Optical lens coloring system and method of coloring optical lens

Abstract: It is difficult to efficiently fabricate optical lenses on which gradation coloring is implemented finely. The gradation coloring is implemented on the optical lenses by using an optical lens coloring system having optical lens holding means for holding an optical lens and coloring agent discharging means provided with one or a plurality of nozzles for discharging coloring agent for coloring the optical lens. Moreover, a relative position control means for controlling relative position of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means is provided. By this, the relative position control means controls the relative position of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means such that the coloring agent discharged out of the coloring agent discharging means arrives at a predetermined plane substantially from the same direction with a normal direction on the predetermined plane of the optical lens held by the optical lens holding means.

Description: [Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to a system for coloring an optical lens (hereinafter referred to as an optical lens coloring system) according to the preamble of claim 1 and to a method for coloring an optical lens according to the preamble of claim 18. [Prior Art] Spectacle lenses have come to be often worn and used not only for the purpose of correcting visual acuity but also for the purpose of obtaining a cosmetic effect or a medical effect (to protect eyeballs from ultraviolet rays for example) in recent years and along that, coloring of spectacle lenses have come to be actively conducted. Because a gradation colored spectacle lens has a high cosmetic effect, it accounts for a considerable rate among the colored spectacle lenses. As methods for coloring a spectacle lens, there have been known (i) a method of fixing liquid having coloring capability after adhering on a base material lens by means of a soaking method, a spraying method or a spinning method (spinner method) (see JP-A-60-235101), (ii) a method of pasting a colored film on a spectacle lens to transfer coloring agent contained in the film to the spectacle lens (diffused transferring method), and (iii) a method of coloring a spectacle lens by heating and sublimating organic pigment in gaseous phase (see JP-B-35-1384). [Problem to be Solved by the Invention] The method (i) described above is a suitable method in coloring the whole surface of the lens uniformly and allows a colored spectacle lens whose thickness of a colored layer is uniform, whose color is uniform, whose color tone and concentration are constant, whose color does not fade and whose color tone does not change to be obtained. However, in implementing the gradation coloring on the spectacle lens, the method (i) described above cannot be said to be a preferable method so much from the following reasons. That is, while it is necessary to adhere liquid having tinting power to the spectacle lens (base material lens) in advance by soaking in order to implement the gradation coloring because it is very difficult to implement the gradation coloring in the desirable manner by applying the spraying or spinning method (spinner method) in adhering such solution to a small object such as the spectacle lens, it becomes necessary to control a time for soaking the spectacle lens (base material lens) to the liquid per part of the lens. As a result, it takes a long time to color the lens and it is difficult to fabricate colored lenses efficiently. Meanwhile, it is necessary to create a film gradation-colored by the method (i) described above and to transfer coloring agent by pasting this film on the spectacle lens in implementing the gradation coloring on the spectacle lens by the method (ii) described above, it is difficult to paste the film finely on the surface of the spectacle lens because the surface thereof is curved. Therefore, it has had a problem from the aspect of precision. It is also very difficult to implement the gradation coloring on a spectacle lens by the method (iii) described above. An optical lens coloring system having the features of the preamble of claim 1 is disclosed in JP 08020080 A. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical lens coloring system which allows an optical lens or its base material lens or specifically a spectacle lens or its base material lens on which a desired coloring pattern presenting a desirable color, e.g., letters, patterns, gradation coloring or the like, is formed on the surface to be obtained efficiently. These objects are achieved, in accordance with the present invention, by a system having the features of claim 1, and by a method with the features of claim 13. Further embodiments of the invention are described in the dependent claims. [BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS] FIG. 1 is a plan view showing one example of specifications of disposition of a plurality of nozzles when coloring agent discharging means is provided with those nozzles. FIG. 2 is a section view showing one exemplary optical lens holding means and an optical lens held by the optical lens holding means. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing one example of the coloring agent discharging means and one example of a supporting member for supporting the coloring agent discharging means. The plurality of nozzles are provided in the coloring agent discharging means, the coloring agent discharging means may be constructed such that each discharge opening of nozzles 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e and 3f in coloring agent discharge sections 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e and 2f composing the coloring agent discharging means 1 opens substantially to one plane and such that the coloring agent discharging direction from each of the nozzles 3a through 3f is substantially the same (in the direction of arrow A shown in the figure in the coloring agent discharging means 1 shown in FIG. 1(a)) like the coloring agent discharging means 1 shown in FIG. 1(a) for example. Or, the coloring agent discharging means may be constructed such that each discharge opening of nozzles 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e and 7f in coloring agent discharge sections 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e and 6f composing coloring agent discharging means 5 opens on a desirable concave curved surface corresponding to the shape of surface of an optical lens to be colored like the coloring agent discharging means 5 shown in FIG. 1(b) for example. In contrary to the case of the coloring agent discharging means 5 shown in FIG. 1(b), the coloring agent discharging means may be constructed such that a discharge opening of each nozzle opens on a desirable convex curved surface corresponding to the shape of surface of an optical lens to be colored. The coloring agent discharging means may be constructed also such that it can assume the states in which each discharge opening of the plurality of nozzles opens substantially to one plane and opens to the desirable curved surface (the concave curved surface or the convex curved surface described above) reversibly. It is noted that the reference numeral 4 in FIG. 1(a) denotes a supporting section for supporting the respective coloring agent discharge sections 2a through 2f and the reference numeral 8 in FIG. 1(b) denotes a supporting section for supporting the respective coloring agent discharge sections 6a through 6f, for example, by using a bar being linear or curved. The coloring agent discharging means 1 shown in FIG. 1(a) and the coloring agent discharging means 5 shown in FIG. 1(b) are shown for the purpose of illustration of the disposition of the plurality of nozzles and do not mean that the coloring agent discharging means of the present invention are limited to those having such structures. The coloring agent discharging mechanism itself in the coloring agent discharging means may be constructed in the same manner with an ink discharging mechanism in a bubble jet printer (so-called "bubble type" ink discharging mechanism) or an ink discharging mechanism in a so-called "piezo type" ink jet printer for example. Color of a coloring pattern such as letters, patterns and gradation coloring may be controlled by a type (color) of coloring agent discharged out of each nozzle and its combination or by concentration of dye or pigment contained in a droplet of coloring agent discharged out of each nozzle. Accordingly, when the coloring agent discharging means is provided with the plurality of nozzles, the type of the coloring agent discharged out of each nozzle may be the same or be different. It is noted that even if color of dye or pigment in use is the same, two coloring agents whose concentration is different are considered to be different coloring agents. The shape of a coloring pattern may be controlled by the size of a droplet of the coloring agent discharged out of each nozzle or the density of the droplet discharged per unit area. For instance, when gradation coloring is to be implemented on an optical lens by using one type of coloring agent, it is required to control the size of droplet of the coloring agent to be discharged out of each nozzle and the density of the droplet to be discharged per unit area in each time of the coloring step corresponding to a specification (coloring pattern) of the target gradation coloring, and the shape and the size of the optical lens to be colored. Accordingly, it is preferable for the coloring agent discharging means to have discharge amount control means for controlling an amount of coloring agent to be discharged out of each nozzle per nozzle. Preferably, the discharge amount control means has storage means for storing information on a target coloring pattern and on the shape and the size of an optical lens to be colored in the form of digital signals for example and controls the amount of coloring agent to be discharged out of each nozzle per nozzle based on the information stored in the storage means. Along that, the inventive optical lens coloring system is preferable to have an input device for storing the information in the storage means. The coloring agent discharging means in the inventive optical lens coloring system is what its relative position with the optical lens holding means described above can be changed by relative position control means described later. The relative position between the coloring agent discharging means and the optical lens holding means may be changed by the means (1) through (3) described in the explanation of the optical lens holding means and either one means (1) through (3) may be adopted in the present invention. Accordingly, it is possible to select appropriately whether or not to provide a mechanism for moving the coloring agent discharging means in a desirable direction. A number of coloring agent discharging means may be a desirable number equal to or greater than 1 in the inventive optical lens coloring system. For instance, it becomes possible to color an optical lens in a desirable pattern in a shorter time because two main surfaces of the optical lens may be colored in the same time by providing two coloring agent discharging means and by arranging the system so as to color one main surface of the optical lens by one coloring agent discharging means among them and to color the other main surface of the optical lens by the other coloring agent discharging means. Preferably, the coloring agent to be discharged out of the coloring agent discharging means contains aqueous dye, non-aqueous dye such as oil soluble dye, inorganic pigment or organic pigment. Those dyes or pigments may be used solely or may be used in combination. Water insoluble disperse dye, oil soluble dye or organic pigment are preferable when color transparency and lightness, visibility of color tone, tinting power, heat resistance and other characteristics are taken into account. Orient Chemical Yellow 4120 (product name, produced by Orient Chemical Co., Ltd.) or the like which is a commercially available oil soluble dye may be named as a specially preferable dye and Dainippon Ink Light Yellow HG (product name, produced by Dainippon Ink and Chemical Co. , Ltd.) or the like which is a commercially available organic pigment may be named as a specially preferable pigment. The above-mentioned coloring agents contain liquid component, beside the dye or the pigment, which plays a role corresponding to solvent or carrier of the dye or the pigment (hereinafter this liquid component will be referred to as "vehicle"). The vehicle must have functions of at least dissolving or dispersing the dye or the pigment uniformly and of adhering the dye or the pigment on the surface of a lens. Further, it is preferable to have another function, e.g., a function of hard-coating the surface of a lens. Beside the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means described above, the inventive optical lens coloring system has the relative position control means for controlling the relative position of those means. The control of the relative position between the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means is made by the relative position control means such that the coloring agent discharged out of the coloring agent discharging means arrives at a predetermined plane substantially from the same direction with a normal direction on the predetermined plane of an optical lens held by the optical lens holding means. While it is necessary to move at least one of the optical lens holding means or the coloring agent discharging means in each time of the coloring step point by point in a predetermined direction to make the above-mentioned control, it is possible to select appropriately in which direction and how to move the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means respectively corresponding to the shape of the surface of the optical lens to be colored, the disposition of the nozzles in the coloring agent discharging means and others. For instance, when the surface of the optical lens to be colored is curved, the coloring agent discharging means is provided with a plurality of nozzles and the discharge opening of each nozzle opens substantially to one plane, combinations A through D shown in the following Table 1 may be cited as concrete examples of motion patterns of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means. [Table 1] Motion of Optical Lens Holding Means Motion of Coloring Agent Discharging Means A rotary motion, oscillating motion, uniaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion fixed B rotary motion, oscillating motion, vertical motion uniaxial horizontal motion C rotary motion, oscillating motion, biaxial horizontal motion vertical motion D rotary motion, oscillating motion uniaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion Further, when the surface of the optical lens to be colored is curved, the coloring agent discharging means is provided with a plurality of nozzles and the discharge opening of each nozzle opens to a predetermined curved surface corresponding to the shape of the surface of the optical lens, combinations E and F shown in the following Table 2 may be cited as concrete examples of motion patterns of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means. [Table 2] Motion of Optical Lens Holding Means Motion of Coloring Agent Discharging Means E biaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion fixed F rotary motion, oscillating motion, vertical motion fixed Then, when the respective motion patterns of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means are combined like combinations G through J shown in the following Table 3 for example, it becomes possible to color the optical lens such that the coloring agent arrives at the surface substantially from the same direction with the normal direction on the surface of the optical lens even when the discharge opening of the nozzles composing the coloring agent discharging means opens substantially to one curved surface or opens to the predetermined surface corresponding to the shape of the surface of the optical lens to be colored. [Table 3] Motion of Optical Lens Holding Means Motion of Coloring Agent Discharging Means G rotary motion, biaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion oscillating motion H rotary motion, uniaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion oscillating motion, uniaxial horizontal motion I rotary motion, biaxial horizontal motion oscillating motion, vertical motion J rotary motion, uniaxial horizontal motion oscillating motion, uniaxial horizontal motion, vertical motion It is noted that "rotary motion", "uniaxial motion", "biaxial horizontal motion", "vertical motion" and "oscillating motion" of the optical lens holding means in Tables 1 through 3 described above mean the following motions, respectively. (A) Rotary Motion It means a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which the optical lens 11 held by the optical lens holding means 10 turns in the direction indicated by an arrow R or in the direction opposite from that centering on a Z-axis as shown in FIG. 2(a) when an X-Y-Z coordinate system is assumed by defining a specific axis along which the coloring agent discharging means moves horizontally (uniaxial horizontal motion) as described later as an X-axis, a direction orthogonal to the X-axis when the coloring agent discharging means is seen from the back of the coloring agent discharging means (surface on the opposite side from the surface where the discharge openings of the nozzles are provided) as a Y-axis direction and a direction orthogonal to both of these X and Y-axes as a Z-axis direction (the same applies also in the cases of (B), (C), (D), (E), (a), (b) and (c) bellow). It is noted that the Z-axis described above passes through the geometrical center of the optical lens 11. (B) Uniaxial Horizontal Motion It means a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which an arbitrary point on the optical lens 11 (see FIG. 2(a)) held by the optical lens holding means 10 (see FIG. 2(a)) moves in a desired direction only along the X-axis. (C) Biaxial Horizontal Motion It means that a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which an arbitrary point on the optical lens 11 (see FIG. 2(a)) held by the optical lens holding means 10 (see FIG. 2(a)) moves in a desired direction along the X-axis and a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which the arbitrary point moves in a desired direction along the Y-axis can be freely switched. (D) Vertical Motion It means a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which an arbitrary point on the optical lens 11 (see FIG. 2(a)) held by the optical lens holding means 10 (see FIG. 2(a)) moves in a desired direction along the Z-axis. (E) Oscillating Motion It means a motion of the optical lens holding means 10 by which an arbitrary point on the optical lens 11 moves in a direction indicated by an arrow S1 or in the direction opposite from that direction in arc on a YZ plane or a plane parallel with the YZ plane. It is noted that the reference numeral 10a in FIGs. 2(a) and 2(b) denotes a lens supporting rod composing the optical lens holding means 10 and the reference numerals 10b and 10c denote buffer members provided between the lens supporting rod 10a and the optical lens 11. Further, the optical lens holding means 10 shown in FIGs. 2(a) and 2(b) are shown for the purpose of illustrating the "rotary motion", "horizontal motion I", "horizontal motion II", "vertical motion" and "oscillating motion" of the optical lens holding means in Tables 1 through 3 described above and it does not mean that the optical lens holding means of the present invention is limited to the optical lens holding means 10. Meanwhile, the "uniaxial horizontal motion", "vertical motion" and "oscillating motion" of the coloring agent discharging means in Tables 1 through 3 described above mean the following motions, respectively. (a) Uniaxial Horizontal Motion It means a motion of the coloring agent discharging means by which the discharge opening of the nozzle moves along a specific axis (X-axis in the coloring agent discharging means 15 in FIG. 3). It is noted that the coloring agent discharging means 15 shown in FIG. 3 is a perspective view seen obliquely above a back 15a thereof (surface on the opposite side from the surface on which the discharge opening of the nozzle is provided). (b) Vertical Motion It means a motion of the coloring agent discharging means 15 (see FIG. 3) by which the discharge opening of the nozzle moves in a desired direction along the Z-axis. (c) Oscillating Motion It means a motion of the coloring agent discharging means 15 by which the discharge opening of the nozzle moves in the direction indicated by an arrow S2 or in the direction opposite from that direction in arc on the YZ plane or on the plane parallel to the YZ plane. It is noted that the reference numeral 16 in FIG. 3 denotes a guide when the coloring agent discharging means 15 moves horizontally along the X-axis and the reference numerals 17a and 17b denote supporting members for supporting the guide. Further, the coloring agent discharging means 15 shown in FIG. 3 is shown for the purpose of illustrating the "uniaxial horizontal motion", "vertical motion" and "oscillating motion" of the coloring agent discharging means in Tables 1 through 3 described above and does not means that the coloring agent discharging means of the present invention is limited to the coloring agent discharging means 15. The movement of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means is different corresponding to the shape and the size of the optical lens to be colored and may be different also corresponding to a specification (coloring pattern) of gradation coloring when the gradation coloring is to be implemented. Accordingly, the relative position control means described above is preferable to be one which has the storage means for storing information on the shape and the size of the optical lens to be colored and on the specification (coloring pattern) of the gradation coloring in implementing the gradation coloring and controls the relative position of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means by moving the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means by the respective desirable mechanisms based on the information stored in the storage means. Then, from the point of view of controlling the relative position of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharging means based on the information, the inventive optical lens coloring system is preferable to have the inputting device for storing the information in the storage means. However, when the inventive optical lens coloring system has the storage means and the inputting device described in the explanation on the coloring agent discharging means, it is possible to cause that storage means or the inputting device function as storage means or an inputting device of the relative position control means. Because the optical lens is colored such that the coloring agent discharged out of the coloring agent discharging means arrives at the predetermined plane substantially in the same direction with the normal direction of the predetermined plane of the optical lens held by the optical lens holding means in the inventive optical lens coloring system having the optical lens holding means, the coloring agent discharging means and the relative position control means described above, the use of this system allows the optical lens colored in the desired pattern or specifically the optical lens on which gradation coloring is implemented minutely to be obtained efficiently and readily. While the inventive optical lens coloring system may be utilized in coloring a plastic optical lens into a desirable pattern, it is suitable especially in implementing the minute gradation coloring on a spectacle lens or its base material lens. It is noted that in coloring the optical lens, it is possible to improve the adhesion and others of the optical lens and the coloring layer by implementing (1) a chemical treatment by various organic solvents of acid and alkali, (2) a physical treatment by plasma, ultraviolet rays and the like, (3) a cleaning process by using various detergents, (4) various primer processes, and (5) a coating process by using various dyeable hard-coat solutions on the optical lens to be colored in advance. Further, the coloring agent adhered on the surface of the optical lens may be dried and hardened by means of hot air drying, irradiation of active energy rays or the like. Far infrared rays, ultraviolet rays and the like may be cited as the active energy rays in drying and hardening the coloring agent by the active energy rays. An anti-reflection film may be formed on the coloring layer as necessary. The anti-reflection film may be formed by known methods. [Effect of the Invention] As described above, the inventive optical lens coloring system is a system which allows the optical lens which is colored in a desired pattern or the optical lens on which minute gradation coloring is implemented to be obtained efficiently. Accordingly, the present invention allows the colored lens such as the gradation coloring spectacle lens to be provided readily. [DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS] 1, 5, 15 ... coloring agent discharging means, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f ... nozzle, 10 ... optical lens holding means, 11 ... optical lens

Claims: System for coloring an optical surface of a lens comprising optical lens holding means (10) for holding an optical lens (11); coloring agent discharging means (2a-2f; 6a-6f; 15) having a plurality of nozzle (3a-3f; 7a-7f) for discharging coloring agent for coloring the optical lens; support means (4; 8; 16, 17a, 17b) for supporting said coloring agent dischargin means; and relative position control means for controlling the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means; characterized in that said relative position control means is designed so that it is possible to select appropriately the relative movement of the optical lens holding means (10) and the coloring agent discharging means (2a-2f; 6a-6f; 15), said relative movement being different corresponding to the shape and the size of a lens to be colored ; and wherein said relative movement may be so selected that during said relative movement, the discharge openings of said nozzles open to a surface corresponding in curvature to the optical surface of the lens to be colored, and the coloring agent jet out of each of the nozzles arrives at the optical surface of the lens to be colored from a normal direction in relation to said optical surface. The optical lens coloring system according to claim 1, characterized in that said support means (4; 8; 16, 17a, 17b) comprises a linear or curved bar. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens substantially to one plane and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, oscillating motion, uniaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion with respect to said coloring agent discharging means fixedly disposed. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with any one of claims 1 or 2 to 6, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens substantially to one plane and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, oscillating motion or vertical motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make a uniaxial horizontal motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens substantially to one plane and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, oscillating motion or biaxial horizontal motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make a vertical motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens substantially to one plane and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion or oscillating motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make a uniaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens on a predetermined curved surface corresponding to the shape of surface of the optical lens to be colored and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a biaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion with respect to said coloring agent discharging means fixedly disposed. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein a discharge opening of each nozzle composing said coloring agent discharging means opens on a predetermined curved surface corresponding to the shape of surface of the optical lens to be colored and said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, oscillating motion or vertical motion with respect to said coloring agent discharging means fixedly disposed. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, biaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make an oscillating motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion, uniaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make an oscillating motion or uniaxial horizontal motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion or biaxial horizontal motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make an oscillating motion or vertical motion. The optical lens coloring system in accordance with claim 1 or 2, wherein said relative position control means controls the relative position of said optical lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means by causing said optical lens holding means to make a rotary motion or uniaxial horizontal motion and causing said coloring agent discharging means to make an oscillating motion, uniaxial horizontal motion or vertical motion. Method of coloring an optical surface of a lens comprising the steps of : holding a lens (11) to be colored on optical lens holding means (10); discharging coloring agent by a plurality of nozzles (3a-3f; 7a-7f) of coloring agent discharging means (2a-2f; 6a-6f; 15), which are supported on support means (4; 8; 16, 17a, 17b), onto a lens main surface of said lens; and controlling the relative position between said lens holding means and said coloring agent discharging means; wherein said controlling step comprises selecting a relative movement of the optical lens holding means and the coloring agent discharching means corresponding to the shape and the size of the optical surface of the lens to be colored such that during said relative movement the discharge openings of said nozzles open to a surface corresponding in curvature to the optical surface of the lens to be colored, and the coloring agent jet out of each of the nozzles arrives at the optical surface of the lens to be colored from a normal direction in relation to said optical surface. Method in accordance with claim 13, wherein said coloring agent discharging means (2a-2f; 6a-6f; 15) discharges the coloring agent by a bubble method or a piezo method. Method in accordance with claim 13 or 14, wherein the coloring agent contains aqueous dye, non-aqueous dye, inorganic pigment or organic pigment.

Inventors: AOYAMA MASAHIRO, JIANG JIAN, AOYAMA, MASAHIRO, JIANG, JIAN, Aoyama, Masahiro, c/o Hoya Corporation, Jiang, Jian, c/o Hoya Corporation
Applicants: HOYA CORP, HOYA CORPORATION
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G02B3
IPC codes: G02C7, G02B1, B05C13