Essilor International (compagnie Generale D'optique)

Matthew James Lockwood

Hao-Wen Chiu

Hsinjin E Yang

Xu Chen

Ronald A Berzon

Robert Alan Valeri

Hoa Thien Dang

Joey Oliveros Obordo

Ronald Harmon

Wilfred Houle

A method and apparatus for coating lenses within an injection molding machine having a concave optical insert with a perimeter edge that meets the receiver ring in an annular contact region. A channel is formed throughout the annular contact region. When molding a lens with the apparatus, and according to the method, a closed-loop coating containment lip is formed by the channel. After the lens has solidified and the mold is opened, a predetermined volume of coating solution is applied and the mold is re-clamped. A uniformly thin layer of coating is cured on to the convex lens surface by avoiding coating run off and preventing mold contamination.

Injection mold design, method for in-mold coating of lenses, and coated lenses

A method for in-mold coating of an injection molded thermoplastic lens that resides in an injection molding machine oriented to a horizontal parting line. An optical lens is initially formed by injecting molten thermoplastic resin into an edge-gated lens-forming cavity held closed under a primary clamp force. The mold is opened at a time when the lens is rigid enough to retain its shape. An unpressurized full metered charge of coating is applied onto the center of the lens. The coating is co-molded by ramping up the clamp force from zero to a secondary clamp force less than the primary clamp force to compress the coating into a uniformly thick, fringe-free layer.

Method for coating an ophthalmic lens within an injection molding machine

A method and coating used to prepare a photochromically-enabled bifocal ophthalmic lens. The method and equipment includes injection molding a single vision lens, for example, from polycarbonate. The clamp opens vertically and the top insert is exchanged for a bifocal mold having a base curve similar to the single vision lens. The thermoset coating includes compounds from several acrylate classes, and is applied to the single vision lens. The coating may include a photochromic dye. The coating is also formulated to receive a photochromic solution through an imbibition process.

Method for adding a thermoset overmold layer to a lens within a mold

A method for laminating a functional film on to a thermoplastic injection molded lens. A thermally curable glue is deposited on the lens while it is still in the mold. A functional film is introduced and the mold is closed again. The heat from the mold and the clamping pressure thermoform the film and cure the glue, in a lamination process. A functionally enhanced lens having a film intimately laminated on to one side.

Method for post-injection lamination to add a functional film to an optical lens

The mold comprises two dies mounted in a sheath to slide along the axis of the sheath and each presenting a forming face facing the other. The two dies and the sheath are provided with intrinsic heat transfer means. A parison or preform of said thermoplastic material is placed between the two dies and the assembly is enclosed in the sheath; the dies and the sheath are heated by their intrinsic heat transfer means up to a forming temperature; The dies are moved towards each other to shape the material by plastic deformation until a predetermined relative position is reached corresponding to the thickness desired for the lens; the dies and the sheath are cooled by their intrinsic heat transfer means down to an unmolding temperature; and the finished lens is extracted from the mold.

Growing community of inventors

Palmetto, FL, United States of America

Matthew James Lockwood