Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Company

Gene O Lindholm

Robert A Follensbee

A method for polishing an optical quality surface, such an ophthalmic lens, to finish which can accept a hardenable protective coating without using an abrasive slurry or gel, including the steps of: (a) providing an optical lens having a first major surface, the first major surface having an initial Rtm value of greater than 0.35 micrometers; (b) bringing the first major surface into a frictional contacting relationship with an abrasive article, wherein the abrasive article includes a sheet-like structure having deployed on at least one major surface thereof a plurality of individual abrasive composites, each composite having a plurality of abrasive particles dispersed in a binder; and (c) moving at least one of the contacting first major surface and abrasive article relative to each other with rotational and/or oscillatory movement in the presence of a liquid substantially free of abrasive particles in a manner and for a time effective to polish the first major surface to provide a final Rtm value in the first major surface of 0.30 micrometers or less.

Growing community of inventors

River Falls, WI, United States of America

Gene O Lindholm