US5296305A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method of fabricating a lens made of transparent polymer with modulated refracting index
Assignee: EssilorLuxottica SA
•
Filing: 1993-06-04
•
Granted: 1994-03-22
•
Expires: 2013-06-04
Abstract
Abstract The present invention relates to a method of manufacture of an optical lens providing refractive index modulation, characterized in that, starting from a previously shaped lens of transparent hydrophilic polymer of the hydrogel type, the lens is impregnated with a photopolymerizable composition containing at least one monomer and a photoinitiator in solution in a solvent which causes swelling of the lens, the impregnated lens is subjected to irradiation which is spatially modulated in irradiation intensity and/or irradiation time, thus causing local selective polymerization of the monomer, whereupon the excess quantity of photoinitiator and non-polymerized monomer is removed by solvent extraction.
Inventors
- 👤 Dominique Baude
- 👤 Daniel Lougnot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 16:51
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B1/00; G02B1/04; G02B1/041; G02B1/043; G02C; G02C2202/00; G02C2202/14; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T428/00; Y10T428/31504; Y10T428/31855; Y10T428/31909; Y10T428/31928; Y10T428/31935
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
Method of manufacture of an optical lens or ocular implant providing refractive index modulation, comprising starting from a previously shaped lens of transparent hydrophilic polymer of the hydrogel type, said lens is impregnated with a photopolymerizable composition containing at least one monomer and one photoinitiator in solution in a solvent which causes swelling of the lens, the impregnated lens is subjected to irradiation which is spatially modulated in irradiation intensity and/or in irradiation time, thus producing selective local polymerization of the monomer, whereupon the excess quantity of photoinitiator and non-polymerized monomer is removed by solvent extraction.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
Method of manufacture of an optical lens or ocular implant providing refractive index modulation, comprising starting from a previously shaped lens of transparent hydrophilic polymer of the hydrogel type, said lens is impregnated with a photopolymerizable composition containing at least one monomer and one photoinitiator in solution in a solvent which causes swelling of the lens, the impregnated lens is subjected to irradiation which is spatially modulated in irradiation intensity and/or in irradiation time, thus producing selective local polymerization of the monomer, whereupon the excess quantity of photoinitiator and non-polymerized monomer is removed by solvent extraction.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
11 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein said solvent is water.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
A Method according to claim 1, characterized in that impregnation of the lens is carried out substantially to saturation by an aqueous solution of said monomer and of said photoinitiator which contains in addition a compound for cross-linking said monomer.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the basic polymer of the lens is selected from the hydrogels of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) or of cross-linked polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate or else of hydroxyethyl methacrylate and of vinylpyrrolidone (HEMA/NVP).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the photopolymerizable composition is an aqueous solution containing a monomer such as methyl methacrylate or hydroxymethyl or hydroxypropyl methacrylate at a concentration of the order of 0.5 to 0.9M.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
55 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein a cross-linking agent for said monomer, is included in said solution and consists essentially of a polyfunctional methacrylate such as ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate or triethylene glycol methacrylate or of allyl methacrylate or N-N' methylene diacrylamide at a concentration within the range of 0.5×10 -2 M to 5×10 -2 M.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the photoinitiator contains a water-soluble photosensitive compound of the thioxanthone family.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of photoinitiator in the impregnation solution is within the range of 10 -5 M to 0.5M.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the concentration of photoinitiator in the impregnation solution is of the order of 10 -2 M to 10 -4 M.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein the impregnation solution contains an activator for photosensitive decomposition of the polymerization photoinitiator.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein said activator is present in the solution at a concentration of the order of 1 to 5×10 -2 M.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein said irradiation is carried out at a wavelength of the visible region or of the near-ultraviolet region.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
A Method according to claim 1, wherein said irradiation is carried out through a mask having concentric lines suited for the creation of a diffraction grating within the lens.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein said irradiation is carried out through a mask which is driven in rotation about its own axis.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
62 words
A method according to claim 14, wherein said mask has zones in the form of alternately opaque and transparent sectors which are capable of adding a power profile modulated spatially in a continuous manner to the original power profile of an ophthalmic lens, especially in order to obtain by refractive index modulation an aspherization power is suitable for to correction of presbyopia.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
A method according to claim 15, wherein during irradiation, said mask is driven in rotation at an angular velocity which varies as a function of its instantaneous angular position, to achieve by means of refractive index modulation a lens power modulation which provides the lens with an astigmatism-correcting power profile.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
13 words
A contact lens or ocular implant obtained by the method of claim 16.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
A Method according to claim 14, wherein, during irradiation, said mask is driven in rotation at an angular velocity which varies as a function of its instantaneous angular position, especially in order to achieve by means of refractive index modulation a lens power modulation which endows the lens with an astigmatism-correcting power profile.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
13 words
A contact lens or ocular implant obtained by the method of claim 18.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
13 words
A contact lens or ocular implant obtained by the method of claim 1.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3955015A
Cited
US3953620A
Cited
US3993485A
Cited
US4173475A
Cited
US4152508A
Cited
US4330383A
Cited
US4447557A
Cited
US4447474A
Cited
US4550059A
Cited
US4550059B1
Cited
US4778256A
Cited
US4777116A
Cited
US4838634A
Cited
US4824688A
Cited
US4715858A
Cited
US5006187A
Cited
US4752498A
Cited
US4961954A
Cited
US4948216A
Cited
US5028358A
Cited
WO1990013832A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1997-03-21 | 1997-09-20 | 1998-03-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-03-21 | 2001-09-20 | 2002-03-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2005-03-21 | 2005-09-20 | 2006-03-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |