Abstract: A method of installing a stack of two or more lenses on a curved substrate includes placing a moldable covering on a curved substrate, the moldable covering including a stack of two or more lenses, an adhesive layer interposed between each pair of adjacent lenses from among the two or more lenses, and a sacrificial layer disposed on an outermost lens of the stack, the sacrificial layer including a sacrificial lens and a sacrificial adhesive interposed between the sacrificial lens and the outermost lens of the stack. The method may include applying heat and pressure to the sacrificial layer and peeling off the sacrificial layer to reveal the stack of two or more lenses.

Abstract: Manufacturing a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses to be installable on a curved substrate such as a vehicle windshield includes placing a moldable stack of one or more lenses and adhesive layer(s) on a mold, applying heat and pressure to the moldable stack to produce a pre-molded stack of one or more lenses from the moldable stack, and removing the pre-molded stack from the mold. The pre-molded stack may have a compound curvature, which may match a curvature of the curved substrate. The mold may be formed using three-dimensional shape data derived from the curved substrate, such as by optically scanning the curved substrate.

Abstract: An optical web comprising includes a substrate with an anterior coating applied to the anterior side of the substrate and a posterior coating applied to the posterior side of the substrate. The refractive index of the anterior coating and the posterior coating is less than that of the substrate. A second coating layer may be applied to the anterior coating layer and/or the posterior coating layer, where the second coating layer has a refractive index less than that of the coating layer it is applied to. Additional coating layers may be applied to produce a stack of layers that decrease monotonically in refractive indexes moving outward from the substrate. The optical webs may be laminated together to form tear-off laminated lens stacks.

Abstract: A laminate includes a polycarbonate substrate and an ultraviolet hard coat film disposed on the polycarbonate substrate. The ultraviolet hard coat film may include a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) layer, an adhesive interposed between the PET layer and the polycarbonate substrate, and an exterior hard coat disposed on the PET layer opposite the polycarbonate substrate. The exterior hard coat may include UV stabilizers. The laminate may include additional ultraviolet hard coat films stacked on the ultraviolet hard coat film. The laminate may be thermoformed into the shape of a curved vehicle windshield.

Abstract: A protective barrier affixable to a curved substrate comprises a stack of two or more lenses, each of the two or more lenses including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a hard coat on a first side of the PET film, and an adhesive layer on a second side of the PET film opposite the first side. The stack of two or more lenses may have a modulation transfer function that exhibits a contrast value greater than 75% for a spatial resolution of one line-pair per 0.0003 radians at 65 degrees angle of incidence. Heat and pressure may be applied to conform the stack of two or more lenses to the shape of the curved substrate.

Abstract: A removable lens stack comprises a base layer including a substrate and an antistatic coating comprising quaternary ammonium cations on a first side of the substrate and one or more removable lens layers stacked on top of the base layer. Each removable lens layer may include a substrate, an antistatic coating comprising quaternary ammonium cations on a first side of the substrate, and an adhesive on a second side of the substrate opposite the first side. The one or more removable lens layers may be stacked on top of the base layer such that the second side of the substrate of each removable lens layer faces the first side of the substrate of an immediately preceding layer. Refractive indices of the substrate of the base layer, the substrate of each removable lens layer, and the adhesive of each removable lens layer may be matched (e.g., to within 0.2).

Abstract: A tear-off capture system includes an eye protector with a base lens. The eye protector has a retention mechanism mounted on one side, and a support mechanism that supports the eye protector on the head of a wearer. A two-tabbed stack of laminated tear-off lenses mounts to the eye protector via an adhesive. The stack mounts so that the first tab of the stack aligns with the first side of the eye protector and the second tab engages with the retention mechanism. Via the second tab and the retention mechanism, released tear-off layers are directed toward the second side of the eye protector away from the base lens. A capturer helps hold the initially released tear-off layer to the eye protector. An exposed tacky surface on each released tear-off helps hold the subsequently removed tear-off layers.

Abstract: A protective lens stack comprises a base layer including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film containing a UV blocking additive and one or more removable lens layers stacked on top of the base layer. Each of the removable lens layers may include a PET film and a first adhesive disposed on a bottom surface of the PET film. Refractive indices of the base layer and the one or more removable lens layers may be matched to within 0.2. Each layer of the protective lens stack, including the base layer and each of the removable lens layer(s), may have less than 0.5% haze. The protective lens stack may be used as a face shield or may be surface mountable using a second adhesive disposed on a bottom surface of the PET film containing the UV blocking additive.

Abstract: A removable lens stack includes a base layer, a first removable lens layer, and a second removable lens layer. The base layer may include a substrate and a moth eye coating. The first removable lens layer may include a substrate, a single or multi-layer interference antireflective coating on a first side of the substrate, and a fluoropolymer coating on a second side of the substrate. The first removable lens layer may be stacked on top of the base layer with the fluoropolymer coating being molded to fit the moth eye coating. The second and any subsequent removable lens layer may include a substrate, a single or multi-layer interference antireflective coating on a first side of the substrate, and an acrylic or polyurethane adhesive on a second side of the substrate. The second removable lens layer may be stacked on top of the first removable lens layer and so on.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a polymer film includes melting a resin, extruding the melted resin through a die to produce a polymer film, shaping the polymer film, cooling the polymer film, capturing an image of a test pattern through the polymer film, calculating a modulation transfer function value from the image, and adjusting a process parameter of the melting, the extruding, the shaping, or the cooling based on the calculated modulation transfer function value.

Abstract: An eye protector includes a lens configured to protect the wearer from projectiles, and an optically clear stack attached to the lens. The stack can have one or more removable layers. The eye protector also includes an optically clear dry mount adhesive layer attaching the stack to the lens. The dry mount adhesive may be self-wetting to attach the stack to the lens so that air between the stack and the lens can be removed after the stack is attached and/or adhered to the lens, for example, by applying pressure across the surface of the stack. The refractive indices of the lens, the dry mount adhesive, and each removable layer are matched to within about 0.2.

Abstract: A removable lens stack comprises a base layer and one or more removable lens layers. The base layer may include a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first and may further include a moth eye coating on the first side of the substrate. Each removable lens layer may include a substrate having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, a moth eye coating on the first side of the substrate, and a fluoropolymer coating on the second side of the substrate. The removable lens layer(s) may be stacked on top of the base layer such that the second side of the substrate of each removable lens layer faces the first side of the substrate of an immediately preceding base layer or removable lens layer. Each fluoropolymer coating may be molded to fit the moth eye coating of the immediately preceding layer.

Abstract: A shield that is attachable to a touch sensitive screen is disclosed. The shield may be attached to the touch sensitive screen only at its outer peripheral portion. An air gap is enclosed between the shield and the touch sensitive screen to form a planar air bearing. The shield preferably does not touch the active area of the touch sensitive screen when the user is not touching the shield but only viewing the touch sensitive screen through the shield. This mitigates unwanted optical artifacts such as trapped air bubbles, Newton rings and chromatic interference while maintaining the sensitivity of the touch sensitive screen.

Abstract: A transparent covering affixable to a substrate includes a stack of two or more lenses, an adhesive layer interposed between each pair of adjacent lenses from among the two or more lenses, a first anti-reflective coating on a first outermost lens of the stack, and a second anti-reflective coating on a second outermost lens of the stack opposite the first outermost lens. The first anti-reflective coating has a first design wavelength range, and the second anti-reflective coating has a second design wavelength range that is different from the first design wavelength range.

Abstract: A protective barrier affixable to a curved substrate comprises a stack of two or more lenses, each of the two or more lenses including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film, a hard coat on a first side of the PET film, and an adhesive layer on a second side of the PET film opposite the first side. The stack of two or more lenses may have a modulation transfer function that exhibits a contrast value greater than 75% for a spatial resolution of one line-pair per 0.0003 radians at 65 degrees angle of incidence. Heat and pressure may be applied to conform the stack of two or more lenses to the shape of the curved substrate.

Abstract: A method of installing a stack of two or more lenses on a curved substrate includes placing a moldable coveting on a curved substrate, the moldable covering including a stack of two or more lenses, an adhesive layer interposed between each pair of adjacent lenses from among the two or more lenses, and a sacrificial layer disposed on an outermost lens of the stack, the sacrificial layer including a sacrificial lens and a sacrificial adhesive interposed between the sacrificial lens and the outermost lens of the stack. The method may include applying heat and pressure to the sacrificial layer and peeling off the sacrificial layer to reveal the stack of two or more lenses.

Abstract: A protective lens stack comprises a base layer including a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film containing a UV blocking additive and one or more removable lens layers stacked on top of the base layer. Each of the removable lens layers may include a PET film and a first adhesive disposed on a bottom surface of the PET film. Refractive indices of the base layer and the one or more removable lens layers may be matched to within 0.2. Each layer of the protective lens stack, including the base layer and each of the removable lens layer(s), may have less than 0.5% haze. The protective lens stack may be used as a face shield or may be surface mountable using a second adhesive disposed on a bottom surface of the PET film containing the UV blocking additive.