Spectacle Lens Selective Tinting Using Plasma Surface Masking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for selectively tinting spectacle lenses, such as using adhesive tape or additional surface treatments, face challenges with reproducibility, homogeneity, and the ability to create complex or small patterns, often resulting in poor tinting quality and high manual labor costs.
Innovation Solution
A method involving selective plasma treatment of a spectacle lens surface to inhibit tinting on preselected areas, allowing for precise application of a tinting solution using a lens holder and plasma treatment apparatus, which alters the surface properties to prevent tinting on treated areas while allowing tinting on untreated areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If adhesive tape or thin films are used for masking during tinting, then selective tinting can be achieved, but infiltration of undesired materials occurs beneath the masked part leading to poor tinting quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical adhesion system (adhesive tape) with a plasma-based chemical system. Plasma treatment creates a non-tintable layer on the lens surface through chemical modification, eliminating the need for physical masking and its associated adhesion problems. This substitution resolves the contradiction by using a different physical-chemical mechanism that doesn't suffer from infiltration issues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the surface parameters of the lens through plasma treatment, modifying the surface energy and chemical composition to create areas that are inherently resistant to tinting. By altering surface parameters rather than using physical barriers, the method achieves reliable selective tinting without the adhesion and infiltration problems of conventional masking.
2Ease of operation
If adhesive tape is manually applied to curved surfaces, then masking can be achieved, but wrinkles form causing water infiltration and inhomogeneous tinting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical masking with automated plasma treatment. The plasma process can conformally treat curved surfaces without requiring physical contact or adhesion, eliminating wrinkle formation. This substitution maintains ease of operation through automation while dramatically improving tinting homogeneity.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma treatment process is self-adapting to the lens surface geometry. The plasma automatically conforms to curved surfaces and creates uniform treatment without manual intervention for masking application, eliminating the wrinkle problem while maintaining operational simplicity through the self-adjusting nature of the plasma process.
3Ease of manufacture
If die-cutting process is used to create masking tapes, then tape shapes can be prepared, but small-sized or complicated patterns cannot be realized due to breaking during cutting or applying
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical die-cutting process with plasma treatment that can create complex patterns through programmable masking or direct plasma patterning. This substitution eliminates the physical limitations of cutting and handling small tapes, allowing precise fabrication of intricate patterns without breaking or deformation.
4Ease of operation
If manual alignment of tape to multiple lenses is performed, then masking can be applied, but precise repetition of alignment position cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The plasma treatment system incorporates automated positioning and alignment mechanisms that self-adjust to each lens, eliminating manual alignment variability. The system can precisely reproduce patterns across multiple lenses through programmable control, achieving both ease of operation and high alignment reproducibility simultaneously.
5Manufacturing precision
If conventional masking methods are used for high curvature lenses, then selective tinting can be attempted, but desired tinting quality cannot be obtained due to poor tape adhesion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical masking with plasma treatment that creates chemical modification of the lens surface. This substitution eliminates adhesion reliability issues by using a field-based process that doesn't depend on physical contact or adhesion forces, which are particularly problematic on high curvature surfaces.
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
This approach enables high-quality, cost-effective, and flexible selective tinting with improved reproducibility and reduced manual labor, allowing for intricate patterns without compromising lens properties.
Implementation Method 1
selectively plasma treating a preselected part of a surface of the spectacle lens
Data Source
AI summary
A method for tinting a spectacle lens includes selectively performing a surface treatment onto a preselected part of a surface of a spectacle lens and providing a tinting solution to the spectacle lens. Further, a lens holder for tinting a spectacle lens is provided, which comprises a reception unit suitable for holding the spectacle lens in a predefined position and a masking unit suitable for masking a part of a surface of the spectacle lens when held by the reception unit in a predefined position.