Method of preparing an ophthalmic lens fitted with a memory mark

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625743-B2
Application number	US-201113576512-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2011
Priority date	May 10, 2010
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A method of preparing an ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) for mounting in an eyeglass frame, the ophthalmic lens including a memory mark ( 28 ) that is situated on one of its ophthalmic faces ( 22 ) and that forms a code storing in digital form at least one item of information relating to a mechanical, geometrical, or optical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens. The method includes three steps:
a) acquiring a raw image of at least a portion of the optical face of the ophthalmic lens on which an image of the memory mark appears; b) processing the raw image acquired in step a) in order to decode the information stored in the code; and c) centering and then shaping the ophthalmic lens as a function of the information decoded in step b).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of preparing an ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) for mounting in an eyeglass frame ( 10 ), comprising the steps of:
preparing the ophthalmic lens for a client;
marking the ophthalmic lens with centering marks ( 24 , 27 );
marking an optical face ( 22 ) of the ophthalmic lens with a visible memory mark ( 28 ) comprised of a code that stores, in digital form, information of geometrical and optical characteristics of the prepared ophthalmic lens;
capturing a raw image of at least a portion of said optical face ( 22 ) of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), said raw image including an image of said memory mark ( 28 ) and of the centering marks ( 24 , 27 ) of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), said memory mark being separate and distinct from said centering marks, said memory mark storing numerical information in non-numerical form;
decoding the information stored in the code of the memory mark by processing the acquired raw image; and
centering the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) as a function of the position of said centering marks ( 24 , 27 ) on the raw image, and shaping said ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) as a function of the decoded information from the code of the memory mark.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the code ( 28 ) of the memory mark stores i) a radius of curvature of a front face of the ophthalmic lens, ii) a radius of curvature of a rear face of the ophthalmic lens, iii) a thickness at an optical center of the ophthalmic lens, and iv) an angle formed between normals respectively to the front and rear faces of the ophthalmic lens at the optical center of the lens.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the code ( 28 ) of the memory mark is a two-dimensional code ( 28 ) comprised of single bit pixels.

4. A method of preparing an ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) for mounting in an eyeglass frame ( 10 ), the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) including a memory mark ( 28 ) that is situated on one of its ophthalmic faces ( 22 ) and that forms a one- or two-dimensional code storing in digital form at least one item of information relating to a mechanical, geometrical, or optical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), the method comprising steps of:
a) capturing a raw image of at least a portion of said optical face ( 22 ) of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), said raw image including an image of said memory mark ( 28 ) and of centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), said memory mark being separate and distinct from said centering marks, said memory mark storing numerical information in non-numerical form;
b) processing the raw image acquired in step a) in order to decode the numerical information stored in said code; and
c) centering said ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) as a function of the position of said centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) on the raw image and then shaping said ophthalmic lens ( 20 );
wherein step c) is performed as a function of the numerical information decoded in step b).

5. A method according to claim 4 implemented by a device for preparing lenses that includes a centering appliance ( 200 ) fitted with acquisition means arranged to acquire raw images of ophthalmic lenses ( 20 ) on which there appear images of centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) marked on said ophthalmic lenses ( 20 ), wherein, in step a), the raw image is acquired by the acquisition means of said centering appliance ( 200 ).

6. A method according to claim 5 , wherein said centering appliance ( 200 ) includes image processor means for identifying the positions of said centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) on said ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), and in step b), the image of the memory mark ( 28 ) is processed by the image processor means of said centering appliance ( 200 ).

7. A method according to claim 5 , wherein, in step a), the image of the memory mark ( 28 ) and the images of the centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) marked on the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) are acquired simultaneously, forming a common overall image.

8. A method according to claim 5 , wherein, in step a), the image of the memory mark ( 28 ) and the images of the centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) marked on the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) are acquired in succession, and form two distinct images.

9. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said code is a two-dimensional code storing at least four distinct items of information relating to at least one of the group consisting of mechanical characteristics of the ophthalmic lens, geometrical characteristics of the ophthalmic lens, and optical characteristics of the ophthalmic lens.

10. A method according to claim 9 , wherein said items of information relate to the shapes of the front and rear faces of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), to the thickness of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), and to the relative orientations of the front and rear faces of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ).

11. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said code stores information relating to a map of the optical faces ( 22 ) of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), and a step is provided of viewing the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), said step comprising the following actions:
acquiring the shape of an outline ( 11 ) to which the ophthalmic lens is to be shaped;
positioning the acquired outline ( 11 ) on the ophthalmic lens ( 20 );
using the information decoded in step b) to calculate the three-dimensional shape that the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) will present at the end of step c); and
displaying said three-dimensional shape on an inspection screen ( 205 ) visible to the user.

12. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said code stores information relating to the shape of a pattern of centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) marked on the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), and a step of centering the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) is provided during which the position of the pattern of centering marks ( 24 - 27 ) on an image of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) is detected with the help of the information decoded in step b).

13. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said code stores information relating to a mechanical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens, and in step c) the ophthalmic lens is shaped with a tool or in application of machining parameters that are selected as a function of the information decoded in step b).

14. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said information decoded in step b) includes at least one of the following characteristics:
an optical category to which the lens in question belongs selected from the following categories: single vision, multifocal, and progressive;
a mechanical category to which the lens in question belongs selected from at least the following categories: fragile and strong;
a material;
a refractive index;
a pattern of centering marks;
a reference for a lens type;
a camber;
a diameter before shaping;
a surface treatment;
a map of the shape of at least one of the optical faces;
a thickness or a thickness map;
a spherical optical power;
a cylindrical optical power;
a prismatic optical power;
a cylinder axis orientation;
an addition;
a destination in terms of right or left position on the eyeglass frame;
an ability to withstand crazing; and
commercial information.

15. A method according to claim 4 , wherein said code stores a value of an optical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ), and a step of verifying the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) is provided comprising the following actions:
acquiring a value of said optical characteristic by performing a measurement on the ophthalmic lens ( 20 ) or by reading in a registry including order data for the ophthalmic lens;
comparing said acquired value with the value stored in said code; and
verifying that the values are consistent.

Assignees

• Levraud Loic
• Leguy Dominique
• Lazuka-Nicoulaud Eva
• Essilor Int

Inventors

• Levraud Loic
• Leguy Dominique
• Lazuka-Nicoulaud Eva

Classifications

• B29D11/00009

  Production of simple or compound lenses · CPC title

• G02C13/003 Primary

  Measuring during assembly or fitting of spectacles · CPC title

• B24B9/148

  electrically, e.g. numerically, controlled · CPC title

• G02C7/021

  with pattern for identification or with cosmetic or therapeutic effects (methods and processes take preference, e.g. printing, marking or copying processes B41M; identification in general G09F3/00; producing decorative effects in general B44C; surface treatment of glass C03C15/00 - C03C23/00; positioning or marking of lenses B24B13/0055) · CPC title

• B29D11/00317

  Production of lenses with markings or patterns · CPC title