Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US7425066?ie=ISO-8859-1&dq=oakley+D523,461
Timestamp: 2015-04-18 09:23:25
Document Index: 687022961

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US7425066 - Electro-active spectacles and method of fabricating same - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA composite lens assembly comprising an electro-active lens assembly, a first lens wafer, and a second lens wafer is provided. The electro-active lens assembly has an upper substrate layer with a planar upper surface and a lower substrate layer with a planar lower surface. The first lens wafer has a...http://www.google.com/patents/US7425066?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US7425066 - Electro-active spectacles and method of fabricating sameAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS7425066 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 11/812,287Publication dateSep 16, 2008Filing dateJun 18, 2007Priority dateNov 2, 2004Fee statusPaidAlso published asCA2586235A1, CA2586235C, EP1807728A2, EP1807728A4, EP2405295A1, US20070242173, WO2006050366A2, WO2006050366A3Publication number11812287, 812287, US 7425066 B2, US 7425066B2, US-B2-7425066, US7425066 B2, US7425066B2InventorsRonald D. Blum, William KokonaskiOriginal AssigneeE-Vision, LlcExport CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (108), Non-Patent Citations (14), Referenced by (10), Classifications (15), Legal Events (1) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetElectro-active spectacles and method of fabricating same
US 7425066 B2Abstract
A composite lens assembly comprising an electro-active lens assembly, a first lens wafer, and a second lens wafer is provided. The electro-active lens assembly has an upper substrate layer with a planar upper surface and a lower substrate layer with a planar lower surface. The first lens wafer has a planar lower wafer surface adjacent and parallel to the planar upper surface of the upper substrate layer of the electro-active lens assembly. The second lens wafer has a planar upper, wafer surface adjacent and parallel to the planar lower surface of the lower substrate layer of the electro-active lens assembly.
1. A composite lens assembly having a fixed focal length lens, comprising:
a. an electro-active lens assembly; and
b. a first adhesive layer and a second adhesive layer, wherein said electro-active lens assembly is disposed between said first and said second adhesive layers, wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is adapted for securing said electro-active lens assembly to the fixed focal length lens of the lens assembly and wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is adapted to encapsulate components for providing electricity to said electro-active lens assembly from an eyeglass frame.
2. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is adapted for securing said electro-active lens assembly to a second electro-active lens assembly.
3. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said electro-active lens assembly is spaced from the peripheral edge of the composite lens assembly.
4. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is formed from a flexible material.
5. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is formed from a rigid material.
6. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is substantially flat.
7. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixed focal length lens has a first index of refraction and wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers has a second index of refraction that substantially matches said first index of refraction.
8. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said electro-active lens assembly has a first index of refraction and wherein at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers has a second index of refraction that substantially matches said first index of refraction.
9. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein the radial diameter of at least one of said first and said second adhesive layers is substantially greater than the radial diameter of said electro-active lens assembly.
10. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said electro-active lens assembly further comprises:
c. a liquid crystal layer; and
d. a first electrode layer and a second electrode layer, wherein said liquid crystal layer is fixed between said first and said second electrode layers.
11. The composite lens assembly of claim 10, wherein said electro-active lens assembly further comprises:
e. a driver chip in electrical communication with said first and second electrode layers for controlling application of electrical power to said first and second electrode layers; and
f. at least one electrical contact layer in electrical communication with said driver chip, wherein said at least one electrical contact layer 1 has a first contact area and a second contact area, wherein said second contact area is electrically isolated from the first contact area.
12. The composite lens assembly of claim 11, wherein said first and said second contact areas are formed from a substantially transparent material.
13. The composite lens assembly of claim 11, wherein said at least one electrical contact layer comprises Indium Tin Oxide.
14. The composite lens assembly of claim 10, wherein at least one of said first and said second electrode layers comprises glass or plastic.
15. The composite lens assembly of claim 1, wherein said electro-active lens assembly comprises electro-active material that includes liquid crystalline material.
16. The composite lens assembly of claim 15, wherein said liquid crystalline material includes nematic liquid crystals.
17. The composite lens assembly of claim 15, wherein said liquid crystalline material includes cholesteric liquid crystals.
18. The composite lens assembly of claim 10, wherein said electro-active lens assembly further comprises a first alignment layer disposed between said liquid crystal layer and said first electrode layer.
19. The composite lens assembly of claim 18, wherein said electro-active lens assembly further comprises a second alignment layer disposed between said liquid crystal layer and said second electrode layer.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/263,049, filed Oct. 31, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,875 which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application 60/623,947 filed Nov. 2, 2004, which are hereby incorporated by reference.
This application incorporates by reference in their entirety all of the following applications, provisional applications, and patents: U.S application Ser. No. 11/232,551 filed Sep. 22, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,918,670 issued Jul. 19, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/183,454 filed Jul. 18, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/692,270 filed Jul. 21, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/687,342 filed Jun. 6, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/687,341 filed Jun. 6, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/685,407 filed May 31, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/679,241 filed May 10, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/674,702 filed Apr. 26, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/673,758 filed Apr. 22, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/109,360 filed Apr. 19, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/669,403 filed Apr. 8, 2005; U S. Provisional Application No. 60/667,094 filed Apr. 1, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/666,167 filed Mar. 30, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,871,951 issued Mar. 29, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/091,104 filed Mar. 28, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/661,925 filed Mar. 16, 2005; U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/659,431 filed Mar. 9, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/063,323 filed Feb. 22, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,857,741 issued Feb. 22, 2005; U.S. Pat. No. 6,851,805 issued Feb. 8, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/036,501 filed Jan. 14, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 11/030,690 filed Jan. 6, 2005; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/996,781 filed Nov. 24, 2004; U S. Provisional Application No. 60/623,947 filed Nov. 2, 2004; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/924,619 filed Aug. 24, 2004; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/918,496 filed Aug. 13, 2004; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/863,949 filed Jun. 9, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,733,130 issued May 11, 2004; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/772,917 filed Feb. 5, 2004; U.S. Pat. No. 6,619,799 issued Sep. 16, 2003; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/664,112 filed Aug. 20, 2003; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/627,828 filed Jul. 25, 2003; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/387,143 filed Mar. 12, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,517,203 issued Feb. 11, 2003; U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,391 issue Dec. 10, 2002; U.S. Pat. No. 6,491,394 issued Dec. 10, 2002; and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/263,707 filed Oct. 4, 2002.
FIG. 4A is an expanded view of a composite lens assembly according to an embodiment of the invention
FIG. 5 displays a composite lens assembly according to an embodiment of the invention mounted inside of a spectacle frame
Hereinafter; various embodiments of the invention will be described. As used herein, any term in the singular may be interpreted in the plural, and alternately, any term in the plural may be interpreted to be in the singular. The terms �upper� and �lower� refer merely to the relative orientation of the elements as shown in a particular figure, and do not imply any required final orientation of the electro-active lens assembly relative to the environment. Similarly, the terms �first� and �second� are used merely for convenience, and do not imply any required final orientation or order of assembly.
Embodiments of the invention provide spectacles formed as composite assemblies of electro-active lens elements and passive lens elements. As used herein, the term �electro-active lens� refers to a lens whose optical properties may be changed or modified with the application of electricity. Of particular interest are electro-active lenses formed from liquid crystal lens elements that may be configured for correction of any of a variety of vision problems.
Yet another challenge is the physical integration of the electro-active lens assembly into the composite lens assembly. In some embodiments, the composite lens assembly may be secured (held together) using screws or bolts, and these screws or bolts may serve as a convenient electrical path for the power supply, In this case, the composite lens assembly may be edged for proper positioning inside of a spectacle frame.
The optical properties of liquid crystal 142 may be changed by electric and magnetic fields. Alternately, the spacer 140 may be thicker than shown in FIG. 1, and may encircle all of the following; the first alignment layer 130, the liquid crystal 142, and the second alignment layer 150. The substantially flat lower side of liquid crystal layer 142 is adjacent to the substantially flat upper side of the second alignment layer 150.
The second electrode layer 160 may be solid, or may be segmented or patterned. For example, the second electrode layer 160 may be individually controlled pixels patterned into an arbitrary array, or may be patterned into other useful patterns such as a set of concentric circles. The multiple via connections 184 from the driver chip 190 may individually control the pixels or patterns. Note that the first electrode layer 120 may serve as a reference electrode in contrast to any voltages on the second electrode layer 160. The electric field created between the second electrode layer 160 and the first electrode layer 120 may affect the optical qualities (such as index of refraction or transmissivity) of the liquid crystal 142. The electrodes 120 and 160 may have spacers around them in order to insulate them from the edge, and in order to allow edging of the electro-active lens assembly 100. The substantially flat lower side of the second electrode 160 is adjacent to the substantially flat upper side of the second glass or plastic substrate 170.
The second glass or plastic substrate 170, which may be referred to as the lower substrate 170 may provide structural support for the other elements, and may provide electrical insulation for the other elements. The substantially flat lower side of the lower substrate 170 is adjacent to the substantially flat upper side of positive contact for battery power 182 and negative contact for battery power 180. In this embodiment, the positive contact 182 and negative contact 180 are on the same layer, but are not conductively attached directly together. Both contacts are conductively attached to the driver chip 190. Additionally, one of the contacts may be directly attached to the first electrode layer 120, and may serve as a reference for the second electrode layer 160 The driver chip 190 may be physically attached to the second glass or plastic substrate 170, and may be conductively attached to the positive contact 182 and the negative contact 180. Further, there may be additional contacts (not shown) for conductive control signals, and there may be an antenna (not shown) for wireless signals. Alternately, control signals may be piggybacked onto the power supply voltage.
It will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that although one contact is designated as a positive contact and one is designated a negative contact, the positive and negative polarity may be reversed
The electro-active lens assembly 330 may be or comprise the electro-active lens assembly 100 as shown in FIG. 1, for example. The substantially flat lower side of electro-active lens assembly 330 may have a positive contact area and a negative contact area as shown in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2. These contact areas ale positioned adjacent to the upper surface of positive battery terminal wire 340 and the upper surface of negative battery terminal wire 350. Said wires may also be flat strips. Said wires may be attached to alternate power sources, such as storage capacitors or solar cells.
Alternately, in another embodiment (not shown), the electro-active lens assembly 330 may have a smaller diameter than the lens wafers, and may be surrounded by a space. Thus, in this embodiment the composite lens assembly 300 may be capable of being edged.
The positive battery terminal wire 340 may terminate in a flat strip with an area corresponding to and aligned with the positive contact area (for example, contact area 282 as shown in FIG. 2) of the electro-active assembly 330 Negative battery terminal wire 350 may terminate in a similar fashion. The lower surface of positive battery terminal wire 340 and the lower surface of negative battery terminal wire 350 are adjacent to substantially flat upper surface of the second adhesive layer 322.
FIG. 3B displays an assembled view of the composite lens assembly 300 with a fixed or base power. Specifically, FIG. 3B shows the individual elements of FIG. 3A in an assembled or compressed view The adhesive layers 320 and 322 hold the composite lens assembly 300 together.
With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, an illustrative embodiment of the invention combines an electro-active lens element of the type described above in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a pair of lens wafers to produce a composite lens assembly 400 having a fixed or base power. Further, FIGS. 4A and 4B introduce screws or fastener's 470 to provide additional mechanical strength to the composite lens. Note that the adhesive layers become optional when the screws or fasteners are introduced.
FIG. 4B displays an assembled view of the composite lens assembly 400 with a fixed or base power; and including screws or fasteners.
FIG. 5 displays an embodiment of a composite lens assembly 510 mounted inside of a spectacle flame 500. The composite lens assembly 510 may, for example, be similar to the composite lens assembly 300 of FIGS. 3A and 3B may be mounted inside of spectacle frame 500.
The frame in FIG. 5 is a hinge-free design, but a hinged frame can also be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention. While the figure illustrates placement of the battery or power source on the frame stem, the power source may also be placed in or on the lens, adjacent to the lens, on or inside the bridge, nose pad, hinge, or where the hinge meets the frame front, which would potentially allow for shorter connections between the power source and the lenses. However, if the battery is relatively large, then one comfortable battery placement may be where the spectacle flame stem rests upon the ear, so that the ear carries the weight. The power supply may comprise a battery, a capacitor, a solar cell, or some combination of these power sources. For example, a solar cell may charge a capacitor. Further, the mechanical power of folding closed or opening the spectacle flame stem may be used to charge a battery or a capacitor.
a negative contact for battery power 680, a first glass or plastic substrate 610, a first electrode layer 620, an first alignment layer. 630, a liquid crystal layer 642, and a spacer 640, an second alignment layer 650, a second electrode layer 660, a second glass or plastic substrate 670, a positive contact for battery power 682, and a driver chip 690. Additionally, note a via connection 686 to the first electrode layer 620, and an ultra thin wire via connection 688 to the negative contact for battery power 680, and multiple through hole via connections 684 between the driver chip 690 and the patterned electrode layer 660. Electrical contacts through the various vias may be made with transparent conductors such as ITO, that can be deposited during iterative lithographic steps, or by ultra thin metal wires, designed for minimizing any adverse cosmetic effects.
With reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an illustrative embodiment of the invention combines an electro-active lens assembly of the type described above in FIGS. 6 and 7 with a pair of lens wafers to produce a composite lens assembly 800 having a fixed or base power
It will be readily under stood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention.
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