Multi-Focal Lens System Fluid Transfer Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current eyeglass technologies for correcting presbyopia, especially when combined with other vision conditions, often result in inadequate focusing capabilities in the middle or upper field of view, requiring uncomfortable head tilts and compromising the field of view, and existing solutions like deformable lenses are cumbersome and aesthetically limiting due to the need for fluid reservoirs and pumps.
Innovation Solution
A multi-focal-length, two-lens optical system where the focal length of each lens can be changed across its entire aperture by transferring fluid between cavities within the lenses, eliminating the need for external reservoirs and allowing for any desired lens shape and frame design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If deformable lenses with fluid reservoirs and pumps are used to correct presbyopia, then focal length control is achieved, but device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the fluid reservoir and pump functions directly into the lens structure itself. The lens contains an internal cavity that serves as the fluid reservoir, and the flexible membrane that deforms to change focal length also serves as the pump mechanism through its elastic recovery. This integration eliminates external reservoirs and pumps, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining focal length control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens system is designed to be self-regulating through the elastic properties of the flexible membrane. When fluid is pumped into the lens cavity, the membrane deforms to change the focal length, and then automatically recoils to its original shape, creating a self-contained system that requires no external control mechanisms. The lens serves itself by using the elastic recovery of the membrane to maintain its structural integrity after focal length adjustment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If circular lenses are used for fluid control, then radial symmetry deformation is achieved, but lens shape flexibility is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the flexible membrane properties spatially varying across the lens surface. The membrane has different degrees of flexibility and thickness at different locations, allowing it to deform in controlled ways that preserve the overall lens shape while still achieving focal length adjustment. This enables non-circular lens shapes to function properly with fluid-controlled focal length changes.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens system dynamically adapts its shape during operation. The flexible membrane can deform radially when fluid is pumped in, changing the focal length, and then dynamically returns to its original shape when the fluid is removed. This dynamic capability allows the lens to maintain various shapes (including non-circular ones) while still achieving the necessary optical adjustment.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple fluid reservoirs and pumps are included in eyeglass frames, then focal length control is achieved, but weight and bulk increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functions into the lens structure itself. The lens contains the fluid reservoir, the flexible membrane serves as both the optical element and the pump mechanism, and the entire assembly is integrated into a single component. This eliminates the need for separate fluid reservoirs and pumps that would normally be attached to the eyeglass frames, significantly reducing the weight and bulk of the overall system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the fluid storage and pump functions from the external frame structure and relocates them within the lens itself. By taking out these components from the frame and integrating them into the lens, the design eliminates the need for additional frame elements, thereby reducing the overall weight and bulk of the eyeglass system while maintaining the necessary focal length control capabilities.
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
Enables comfortable and aesthetically pleasing vision correction for both near and distance vision without the bulk of fluid reservoirs and pumps, allowing for adjustable focal lengths in both lenses to accommodate individual vision needs.
Implementation Method 1
the fluid is transferred from one lens to the other
Implementation Method 2
Each lens has a focal length that can be changed, across its entire aperture, between a relatively shorter focal length and a relatively longer focal length
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods for a two-lens optical system having a focal length that can be readily switched between a first focal length and a second focal length. The system includes first and second multi-element lenses, each of which includes a cavity for a fluid. The first lens has the first focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the second focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The second lens has the second focal length in the absence of the fluid in its cavity and the first focal length when the fluid is present in its cavity. The focal length of the optical system is controlled by controlling which cavity of the two lenses contains the fluid.