Transitions Optical, Inc.

Ppg Industries Ohio, Inc.

Ppg Industries, Inc.

Sensevere, LLC

Peter C Foller

Anil Kumar

Jiping Shao

Forrest R Blackburn

Meng He

Terry A Kellar, Ii

Robert H Tang

David G Roberts

Yingchao C Zhang

David John Park

Robert W Walters

James R Franks

Ruisong Xu

Chenguang Li

Elizabeth A Furar

Kevin W Seybert

Clement L Higginbotham

Declan Devine

Martin Cloonan

Truman F Wilt

John Charny

Rachael L DeMeio

Jonathan Bork

Jason Gu

Jacob H Melby

Stefan C Dehaseth

Andrew J Lamb

Michael A Steimle

C W M Bastiaansen

Cornelis Wilhelmus Maria Bastiaansen

J P Teunissen

Jean-Pierre Teunissen

Terry A Kellar

Terry A Ii Kellar

Provided is an oriented polymeric sheet comprising a photochromic-dichroic material, wherein the sheet exhibits dichroism in an activated state. Also provided is a multilayer composite comprising at least a support layer; and an oriented thermoplastic polymeric sheet having two opposing surfaces and comprising a photochromic-dichroic material. The sheet exhibits dichroism in an activated state. At least one surface of the sheet is connected to at least a portion of the support layer. The present invention also relates to an optical element comprising the multilayer composite. Related methods also are disclosed.

Oriented polymeric sheets exhibiting dichroism and articles containing the same

The present invention relates to optical elements, such as but not limited to ophthalmic elements, comprising an alignment facility for an optical dye. The optical elements include a substrate; and an alignment facility for an optical dye connected to at least a portion of the substrate, where the alignment facility is an at least partial coating of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material having at least a first general direction.

Optical elements with alignment facilities for optical dyes

Methods and systems to determine a concentration of bromide ions in an aqueous sample are disclosed. The method involves the oxidation of bromide ions to bromine, followed by bromination of a colored or fluorescent reporter compound which may be detected by spectrophotometric means. The relative change in color or fluorescence upon bromine binding to the reporter compound may then be used to determine a quantitative concentration of bromide ions in the sample. The system utilizes a photocatalytic coating in a sample chamber, a source of reporter compound in fluid communication with the sample chamber, light sources that may activate the photocatalyst and excite the reporter compound, an optical detection unit capable of receiving a light signal from the second light source after it has passed through the sample chamber, and various pumps, valves or injection syringes that regulate the flow of sample and reporter compound into and out of the sample chamber.

Optical sensor for bromide ion

A method of forming an optical element which includes an electrochromic apodized aperture having variable light transmittance through a clear aperture area in response to an applied electrical current is disclosed. The apodized aperture includes a body including an area defining the clear aperture area wherein a fluid containment area substantially overlapping the clear aperture area, and includes at least one fill passage extending from the fluid containment area to at least one fill port outside of the clear aperture area; an electrochromic fluid within the fluid containment area substantially overlapping the clear aperture area and having variable light transmittance in response to an applied electrical current; a cover attached with the electrochromic fluid between the cover and body; electrical contacts electrically coupled to the electrochromic fluid for supplying electrical current thereto; and at least one passage seal in each said fill passage positioned outside of the clear aperture area.

Method of making an optical element having an electrochromic apodized aperture

Provided are phase-separating polymer systems including a cured polymeric liquid crystal matrix phase and a guest phase including at least one photoactive material where the guest phase separates from the matrix phase during the curing process. Optical elements, including ophthalmic elements and other articles of manufacture including the phase-separating polymer systems are also disclosed. Methods of forming a liquid crystal phase-separating photoactive polymer system are also described.

Alignment facilities for optical dyes

Photochromic-dichroic articles are provided, which include a substrate, a first photochromic-dichroic layer over the substrate, and a second photochromic-dichroic layer over the first photochromic-dichroic layer. The first photochromic-dichroic layer includes a first photochromic-dichroic compound that is laterally aligned within the first photochromic-dichroic layer, and which defines a first polarization axis of the first photochromic-dichroic layer. The second photochromic-dichroic layer includes a second photochromic-dichroic compound that is laterally aligned within the second photochromic-dichroic layer, and which defines a second polarization axis of the second photochromic-dichroic layer. The first polarization axis and the second polarization axis are oriented relative to each other at an angle of greater than 0&#xb0; and less than or equal to 90&#xb0;. The photochromic-dichroic articles can provide, for example, a combination of increased optical density and increased kinetics when exposed to a given amount of actinic radiation.

Photochromic article having two at least partially crossed photochromic-dichroic layers

Provided is an optical element with an electrochromic apodized aperture having variable light transmittance in response to the amplitude of an applied voltage. The apodized aperture includes (i) a first substrate having a planar inner surface and an outer surface, (ii) a second substrate having an outer surface and a non-planar inner surface opposing and spaced from the planar inner surface of the first substrate, wherein each of the planar inner surface of the first substrate and the non-planar inner surface of the second substrate has an at least partial layer of transparent conductive material thereover; and (iii) an electrochromic medium disposed between the planar inner surface of the first substrate and the non-planar inner surface of the second substrate.

Optical element having an apodized aperture

The present invention provides optical elements comprising a photochromic linear polarizing element and a birefringent layer that circularly or elliptically polarizes transmitted radiation. The photochromic linear polarizing element comprises a substrate and either: (1) a coating comprising an aligned, thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound having an average absorption ratio of at least 1.5 in an activated state, and being operable for switching from a first absorption state to a second absorption state in response to actinic radiation, to revert back to the first absorption state in response to thermal energy, and to linearly polarize transmitted radiation in at least one of the two states; or (2) an at least partially ordered polymeric sheet connected to the substrate; and a thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound that is at least partially aligned with the polymeric sheet and has an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in the activated state.

Clear to circular polarizing photochromic devices and methods of making the same

The present invention provides composite optical elements including a photochromic linear polarizing element and a birefringent layer such that composite optical element circularly or elliptically polarizes transmitted radiation. The photochromic linear polarizing element is formed from (i) an at least partially ordered polymeric sheet; and (ii) a reversible photochromic-dichroic material that is at least partially aligned with the polymeric sheet and has an average absorption ratio of at least 1.5 in the activated state. The birefringent layer includes a polymeric coating or a polymeric sheet connected to the photochromic linear polarizing element.

Clear to circular polarizing photochromic devices

Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide phase-separating polymer systems including a cured polymeric liquid crystal matrix phase and a guest phase including at least one photoactive material where the guest phase separates from the matrix phase during the curing process. Optical elements, including ophthalmic elements and other articles of manufacture including the phase-separating polymer systems are also disclosed. Methods of forming a liquid crystal phase-separating photoactive polymer system are also described.

A liquid crystal cell including a first substrate having a first surface; a second substrate having a second surface, wherein the second surface of the second substrate is opposite and spaced apart from the first surface of the first substrate so as to define a region; and within the region defined by the first surface and the second surface, a liquid crystal material adapted to be at least partially ordered and at least one thermally reversible photochromic-dichroic compound adapted to be at least partially aligned and having an average absorption ratio greater than 2.3 in an activated state.

Polarizing, photochromic devices and methods of making the same

Provided is an optical element including:

Various non-limiting embodiments disclosed herein provide methods of making alignment facilities for optical dyes connected to an optical substrate. For example, one non-limiting embodiment provides a method of making an alignment facility for an optical dye connected to at least a portion of an optical substrate, such as an ophthalmic substrate, by forming at least one at least partial coating comprising an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material on at least a portion of the substrate. Other non-limiting embodiments related to optical elements, such as but not limited to ophthalmic elements, comprising an alignment facility for an optical dye. Still other non-limiting embodiments provide alignment facilities for optical dyes comprising coatings or sheets of an at least partially ordered liquid crystal material.

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Murrysville, PA, United States of America

Peter C Foller