Gerber Optical, Inc.

Gerber Coburn Optical, Inc.

Alexander Flavio Incera

David J Logan

Kenneth O Wood

Jeffrey J Murray

Jonathan M Dooley

Daniel J Harris

Glenn E Bowley

Southanou Senethep

Peter A Wilcox

An apparatus is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer (20) is laminated to a back lens wafer (22) with a layer of adhesive (24) disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens (18). An upper flexible, transparent sheet (12) is located on the top side of the composite lens (18), a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet (14) is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and an approximately air-tight enclosure (16) is formed between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump (36) draws the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the composite lens to press the wafers together. A UV lamp (38) transmits radiation through the upper flexible sheet (12) and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens (18).

Apparatus for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination

A method is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer (20) is laminated to a back lens wafer (22) with a layer of adhesive (24) disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens (18). An upper flexible, transparent sheet (12) is located on the top side of the composite lens (18), a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet (14) is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and an approximately air-tight enclosure (16) is formed between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump (36) draws the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the composite lens to press the wafers together. A UV lamp (38) transmits radiation through the upper flexible sheet (12) and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens (18).

Method for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination

An apparatus is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer is laminated to a back lens wafer with a layer of adhesive disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens. An upper flexible, transparent sheet is located on the top side of the composite lens, a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and a seam is formed between the upper and lower flexible sheets which defines an evacuation chamber between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump is connected in fluid communication with the evacuation chamber for evacuating air from the chamber and in turn drawing the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the top and bottom sides of the composite lens, respectively, to press the lens wafers together and spread the adhesive throughout the wafer interface. A UV lamp is mounted above the composite lens for transmitting UV radiation through the upper flexible sheet and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens.

Ophthalmic lens wafers for forming a composite lens are provided wherein each front lens wafer has a front registration pattern formed on its peripheral edge, and each back lens wafer has a back registration pattern formed on its peripheral edge which is different than the front registration pattern. If the ophthalmic lens wafers include optical axes, such as horizontal axes for multi-focal segments or astigmatism axes, each registration pattern is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the respective optical axis for facilitating alignment of the optical axes relative to each other when forming a composite lens in accordance with a particular prescription. Each lens registration pattern may be formed by a pair of notches on the peripheral edge of the wafers, or by a pair of lobes on the peripheral edge of the wafers. A receiver is also provided for holding and registering the ophthalmic lens wafers when laminating or otherwise forming a composite lens. The receiver defines a stepped recess formed by a plurality of circular-shaped steps, and each step includes at least one registration pattern which matches the registration pattern of either a front or back lens wafer, but not both. The registration patterns of the receiver may be formed by key pairs which are shaped and positioned relative to each other to mesh with a respective lens registration pattern. The key pairs may likewise be retractable for generating different registration patterns to receive different wafer types on the same step of the receiver. Alternatively, the registration pattern of the receiver may be formed by recessed surface areas for receiving corresponding lobes on the lens wafers. The recessed surface areas may likewise be formed by retractable surface sections for generating different registration patterns to receive different wafer types on the same step of the receiver.

Ophthalmic lens wafers and receiver for registering such wafers

Finishing block

The invention relates to an apparatus and method for applying a finishing block to a lens. An imaging screen for imaging an alignment pattern representing characteristics of the lens and reference data on the lens is provided. The lens is positioned in the apparatus with the pattern and the data aligned. With the lens in this position, the apparatus automatically attaches the finishing block to the lens in registration with the reference data.

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Pomfret Ctr, CT, United States of America

Alexander Flavio Incera