Blue Edge Filter Optical Lens Sharp Spectral Cut-Off
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional eyewear fails to effectively block short wavelength blue light while maintaining color-balanced white transmission, often resulting in an undesirable yellow appearance due to the absorption tail of blue light absorbing dyes.
Innovation Solution
The use of a polymeric interference filter with a sharp band edge on a curved polymeric substrate, which blocks blue light between 400 to 440 nm while transmitting light greater than 450 nm, and optionally incorporates a multilayer optical infrared reflecting film or yellow light absorbing material to maintain color balance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If blue light absorbing dyes are used to block short wavelength blue light, then blue light blocking capability is improved, but color balance deteriorates resulting in yellow appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the blue light blocking function into two distinct components: a blue light absorbing dye layer and a separate polymeric interference filter layer. The dye layer blocks short wavelength blue light (400-440 nm), while the interference filter layer provides a sharp cut-off at the blue-green boundary (440-450 nm) and maintains color balance by reflecting only the necessary blue wavelengths without the yellowing effect of the dye absorption tail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite structure combining organic blue light absorbing dyes with inorganic polymeric interference filter materials. This composite approach allows the dye to handle deep blue blocking while the interference filter provides precise spectral control at the blue-green transition, achieving both protection and color balance that neither material could achieve alone.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If broad spectrum blue light absorbing dyes are used, then blue light blocking range is improved, but transmission of longer wavelength blue light deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the spectral control into two layers: the dye layer absorbs deep blue wavelengths (400-440 nm) where the hazard is greatest, while the interference filter layer is designed with a sharp cut-off edge at 440-450 nm that allows longer wavelength blue light (450-495 nm) to pass through. This segmentation ensures comprehensive hazard protection while preserving beneficial blue light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The interference filter layer provides localized spectral control with a sharp cut-off edge positioned at the blue-green boundary. This local quality enhancement ensures that blocking is concentrated exactly where needed (at the hazard boundary) while allowing full transmission in the beneficial blue light region, creating optimal spectral selectivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively blocks harmful blue light while ensuring color-balanced white transmission, preventing eye damage and maintaining a neutral appearance by tailoring the transmission spectrum to provide strong but narrow reflection bands, thus enhancing eye protection and color rendition.
Implementation Method 1
a polymeric interference filter that creates a sharp band edge to provide for quick transitions from low to high transmission of light as a function of wavelength
Implementation Method 2
a multilayer optical infrared reflecting film disposed on the curved polymeric substrate. The multiplayer optical infrared reflecting film has a third order harmonic reflecting a band of blue light
Implementation Method 3
a polymeric bandstop filter disposed on the spherically curved polymeric substrate. The polymeric bandstop filter reflects a band of yellow light
Data Source
AI summary
Optical lenses are described and include a polymeric interference filter disposed on a curved polymeric substrate. The optical lens has an average light transmission of less than 2% across a band of blue light from 400 nm to at least 420 and up to 440 nm and substantially transmits blue light greater than 450 nm.