Patent ID: 6872335

Claim:
A method for molding an optical lens using a front mold and a back mold with facing inside surfaces that are a negative image of the surfaces of the optical lens and that are at a proper distance and rotational orientation to each other, each of the front mold and back mold having an edge, comprising the steps of: a. wrapping a strip around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve, wherein the strip has a body portion having a first end and an opposed second end, an interior surface and an opposed outer surface, a first flange and a second flange, and a partially encircled portion defining an elongated channel extending from the first end to the second end, wherein the partially encircled portion is located between the first flange and the second flange and protruding away from the outer surface of the body portion, and the inside surface of the body portion defines an opening therein between the first flange and the second flange in fluid communication with the elongated channel, and wherein the formed sleeve has a longitudinal axis and a diameter and cooperates with the front mold and the back mold to define a molding cavity, the molding cavity being in fluid communication with the elongated channel through the opening; b. injecting a fluid lens-forming material into the molding cavity through the elongated channel; and c. curing the fluid lens-forming material to form the optical lens.