Method for producing an optical element

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10558045-B2
Application number	US-201515514514-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2015
Priority date	Sep 26, 2014
Publication date	Feb 11, 2020
Grant date	Feb 11, 2020

Abstract

A method for producing an optical element includes providing a first partial body which is transparent for the predetermined wavelength range and including on its upper side a structured section, applying a coating which is optically effective for the predetermined wavelength range onto the structured section in order to form the optically effective structure, and applying a cover layer which is transparent for the predetermined wavelength range onto the upper side of the first partial body by means of casting of thermoplastic material and/or duroplastic material.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing an optical element which comprises a body that is transparent for a predetermined wavelength range, in which an optically effective structure is embedded, the method comprising:
a) providing a first partial body which is transparent for the predetermined wavelength range, the first partial body including a structured section on an upper side thereof;
b) applying a coating which is optically effective for the predetermined wavelength range onto the structured section in order to form the optically effective structure; and
c) applying a cover layer which is transparent for the predetermined wavelength range onto the upper side of the first partial body via casting of at least one of a thermoplastic material and a duroplastic material.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein after step b) and before step c), a protective Layer comprising a duroplastic material is applied to the optically effective coating by casting.

3. The method of claim 2 , in which in step c) the cover layer is formed on the whole upper side of the first partial body including the protective layer.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first partial body is formed from a first polymer material, and in step c), for application of the cover layer, a second polymer material different from the first polymer material is applied onto the upper side of the first partial body and a chemical bonding of the second polymer material to the first polymer material is effected.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the first and second polymer materials have respective first and second refractive indices which differ by not more than 0.005 at least for a wavelength from the predetermined wavelength range.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step c) the thermoplastic material is applied via an injection-molding process.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step c) the duroplastic material is applied via an RIM process.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the application of the duroplastic material is carried out via the RIM process in at least two successive partial steps.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein in step a), for provision of the first partial body, the latter is formed from duroplastic material via an RIM process.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the application of the duroplastic material is carried out via the RIM process in at least two successive partial steps.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cover layer in step c) is formed such that a boundary surface of the cover layer facing away from the first partial body forms a boundary surface of the optical element.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein steps a)-c) are carried out such that the optically effective structure is completely embedded in the transparent body.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein steps a)-c) are performed such that the optically effective structure comprises reflective surface portions spaced apart from each other.

14. An optical element comprising a transparent body that includes an optically effective structure embedded therein that is produced by the steps of claim 1 .

15. The optical element according to claim 14 , which is configured as a spectacle lens for a display device that can be fitted on the head of a user and which generates an image, the optical element further comprising:
a front side and a rear side;
a coupling-in section and a coupling-out section spaced apart from the coupling-in section; and
a light guiding channel which is configured to guide light bundles of pixels of the generated image, which are coupled into the optical element via the coupling-in section of the optical element, in the optical element to the coupling-out section, by which they are coupled out of the optical element,
wherein the coupling-out section comprises the optically effective structure, which brings about a deflection of the light bundles to the coupling-out.

16. A display device, comprising:
a holder configured to be fitted on the head of a user;
an image-generating module secured to the holder, which generates an image; and
an imaging optical system secured to the holder, which comprises an optical element according to claim 15 and which, when the holder is fitted on the user's head, images the generated image such that the user can perceive it as a virtual image.

Assignees

• Carl Zeiss Smart Optics Gmbh
• tooz technologies GmbH

Inventors

• Hofmann Jens
• Kelch Gerhard
• Krause Wolf
• Puetz Joerg
• Michels Georg

Classifications

• B29D11/00865

  Applying coatings; tinting; colouring (printing, marking or copying processes B41M; identification in general G09F3/00; producing decorative effects in general B44C; positioning or marking of lenses B24B13/0055) · CPC title

• B29D11/00009

  Production of simple or compound lenses · CPC title

• B29K2075/00

  Use of {PU, i.e.} polyureas or polyurethanes {or derivatives thereof}, as moulding material · CPC title

• G02C11/10

  Electronic devices other than hearing aids · CPC title

• G02B27/0172 Primary

  characterised by optical features · CPC title