Essilor International (Compagnie Generale D'optique)

Essilor International

Essilor International (Compagnie General D'optique)

Gerald Fournand

James A Reed

Danne Wright

Claudine Biver

Dominique Conte

Agnes Jallouli

Haifeng Shan

Pascale Lacan

Zeming Gou

Richard Muisener

Bruce Keegan

Aude Lapprand

Agnès Jallouli

Agnes De Leuze-Jallouli

The invention concerns an optical lens comprising (i) a temporary coating at least partially covering a surface of the lens, said temporary coating comprising an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact; (ii) a removable film having opposite first side and second sides which adhere to said outermost layer through its first side, wherein&#x2014;the first side of the film has a roughness Rq lower than 750 nm and the first side of the film has a surface energy lower than 38 mJ/m.

Optical lens comprising a protective removable film

An optical lens includes: (i) a temporary coating for protection against degradation at least partially covering a surface of the lens, the temporary protective coating including an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact, and (ii) a removable film having a first side and a second side, which adheres to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating through its first side, the first side of the removable film including at least one surface portion, which, when applied to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating, includes at least one adherent zone and at least one non-adherent zone distributed across the surface portion.

Optical lens coated with a patterned removable film and method for edging such a lens

The present invention is dedicated to a method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps: providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing &#x2014;OH functions on at least one of its faces, successively exposing one face of the substrate bearing &#x2014;OH functions to at least 2 distinct materials named M1 and M2, M1 having a weight average molecular weight higher than M2, in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein: M1 is a substituted silane comprising: at least one function X1 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si&#x2014;X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a &#x2014;OH group of the substrate and/or a covalent bond with M2, and at least one fluorine containing group, M2 is a substituted silane having a number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol, comprising: at least one function X2 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si&#x2014;X2 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a &#x2014;OH group of the substrate and/or a covalent bond with M1, and at least one hydrophobic and/or oleophobic group, or at least one hydrophilic group, wherein the difference between the weight average molecular weight of M1 and the weight average molecular weight of M2 is higher than or equal to 600 g/mol.

Method for the production of an optical article with improved anti-fouling properties

Method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps: &#x2014;providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing &#x2014;OH functions on at least one of its faces, &#x2014;successively exposing in this order one face of the substrate bearing &#x2014;OH functions to at least 3 distinct materials named M1, M2, M3 and optionally material M4 in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein: &#x2014;M1 is a substituted silane comprising at least one function X1 directly bonded to a Si atom of the substituted silane, wherein the Si&#x2014;X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a OH group of the substrate, X1 being preferably a hydrolysable group (such a &#x2014;NHgroup) or a &#x2014;OH group directly bonded to the silicon atom and comprising at least one fluorine containing group, &#x2014;M2 is a substituted silane of number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol comprising at least one function X2 directly bonded to a silicon atom of said substituted silane wherein the Si&#x2014;X2 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a &#x2014;OH group of the substrate and/or a covalent bond with M1, X2 being preferably a hydrolysable group (such a &#x2014;NHgroup) or a OH group and at least one hydrophobic or oleophobic group, or at least one hydrophilic group, &#x2014;Wherein M1 has a weight average molecular weight higher than M2 and the difference between M1 and M2 weight average molecular weights is equal to or higher than 600 g/mol, preferably equal to or higher than 900 g/mol. &#x2014;M3 is a metal fluoride, &#x2014;Optional M4 is a non fluorinated metal oxide or metal hydroxide.

An optical article having anti-fogging properties is disclosed. The optical article includes an anti-reflecting coating having anti-fogging properties even when the optical articles are provided with an anti-soiling top coat layer. The optical article may particularly find use in ophthalmic lenses, including eyeglass lenses.

Optical article comprising an anti-reflecting coating having anti-fogging properties

The invention relates to an optical lens holder () comprising a supporting means () and a first and a second arm () defining a lens holder general plane, first and second arms being relatively movable with regards to each other and each arm having spaced apart first and second end portions () and an intermediate portion (), the arms being mounted on the supporting means through their first end portions and the second end portions of each arm comprising an optical lens accommodating means () facing each other, whereby an optical lens () can be maintained within the accommodating means of the first and second arms with its optical axis orthogonal to the general plane of the lens holder through at least one, preferably one or two contact points between the lens periphery and each of the first and second lens accommodating means, wherein at least the second end portion of each arm comprises a material having a dielectric constant at 1 MHz equal to or higher than the dielectric constant of the optical lens material.

Optical lens holder

A process for edging an optical lens for conforming the optical lens to the size and shape of a lens frame into which the optical lens is to be accommodated, said process comprising: a) providing an optical lens having a convex surface, the convex surface being provided with an anti-smudge topcoat rendering the optical lens inappropriate for edging; b) fixing a mounting element on the convex surface of the optical lens, preferably on its center, by means of an adhesive pad adhering both to the mounting element and the convex surface of the optical lens to form a mounting element/optical lens assembly; c) placing the mounting element/optical lens assembly in a grinding machine so that the optical lens is firmly maintained; and d) edging the optical lens to the intended size and shape, wherein, prior to step (b) of fixing the mounting element, the anti-smudge topcoat on the convex surface of the optical lens is pre-treated with a solvent selected from the group consisting of alkanols and dialkylketones under a mechanical stress.

Process for edging optical lenses

A process is provided where at least one main face of an optical lens is subjected to a corona discharge or atmospheric plasma treatment. The optical lens is dipped in a curable coating composition to deposit a layer of the curable coating composition on said main face, and is then cured. During the whole process, the optical lens is carried by a same lens holder so that the lens face is freely accessible and without necessitating manual handling of the lens.

Process for applying a coating on an optical lens face and implementation system

An apparatus for dip coating lenses comprises a tank for containing a coating liquid, a coating chamber for receiving one or more ophthalmic lenses. The tank is in fluid communication with the coating chamber for permitting the flow of coating liquid between the tank and the coating chamber. The apparatus has a first position where the coating chamber is located above the tank and second position where the tank is located above the coating chamber.

Apparatus and method for dip coating lenses

The invention relates to an optical lens holder comprising a supporting means and a first and a second arm defining a lens holder general plane, first and second arms being relatively movable with regards to each other and each arm having spaced apart first and second end portions and an intermediate portion, the arms being mounted on the supporting means through their first end portions and the second end portions of each arm comprising an optical lens accommodating means facing each other, whereby an optical lens can be maintained within the accommodating means of the first and second arms with its optical axis orthogonal to the general plane of the lens holder through at least one, preferably one or two contact points between the lens periphery and each of the first and second lens accommodating means, wherein at least the second end portion of each arm comprises a material having a dielectric constant at 1 MHz equal to or higher than the dielectric constant of the optical lens material.

Growing community of inventors

Tampa, FL, United States of America

Gerald Fournand