Vision-ease Lens, Inc.

Bmc Industries, Inc.

Insight Equity A.p.x., L.p.

Edward A Travnicek

Frank J Hughes

Martin L Hage

Thomas J Moravec

Alan D Maki

Eric J Woelfle

Darrell B Kroulik

A flat or curved photochromic laminate structure and a plastic photochromic lens blank can be produced in a simple and efficient manner from relatively low-cost polymeric sheet materials. These laminates can be used to provide goggles, face shields, windows, window coverings, skylights, and optical lenses having efficient, uniform and high quality photochromic properties. The use of a polyesterurethane as the binder for the photochromic material has been found to improve the performance of the photochromic material. There may be a desire to have a protective exterior layer (e.g., an abrasion resistant layer) in combination with the lens system, but that may be provided in various methods. In the case of using the laminate in a goggle application, the laminate may be hard coated on one or both outer surfaces with an abrasion resistant coating, antireflective coating, and/or an anti-fog hard coating.

Injection molding of lens

The removal of certain reaction impurities in the manufacture of polysulfone polymers has been found to reduce the undesirable coloration in the final resin. Control of synthesizing reactions, manufacturing processes, and/or purification of specific ingredients assists in the removal of specific, undesirable impurities. The yellowness index, as determined by ASTM D1925 or ASTM E313, in the commercial grades of polysulfone resins has consistently been well above 1.0 for commercial polysulfone resins. The present invention provides polysulfone polymers after processing (e.g., injection molding) where the yellowness index is below 1.00, below 0.75, below 0.50, and even below 0.25.

Transparent polysulfone articles with reduced spurious coloration

Photochromic naphthopyran compounds

A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, and R.sub.10 are each selected from hydrogen, a first stable organic radical, an organic heterocyclic group, halogen, a first nitrogen-substituted group, and a first nitrogen-substituted ring compound; A and B are each selected from hydrogen, substituted phenyl, and substituted naphthyl, provided that at least one of A or B is substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl; and any substituent of any substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl at A or B is selected from hydrogen, a second stable organic radical, an organic heterocyclic group, halogen, a second nitrogen-substituted group, and a second nitrogen-substituted ring compound, provided that at least one substituent of any substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl at either A or B is phenyl, naphthyl, or furyl.

A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, and R.sub.10 are each selected from the group consisting essentially of hydrogen, a stable organic radical, a heterocyclic group, a halogen, a nitrogen-substituted group, and a nitrogen-substituted ring compound and wherein A is a substituted divalent aromatic radical that includes substituents selected from the group consisting essentially of hydrogen and the stable organic radical.

Photochromic spironaphthopyran compounds

A naphthopyran compound represented by the formula: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.4, R.sub.5, R.sub.6, R.sub.7, R.sub.8, R.sub.9, R.sub.10, and R.sub.11 are each selected from the group consisting essentially of hydrogen, a first stable organic radical, a heterocyclic group, halogen, a first nitrogen-substituted group, and a first nitrogen-substituted ring compound; A and B are each selected from the group consisting essentially of hydrogen, substituted phenyl, and substituted naphthyl, provided that at least one of A or B is substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl; and any substituent of any substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl at A or B is selected from the group consisting essentially of hydrogen, a second stable organic radical, a heterocyclic group, halogen, a second nitrogen-substituted group, and a second nitrogen-substituted ring compound, provided that at least one substituent of any substituted phenyl or substituted naphthyl at either A or B is phenyl, naphthyl, or furyl.

Growing community of inventors

Ramsey, MN, United States of America

Edward A Travnicek