group having 1 to 16 carbon atoms, preferably CF3-, C2F5-, or C3F7-. R1 is a hydrolyzable group, preferably a halogen atom, -OR3, -OCOR3, -OC(R3)=C(R4)2, -ON=C(R3)2, or -ON=CR5. A chlorine atom, -OCH3, or -OC2H5 is more preferred. Here, R3 is an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group, R4 is a hydrogen atom or an aliphatic hydrocarbon group (e.g., a lower aliphatic hydrocarbon group), and R5 is a divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon group having 3 to 6 carbon atoms. R2 is a hydrogen atom or a monovalent organic group. The monovalent organic group is preferably an inert group. The monovalent organic group is more preferably a monovalent hydrocarbon group having 1 to 4 carbon atoms. X is an iodine atom or a hydrogen atom, and Y is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group (e.g., a lower alkyl group). Z is a fluorine atom or a trifluoromethyl group. a, b, c, and d each independently represent an integer in the range of 0 to 200, preferably an integer in the range of 1 to 50. e is 0 or 1. m and n each independently represent an integer in the range of 0 to 2, preferably 0. p is an integer of 1 or more, preferably an integer in the range of 1 to 10.

[0039] The molecular weight (weight average molecular weight Mw) of the fluorine-containing organic silane compound represented by the general formula (1) is not particularly limited, and may be, for example, 5×10 2 ~1×10 5 range or 5×10 2 ~1×10 4 The range can be:

[0040] In one embodiment, the fluorine-containing organosilane compound represented by the general formula (1) above can be a fluorine-containing organosilane compound represented by the following general formula (2).

[0041] [ka]

[0042] In the above general formula (2), R1, Y, and m have the same meanings as in the above general formula (1). q is an integer in the range of 1 to 50, and r is an integer in the range of 1 to 10.

[0043] The water-repellent layer may have a thickness of, for example, 30 nm or less, 25 nm or less, 20 nm or less, or 15 nm or less. The water-repellent layer may have a thickness of, for example, 5 nm or more, or 10 nm or more. The water-repellent layer may have a contact angle with water of, for example, 100° or more and 120° or less on its surface.

[0044] In the manufacturing method, the metal-containing layer can be formed at one or more layers at any position on either the object side or the eyeball side of the spectacle lens. For example, the manufacturing method can produce a spectacle lens having the metal-containing layer between the inorganic layer and the water-repellent layer. In this case, a laminate including at least the inorganic layer, the metal-containing layer, and the water-repellent layer can be formed on at least one surface of the lens substrate, or can be formed on both surfaces. For example, the laminate can be located on the object side of the spectacle lens, the eyeball side of the spectacle lens, or both the object side and the eyeball side of the spectacle lens. When the laminate is located on both sides of the spectacle lens, the object-side laminate and the eyeball-side laminate can be the same or different laminates.

[0045] The metal-containing layer of the spectacle lens can function as an antibacterial layer, thereby exhibiting antibacterial properties. Furthermore, if the spectacle lens has a water-repellent layer, the spectacle lens can also exhibit water repellency, thereby preventing, for example, water discoloration of the lens. The inorganic layer can function as an anti-reflection film, for example, to provide the spectacle lens with anti-reflection performance against light of a specific wavelength or light in a specific wavelength range. [Example]

[0046] The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown in the examples.

[0047] In the following, an SiO2 layer is a vapor-deposited film formed using silicon oxide as a vapor-deposited material, and a ZrO2 layer is a vapor-deposited film formed using zirconium oxide as a vapor-deposited material. Each vapor-deposited material is a vapor-deposited material consisting only of the oxide described above, excluding unavoidable impurities.

[0048] [Example 1] <Preparation of Lens Substrate with Hard Coat Layer> A hard coating solution containing inorganic oxide particles and a silicon compound was applied by spin coating to the entire object-side surface (convex surface) of a plastic lens substrate manufactured from a monomer for eyeglass lenses (MR8 manufactured by Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.), and the solution was then heat-cured in a heating furnace at an internal temperature of 100°C for 60 minutes to form a single hard coating layer with a thickness of 3 μm.

[0049] <Fabrication of multilayer anti-reflection coating> Next, the lens substrate with the hard coat layer formed thereon was placed in a vacuum deposition apparatus, and a multilayer antireflection coating was formed by vacuum deposition on the entire surface of the hard coat layer, comprising a total of seven layers (total thickness: approximately 400-600 nm) of "SiO2 layer / ZrO2 layer / SiO2 layer / ZrO2 layer / SiO2 layer." The notation " / " indicates that the part to the left of the " / " and the part to the right of the " / " are directly laminated. This also applies to the following descriptions. In this way, a spectacle lens having a layer structure of "lens substrate / hard coat layer / multilayer antireflection film (inorganic layer, content of inorganic substance: 90% by mass or more)" was produced.

[0050] <Preparation of Metal-Containing Layer> (Preparation of evaporation source) As a solution of the first metal, an aqueous dispersion containing silver particles with a particle size of 2 to 5 nm at a concentration of 5000 ppm was prepared. As a solution of the second metal, an aqueous dispersion containing platinum particles with a particle size of 2 to 5 nm at a concentration of 5000 ppm was prepared. A disk-shaped sintered filter (material: SUS) with a diameter of 18 mm was used as the support. 0.5 ml of the first metal solution was poured into this sintered filter, which was then dried for 1 hour in an atmospheric oven with an internal temperature of 65 to 75°C. This process was repeated twice (total amount of the first metal solution poured into the support: 1.0 ml), after which 0.5 ml of the second metal solution was poured into the support, and the filter was dried for 1 hour in an atmospheric oven with an internal temperature of 65 to 75°C. This process was repeated twice (total amount of the second metal solution poured into the support: 1.0 ml), to prepare an evaporation source in which silver particles and platinum particles (evaporation materials) were supported on a sintered filter.

[0051] (Deposition of metal-containing layers by electron beam evaporation) As shown in Figure 1, the spectacle lens on which the multilayer antireflection film was formed and the deposition source were placed in the vacuum chamber of a vacuum deposition device. The pressure in the vacuum chamber was 2 × 10 -2 The electron beam was irradiated from the electron gun toward the deposition source under electron beam irradiation conditions of 38 mA electron beam output (heating current) and 150 seconds. By irradiating the electron beam in this manner, the silver particles and platinum particles can be heated and vaporized, forming a deposition film in which silver particles and platinum particles are deposited on the surface of the multilayer antireflection film. In this way, a metal-containing layer (metal-containing inorganic layer, containing metals: silver and platinum, inorganic substance content: 90% by mass or more) was formed on the surface of the multilayer antireflection film.

[0052] <Creating a water-repellent layer> (Preparation of evaporation source) A solution containing metaxylene hexafluoride as a fluorine-based organic substance was prepared. A disk-shaped sintered filter (material: SUS) having a diameter of 18 mm was used as a carrier, and after 0.25 ml of the above solution was poured into this sintered filter, it was dried in an atmospheric oven at an internal temperature of 50°C for 1 hour. In this way, an evaporation source in which metaxylene hexafluoride (evaporation material) was supported on the sintered filter was prepared.

[0053] (Water-repellent layer formation by thermal evaporation method) As shown in FIG. 1, the spectacle lens on which the metal-containing layer was formed and the vapor deposition source were placed in the vacuum chamber of a vacuum vapor deposition device. The electron gun in Figure 1 was replaced with a halogen heater, and the internal atmospheric temperature in the vacuum chamber was controlled to 650°C by the halogen heater, and the pressure in the vacuum chamber was 2×10 -2 A water-repellent layer was formed by thermal vapor deposition at a pressure of 100 Pa or less. By heating the chamber in this way, meta-xylene hexafluoride was heated and vaporized, and a vapor-deposited film of meta-xylene hexafluoride deposited on the surface of the metal-containing layer was formed. In this way, a water-repellent layer (water repellent agent: meta-xylene hexafluoride) with a thickness of 10 to 20 nm was formed on the surface of the metal-containing layer.

[0054] Through the above steps, a spectacle lens of Example 1 was produced, having a layer structure of "lens substrate / hard coat layer / multilayer antireflection film (inorganic layer) / metal-containing layer / water-repellent layer (fluorine-based organic layer, organic substance content: 90% by mass or more)".

[0055] [Comparative Example 1] A spectacle lens of Comparative Example 1 having a layer structure of "lens substrate / hard coat layer / multilayer antireflection film (inorganic layer) / water-repellent layer" was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that no metal-containing layer was produced.

[0056] [Example 2] An eyeglass lens of Example 2 having a layer structure of "lens substrate / hard coat layer / multilayer antireflection film (inorganic layer) / metal-containing layer / water-repellent layer" was produced in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the metal-containing layer was produced by the following method.

[0057] <Preparation of Metal-Containing Layer> (Preparation of evaporation source) As a solution of the first metal, an aqueous dispersion containing silver particles with a particle size of 2 to 5 nm at a concentration of 5000 ppm was prepared. As a solution of the second metal, an aqueous dispersion containing platinum particles with a particle size of 2 to 5 nm at a concentration of 5000 ppm was prepared. A disk-shaped sintered filter (material: SUS) with a diameter of 18 mm was used as the support. 0.5 ml of the first metal solution was poured into this sintered filter, which was then dried for 1 hour in an atmospheric oven with an internal temperature of 65 to 75°C. This process was repeated twice (total amount of the first metal solution poured into the support: 1.0 ml), after which 0.5 ml of the second metal solution was poured into the support, and the filter was dried for 1 hour in an atmospheric oven with an internal temperature of 65 to 75°C. This process was repeated twice (total amount of the second metal solution poured into the support: 1.0 ml), to prepare an evaporation source in which silver particles and platinum particles (evaporation materials) were supported on a sintered filter. In this way, two evaporation sources were prepared.

[0058] (Deposition of metal-containing layers by electron beam evaporation) As shown in Figure 1, the eyeglass lens on which the multilayer antireflection coating was formed and one of the two deposition sources were placed in the vacuum chamber of a vacuum deposition device. The pressure in the vacuum chamber was 2 × 10 -2 The electron beam was irradiated from the electron gun toward the evaporation source under the conditions of an electron beam output (heating current) of 38 mA and an electron beam irradiation time of 150 seconds, at a pressure of 100 Pa or less. In this manner, the first electron beam evaporation process was carried out. The remaining one of the two evaporation sources was placed in the vacuum chamber, and a second electron beam evaporation process was carried out under the same conditions as the first electron beam evaporation process. By irradiating the silver particles and platinum particles with the electron beam in this manner, the silver particles and platinum particles can be heated and vaporized, and a vapor deposition film in which the silver particles and platinum particles are deposited on the surface of the multilayer antireflection film can be formed. By performing the electron beam evaporation process twice as described above, a metal-containing layer (metal-containing inorganic layer, containing metals: silver and platinum, inorganic substance content: 90 mass % or more) was formed on the surface of the multilayer antireflection film.

[0059] [Evaluation of reflection and transmission characteristics] From the object side of each of the spectacle lenses of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1, the normal incidence reflection spectral characteristics were measured at the optical center of the object side surface (convex side). Furthermore, the normal incidence reflection spectral characteristics at the optical center of the eyeball-side surface (concave side) of each of the spectacle lenses of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 were measured from the eyeball side. The spectral shapes of the transmission spectra, the reflection spectra on the convex surface side, and the reflection spectra on the concave surface side of Examples 1 and 2 at wavelengths of 380 to 780 nm obtained from the measurement results were almost identical to the spectral shapes of the respective spectra of Comparative Example 1. From the measurement results, the luminous reflectance was calculated according to JIS T 7334: 2011, and the luminous transmittance was calculated according to JIS T 7333: 2005. The results are shown in Table 1.

[0060] [Table 1]

[0061] From the results shown in Table 1, it can be confirmed that in the eyeglass lenses of Examples 1 and 2, the metal-containing layer has almost no effect on the reflection and transmission characteristics of the eyeglass lenses.

[0062] Cross-sectional observation of each of the eyeglass lenses of Examples 1 and 2 using an SEM confirmed that the film thickness of the metal-containing layer was 3 nm or less (specifically, 1 nm or more and 3 nm or less). The cross-sectional observation also confirmed that the metal-containing layer, which had excellent film thickness uniformity, was formed as a continuous layer that did not include any undeposited portions.

[0063] [Antibacterial test] The eyeglass lenses of Examples 1 and 2 and Comparative Example 1 were subjected to an antibacterial test in accordance with JIS Z 2801:2012. Specifically, three sample pieces measuring 50 mm x 50 mm are cut out from each spectacle lens for the initial evaluation of antibacterial properties, water resistance evaluation, and light resistance evaluation. The initial evaluation will be carried out by the following method: The test piece cut out from each eyeglass lens is placed in a sterilized petri dish with the surface on which the various layers are laminated facing upward. 5 pieces~4.0×10 50.4 ml of a bacterial solution containing 1 test bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus or Escherichia coli) is dropped onto the center of the surface of the sample, and the sample is covered with polyethylene film cut to a size of 40 mm x 40 mm. After placing the dish in an environment with a relative humidity of 90% or higher for 24 hours, the 1 cm 2 The number of viable bacteria per unit area is measured. The water resistance evaluation is carried out by the following method. Test pieces cut out from each eyeglass lens are subjected to a Category 1 water resistance test described in the Water Resistance Test chapter of the SIAA (Sustainability Testing Association of Antibacterial Products) (2018 edition), and then treated in the same manner as above to measure the number of viable bacteria. The light resistance evaluation is carried out by the following method. Test pieces cut out from each eyeglass lens are subjected to a Category 1 light resistance test described in the water resistance test chapter of the SIAA (Sustainability Testing Association of Antibacterial Products) (2018 edition), and then treated in the same manner as above to measure the number of viable bacteria.

[0064] The viable cell counts measured in the above-mentioned various evaluations of Comparative Example 1 are shown in Table 2.

[0065] [Table 2]

[0066] For Example 1, the antibacterial activity value was calculated from the viable cell counts measured in the above various evaluations using the following formula. For Example 2, the antibacterial activity value was calculated from the viable cell counts measured in the above various evaluations using the following formula.

[0067] Antibacterial activity value = Ut-At Ut: logarithm of viable cell count in the sample piece of Comparative Example 1 At: logarithm of viable cell count in the sample piece of Example 1 or Example 2

[0068] Regarding antibacterial properties, SIAA defines an antibacterial activity value of 2.0 or higher as having antibacterial effects.

[0069] The evaluation results of Example 1 are shown in Table 3, and the evaluation results of Example 2 are shown in Table 4.

[0070] [Table 3]

[0071] [Table 4]

[0072] Finally, the above-mentioned aspects will be summarized.

[0073] According to one aspect, there is provided a method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens, the eyeglass lens having a metal-containing layer, the method including forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam evaporation, the method including irradiating an electron beam onto an evaporation source having metal particles supported on a carrier.

[0074] In one form, the metal particles can include silver particles.

[0075] In one embodiment, the metal particles may further include one or more metal particles selected from the group consisting of platinum particles, gold particles, palladium particles, mercury particles, cadmium particles, cobalt particles, nickel particles, copper particles, zinc particles, and titanium particles.

[0076] In one embodiment, the manufacturing method can further include impregnating the support with a solution containing the metal particles and then performing a drying process to support the metal particles on the support.

[0077] In one embodiment, the support may be a porous body.

[0078] In one embodiment, the porous body can be a sintered filter.

[0079] In one embodiment, the metal-containing layer can be a metal-containing inorganic layer.

[0080] In one embodiment, the metal-containing layer can have a thickness of 5 nm or less.

[0081] Two or more of the various aspects and configurations described herein may be combined in any combination.

[0082] The embodiments disclosed herein should be considered to be illustrative in all respects and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims, not by the above description, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Industrial Applicability]

[0083] One aspect of the present invention is useful in the field of eyeglass lens and eyeglass manufacturing.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing eyeglass lenses, comprising: the spectacle lens has a metal-containing layer; forming the metal-containing layer by electron beam evaporation, which includes irradiating an evaporation source in which metal particles are supported on a carrier with an electron beam; The support is a porous body, and The method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens, wherein the porous body is a sintered filter.

2. The method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to claim 1 , wherein the metal particles include silver particles.

3. 3. The method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to claim 2, wherein the metal particles further comprise at least one type of metal particles selected from the group consisting of platinum particles, gold particles, palladium particles, mercury particles, cadmium particles, cobalt particles, nickel particles, copper particles, zinc particles, and titanium particles.

4. The method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising impregnating the carrier with a solution containing the metal particles and then performing a drying process to support the metal particles on the carrier.

5. The method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the metal-containing layer is a metal-containing inorganic layer.

6. The method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the metal-containing layer has a film thickness of 5 nm or less.

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