The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 11, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 21, 1994
David V Cronin, Peabody, MA (US);
Donald Williamson, Tyngsboro, MA (US);
Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, MA (US);
Abstract
Variable power eyeglasses of many shapes can be manufactured having a frame, a pair of lens assemblies and a linear actuation mechanism. Each lens assembly includes: a rigid substrate; a membrane support spaced from the rigid substrate; a flexible seal extending between the rigid substrate and the membrane support, where the flexible seal acts as a hinge at a first section and acts as a spring by allowing relative motion between the rigid substrate and the membrane support at a second section; a transparent elastomeric membrane sealed around a periphery to the membrane support; and a transparent liquid filling the space between the rigid substrate and the membrane forming a liquid lens. The linear actuation mechanism causes relative motion between the membrane and the rigid substrate so that both optical and prismatic power of the liquid lens changes by varying a force applied to the flexible sealing means at the second section. The linear actuation mechanism is positioned within a plane of the lens assemblies and includes: a pair of sliders connected via a wire passing through a tube mounted onto the frame; a pair of cams with one of the cams attached to each end of the pair of sliders; and a pair of cam followers responsive to the cams causing relative motion in response to movement of the sliders.