Abstract: A rotary latch for selectively locking a closure, such as a tonneau cover, is provided with a joystick or toggle release lever. The joystick release lever enables the rotary latch to be installed in any position with respect to a remote handle because the joystick can be pulled in any direction, 360 degrees, to release the rotary latch. The joystick includes a trapped base supporting a spherical portion that is nested in a circular opening in the housing of the latch. The joystick is spring loaded, and is movable about its central axis in any direction, causing the base to pivot against the inside of the housing. The base of the joystick is positioned over a spring-loaded catch locking the rotary latch. As the base of the joystick rotates against the inside of the housing, it depresses the spring-loaded catch, releasing the rotary latch.

Abstract: A method is provided for coating optical lenses and other optical articles with anti-reflection (AR) coatings. The lenses have low reflectivity, provide a substantially white light reflection and have a low stress AR coating and are ideally suited for optical lenses made using a molding procedure which provides a low stress lens substrate. In one aspect the method uses special coating compositions with one being a high index of refraction composition and the other being a low index of refraction composition. In another aspect a method is also disclosed using an optical monitor in conjunction with a conventional vapor deposition apparatus whereby an optical reference lens is used and a particular light frequency of reflected light is measured and this measurement is then used to determine when the desired optical coating is achieved. In a still further aspect the method also preferably calculates the optical thickness of each layer using a specific ratio of blue to green to red colors in the reflected light.

Abstract: A method is provided for coating optical lenses and other optical articles with anti-reflection (AR) coatings. The lenses have low reflectivity, provide a substantially white light reflection and have a low stress AR coating and are ideally suited for optical lenses made using a molding procedure which provides a low stress lens substrate. In one aspect the method uses special coating compositions with one being a high index of refraction composition and the other being a low index of refraction composition. In another aspect a method is also disclosed using an optical monitor in conjunction with a conventional vapor deposition apparatus whereby an optical reference lens is used and a particular light frequency of reflected light is measured and this measurement is then used to determine when the desired optical coating is achieved. In a still further aspect the method also preferably calculates the optical thickness of each layer using a specific ratio of blue to green to red colors in the reflected light.

Abstract: A method is provided for coating optical lenses and other optical articles with anti-reflection (AR) coatings. The lenses have low reflectivity, provide a substantially white light reflection and have a low stress AR coating and are ideally suited for optical lenses made using a molding procedure which provides a low stress lens substrate. In one aspect the method uses special coating compositions with one being a high index of refraction composition and the other being a low index of refraction composition. In another aspect a method is also disclosed using an optical monitor in conjunction with a conventional vapor deposition apparatus whereby an optical reference lens is used and a particular light frequency of reflected light is measured and this measurement is then used to determine when the desired optical coating is achieved. In a still further aspect the method also preferably calculates the optical thickness of each layer using a specific ratio of blue to green to red colors in the reflected light.

Abstract: A method is provided for coating optical lenses and other optical articles with anti-reflection (AR) coatings. The lenses have low reflectivity, provide a substantially white light reflection and have a low stress AR coating and are ideally suited for optical lenses made using a molding procedure which provides a low stress lens substrate. In one aspect the method uses special coating compositions with one being a high index of refraction composition and the other being a low index of refraction composition. In another aspect a method is also disclosed using an optical monitor in conjunction with a conventional vapor deposition apparatus whereby an optical reference lens is used and a particular light frequency of reflected light is measured and this measurement is then used to determine when the desired optical coating is achieved. In a still further aspect the method also preferably calculates the optical thickness of each layer using a specific ratio of blue to green to red colors in the reflected light.

Abstract: A method of blocking ophthalmic lenses for edging comprises providing an ophthalmic lens having first and second surfaces, providing a first block for securing against the first lens surface and a second block for securing against the second lens surface. The method then includes placing an adhesive layer on the first block, placing a film having cling properties between the adhesive layer and the first lens surface, and urging the first block toward the first lens surface and the second block toward the second lens surface. The film having cling properties provides sufficient bonding force between the adhesive layer and the first lens surface to prevent the ophthalmic lens from slipping in the blocks during edging thereof.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for batch, continuous, or semi-continuous coating of optical lenses. The method and apparatus use a plurality of carriages which are reciprocally moved in the apparatus to transfer jigs from a jig filled carriage to a lens loading arm and to load the jigs with lenses and then to transfer the jigs now containing uncoated lenses to a leading empty carriage. Using such a reciprocating motion, a leading empty carriage is now filled with jigs containing uncoated lenses and the uncoated lenses in the carriage may then be coated by dipping the carriage in a coating tank. After coating, the coated lenses are removed from the system. A similar reciprocating motion is used in the coated lens unloading section.

Abstract: A monomer composition characterized by being curable to form a resin suitable for optical products having a balanced refractive index and Abbe's number range and good tintability comprising a polyene monomer; and polyisocyanate, polyisothiocyanate, or an isocyanate monomer containing at least one isothiocyanate group; and a monomer having two or more active hydrogen groups such as polythiols, polyamines, and polyols. The invention also provides a special process for making the composition and for curing the composition to form a resin product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for batch, continuous or semi-continuous coating of optical lenses. The method and apparatus use a plurality of carriages which are reciprocally moved in the apparatus to transfer jigs from a jig filled carriage to a lens loading arm and to load the jigs with lenses and then to transfer the jigs now containing uncoated lenses to a leading empty carriage. Using such a reciprocating motion, a leading empty carriage is now filled with jigs containing uncoated lenses and the uncoated lenses in the carriage may then be coated by dipping the carriage in a coating tank. After coating, the coated lenses are removed from the carriage and the coated lenses removed from the system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for batch, continuous, or semi-continuous coating of optical lenses. The method and apparatus use a plurality of carriages which are reciprocally moved in the apparatus to transfer jigs from a jig filled carriage to a lens loading arm and to load the jigs with lenses and then to transfer the jigs now containing uncoated lenses to a leading empty carriage. Using such a reciprocating motion, a leading empty carriage is now filled with jigs containing uncoated lenses and the uncoated lenses in the carriage may then be coated by dipping the carriage in a coating tank. After coating, the coated lenses are removed from the system. A similar reciprocating motion is used in the coated lens unloading section.

Abstract: A method of continuously fabricating a lens excellent in various optical characteristics and having no nonuniformity in the characteristics over a total of the lens and a lens fabricated by the method. A first step for forming thiourethane prepolymer and a second step for making thiourethane prepolymer react with at least one urethane forming monomer are carried out in an extruder or in a reactor having an extruding device at a succeeding step, extruded thermoplastic thiourethane-urethane copolymer for optical use is elongated in a sheet-like shape, a lens precursor is formed by punching out the copolymer elongated in a sheet-like shape and the lens precursor is pressed such that a predetermined curved face is provided at least on one face of the lens precursor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to making optical articles such as opthalmic lenses by molding and, in particular, to using a continuous extrusion-compression molding method to make plastic lenses whereby a polymer melt is fed from an extruder or melting apparatus to a first die of a plurality of rotating or conveyed sequentially processed compression die sets comprising a first die and a second die. The die sets are positioned on die supports on a rotating turntable or conveying system, the lenses formed by compressing the die sets with pressing means associated with each die support, the lenses separated from the dies and the dies recycled to die loading and the melt feed step of the process and the process repeated until the desired number of lenses or other optical articles such as compact disk substrates are produced.

Abstract: An extrusion-compression molding process is provided for making optical articles wherein a melt shot of optical polymer extrudate is fed to sequentially moving lower dies of a die set including a lower die and an upper die and then the upper die positioned on top of the melt shot containing lower die and the die set compressed forming the optical article. After the optical article is formed, the lower die and upper die are separated and recycled for forming additional optical articles. The optical polymeric material may be in the form of pellets and melted in an extruder. A reaction extruder may also be employed where the optical polymeric material is produced in the reaction extruder from optical polymer monomers. A shuttle carriage is preferably used to transport the lower die, melt shot containing lower die and melt shot containing die set through the steps of the molding process. A control system is used to obtain input data and generate output signals to monitor and control the process steps.

Abstract: A monomer composition characterized by being curable to form a resin suitable for optical products having a balanced refractive index and Abbe's number range and good tintability comprising a polyene monomer; a polyisocyanate, polyisothiocyanate, or an isocyanate monomer containing at least one isothiocyanate group; and a monomer having two or more active hydrogen groups such as polythiols, polyamines, and polyols. The invention also provides a special process for making the composition and for curing the composition to form a resin product.

Abstract: A process for making thermoplastic thiourethane-urethane copolymers for use in making optical products preferably comprising reacting an aliphatic diisocyanate with a dithiol under polymerization conditions to form a thiourethane prepolymer which is then reacted with a diisocyanate such as methylene bis(phenyl isocyanate) and a polyol such as a diaromatic containing diol such as ethoxylated Bisphenol A or an aliphatic isocyanate reactive monomer such as tricyclodecane dimethanol or 1,4-dimethanol cyclohexane to form the copolymer product. The polymers have a combination of high refractive index and high Abbe No. The polymers also have high impact strength, high hardness and Tg's above 100.degree. C. It is preferred to make the polymer in an extruder.

Abstract: A breakaway bi-folding door assembly, which would include a pair of bi-folding doors of the type having a first end hinged to an upper frame, and a second end travelling within a slot in the frame to allow the doors to fold and unfold between open and closed positions for defining an open or closed doorway through a passage. Furthermore, the assembly would include a movable plate member for each of the bi-folding doors, positioned on the frame, and hinged along one end for moving outward from the frame.