Optical articles comprising encapsulated microlenses and methods of making the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11772340-B2
Application number	US-202218049856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 26, 2022
Priority date	Oct 17, 2018
Publication date	Oct 3, 2023
Grant date	Oct 3, 2023

Abstract

The present disclosure includes optical articles comprising a lens having first and second lens surfaces and a protective layer having first and second protective surfaces that is coupled to the lens such that the first protective surface is disposed on the second lens surface. The optical article can comprise a plurality of convex or concave optical elements defined on the second lens surface or the first protective surface. The protective layer can have a maximum thickness larger than a maximum height of each of the optical elements such that the protective layer encapsulates the optical elements.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An optical article comprising:
a lens having opposing first and second lens surfaces; and
a protective layer having opposing first and second protective surfaces, the first protective surface disposed on the second lens surface,
wherein the lens includes a plurality of convex microlenses, each of the plurality of convex microlenses being an integral part of the lens such that it defines a portion of the second lens surface, and
wherein a maximum thickness of the protective layer is larger than a maximum height of each of the plurality of convex microlenses such that the plurality of convex microlenses are encapsulated between the second protective surface and the first lens surface.

2. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the maximum thickness is measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface between the first and second protective surfaces, and the maximum height is measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface.

3. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of convex microlenses has a maximum height, measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface, that is less than or equal to 0.1 millimeters (mm) and a diameter that is less than or equal to 2.0 mm.

4. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein:
the lens comprises a first material having a first index of refraction; and
the protective layer comprises a second material having a second index of refraction lower than the first index of refraction.

5. The optical article of claim 4 , wherein the plurality of convex microlenses comprise the first material.

6. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the protective layer comprises one or more coatings, at least one of the coatings comprising a polyurethane coating, a scratch-resistant coating, an antireflective coating, a photochromic coating, an anti-smudge coating, an anti-fog coating, a tintable coating, a self-healing coating, an anti-rain coating, an anti-static coating, an anti-UV coating, or an anti-blue light coating.

7. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the lens comprises the plurality of convex microlenses such that each of the plurality of convex microlenses defines a portion of the first protective surface.

8. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the lens, having opposing first and second lens surfaces, is a curved lens.

9. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of convex microlenses are positioned outside a center portion of the optical article such that the center portion of the optical article includes a prescription portion of the optical article.

10. The optical article of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of convex microlenses are positioned inside an outer portion of the optical article such that the outer portion of the optical article includes the prescription portion of the optical article.

11. The optical article of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of convex microlenses are defined within a first area on the second lens surface, and one or more second areas having no convex microlenses and surrounded by the first area and/or at the periphery of optical article.

12. An optical article comprising:
a lens having opposing first and second lens surfaces; and
a protective layer having opposing first and second protective surfaces, the first protective surface disposed on the second lens surface,
wherein the protective layer includes a plurality of concave microlenses, each of the plurality of concave microlenses being an integral part of the protective layer such that it defines a portion of the first protective surface, and
wherein a maximum thickness of the protective layer is larger than a maximum height of each of the plurality of concave microlenses such that the plurality of concave microlenses are encapsulated between the second protective surface and the first lens surface.

13. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the maximum thickness is measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface between the first and second protective surfaces, and the maximum height is measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface.

14. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein each of the plurality of concave microlenses has a maximum height, measured in a direction perpendicular to the first protective surface, that is less than or equal to 0.1 millimeters (mm) and a diameter that is less than or equal to 2.0 mm.

15. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein:
the lens comprises a first material having a first index of refraction; and
the protective layer comprises a second material having a second index of refraction different from the first index of refraction.

16. The optical article of claim 15 , wherein the plurality of concave microlenses comprise the second material.

17. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the protective layer comprises one or more coatings, at least one of the coatings comprising a polyurethane coating, a scratch-resistant coating, an antireflective coating, a photochromic coating, an anti-smudge coating, an anti-fog coating, a tintable coating, a self-healing coating, an anti-rain coating, an anti-static coating, an anti-UV coating, or an anti-blue light coating.

18. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the protective layer comprises the plurality of concave microlenses such that each of the plurality of concave microlenses defines a portion of the second lens surface.

19. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the lens, having opposing first and second lens surfaces, is a curved lens.

20. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of concave microlenses are positioned outside a center portion of the optical article such that the center portion of the optical article represents a prescription portion of the optical article.

21. The optical article of claim 20 , wherein the plurality of concave microlenses are positioned inside an outer portion of the optical article such that the outer portion of the optical article represents the prescription portion of the optical article.

22. The optical article of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of concave microlenses are defined within a first area on the second lens surface, and one or more second areas having no concave microlenses and surrounded by the first area and/or at the periphery of optical article.

23. An optical article comprising:
a lens having opposing first and second lens surfaces;
a protective layer having opposing first and second protective surfaces, the first protective surface disposed on the second lens surface; and
a plurality of convex microlenses, each of the plurality of convex microlenses defining a portion of one of the first protective surface and the second lens surface,
wherein a maximum thickness of the protective layer is larger than a maximum height of each of the plurality of convex microlenses such that the plurality of convex microlenses are encapsulated between the second protective surface and the first lens surface, and
wherein the convex microlenses are comprised in the lens such that each of the convex microlenses defines a portion of the second lens surface.

24. An optical article comprising:
a lens having opposing first and second lens surfaces;
a protective layer having opposing first and second protective surfaces, the first protective surface disposed on the second lens surface; and
a plurality of

Assignees

• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Guillot Matthieu
• Meynen Mathieu
• Chiu Hao-Wen
• Plessis Christophe
• Marchal Jeanne
• Drobe Bjorn

Classifications

• B29D11/0048

  Moulds for lenses (moulds for plastic articles in general B29C33/00) · CPC title

• B29D11/00028 Primary

  Bifocal lenses; Multifocal lenses · CPC title

• G02B1/11

  Anti-reflection coatings · CPC title

• G02B1/14

  Protective coatings, e.g. hard coatings · CPC title

• G02B3/0031

  Replication or moulding, e.g. hot embossing, UV-casting, injection moulding · CPC title