Diffuse-Light Additive Lens Creation for Compact Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current lens manufacturing technologies, such as free-form and 3D printing, are expensive, bulky, require significant expertise, generate waste, and are slow, limiting their accessibility to small businesses and eye care professionals.
Innovation Solution
A system using additive techniques with a diffuser to transmit light through resin and a substrate, controlling the polymerization front with diffuse light to create spectacle lenses, which is compact, reduces waste, and requires fewer consumables, enabling smaller enterprises to produce lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If free-form subtractive technology is used, then lens manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical subtractive manufacturing system (blocker, generator, polisher machines) with a photopolymerization-based additive system using light projection and resin curing. This substitution eliminates the need for expensive, bulky mechanical equipment while achieving lens manufacturing precision through controlled light-induced polymerization and post-processing steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental manufacturing parameter from mechanical removal of material to light-controlled chemical polymerization. By controlling light intensity, exposure time, and resin composition, the system achieves precise lens formation without complex mechanical devices, resolving the contradiction between precision and device complexity.
2Productivity
If resin-jet technology is used, then lens creation speed is improved, but manufacturing time increases due to layer-by-layer fabrication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by projecting the complete lens pattern onto the resin in a single exposure step rather than building layer-by-layer. The entire lens structure is formed simultaneously through full-field photopolymerization, eliminating the sequential layer deposition time inherent in resin-jet technology while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves continuity of useful action by using continuous light projection across the entire lens area simultaneously, rather than discontinuous layer-by-layer deposition. The photopolymerization process continues uniformly across the full field, dramatically reducing total manufacturing time while maintaining lens creation speed.
3Device complexity
If additive techniques without diffuser are used, then device simplicity is improved, but lens transparency and optical quality deteriorate due to self-focusing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a diffuser as an intermediary element between the light source and resin. The diffuser scatters the light before it reaches the resin, preventing self-focusing effects that would compromise lens transparency. This simple addition maintains device simplicity while dramatically improving optical quality by eliminating refractive index variations.
4Adaptability or versatility
If conventional 3D printing systems are used, then lens creation capability is improved, but system size and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential lens creation capability from bulky conventional 3D printing systems by using a simplified photopolymerization setup. Only the critical elements (light source, diffuser, resin container, substrate) are retained, eliminating unnecessary mechanical components. This extraction enables lens creation capability in a compact form factor suitable for small businesses and eye care professionals.
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 system produces high-quality, transparent spectacle lenses efficiently and cost-effectively, allowing smaller businesses to enter the lens production market.
Implementation Method 1
A system using additive techniques with a diffuser to transmit light through resin and a substrate, controlling the polymerization front with diffuse light to create spectacle lenses
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for lens creations are disclosed. The method includes initiating light transmission from a light source through a diffuser into a container holding resin and a substrate. The light transmission is performed according to an irradiation pattern wherein each point in the resin is illuminated by at least 10% of the diffuser. This causes a lens to be formed. To achieve this illumination, at least 15% of the diffuser receives light from the light source. Further, a diameter of the diffuser is greater than or equal to a diameter of the substrate. The system performing the methods includes a polymerization apparatus and may include a resin conditioning and reservoir apparatus, a metrology unit, a resin drainage apparatus and an optional postcuring apparatus.