EP0264255A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Manufacture of ophthalmic lenses by excimer laser
Assignee: Allergan Inc
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Filing: 1987-10-13
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2007-10-13
Abstract
Abstract Complex small objects such as ophthalmic lenses are quickly and accurately fabricated from plastic or glass blanks of ablatable material such as plastic or glass by cutting, shaping, and radiusing the blank entirely by laser light, using appropriate masks and focusing optics.
Inventors
- 👤 Valdemar Portney
- 👤 Timothy R. Willis
- 👤 Albert C. Ting
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:11
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/36; B23K26/40; G; G02; G02C; G02C7/00; G02C7/02; A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/14; A61F2/16; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/066; B29; B29C; B29C59/00; B29C59/16; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/00932; B23K2103/00; B23K2103/30; B23K2103/42; B23K2103/50; B23K2103/52; B29C35/00; B29C35/02; B29C35/08; B29C35/0805; B29C2035/0838; B29C2791/00; B29C2791/004; B29C2791/009; B29L; B29L2011/00; B29L2011/0016
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
59 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy through a mask having variable transmissivity to the laser energy to provide a laser beam of variable energy across its width; and directing the laser beam of variable energy against a surface of a workpiece for a sufficient time to ablate the surface of the workpiece to shape the surface of the workpiece.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
59 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy through a mask having variable transmissivity to the laser energy to provide a laser beam of variable energy across its width; and directing the laser beam of variable energy against a surface of a workpiece for a sufficient time to ablate the surface of the workpiece to shape the surface of the workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the surface generally faces in the direction from which the laser energy is directed.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
44 words
A method as defined in claims 1 or 2 wherein said step of directing the laser beam of variable energy against the surface of the workpiece to shape the surface is carried out to shape the surface of the workpiece into an opthalmic lens.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
18 words
A method as defined in claims 1, 2 or 3 wherein the laser energy is excimer laser energy.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
31 words
A method as defined in any of claims 1 to 3 including cutting the workpiece from a blank by exposing the blank to laser energy in the outline of said workpiece.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
43 words
A method as defined in any of claims 1 to 3 including directi ng laser energy toward a blank in a pattern without focusing the laser energy at the blank for a sufficient length of time to cut the workpiece from the blank.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A method as defined in claim 6 wherein the step of directing laser energy toward the blank includes directing the laser energy through a mask with the laser energy passing through the mask being in said pattern.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claims 5 or 6 wherein the laser energy is directed toward the blank to cut the workpiece from the blank without relatively moving the workpiece and the pattern.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in any of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 8 including beveling an edge of the workpiece by exposing it to laser energy.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
41 words
A method as defined in any of claims 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 or 8 including directing laser energy through a mask to the workpiece without focusing the laser energy at the workpiece to bevel an edge of the workpiece.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
46 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy in a pattern toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the object and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to cut a workpiece from the object.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
46 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy in a pattern toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the object and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to cut a workpiece from the object.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
46 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy in a pattern toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the object and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to bevel an edge of the object.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
46 words
A method comprising: directing laser energy in a pattern toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the object and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to bevel an edge of the object.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus for shaping the surface of an object of ablatable material comprising: a source of laser energy directed at a surface of the object; and a mask interposed between said light source and the object, said mask transmitting different amounts of said laser light to provide a laser beam of variable energy across its width whereby the surface of the object can be shaped.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus for shaping the surface of an object of ablatable material comprising: a source of laser energy directed at a surface of the object; and a mask interposed between said light source and the object, said mask transmitting different amounts of said laser light to provide a laser beam of variable energy across its width whereby the surface of the object can be shaped.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
90 words
Apparatus for beveling the edges of an object of ablatable material comprising: a laser for providing a beam of laser energy; a mask disposed in said beam to provide a masked laser beam, said mask having a central non-light-transmitting area in the shape of said object; means for directing the masked beam toward a focus; means for positioning said object in said masked beam in a position spaced from said focus; and the edge of the masked beam being substantially coincident with the edge of said object in said position.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
90 words
Apparatus for beveling the edges of an object of ablatable material comprising: a laser for providing a beam of laser energy; a mask disposed in said beam to provide a masked laser beam, said mask having a central non-light-transmitting area in the shape of said object; means for directing the masked beam toward a focus; means for positioning said object in said masked beam in a position spaced from said focus; and the edge of the masked beam being substantially coincident with the edge of said object in said position.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
17 words
An apparatus as defined in claims 13 or 14 wherein the laser energy is exicimer laser energy.
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