Optical Lens Fabrication Through Buoyant Immersion Molding

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lens fabrication methods, including 3D printing, face challenges in producing high-quality optical lenses efficiently and quickly, particularly due to size limitations imposed by gravitational forces and the need for specialized equipment, which hinders rapid prototyping and non-standard surface formation.

Innovation Solution

A fabrication system utilizing a chamber with an immersion liquid and a support structure to control the flow of curable liquid, allowing for the formation of lenses with predefined curvature through buoyancy and volume manipulation, enabling the production of lenses with varied sizes and surface qualities without requiring specialized equipment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If mechanical processing methods (grinding and machining) are used for lens fabrication, then high quality optical surfaces can be achieved, but the fabrication process is time-consuming and requires specialized expensive equipment

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical surface qualityVSAvoidfabrication time

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical grinding and machining processes with a molding-based fabrication method. A mold with the desired lens geometry is used to directly form the lens from curable liquid material, eliminating the need for time-consuming mechanical removal of material while achieving high optical surface quality.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The mold is prepared in advance with the precise curvature and geometry required for the lens. This preliminary preparation allows the lens fabrication to proceed rapidly through simple material deposition and curing, rather than requiring time-consuming mechanical processing during the actual lens creation step.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If molding-based methods are used for lens fabrication, then cost-effectiveness and production efficiency are improved, but the fabrication of molds themselves remains challenging and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens production efficiencyVSAvoidmold fabrication time

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a master mold that can be used to produce multiple lens copies. Once the mold is fabricated (using any suitable method), it serves as a template that can rapidly produce identical lenses through repeated casting and curing cycles, amortizing the initial mold fabrication time across many production units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The mold is designed as a universal tool that can produce multiple lenses simultaneously or in rapid succession. The same mold structure serves repeatedly for different production batches, making the initial investment in mold fabrication worthwhile through high-volume production capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Productivity

If 3D printing technologies are used for lens prototyping, then rapid prototyping capability is improved, but the quality of printed lenses is inadequate for high quality optical applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprototyping speedVSAvoidoptical surface quality

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a mold as an intermediary element between the prototyping process and the final lens product. The mold captures the precise optical geometry and transfers it to the curable liquid material, ensuring high optical quality without requiring the 3D printer itself to achieve that level of precision. The mold acts as the critical precision element while the 3D printer only needs to create the mold structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 rapid and cost-effective fabrication of high-quality lenses with predefined curvatures and surface qualities, overcoming size limitations and equipment constraints, facilitating efficient production of diverse optical articles.

Implementation Method 1

the control unit is configured to determine the pre-defined curvature of said article based on buoyancy induced by said immersion liquid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Implementation Method 2

a curable liquid, wherein said curable liquid and said immersion liquid are immiscible

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPolymerization: Photopolymerisation

Data Source

PatentUS20250319677A1System and methods for fabrication of cured articles

Publication Date: 2025.10.16 TECHNION RES & DEV FOUND LTD

AI summary

A fabrication system comprising a chamber containing an immersion liquid, a reservoir comprising a curable liquid being immiscible with said immersion liquid, the reservoir in fluid communication with a port configured for transferring the curable liquid into said chamber; an actuator configured for being in operable communication with said reservoir; a support configured for binding said curable liquid and in operable communication with said port. Further, a method for manufacturing a cured article with a predetermined shape is provided.