Abstract:
A dyeing system for a lens includes a color measuring device ( 1 ) for measuring a color of a colored lens ( 4   a,    4   b ) used as a sample lens to obtain color data thereof; a determination unit ( 50 ) for determining data for dyeing based on the obtained color data; a printer ( 60 ) for applying dyes to a base substrate ( 61 ) to be used for dyeing; a control part ( 51 ) for controlling the printer ( 60 ) to adjust application amounts of dyes onto the base substrate ( 61 ) based on the determined dyeing data.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to a dyeing system for a lens and an ordering system for a colored lens.  
           [0003]    2. Description of Related Art  
           [0004]    As a method for dyeing a plastic lens such as a spectacle plastic lens, for example, a dip dyeing method to dye a lens by dipping it in a dyeing solution has been known. There has also been known a vapor-deposition dyeing method to dye a lens by heating, in a vacuum, a base substrate to be used for dyeing on which a dyeing solution has been applied, thereby sublimating dyes from the base substrate, and vapor-depositing the sublimated dyes on the lens. This method is disclosed in for example Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 1-277814 and Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2001-59950 which corresponds to European Publication No. 0982432.  
           [0005]    For instance, when a customer buys a pair of colored spectacles such as sunglasses, or a spectacle frame with colored lenses, he sometimes chooses a favorite sample lens (color) from among previously prepared sample lenses (color samples) in an optician&#39;s shop or the like. In this case, the optician&#39;s shop places an order for dyed lenses by informing a color code (a color number) of the chosen sample lens (color) to a lens manufacturer (or a dye works). Then, the lens manufacturer or the dye works dyes lenses in accordance with the received color code and delivers the dyed lenses to the optician&#39;s shop. If using the dip dyeing method, the lens manufacturer or dye works adjusts a dyeing solution (additionally, a dipping time and others) based on the received color code. If using the vapor-deposition dyeing method, the lens manufacturer or dye works adjusts an application solution (additionally, a heating time, a distance between a base substrate used for dyeing and lenses, and other conditions) based on the received color code. In the vapor-deposition dyeing method disclosed in European publication No. 0982432, the color code (data) is input in a computer which controls a printer to adjust an application solution based on the input color code (data).  
           [0006]    There may be a case where the customer requests the same color as that of a colored spectacle lens that is on sale at a shop or that the customer possess or wears. In this case, if the color code of the lens is unknown, the lens itself has to be sent for use as a sample lens (color) to the lens manufacturer to dye lenses in as the same color as possible as that of the sample lens. However, a person with experience is required to adjust the dyeing solution (the application solution) for dyeing lenses in the same color as that of the sample lens and input the color data thereof. Thus, it would take much time to deliver the dyed lenses of a requested color to the optician&#39;s shop.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0007]    The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and has an object to overcome the above problems and to provide a dyeing system for a lens and an ordering system for a colored lens, whereby a lens of a desired color can be easily produced.  
           [0008]    Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.  
           [0009]    To achieve the purpose of the invention, there is provided a dyeing system for a lens, including: color measuring means for measuring a color of a colored lens used as a sample lens to obtain color data thereof; determination means for determining data for dyeing based on the obtained color data; a printer for applying dyes to a base substrate to be used for dyeing; control means for controlling the printer to adjust application amounts of dyes onto the base substrate based on the determined dyeing data.  
           [0010]    According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an ordering system for a colored lens, including: color measuring means for measuring a color of a colored lens used as a sample lens to obtain color data thereof; input means for inputting lens data including at least one of data on the kind of a lens to be dyed and data on a refractive power of the lens; and communication means for transmitting the obtained color data in association with the input lens data to an order receiving terminal through a communication circuit. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]    The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the objects, advantages and principles of the invention.  
         [0012]    In the drawings,  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a structural view roughly showing of a plastic lens dyeing system in an embodiment according to the present invention; and  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control system in the dyeing system. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0015]    A detailed description of a preferred embodiment of a dyeing system for a lens and an ordering system for a colored lens embodying the present invention will now be given referring to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a structural view of the lens dyeing system in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a control system in the dyeing system. It is to be noted that the present invention can be applied to a dyeing system for spectacle lenses as well as a dyeing system for other lenses such as ophthalmic lenses including contact lenses, and further optical lenses.  
         [0016]    Numeral  10  denotes a system for placing an order for colored spectacle lenses, which is located in an optician&#39;s shop  100 . This system  10  includes a color measuring device (colorimeter)  1  for measuring the color of a sample lens  4   a  (color sample) or a colored spectacle lens  4   b  on sale at the shop  100  and a computer  2  serving as an ordering terminal. The color measuring device  1  is connected to the computer  2  to transmit data on color (data on spectral transmittance) of the lens  4   a  or  4   b  measured by the color measuring device  1 .  
         [0017]    The color measuring device  1  used in the present embodiment is internally provided with a halogen lamp and constructed such that light of the halogen lamp is made incident into an integrating sphere and then the light emerging from the integrating sphere is made to transmit a lens to be measured. The transmitted light is spectrally divided by means of a diffraction grating, and a photodiode array measures the intensity of light of each wavelength to determine spectral transmittance of the lens. It is to be noted that a commonly used color measuring device may be utilized as well as the above device.  
         [0018]    The computer  2  is provided with a control part  30  including a CPU and others and a hard disc  3 . The computer  2  is capable of storing the color data transmitted from the color measuring device  1  in the hard disc  3 . The hard disc  3  stores a transmission program  5  for transmitting data to a lens manufacturer  200 .  
         [0019]    The computer  2  is connected to a computer  50  serving as an order receiving terminal placed in the lens manufacturer (or a dye works)  200  through a communication network  150  such as a telephone line or the like. The computers  2  and  50  each have a function of transmitting and receiving data concerning an order and others. The communication network  150  is for example the Internet, an intranet, a wide area network (WAN), a local area network (LAN), etc. In the lens manufacturer  200 , an ink jet printer  60  connected to the computer  50  and a lens dyeing machine  40  are placed.  
         [0020]    The computer  50  is provided with a control part  51  including a CPU and others and a hard disc  52 . This hard disc  52  stores a computer color matching (CCM) program  53  and a lot of dyeing information  54 . The CCM program  53  is a program to determine dyeing data needed for dyeing a lens in a desired color.  
         [0021]    The dyeing information  54  includes data on the kind of dyes (red, blue, yellow, black, etc.) to be discharged from the printer  60  and applied (printed) onto a base substrate or the like, data on a distribution ratio (i.e., an application amount ratio or a discharge amount ratio) of the dyes, data on the spectral transmittance of each lens dyed based on each distribution ratio, and other data. The distribution ratio data includes as much data as possible about distribution ratio patterns. The spectral transmittance data also corresponds to each distribution ratio pattern data. These pieces of the dyeing information  54  are previously determined quantitatively and stored in the hard disc  52 .  
         [0022]    When the CCM program  53  is executed, a display  56  is caused to display an operating screen for determination of the dyeing data. This operation is made by use of a mouse  50   a  and a keyboard  50   b  which are connected to the computer  50 .  
         [0023]    A commercially available ink jet printer may be used as the printer  60 . This printer  60  is controlled by the computer  50  to discharge sublimatable dyes, which are applied (printed) onto a dyeing base substrate (a print base substrate)  61  based on the determined dyeing data. The base substrate  61  may be high-quality white PPC paper which is commercially available. As the sublimatable dyes, any available dyes, for example, disperse dye inks (red, blue, yellow, black, etc.) manufactured by UPEPO Co., may be used.  
         [0024]    Next, the structure of the dyeing machine  40  is explained. This machine  40  is formed at the upper portion with an unillustrated port through which the lens  44  and the base substrate  61  are taken in/out of the machine  40 . Numeral  41  is a support rod which is operable to vertically move a table  42  for mounting thereon the lens  44 , so that the table  42  is brought close to the port. The table  42  is formed with two circular openings not illustrated, arranged symmetrically with respect to the support rod  41 . Each opening has a larger size than the diameter of the lens  44  to be dyed. Numeral  43  is a cylindrical lens holder which is mounted surrounding each opening. In the holder  43 , the lens  44  is set with its back surface (which will face an eye of a customer when he wears a pair of spectacles with the lens  44 ) facing toward the opening. The base substrate  61  is attached to the underside of the table  42 , without contact with the lens  44 , so that the sublimatable dyes applied (printed) on the base substrate  61  are positioned correspondingly with the openings. Thus, the dyes when sublimated are allowed to reach the lens  44  through the openings.  
         [0025]    The plastic lens  44  to be dyed with the sublimatable dyes is a lens made of a material such as polycarbonate resin (e.g., diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate polymer (CR-39)), polyurethane resin, allyl resin (e.g., allyl diglycol carbonate and its copolymer, diallyl phthalate and its copolymer), fumaric acid resin (e.g., benzyl fumarate copolymer), styrene resin, polymethyl acrylate resin, fibrous resin (e.g., cellulose propionate), or the like.  
         [0026]    Numeral  45  is a halogen lamp for heating the base substrate  61  to sublimate the dyes applied (printed) on the base substrate  61 . When the halogen lamp  45  is turned on to heat the base substrate  61 , the dyes are sublimated. Numeral  47  is a rotary pump which is used for producing an almost vacuum in the dyeing machine  40 . Numeral  48  is a leak valve, which is opened to return the inside of the machine  40  from the almost vacuum to atmospheric pressure.  
         [0027]    Next, explanation will be made on the procedures from selection of a color sample at the optician&#39;s shop  100  to dyeing of a lens in the manufacturer  200 .  
         [0028]    A customer chooses a favorite lens (color) from among plural sample lenses  4   a  and colored spectacle lenses  4   b . The color of the chosen lens is measured by the color measuring device  1 .  
         [0029]    The color measuring device  1  transmits data on the color of the lens measured to the computer  2 . Upon receipt of the color data, the control part  30  temporarily stores the data in the hard disc  3 . This hard disc  3  has previously stored data about many lenses (for example, data on the kind of a lens such as CR-39 and data on refractive power (lens power)). It is to be noted that the lens data is input by use of a keyboard  2   b  or the like connected to the computer  2  and stored in the hard disc  3 . When the transmission program  5  is executed, the color data stored in the hard disc  3  and the lens data suitable for the customer are transmitted in association with each other to the computer  50  in the manufacturer  200  through the communication network  150 . The control part  51  stores the received color data and lens data in the hard disc  52 . It is to be noted that the lens data may be input at the time of transmission of the color data and transmitted in association with the color data.  
         [0030]    Upon execution of the CCM program  53 , the control part  51  determines the dyeing data based on the dyeing information  54  stored in the hard disc  52  and the color data transmitted from the computer  2 .  
         [0031]    More specifically, the control part  51  compares the received spectral transmittance data with the previously stored spectral transmittance data to determine if there is a substantial match. If a substantial match is found, the data on a distribution ratio pattern corresponding to the matching stored spectral transmittance is determined as dyeing data. If no substantial match is found, the control part  51  calculates spectral transmittance of a dyed lens by arithmetical operation of the CCM program  53  by changing a distribution ratio. If the received spectral transmittance matches the calculated spectral transmittance, the data on a distribution ratio pattern corresponding to the matching calculated spectral transmittance is determined as dyeing data. It is to be noted that a try and error method or the like is used in the arithmetical operation.  
         [0032]    Based on the determined dyeing data, the control part  51  controls the printer  60  to adjust the amount of application (the amount of discharge) of the dyes and then apply (print) the dyes in two circular shapes on the base substrate  61  so that each circular shape has a slightly larger diameter than that of the lens  44  to be dyed.  
         [0033]    The base substrate  61  on which the dyes have been applied (printed) is attached with the dye-applied (printed) surface facing up to the underside of the table  42  in the dyeing machine  40 . The lens  44  is set on the holder  43 , and then the pump  47  is activated to produce a vacuum in the dyeing machine  40 . The lamp  45  is turned on to heat the base substrate  61 , thus sublimating the dyes. The sublimated dyes are deposited on the lens  44 . The heating temperature may be determined so as to completely sublimate (evaporate) the dyes from the base substrate  61 . The temperature on the paper is preferably 100° C. or more and as high as possible in the temperature range that causes no deformation of the lens  44 .  
         [0034]    After completion of the heating, the valve  48  is opened, returning the inside of the dyeing machine  40  to atmospheric pressure. On the lens  44  taken out from the machine  40 , the sublimated dyes have been vapor-deposited, but may come off if left as it is. To avoid such deterioration, the lens  44  is put in an oven not illustrated and heated at normal pressures to fix the dyes on the lens  44 .  
         [0035]    It is to be noted that color development would become insufficient if the heating temperature of the oven is less than 90° C., while lens deformation may be caused if it exceeds 150° C. In this view, the heating temperature is preferably determined at 90° C. or more and 150° C. or less. More preferably, it is 110° C. or more and 130° C. or less. Furthermore, color development would become insufficient if the heating time is less than 30 min., while dye degeneration often occurs if it exceeds 3 hours. Thus, the heating time is preferably determined at 30 min. or more and 3 hours or less, more preferably, 30 min. or more and 2 hours or less.  
         [0036]    In the above embodiment, the color data is obtained from the color sample or the like. Alternatively, for instance, the color data may be obtained from a piece of colored spectacles that a customer possesses or wears and the dyeing data is determined based on the color data.  
         [0037]    Furthermore, there is also a spectacle lens with a surface treated with antireflective coating (hereinafter referred to as “AR coat”) or the like. Accordingly, the information on dyeing results which are affected by the surface treatment such as the AR coat or the like may be stored as one of the dyeing information  54 . In this case, after measurement of the color data of a lens by the color measuring device  1 , the effect that the lens has been applied with the AR coat or the like is converted into data format and such data is transmitted along with the color data from the computer  2  to the computer  50 . The control part  51  determines the dyeing data suitable for the lens applied with the AR coat by using the CCM program  53  and the dyeing information  54 . As a result, even when the spectacle lens surface-treated with the AR coat or the like is used as a sample lens, a target lens can be dyed in consideration of the surface treatment.  
         [0038]    Based on the received lens data, furthermore, an adequate lens may be automatically selected from a stock of undyed lenses. The received lens data may simply be displayed on the display  56 . It is also possible to automatically select an adequate lens from a stock of dyed lenses based on the distribution ratio pattern data corresponding to the received lens data and the received color data.  
         [0039]    As explained above, according to the present invention, the data for dyeing is determined based on the color data obtained by measurement, so that a lens can easily be dyed in a desired color.  
         [0040]    While the presently preferred embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.