Eyeglass Lens Coating via Dipping for Stray Light Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spin coating methods for eyeglass lenses with minute convex portions fail to effectively suppress stray light and are inefficient in productivity, as the coating film thickness is uniform and does not adequately deviate from the substrate base portion, leading to incomplete suppression of near-sightedness progression.
Innovation Solution
A dipping method is employed to form a coating film with varying thickness over the substrate protruding portions, allowing the coating film to flow under its own weight, resulting in a non-uniform thickness that effectively suppresses stray light and improves productivity by allowing multiple lens substrates to be processed simultaneously.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a coating film is formed on the lens substrate using a spin coating method, then the coating film has uniform thickness, but this uniform thickness causes stray light to generate in the boundary vicinity of substrate protruding portions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the coating film thickness non-uniform in specific regions. The coating film is designed to have different thicknesses in the boundary vicinity of substrate protruding portions compared to other areas, allowing the optical properties to be optimized locally for each region's specific function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces asymmetry by deliberately creating an asymmetric thickness distribution in the coating film. The coating film thickness varies asymmetrically around the substrate protruding portions, with thinner regions at the boundaries and thicker regions in other areas, breaking the uniform symmetry to control light behavior
2Manufacturing precision
If a spin coating method is used to form coating films on lens substrates one-by-one, then the coating process can be controlled, but productivity is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple coating operations into a single batch process. Multiple lens substrates are coated simultaneously in one coating operation rather than coating them individually, combining several production steps into one unified process to improve throughput
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal coating system that can process multiple different lens substrates with various designs in the same coating chamber using the same coating conditions, making the coating equipment multi-functional and adaptable to different product types
3Ease of manufacture
If the coating film thickness is uniform across the lens substrate, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the shape deviation in the boundary vicinity is insufficient to suppress stray light
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the coating film thickness non-uniform in specific regions. The coating film is designed to have different thicknesses in the boundary vicinity of substrate protruding portions compared to other areas, allowing the optical properties to be optimized locally for each region's specific function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-designing the coating film thickness distribution pattern before manufacturing. The non-uniform thickness profile is planned and controlled in advance during the coating process design, ensuring the desired shape deviation is achieved without requiring complex post-processing
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 dipping method significantly reduces stray light and maintains the effectiveness of suppressing near-sightedness progression while enhancing manufacturing efficiency by varying the coating film thickness, resulting in a lower stray light ratio and improved lens substrate processing capacity.
Implementation Method 1
drying the coating film liquid on the lens substrate while or after the coating film liquid flows under its own weight
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens that includes a lens substrate having a plurality of substrate protruding portions that protrude from a substrate base portion on a surface of the lens substrate and a coating film provided so as to cover the plurality of substrate protruding portions, the outermost surface of the eyeglass lens having a plurality of convex portions and concave portions, the method including forming the coating film by immersing the lens substrate in a coating film liquid, pulling up the lens substrate, and drying the coating film liquid on the lens substrate while or after the coating film liquid flows under its own weight, and technology related thereto.