Contact Lens Ink Layer Thickness for 3D Pattern Gradation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional contact lens patterns are limited in showing contrast, gradation, and three-dimensional effects, primarily relying on differences in size and color of ink elements.
Innovation Solution
A contact lens with a color ink layer featuring varying membrane thicknesses and areas, manufactured by embedding color ink elements of different thicknesses and diameters within a lens body, achieved through a method involving molds and precise ink application techniques.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional pad printing with uniform ink thickness is used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the pattern contrast and three-dimensional effect are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a template with recesses of different depths, causing the ink layer to have varying thicknesses in different regions. This results in different ink concentrations being transferred to the contact lens, producing patterns with enhanced contrast and three-dimensional effects while maintaining a relatively simple manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension (ink thickness) to the traditional pad printing process. By controlling the depth of recesses in the template, the invention creates variations in ink layer thickness, which translates to different ink concentrations on the contact lens. This dimensional addition transforms uniform patterns into those with rich contrast and three-dimensional appearance.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple color ink elements with different sizes are used, then basic pattern contrast is achieved, but gradation and three-dimensional effects cannot be broken through
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the ink layer thickness parameter through template recesses of varying depths. This creates a continuous spectrum of ink concentrations rather than discrete size variations, enabling gradation effects and enhanced three-dimensional appearance that go beyond what can be achieved with simply varying the size of color ink elements.
3Manufacturing precision
If color ink layer with varying thickness is embedded in lens body, then enhanced pattern effects are achieved, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-forming recesses of different depths in the template before the pad printing process. This preliminary structuring of the template allows the varying ink thickness to be automatically achieved during the printing process itself, rather than requiring separate steps to create or control ink layer thickness, thus limiting the increase in manufacturing complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a contact lens. The method includes: forming a color ink layer in a lower mold, wherein the color ink layer has a plurality of color ink membrane thicknesses, and the color ink membrane thicknesses are different from each other; assembling an upper mold with the lower mold; filling a transparent plastic material between the upper mold and the lower mold to cover the color ink layer; and solidifying the transparent plastic material into a lens body, so that the color ink layer is embedded in the lens body.