Multifocal Ophthalmic Lens Printing With Energy Transmissibility Maps
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for manufacturing multifocal ophthalmic lenses, such as contact lenses, face challenges including reliance on complex lathing techniques, variability in lens quality, high equipment costs, environmental impact, and logistical issues, leading to inconsistent patient experiences and inefficiencies in production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving additive manufacturing to create multifocal lenses with multiple optical elements along a single optical path by applying polymerizable mixture droplets according to an energy transmissibility pattern, using controlled oxygen levels and actinic radiation to form sub-optical elements, allowing for neurological selection of focus points and reducing waste and labor.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If lathing techniques are used to manufacture multifocal lenses, then optical power zones can be imparted into the lens mold, but the design of the ophthalmic lens is limited and users have difficulty adapting to wearing lenses with optical power zones
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical lathing techniques with a digital printing system that deposits polymerizable material layer by layer according to a mapped energy transmissibility pattern. This substitution enables complex multifocal designs with multiple optical powers along a single optical path, overcoming the design limitations of mechanical lathing while improving manufacturing precision and adaptability.
2Productivity
If cast molding is used for high volume production of contact lenses, then production efficiency is improved, but each lens may vary up to 1/8 or 1/4 diopter in a same manufacturing run resulting in varied patient experience
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a digital printing system that uses a mapped energy transmissibility pattern as a template to guide material deposition. This feedback mechanism ensures that each lens is manufactured according to a precise digital specification, eliminating the variability inherent in traditional cast molding processes while maintaining high production volume capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the manufacturing approach from analog mold-based casting to digital layer-by-layer material deposition. By controlling the deposition parameters according to a digital energy transmissibility map, the system achieves consistent optical properties across high-volume production, eliminating the diopter variation problem associated with traditional cast molding.
3Productivity
If cast-molding equipment is used for manufacturing, then high volume production is achieved, but the cost of equipment is extremely high and fabrication of optical quality metal inserts requires significant up-front expenditure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, complex cast-molding equipment with a digital printing system that uses disposable or reusable substrates and digital files as molds. This eliminates the need for costly optical quality metal inserts and complex molding machinery, significantly reducing up-front equipment expenditure while maintaining high-volume production capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses a digital energy transmissibility pattern as a virtual template that can be copied and applied to manufacture multiple lenses. This digital copying approach eliminates the need for physical metal inserts and complex molding tools, reducing equipment costs while enabling high-volume production through rapid digital file replication.
4Productivity
If cast molding is used for manufacturing, then production capability is achieved, but a large amount of plastic waste product is generated with detrimental associated environmental impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent deposits polymerizable material only where needed according to the mapped energy transmissibility pattern, creating lenses with precise local optical properties. This additive approach eliminates the excess material waste associated with traditional cast molding, where entire molds must be filled regardless of the actual lens requirements, significantly reducing plastic waste while maintaining production output.
5Adaptability or versatility
If a family of contact lenses is made by a lens molding process, then limited variations such as optical power, base curve, and diameter are achieved, but the number of SKUs requires management of a huge number of inventory and associated warehouse management
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal digital manufacturing system that can produce any lens prescription by simply changing the digital energy transmissibility pattern file. This multi-functional approach eliminates the need for multiple specialized molds and tools for different lens variations, allowing a single manufacturing system to handle all SKU variations and significantly simplifying inventory management.
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 method produces high-quality multifocal lenses with reduced environmental impact, improved patient experience, and efficient production, enabling consistent optical performance and adaptability to varying focus needs.
Implementation Method 1
depositing a plurality of droplets of a polymerizable mixture onto a receiving surface... exposing the deposited polymerizable mixture to actinic radiation
Implementation Method 2
A additive manufacturing system is provided including an additive manufacturing printhead and a controller. The additive manufacturing printhead is controlled to deposit a plurality of droplets of a polymerizable mixture onto a receiving surface
Data Source
AI summary
Methods of forming an ophthalmic element via generating a map of data values associated with pixels included in an energy transmissibility pattern. Data values correspond with an amount of energy transmissible through the optical element at a pixel location. The data values may be converted to additive manufacturing printhead control commands. A first print pattern of polymerizable mixture is emitted as droplets from a manufacturing printhead. The first print pattern of polymerizable mixture corresponding with the map of data values associated with pixels included in an energy transmissibility pattern. At least a portion of the droplets are received on a receiving surface.