Abstract: A bifocal contact lens has a viewing area divided into a plurality of near vision zones (1,3A) and distance vision zones (2,2A, 3) which are substantially concentric with respect to the optical axis (P,Q) of the lens. Each near vision zone is adjacent to a distance vision zone or to a middle distance zone and at least one of the near vision zones comprises an aspherical lenticular surface. An important advantage of the lens is that the aspherical surface can be merged into an adjacent spherical surface with less discontinuity at the junction between the adjacent zones.

Abstract: A support is shown for an image display system that is to be worn on a user's head. The image display system includes an image generating module with at least one optical element into which a user looks to view a generated image and an electronics module, both of these modules being removably mountable on the support. The support includes a head hugging member having a front portion, a pair of side portions, a top portion and a back portion integrally formed from a material with multidirectional elasticity so that the side, top and back portions conform to and hug the user's head. The support also includes a rigid bill secured to the front portion of the head hugging member so that it extends outwardly from a user's forehead for providing a rigid support onto which the image generating module is mounted.

Abstract: Aspheric toric lens designs are disclosed which reduce the number of cylindrical axis locations required for stock keeping units in inventory by aspherizing the toric surface thereof. The present invention pertains to ophthalmic lenses, and in particular to contact lenses such as soft hydrogel contact lenses, particularly designed to fit astigmatic patients who are either non-presbyopic or presbyopic. One of the front and back surfaces of the aspheric toric lens defines a spherical surface corresponding at least to the patient's basic distance prescription Rx. The other of the front and back surfaces defines an aspheric toric curve, wherein the toric surface is constructed with aspheric radii, such that the aspheric curve desensitizes axial misalignment of the toric curve by providing an enhanced depth-of-focus.

Abstract: A method of separating selected fruit from a volume of fruit is based on the reflectivity of the selected fruit. The method utilizes an automated optical inspection and sorting system to illuminate a volume of fruit including cranberries characterized by a spectral power distribution in the infrared spectral region. The system detects reflections of wavelengths of the illumination in the infrared spectral region, identifies the selected fruit based on the detected reflectivity, and sorts the selected fruit from the volume of fruit.

Abstract: Methods and arrangements are provided to efficiently use 3-D vision systems to measure selected features, of objects that are semi-constrained in compartmented trays having a uniform geometric arrangement. The methods are particularly well suited for optimizing the 3-D measurement of leads on integrated circuit devices which are packaged in trays. For obtaining the three-dimensional data, a multi-pocketed tray can be provided with tray pockets arranged in rows and columns, and corresponding sides of the multiple parts or devices in a row or column are scanned sequentially with at least one three dimensional sensor. This scanning procedure is repeated for all rows and columns containing sides of the devices from which data is to be obtained. The devices can be first aligned by applying directional vibration to the tray to drive all the parts or devices to the same corner or side of the respective pockets.

Abstract: An ophthalmic lens suited for extended-wear for periods of at least one day on the eye without a clinically significant amount of corneal swelling and without substantial wearer discomfort. The lens has a balance of oxygen permeability and ion or water permeability, with the ion or water permeability being sufficient to provide good on-eye movement, such that a good tear exchange occurs between the lens and the eye. A preferred lens is a copolymerization product of a oxyperm macromer and an ionoperm monomer. The invention encompasses extended wear contact lenses, which include a core having oxygen transmission and ion transmission pathways extending from the inner surface to the outer surface.

Abstract: A three dimensional sensor includes an illumination source that produces broadband, high intensity optical energy. This optical energy includes a number of individual wavelength components. The individual wavelength components are impinged in a spot on a target. Dispersion is applied to the light reflected from the spot, either before target impingement, after target impingement, or both, whereby light of different colors is focused at different distances from the target. A maximum reflected wavelength, dependent on target range, is detected to determine the target range. In one embodiment, temporal modulation is applied to the light before target impingement. A stationary detector determines the target range by relating the maximum light received to the time it is received in order to determine the color received at that time. In another embodiment, all colors are reflected from the target simultaneously, and the reflected beam is chromatically dispersed in the transverse direction.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for reducing shade effects associated with print quality control, typically generated while viewing or imaging a partly transparent/partly opaque printed material against a light diffusing surface. The reduction in shade effects is by illuminating the printed material from above and viewing or imaging the printed material against a multiple volume light scatterer, thereby redistributing at least part of the light, such that at least part of the scattered light illuminates shaded regions in the image or view obtained.

Abstract: A polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composition includes an active fluorescence or phosfluorescence inducing agent which causes the composition to emit a brighter or hotter appearing light, as compared to conventional PVC compositions, when exposed to white light. In one form, the PVC composition includes barium diphenylaminesulfonate as an additive in a clear or transparent composition and light passing through the composition appears to be hotter than the impinging light. In another form, the additive is barium carbonate and the PVC includes a tinting agent to induce a colored glow when exposed to white light. In all forms, the fluorescence or phosfluorescence inducing agent is selected from a class of materials having the characteristics of creating a compound having an outer electron shell which will permit an electron shift between shells when exposed to light.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel process for the manufacture of mouldings, especially contact lenses, in which a soluble prepolymer comprising crosslinkable groups is crosslinked in solution, and also to mouldings, especially contact lenses, obtainable in accordance with that process. The present invention relates also to novel prepolymers that can be used in the process according to the invention, especially derivatives of a polyvinyl alcohol having a molecular weight of at least about 2000 that, based on the number of hydroxy groups of the polyvinyl alcohol, comprise from approximately 0.5 to approximately 80% of units of formula I ##STR1## wherein R is lower alkylene having up to 8 carbon atoms,R.sup.1 is hydrogen or lower alkyl andR.sup.

Abstract: An improved composition for producing a scratch-resistant coating for a plastic object together with the process of making and applying the coating is herein disclosed. Included in the composition is a mixture of a nonsilane organic epoxy compound and a partially hydrolyzed aminosilane reacted with a carbonyl-containing compound in an organic solvent. The mixture is applied to a plastic surface which is then heated to cure the coating into a hard transparent film which can be tinted quickly and darkly with an organic dye.

Abstract: A surgical technique for removing corneal tissue with scanned infrared radiation is disclosed which utilizes short mid-infrared laser pulses to provide a tissue removal mechanism based on photospallation. Photospallation is a photomechanical ablation mechanism which results from the absorption of incident radiation by the corneal tissue. Since photospallation is a mechanical ablation process, very little heat is generated in the unablated adjacent tissue. The disclosed surgical system includes a scanning beam delivery system which allows uniform irradiation of the treatment region and utilizes low energy outputs to achieve controlled tissue removal. A real-time servo-controlled dynamic eye tracker, based on a multiple-detector arrangement, is also disclosed which senses the motion of the eye and provides signals that are proportional to the errors in the lateral alignment of the eye relative to the axis of the laser beam.

Abstract: In a process for the manufacture of mouldings, especially optical lenses, specifically contact lenses (CL), a starting material that is crosslinkable by the impingement of suitable energy is introduced into a mould (1) having a cavity (15), which mould is at least partially permeable to the energy concerned. The starting material is introduced into the cavity in a still at least partially uncrosslinked state, the mould cavity determining the shape of the moulding (CL) to be produced. By means of impingement of the energy concerned, the starting material is crosslinked to an extent sufficient for it to be possible for the moulding (CL) to be released from the mould. The filling of the mould cavity is carried out in the starting material that is still at least partially in the uncrosslinked state.

Abstract: A communication and position determining device for use in an underwater communication and position determining system wherein the device transmits a sequence of one or more data words, wherein each data word includes a plurality of data bits transmitted in parallel as a corresponding number of concurrently transmitted signals, each of which occupies a different frequency band. The signals have waveforms selected from a pair of fade resistant waveforms that can be discriminated from one another, to represent binary data and the frequency bands are separated from one another by guard bands having widths sufficient to prevent intersymbol interference between the signals representing the data bits of a data word due, for example, to doppler and phase/frequency shifting, and successive data words are separated sequentially in time by intervals having a duration sufficient to prevent intersymbol interference between the signals of successive data words due to multipath reverberation.

Abstract: This invention provides a molded polymeric object, partially or completely coated with a hydrophilic polymer which provides a wettable surface to the molded object such as a contact lens. It also provides a process for using latent-hydrophilic monomers to make molded objects with wettable surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention is a head-mounted vision rehabilitation system for aiding in the rehabilitation of the visually impaired which includes a headset having an anterior portion extending over a patient's eyes and a posterior portion partially encircling the patient's head; a camera for imaging an image source which includes a focusing means and an electro-optical sensor to create an image signal based upon light from the image source; a coherent video display located within the anterior portion of the headset for receiving the image signal and recreating the image onto the patient's eyes; a disengageable connector for removably attaching the camera to the anterior portion of the headset; and a control unit in communication with the camera, the video display and the headset for controlling the operation of the head-mounted vision rehabilitation system.

Abstract: An on-demand fast cycle mold for producing injection molded products such as polypropylene blister package bases. The on-demand fast cycle mold has a heated and cooled hot runner system which provides a short response time and optimal temperature control. On-demand injection molding is made possible by a pulse modulated closed loop mold cooling system, the cooling design of brazed gate inserts, and an effective layout of the cooling channels. The programming of the software for a computer control system has also been designed to achieve on-demand injection molding. The design of the closed loop mold cooling system incorporates an advanced cooling circuit layout, and provides for easy maintenance and better quality control of the coolant which significantly reduces corrosion and scale buildup. Mold cooling is controlled by sensors installed inside the mold which are used in feedback control loops.

Abstract: In a process for the production of optical lenses, in particular contact lenses, a lens material is introduced between two mould halves. The mould halves each have a moulding surface and enclose a cavity in the closed state of the mould. After the lens material has been introduced the two moulding surfaces are moved towards each other and the lens material is enclosed in the cavity. If necessary, the lens material enclosed in the cavity is then polymerised. The first moulding surface is provided on the one mould half and the other mould half includes a mould part that is movable inside it with a close fit in the manner of a piston and on which the second moulding surface is provided, so that by moving that mould part towards the first moulding surface the cavity is closed. For this purpose, the two mould halves are first assembled, then the movable mould part which has the second moulding surface is moved in the direction towards the first moulding surface.

Abstract: An apparatus for the processing and segmenting of a cover-forming laminate web or sheeting structure which is adapted to interconnect a plurality of containers, such as the base members of blister packages each of which is designed to contain a hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically disclosed is an apparatus for the imprinting, perforating, slitting and cutting the laminated web structure such that the severed laminate segments constitute printed covering label for an array of such containers, and whereby the laminated web or sheeting segment may be severed along weakening or perforation lines so as to provide a separable packaging arrangement for individual of the containers which are subsequently adhered thereto.