Patents Examined by Mathieu D. Vargot
  • Patent number: 11248011
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to a polymerizable composition comprising a phosphorus-based mold releasing agent for an optical use whose preparation process is improved, and a process for preparing the phosphorus-based mold releasing agent. The phosphorus-based mold releasing agents can be prepared more easily and conveniently by using phosphorous pentoxide, which can easily react with a monoalcohol and/or water at room temperature in the absence of a catalyst or a solvent. In addition, byproducts are not generated during the reaction. Thus, when a lens is produced by using the mold release agent obtained therefrom, it is possible to prevent a defective appearance of the lens that may be caused by byproducts, thereby further enhancing the appearance properties thereof. Further, since separate steps for removing byproducts, specifically, such steps as washing and filtration, are not required, wastewater is not generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2022
    Assignee: SKC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Seung Mo Hong, Jongmin Shim, Jung Hwan Myung, Junghwan Shin
  • Patent number: 11237307
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for manufacturing energy relays for energy directing systems. Methods and devices are disclosed for forming random and non-random patterns of energy relay materials with energy localization properties. Methods and devices are disclosed for forming energy relays of different shapes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: Light Field Lab, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan Sean Karafin, Brendan Elwood Bevensee, Ed Ibe, Jared Perez, Xudong Chen, Joseph W. Rickwalder
  • Patent number: 11235543
    Abstract: A photo-alignable object has a thickness of more than 2 ?m. The photo-alignable object can be in the form of a free standing film. Also, the photo-alignable object can have a topographical surface structure. The depth of the topographical surface structure can be larger than 100 nm, and preferably the depth of the topographical surface structure is larger than 1 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2019
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: ROLIC AG
    Inventors: Qian Tang, Hubert Seiberle, Jean-François Eckert, Martin Roth, Thierry Becret, Herve Vissieres
  • Patent number: 11230074
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an optical film excellent in anti-fouling properties and scratch resistance as well as anti-reflection properties. The method includes the steps of: (1) applying a lower layer resin and an upper layer resin; (2) forming a resin layer having the uneven structure on a surface thereof by pressing a mold against the lower layer resin and the upper layer resin from the upper layer resin side in the state where the applied lower layer resin and upper layer resin are stacked; and (3) curing the resin layer, the lower layer resin containing at least one kind of first monomer that contains no fluorine atoms, the upper layer resin containing a fluorine-containing monomer and at least one kind of second monomer that contains no fluorine atoms, at least one of the first monomer and the second monomer containing a compatible monomer that is compatible with the fluorine-containing monomer and being dissolved in the lower layer resin and the upper layer resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2022
    Assignee: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hidekazu Hayashi, Tokio Taguchi, Atsushi Niinoh, Kenichiro Nakamatsu
  • Patent number: 11215740
    Abstract: A retroreflector includes an arrangement of triples, each having three side surfaces, which are disposed in the manner of a cube corner and stand approximately perpendicular on one another. The retroreflector can be produced from a carrier material by injection molding. An optical silicone resin is used as the carrier material. The retroreflector is based on triple mirrors that are both easily unmolded from a die and easily applied to curved surfaces even after unmolding or are usable for reflection of ultraviolet light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Inventor: Hans-Erich Gubela
  • Patent number: 11215844
    Abstract: A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Karin Stoller, Daniel Kessler, Burkhard Dietrich, Jens Hof
  • Patent number: 11207855
    Abstract: The invention provides a machine for manufacturing an ophthalmic article molded by casting and having a straight peripheral edge, comprising a mold assembly (2) having first and second molding shells (10, 13) provided with first and second predetermined molding surfaces (12, 14) and facing to each other, an adhesive tape member (20) joining said shells for forming a molding cavity (8), having a Young's modulus greater than 200 MPa and a maximum shear stress smaller than 0.05 MPa when measured at a temperature of polymerization of a molding material, and also configured to form a peripheral case of the mold assembly in which said first molding shell is able to be displaced relative to the second molding shell without affecting an intermediate portion (22) of the adhesive tape member which define said cavity, and a filling aperture formed in said adhesive tape member for introducing by casting said material into said cavity for forming the article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Laurent Chippaux, Somporn Wichitworatham, Natrada Wiwattanapongpan
  • Patent number: 11207854
    Abstract: A method of manufacturing of an astigmatic contact lens having a toric portion and a thickness differential feature to provide lens orientation on eye portion such that said thickness differential causes the toric portion of the contact lens to properly orient in the eye of the wearer. The toric lenses are manufactured by an effective process control method for cylinder power in toric lens production by determining an amount of a mold cylinder compensation which is caused by processes in a toric lens manufacturing system including tool making, injection molding, casting and curing, wherein the mold cylinder is defined as the difference in measured radius of curvature at two orthogonal directions. A control metric is established by using the amount of a mold cylinder compensation and tolerance range and reject mold out of the control limits and improve the production yield for toric lens manufacturing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2021
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Yeming Gu, Curtis Dean McKenney, Cornelius Daniel Niculas
  • Patent number: 11204445
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an ophthalmic lens which efficiently absorbs light rays comprising a composition derived from a monomer or oligomer, a catalyst, at least one light-absorbing additive contained in nanoparticles which are dispersed in said monomer or oligomer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 21, 2021
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Pierre Fromentin, Tipparat Lertwattanaseri, Waranya Phompan, Sanya Hokputsa
  • Patent number: 11198233
    Abstract: In an example method of forming a waveguide part having a predetermined shape, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. A relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted to fill the space between the first and second mold portions. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film so that different portions of the cured waveguide film have different rigidity. The cured waveguide film is separated from the first and second mold portions. The waveguide part is singulated from the cured waveguide film. The waveguide part corresponds to portions of the cured waveguide film having a higher rigidity than other portions of the cured waveguide film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2021
    Assignee: Magic Leap, Inc.
    Inventors: Sharad D. Bhagat, Chieh Chang, Christophe Peroz
  • Patent number: 11167511
    Abstract: An apparatus for facilitating manufacturing an optical fiber connector termination is disclosed. The apparatus may include a resin dispenser configured for dispensing a resin and including a resin dispenser outlet configured to be coupled with a resin inlet of a molded part. Further, the apparatus may include a vacuum generator configured for generating a negative pressure. Further, the vacuum generator may include a vacuum generator outlet configured to be coupled to at least one vacuum outlet of the molded part. Further, the vacuum generator may be configured for generating the negative pressure utilizing electrical energy. Further, the apparatus may include a controller electrically coupled to each of the resin dispenser and the vacuum generator. Further, the controller may be configured for controlling operation of the resin dispenser and the vacuum generator. Further, controlling operation of the vacuum generator may be based on at least one characteristic of the resin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2021
    Inventors: Anthony Nicholson, Vernon Ken Anderson
  • Patent number: 11155006
    Abstract: In the method and the apparatus for releasing a molded article from a mold according to the embodiments, the lateral of the molded article in the mold is pressed, so that it is possible to minimize the damage of the mold and the molded article at the time of the release, while the amount of a mold release agent used is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: SKC CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Junghwan Shin, Jung Hwan Myung, Hyuk Hee Han, Jongmin Shim
  • Patent number: 11148377
    Abstract: A curable liquid is provided to a mold having a rigid surface disposed opposite a deformable surface. The curable liquid contacts the rigid surface and the deformable surface. The deformable surface is shaped according to a surface profile by driving actuators configured to move the deformable surface. The curable liquid is cured while the deformable surface is shaped according to the surface profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2021
    Assignee: Facebook Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Robin Sharma, Andrew John Ouderkirk, Katherine Marie Smyth, Karol Constantine Hatzilias, Kurt Allen Jenkins, Christopher Yuan-Ting Liao
  • Patent number: 11142653
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an antifouling film having excellent antifouling properties and rubbing resistance. The method for producing an antifouling film of the present invention includes Process (1) of applying a resin to a surface of a substrate; Process (2) of pushing the substrate to a die with the resin in between to form an uneven structure on a surface of the resin; and Process (3) of curing the resin including the uneven structure on the surface thereof to form a polymer layer. The resin contains an antifouling agent that contains a compound containing a perfluoro(poly)ether group. The die includes a surface having undergone release treatment using a release agent containing a compound that contains a perfluoro(poly)ether group, a hydrolyzable group, and a Si atom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Hayashi, Tokio Taguchi, Kenichiro Nakamatsu, Yasuhiro Shibai, Ken Atsumo, Tsuneo Yamashita, Saya Nii, Eiji Sakamoto, Kakeru Hanabusa, Hisashi Mitsuhashi, Takayuki Araki
  • Patent number: 11141941
    Abstract: A moulding device, for forming lenses by moulding, includes: a moulding element including indentations formed in a face of the moulding element; a transparent plate held with respect to the moulding element so as to form, with the indentations, a cavity intended to allow the formation of a plurality of lenses; at least one injection passage intended to allow moulding product to be introduced into the cavity, the injection passage being arranged between the transparent plate and the moulding element; a moulding product injector arranged so as to allow moulding product to be introduced into the injection passage. The injector is removable, and the moulding device is configured so as to allow the injector to be removed while at the same time keeping the transparent plate held with respect to the moulding element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Commissariat a l'energie atomique et aux energies alternatives
    Inventors: Arnaud Ritou, Philippe Voarino
  • Patent number: 11142617
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing an antifouling film capable of long-term continuous production of an antifouling film having excellent antifouling properties. The method for producing an antifouling film of the present invention includes Process (1) of applying a resin to a surface of a substrate; Process (2) of applying a second release agent to a surface of a die coated with a first release agent; Process (3) of pushing the substrate to the surface of the die coated with the second release agent with the resin in between to form an uneven structure on a surface of the resin; and Process (4) of curing the resin including the uneven structure on the surface thereof to form a polymer layer. The resin contains an antifouling agent that contains a predetermined compound. The first release agent contains a predetermined compound. The second release agent contains a predetermined compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignees: SHARP KABUSHIKI KAISHA, DAIKIN INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Hidekazu Hayashi, Tokio Taguchi, Kenichiro Nakamatsu, Yasuhiro Shibai, Ken Atsumo, Tsuneo Yamashita, Eiji Sakamoto, Saya Nii, Takayuki Araki
  • Patent number: 11143884
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for making a thin lens and thin lens (1), said method being characterized in providing the following subsequent steps: a) taking a lens comprising a first optical layer (2), having a first surface (21) and a second surface (22) opposite to the first (21), a second optical layer (3), having a first surface (32) and a second surface (31) opposite to the first (32), and a third layer (4) interposed between said first (2) and second (3) optical layers in correspondence of the respective second surfaces (22, 31), said layers (2, 3, 4) being integrally coupled among each other; b) working the first surface (32; 21) of one (3; 2) of said optical layers (2, 3) for reducing its thickness. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a thin lens (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2021
    Assignee: Barberini S.p.A.
    Inventor: Gianni Vetrini
  • Patent number: 11131863
    Abstract: A method of forming an optical device in a body (32), comprises performing a plurality of laser scans (34,36) to form the optical device, each scan comprising relative movement of a laser beam and the body thereby to scan the laser beam along a respective path (34a, 34b 34f; 36a, 36b 36f) through the body to alter the refractive index of material of that path, wherein the paths are arranged to provide in combination a route for propagation of light through the optical device in operation that is larger in a direction substantially perpendicular to the route for propagation of light than any one of the paths individually.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2021
    Assignee: Optoscribe Limited
    Inventors: Nicholas D. Psaila, Ajoy Kumar Kar, Henry Thomas Gibson Bookey, Robert R. Thomson, Graeme Brown
  • Patent number: 11123937
    Abstract: Disclosed is a retro-reflective thread 100 including an internal section 10; a plurality of fibers 12, each fiber comprising a respective longitudinal axis and a respective surface and each fiber comprising a first material that is at least partially optically transmissive, and wherein said plurality of fibers are configured with their respective longitudinal axes substantially co-linearly aligned with one another and said plurality of fibers are interconnected in series around said internal section and wherein a first part 12b of said respective surface of each of said plurality of fibers faces into said internal section; and a reflective material 14 provided on said first part of said respective surface of each of said plurality of fibers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 21, 2021
    Assignee: U.S. Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Michael Ghebrebrhan, Landa Hoke
  • Patent number: 11118024
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a three-dimensional ordered porous microstructure. In the method of the invention where the three-dimensional ordered microstructure is produced using the colloidal crystal templating process, the three-dimensional ordered microstructure thus formed is subjected to heat treatment to soften the particles, so as to effectively increase the contact between orderly arranged particles while removing the solvent used to suspend the particles. The present invention further relates to a monolithic column produced thereby. Compared to the monolithic columns produced by conventional methods, the monolithic column according to the invention is characterized in having a higher aspect ratio and a higher pore regularity, while the connecting pores in the column are relatively large in pore size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2021
    Assignee: Tantti Laboratory Inc.
    Inventors: Chen-Hung Liao, Yu-Cheng Kuo, Yu Cheng, Shih-Horng Yang