Patents Represented by Attorney Robert Ambrose
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Patent number: 8342683Abstract: An ophthalmic lens includes spherical aberration in an amount that accounts for spherical aberration introduced into the lens during the manufacturing process and/or spherical aberration differences in the manufactured lens measured off of the eye and measured on the eye. The result is a lens-and-eye optical system is free or substantially free of spherical aberration, i.e., having only negligible spherical aberration. Because the optical system is free or substantially free of spherical aberration, there is no or only negligible coma induced by the normal misalignment of the lens optical axis and the eye's primary line of sight. The result is a lens-and-eye optical system that provides enhanced optical performance and visual quality. Also disclosed are methods of designing and manufacturing lenses with spherical aberration adjustments to account for manufacturing process changes and off-eye to on-eye differences.Type: GrantFiled: August 26, 2010Date of Patent: January 1, 2013Assignees: Novartis AG, Indiana University Research and Technology CorporationInventors: Rick Edward Payor, Peter Kollbaum, Ming Ye, Arthur Bradley
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Patent number: 8333868Abstract: An apparatus for the plasma treatment of molds (2), in particular for contact lens molds, comprises a treatment chamber (50), in which a first electrode (51) is arranged facing a carrier (1;4) for carrying the molds (2) to be treated. The carrier (1;4) forms the second electrode (52) and comprises a first metal plate (10;40) having holes (100;400) therein and a second metal plate (11;41) which is arranged spaced apart from the first metal plate (10;40), and which is connected to the first metal plate (10;40) in an electrically conductive manner (12,13;43). The molds (2) are arranged on the second metal plate (11;41) with their molding surfaces (210) facing towards the first electrode (51) and are exposable to plasma through the holes (100;400) in the first metal plate (10;40).Type: GrantFiled: January 21, 2009Date of Patent: December 18, 2012Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Gabriela Cocora, Axel Heinrich, Peter Hagmann
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Patent number: 8152300Abstract: An ophthalmic lens with premium vision corrections provides significantly improved visual acuity and contrast sensitivity. The premium vision corrections include precisely correcting for two aberration mode sets simultaneously, second-order astigmatism and fourth-order spherical aberration, instead of correcting for only second-order astigmatism or simultaneously correcting for all aberrations present. Fourth-order astigmatism, sixth-order spherical aberration, and third-order coma are additionally corrected in other premium vision correction schemes. In addition, methods are provided for prescribing and fabricating the premium vision lenses to permit mass customization.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2007Date of Patent: April 10, 2012Assignee: Novartis AGInventor: Joseph Michael Lindacher
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Patent number: 8115917Abstract: A drying nozzle (1) for drying a peripheral portion of an ophthalmic lens (CL), in particular a contact lens, comprises an inlet (30) for the supply of a pressurized gas and a continuous annular outlet gap (11) having a predetermined width (W) through which the pressurized air is capable of being supplied to the peripheral portion of the ophthalmic lens (CL).Type: GrantFiled: June 3, 2009Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Alexander Bayer, Peter Brotzmann
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Patent number: 8033761Abstract: A method for transporting a molded object, in particular an ophthalmic lens, specifically a contact lens (CL), in which a molded object is lifted up from a supporting surface (1) and transported to a destination, such that the molded object is acted upon by a fluid so that it is lifted up from the supporting surface (1) and transported to the destination through a transport line (2).Type: GrantFiled: March 25, 2008Date of Patent: October 11, 2011Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Roger Biel, Günter Lässig
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Patent number: 8014894Abstract: The present invention is related to manufacturing surfaces with an axis decentered from the spindle axis. In particular, the present invention is related to compensating for tool geometry in cutting processes that involve an oscillating tool.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 2007Date of Patent: September 6, 2011Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Stephen Kendig, Cornelius Daniel Niculas, Jason Emanuele Molinari, Nelson David Baity
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Patent number: 8002608Abstract: This invention is related to the process of polishing the optically critical surface of the front piece as well as the back piece, or non-optical surface, used to make molds used in double-sided molding process to make contact lens for reducing warpage of the mold, radius changes in different cavities and amount of cylindrical distortion. The polishing of both of the front piece and back piece causes the mold material to see a very similar coefficient of friction on both top and bottom surface and provides uniform flow front.Type: GrantFiled: January 31, 2007Date of Patent: August 23, 2011Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Stephen Kendig, Dee Anna Honea, James Golinski
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Patent number: 7866814Abstract: This invention is related to contact lenses. In particular, the present invention is related to a toric contact lens design with thickness zones in the carrier portion of the lens for increased rotational stability.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 2009Date of Patent: January 11, 2011Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Ming Ye, Curtis Dean McKenney
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Patent number: 7855782Abstract: The present invention relates to an inspection system for the automatic inspection of ophthalmic lenses, preferably in an automated lens manufacturing line. The inspection system provides a phase contrast imaging unit and an inspection method using said phase contrast imaging unit designed to recognize defective lenses with an improved degree of reliability but that does not falsely sort out perfect lenses.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2010Date of Patent: December 21, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Roger Biel, Livio Fornasiero
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Patent number: 7828441Abstract: An adaptive optics phoropter is aligned with a Badal optometer and an adjustable aperture component to subjectively determine an optimal vision correction as a power profile for an ophthalmic lens or ablating a cornea. The optimal power profile is preferably determined in an iterative process by adjusting the vergence of the Badal optometer and aperture size of the adjustable aperture component for power profiles with presbyopic power zones having different amplitudes, shapes, widths, and/or de-centering. Also included is a method of recursively computing a refractive surface with a regular presbyopic power zone (e.g., according to the optimal power profile) and adding it onto an underlying irregular Zernike-basis-set aberration-corrected surface in a linear fashion for fabricating an ophthalmic lens.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 2009Date of Patent: November 9, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Joseph M. Lindacher, Rafael V. Andino, Scott R. Robirds, Teresa DeCenzo-Verbeten
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Patent number: 7726237Abstract: A printing station for producing a layer of coloring for a contact lens, comprising a transport system to carry and transport a molding tool which comprises at least one contact lens forming mold, a pad unit comprising at least one pad, and a blade unit suitable to carry and ink a cliché with an ink. When in use the pad transfers an inked image from the cliché to the contact lens forming mold. The printing station further at least partially cures the inked image after it has been transferred to the mold and cleans the pad.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2006Date of Patent: June 1, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Alfred Fischer, Norbert Dörr, Stefan Wolz, Peter Brotzmann, Stefan Schmittner
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Patent number: 7682532Abstract: A process of dosing a starting material (SM) for optical lenses, into a female mold half (2), comprises the steps of: positioning a dosing tip (1) at a start position (P2) above the female mold half (2) and close to the edge of or laterally outside that portion (20) defining the lens-shaping surface, creating a continuous flow of starting material (SM) through the dosing tip (1) into the female mold half (2), moving the dosing tip (1) from the start position (P2) towards an end position (P3) in the region of the center of the female mold half (2) once the starting material (SM) has contacted the surface (21) of the female mold half (2) with the dosing tip (1) being in the start position (P2), wherein the continuous flow of starting material (SM) through the dosing tip (1) and the movement of the dosing tip (1) from the start position (P2) to its end position (P3) are controlled such, that a continuous bead (B) of starting material (SM) is deposited on the surface (21) of the female mold half (2) and thatType: GrantFiled: June 14, 2006Date of Patent: March 23, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Peter Hagmann, Axel Heinrich, Iris Leder-Bruck, Bernhard Seiferling, Werner Steffan
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Patent number: 7663742Abstract: The present invention relates to an inspection system for the automatic inspection of ophthalmic lenses, preferably in an automated lens manufacturing line. The inspection system provides a phase contrast imaging unit and an inspection method using said phase contrast imaging unit designed to recognize defective lenses with an improved degree of reliability but that does not falsely sort out perfect lenses.Type: GrantFiled: November 21, 2006Date of Patent: February 16, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Roger Biel, Livio Fornasiero
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Patent number: 7652756Abstract: An ophthalmic lens , e.g. a contact lens, is centered in a concave trough (10) of an inspection cell (1) which is filled with liquid (W). The inspection cell (10) has a channel (11) which is in communication with the concave trough (10). Centering of the ophthalmic lens is achieved by applying a pulse (P) of a fluid to the liquid (W) so as to whirl up the ophthalmic lens (CL) and by allowing the ophthalmic lens (CL) to settle down in the center of the concave trough (10).Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2006Date of Patent: January 26, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Christian Süppel-Adrian, Fabian Kern, Michael Wolf, Peter Hagmann
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Patent number: 7625085Abstract: Ophthalmic lenses for correcting astigmatism having a posterior surface with a central optic zone, a peripheral zone, and a blending zone therebetween. The surface of the central zone may be asphero-toric and the surface of the peripheral zone aspheric, with these flatter slopes smoothening out the transition between the central and peripheral zones. The blending zone gradually transitions the curvatures of the central and peripheral zones to further smoothen out the central-to-peripheral-zone transition.Type: GrantFiled: August 5, 2008Date of Patent: December 1, 2009Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Ming Ye, Curtis Dean McKenney
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Patent number: 7573974Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for non-contact/non-destructive measurement of the geometry of molded ophthalmic lenses and the precision molds and tooling used in the manufacture of the ophthalmic lenses. In particular the present system uses micro computed tomography to measure the geometries.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2006Date of Patent: August 11, 2009Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Courtney Flem Morgan, William Jordan Hall
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Patent number: 7562982Abstract: An adaptive optics phoropter is aligned with a Badal optometer and an adjustable aperture component to subjectively determine an optimal vision correction as a power profile for an ophthalmic lens or ablating a cornea. The optimal power profile is preferably determined in an iterative process by adjusting the vergence of the Badal optometer and aperture size of the adjustable aperture component for power profiles with presbyopic power zones having different amplitudes, shapes, widths, and/or de-centering. Also included is a method of recursively computing a refractive surface with a regular presbyopic power zone (e.g., according to the optimal power profile) and adding it onto an underlying irregular Zernike-basis-set aberration-corrected surface in a linear fashion for fabricating an ophthalmic lens.Type: GrantFiled: December 20, 2007Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Joseph M. Lindacher, Rafael V. Andino, Scott R. Robirds, Teresa DeCenzo-Verbeten
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Patent number: 7559652Abstract: An adaptive optics system that allows a user to see an aberration-corrected image. The system includes a stimulus that is in optical connection with a user's eyes, a wavefront sensor that is in optical connection with the user's eyes, binocular convergence compensating adaptive optics hardware that is in optical connection with the stimulus and the user's eyes and is also electrically connected to the wavefront sensor, and a badal optometer that is in optical connection with the stimulus and the user's eyes and is in optical connection with the wavefront sensor and the user's eyes.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2006Date of Patent: July 14, 2009Assignee: Novartis AGInventor: Joseph Michael Lindacher
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Patent number: 7500541Abstract: A nonwoven acoustic insulating material which also provides repellency to water and low surface tension fluids. Also disclosed is a method for attenuating transmitted sound and repelling fluids which includes providing a nonwoven acoustic insulating material, the nonwoven acoustic insulating material including at least one nonwoven web having a low surface tension fluids repellency treatment, and interposing the treated nonwoven acoustic insulating material between a sound generation area and a sound receiving area.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 2004Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Kimberly-Clark Worldwide, Inc.Inventors: Richard J. Schmidt, Michael David Powers
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Patent number: D608448Type: GrantFiled: October 31, 2008Date of Patent: January 19, 2010Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Joseph Rappon, Peter Bergenske, Timothy Andrew Giles