US5053171A — Manufacture of ophthalmic lenses by excimer laser

Claim 1

Independent Claim 122 words

A method of making small objects from a blank of ablatable material, comprising the steps of: cutting a workpiece from said blank by exposing said blank to laser light in the outline of said workpiece without focusing the laser light at the workpiece; exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light through a mask having areas transmitting said light in varying degrees; beveling the edges of said workpiece by exposing them to an inclined beam of laser light; and wherein the step of cutting a workpiece from said blank includes focusing laser light in the outline of said workpiece at a location and placing the blank beyond the location so as to image the outline of the workpiece on said blank.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 122 words

A method of making small objects from a blank of ablatable material, comprising the steps of: cutting a workpiece from said blank by exposing said blank to laser light in the outline of said workpiece without focusing the laser light at the workpiece; exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light through a mask having areas transmitting said light in varying degrees; beveling the edges of said workpiece by exposing them to an inclined beam of laser light; and wherein the step of cutting a workpiece from said blank includes focusing laser light in the outline of said workpiece at a location and placing the blank beyond the location so as to image the outline of the workpiece on said blank.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 1, in which said laser light is in the ultraviolet range.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 1, in which said material is a plastic material.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 3, in which said material is polymethylmethacrylate.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 1, in which said material is glass.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 1, in which said workpiece is an opthalmic lens having an optic and a haptic formed as a single piece.

Claim 8

Independent Claim 126 words

A method of making small objects from a blank of ablatable material, comprising the steps of: cutting a workpiece from said blank by exposing said blank to laser light in the outline of said workpiece without focusing the laser light at the workpiece; exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light passing through a mask with the mask having areas transmitting said light in varying degrees; beveling the edges of said workpiece by exposing them to an inclined beam of laser light; and wherein the step of exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light includes focusing the laser light which passes through the mask at a location and placing the surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on said workpiece.

Claim 9

Independent Claim 126 words

A method of making small objects from a blank of ablatable material, comprising the steps of: cutting a workpiece from said blank by exposing said blank to laser light in the outline of said workpiece without focusing the laser light at the workpiece; exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light passing through a mask with the mask having areas transmitting said light in varying degrees; beveling the edges of said workpiece by exposing them to an inclined beam of laser light; and wherein the step of exposing the surface of said workpiece to laser light includes focusing the laser light which passes through the mask at a location and placing the surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on said workpiece.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 15 words

The method of claim 7, in which said laser light is in the ultraviolet range.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 13 words

The method of claim 7, in which said material is a plastic material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 9, in which said material is polymethylmethacrylate.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 11 words

The method of claim 7, in which said material is glass.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 24 words

The method of claim 7, in which said workpiece is an ophthalmic lens having an optic and a haptic formed as a single piece.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 120 words

A method comprising: directing laser energy through a mask without focusing the laser energy at the mask and with the mask having variable transmissivity characteristics to the laser energy to provide a first laser beam of variable energy across its width; focusing the first laser beam of variable energy at a location and placing a surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on the surface; and allowing the first laser beam of variable energy to impinge on the surface for a sufficient time to remove material from multiple locations on the surface in accordance with said characteristics with more of the material being removed at one of the locations than is removed at another of the locations.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 120 words

A method comprising: directing laser energy through a mask without focusing the laser energy at the mask and with the mask having variable transmissivity characteristics to the laser energy to provide a first laser beam of variable energy across its width; focusing the first laser beam of variable energy at a location and placing a surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on the surface; and allowing the first laser beam of variable energy to impinge on the surface for a sufficient time to remove material from multiple locations on the surface in accordance with said characteristics with more of the material being removed at one of the locations than is removed at another of the locations.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 22 words

A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the surface generally faces in the direction from which the laser energy is directed.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 37 words

A method as defined in claim 13 wherein said surface is on a workpiece and the characteristics of the mask are such that the first laser beam shapes the surface of the workpiece into an ophthalmic lens.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method as defined in claim 13 wherein the laser energy is excimer laser energy.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as defined in claim 13 including cutting a workpiece from a blank by exposing the blank to laser energy in the outline of said workpiece and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as defined in claim 17 including beveling an edge of the workpiece by exposing it to laser energy.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method as defined in claim 13 including directing a second laser beam toward a blank in a pattern without focusing the second laser beam at the blank for a sufficient length of time to cut a workpiece from the blank and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 41 words

A method as defined in claim 19 wherein the step of directing the second laser beam toward the blank includes directing the second laser beam through a mask with the second laser beam passing through the mask being in said pattern.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method as defined in claim 19 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 25

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method as defined in claim 19 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 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as defined in claim 13 including beveling an edge of a workpiece by exposing it to laser energy and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 39 words

A method as defined in claim 13 including directing laser energy through a mask to a workpiece without focusing the laser energy at the workpiece to bevel an edge of the workpiece and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 131 words

A method comprising: directing the laser energy through a mask without focusing the laser energy at the mask and with the mask having variable reflectivity or variable transmissivity characteristics to the laser energy to provide a first laser beam of variable energy across its cross section; focusing the first laser beam of variable energy at a location and placing a surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on the surface; and allowing the first laser beam of variable energy to impinge on the surface for a sufficient time to remove material from multiple locations on the surface in accordance with said characteristics with more of the material being removed at one of the locations on the surface than is removed at another of the locations on the surface.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 131 words

A method comprising: directing the laser energy through a mask without focusing the laser energy at the mask and with the mask having variable reflectivity or variable transmissivity characteristics to the laser energy to provide a first laser beam of variable energy across its cross section; focusing the first laser beam of variable energy at a location and placing a surface beyond the location so as to image the mask on the surface; and allowing the first laser beam of variable energy to impinge on the surface for a sufficient time to remove material from multiple locations on the surface in accordance with said characteristics with more of the material being removed at one of the locations on the surface than is removed at another of the locations on the surface.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as defined in claim 25 wherein said step of allowing is carried out without relatively moving the laser beam and the surface.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 24 words

A method as defined in claim 26 wherein said characteristics are such that the first laser beam shapes the surface into an ophthalmic lens.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 23 words

A method as defined in claim 26 wherein said characteristics are such that the first laser beam shapes the surface into a curve.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 34 words

A method as defined in claim 25 including cutting a workpiece from a blank by exposing the blank to laser energy in the outline of said workpiece and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 27 words

A method as defined in claim 25 including beveling an edge of a workpiece by exposing it to laser energy and said surface is on the workpiece.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 47 words

A method as defined in claim 25 wherein said characteristics of the mask provide the first laser beam with continuously variable energy across a portion of its cross section and said step of allowing removes material from said multiple locations on the surface to curve the surface.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 16 words

A method as defined in claim 25 wherein said multiple locations on the surface are contiguous.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 48 words

A method as defined in claim 25 wherein the step of directing of the laser energy through a mask is accompanied by some diffraction that would result in some distortion at the surface that degrades resolution and the imaging of the mask on the surface improves said resolution.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 40 words

A method as defined in claim 33 wherein said step of allowing is carried out without relatively moving the laser beam and the surface and said characteristics are such that the first laser beam shapes the surface into a curve.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 110 words

A method for cutting a workpiece from an object comprising: directing laser energy through a mask toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the mask or the object and with the laser energy passing through the mask being in a pattern in the outline of the workpiece, focusing the laser energy passing through the mask at a location, placing the object beyond the location so as to image the outline of the workpiece on the object, and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to cut the workpiece having the shape of said pattern from the object.

Claim 40

Independent Claim 110 words

A method for cutting a workpiece from an object comprising: directing laser energy through a mask toward an object without focusing the laser energy on the mask or the object and with the laser energy passing through the mask being in a pattern in the outline of the workpiece, focusing the laser energy passing through the mask at a location, placing the object beyond the location so as to image the outline of the workpiece on the object, and exposing the object to the laser energy for a sufficient length of time to allow the laser energy to cut the workpiece having the shape of said pattern from the object.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 31 words

A method as defined in claim 35 wherein the laser energy is directed toward the object to cut the workpiece from the object without relatively moving the object and the pattern.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 20 words

A method as defined in claim 35 including beveling an edge of the workpiece by exposing it to laser energy.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 32 words

A method as defined in claim 35 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 44

Dependent Claim 19 words

A method as defined in claim 35 wherein said pattern is generally in the shape of an intraocular lens.

Claim 45

Dependent Claim 15 words

A method as defined in claim 35 including collimating the laser energy entering the mask.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1994-09-30	1995-04-01	1995-10-01	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1998-09-30	1999-04-01	1999-10-01	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2002-09-30	2003-04-01	2003-10-01	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Manufacture of ophthalmic lenses by excimer laser

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag