Patents by Inventor Gerald Fournand

Gerald Fournand has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11192315
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for coating an optical article with a coating composition (50), comprising a chamber configured to receive said article, a coating device configured to carry out a coating treatment of said composition for depositing it on said article in said chamber, by vaporizing said composition and by exposing at least a face of said article to the vaporized composition, and a control unit configured to control said coating device for coating said article by vaporizing said composition; said coating device being formed as a single cartridge unit comprising a casing (41) configured to contain said composition, a vaporizing conduit (49) opening both into said casing and outside of said coating device, and a propelling member (52) configured to pressurize said composition; said coating device being configured to put in fluidic communication said propelling member in an operative state with said casing in order to carry out said coating treatment for coating an article.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 7, 2021
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Arnaud Glacet, Gérald Fournand
  • Patent number: 11098400
    Abstract: A machine for coating an optical article with an anti-soiling coating composition, includes a vacuum chamber (8) configured to receive the optical article, a vacuum pump (20) connected to the vacuum chamber (8), a plasma generator (11) configured to carry out a vacuum plasma treatment of the optical article, an evaporation device (10) configured to carry out a vacuum evaporation treatment of the composition for depositing it on the optical article, a control unit (2) controlling the plasma generator for removing an initial outermost anti-soiling coating of the article, controlling the evaporation device for recoating the article with the anti-soiling coating composition, being configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum plasma treatment and being further configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) not to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum evaporation treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignees: Essilor International, Satisloh AG
    Inventors: Reto Strobel, Stephan Scholze, Gérald Fournand, Narendra Borgharkar
  • Patent number: 11061171
    Abstract: Methods for edging optical articles comprising two main faces, at least one of which being coated with an outermost layer comprising fixing the optical article to a chuck with a holding pad that adheres to both the optical article and the chuck, wherein the surface of the holding pad contacting the optical comprises an adhesive material; and edging the optical article with an edging device; wherein prior to fixing the optical article to the chuck, at least one temporary layer of an organic material is formed onto said outermost layer of the optical article, the organic material of the temporary layer comprising at least one organic compound having a fluorinated functional moiety and at least one linking functional moiety capable of establishing at least one intermolecular bond or interaction with the adhesive material of the holding pad. Optical articles obtained via these methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Dominique Conte, Gérald Fournand, Agnès Jallouli, Laurianne Vagharchakian
  • Patent number: 10562248
    Abstract: The invention concerns an optical lens comprising (i) a temporary coating at least partially covering a surface of the lens, said temporary coating comprising an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact; (ii) a removable film having opposite first side and second sides which adhere to said outermost layer through its first side, wherein—the first side of the film has a roughness Rq lower than 750 nm and the first side of the film has a surface energy lower than 38 mJ/m2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2020
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Haifeng Shan, Richard Muisener, Gerald Fournand, Aude Lapprand
  • Patent number: 10436949
    Abstract: An optical lens includes: (i) a temporary coating for protection against degradation at least partially covering a surface of the lens, the temporary protective coating including an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact, and (ii) a removable film having a first side and a second side, which adheres to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating through its first side, the first side of the removable film including at least one surface portion, which, when applied to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating, includes at least one adherent zone and at least one non-adherent zone distributed across the surface portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Assignee: Essilor International
    Inventors: Gerald Fournand, Zeming Gou, Pascale Lacan, Dominique Conte
  • Publication number: 20180215114
    Abstract: The invention provides a system for coating an optical article with a coating composition (50), comprising a chamber configured to receive said article, a coating device configured to carry out a coating treatment of said composition for depositing it on said article in said chamber, by vaporizing said composition and by exposing at least a face of said article to the vaporized composition, and a control unit configured to control said coating device for coating said article by vaporizing said composition; said coating device being formed as a single cartridge unit comprising a casing (41) configured to contain said composition, a vaporizing conduit (49) opening both into said casing and outside of said coating device, and a propelling member (52) configured to pressurize said composition; said coating device being configured to put in fluidic communication said propelling member in an operative state with said casing in order to carry out said coating treatment for coating an article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Publication date: August 2, 2018
    Inventors: Arnaud GLACET, Gérald FOURNAND
  • Publication number: 20170282470
    Abstract: The invention concerns an optical lens comprising (i) a temporary coating at least partially covering a surface of the lens, said temporary coating comprising an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact; (ii) a removable film having opposite first side and second sides which adhere to said outermost layer through its first side, wherein—the first side of the film has a roughness Rq lower than 750 nm and the first side of the film has a surface energy lower than 38 mJ/m2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2014
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Inventors: Haifeng SHAN, Richard MUISENER, Gerald FOURNAND, Aude LAPPRAND
  • Patent number: 9726787
    Abstract: The present invention is dedicated to a method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps: providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing —OH functions on at least one of its faces, successively exposing one face of the substrate bearing —OH functions to at least 2 distinct materials named M1 and M2, M1 having a weight average molecular weight higher than M2, in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein: M1 is a substituted silane comprising: at least one function X1 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si—X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a —OH group of the substrate and/or a covalent bond with M2, and at least one fluorine containing group, M2 is a substituted silane having a number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol, comprising: at least one function X2 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si—X2 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a —O
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE
    Inventors: Gerald Fournand, Agnes Jallouli, Dominique Conte
  • Patent number: 9637643
    Abstract: Method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps: —providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing —OH functions on at least one of its faces, —successively exposing in this order one face of the substrate bearing —OH functions to at least 3 distinct materials named M1, M2, M3 and optionally material M4 in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein: —M1 is a substituted silane comprising at least one function X1 directly bonded to a Si atom of the substituted silane, wherein the Si—X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a OH group of the substrate, X1 being preferably a hydrolysable group (such a —NH2 group) or a —OH group directly bonded to the silicon atom and comprising at least one fluorine containing group, —M2 is a substituted silane of number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol comprising at least one function X2 directly bonded to a silicon atom of sai
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)
    Inventor: Gerald Fournand
  • Publication number: 20170097446
    Abstract: An optical lens includes: (i) a temporary coating for protection against degradation at least partially covering a surface of the lens, the temporary protective coating including an outermost layer mechanically degradable through friction and/or contact, and (ii) a removable film having a first side and a second side, which adheres to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating through its first side, the first side of the removable film including at least one surface portion, which, when applied to the outermost layer of the temporary protective coating, includes at least one adherent zone and at least one non-adherent zone distributed across the surface portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2014
    Publication date: April 6, 2017
    Applicant: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)
    Inventors: Gerald FOURNAND, Zeming GOU, Pascale LACAN, Dominique CONTE
  • Publication number: 20170022597
    Abstract: A machine for coating an optical article with an anti-soiling coating composition, includes a vacuum chamber (8) configured to receive the optical article, a vacuum pump (20) connected to the vacuum chamber (8), a plasma generator (11) configured to carry out a vacuum plasma treatment of the optical article, an evaporation device (10) configured to carry out a vacuum evaporation treatment of the composition for depositing it on the optical article, a control unit (2) controlling the plasma generator for removing an initial outermost anti-soiling coating of the article, controlling the evaporation device for recoating the article with the anti-soiling coating composition, being configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum plasma treatment and being further configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) not to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum evaporation treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2016
    Publication date: January 26, 2017
    Inventors: Reto STROBEL, Stephan SCHOLZE, Gérald FOURNAND, Narendra BORGHARKAR
  • Publication number: 20160259093
    Abstract: Methods for edging optical articles comprising two main faces, at least one of which being coated with an outermost layer comprising fixing the optical article to a chuck with a holding pad that adheres to both the optical article and the chuck, wherein the surface of the holding pad contacting the optical comprises an adhesive material; and edging the optical article with an edging device; wherein prior to fixing the optical article to the chuck, at least one temporary layer of an organic material is formed onto said outermost layer of the optical article, the organic material of the temporary layer comprising at least one organic compound having a fluorinated functional moiety and at least one linking functional moiety capable of establishing at least one intermolecular bond or interaction with the adhesive material of the holding pad. Optical articles obtained via these methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2016
    Publication date: September 8, 2016
    Applicant: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)
    Inventors: Dominique CONTE, Gérald FOURNAND, Agnès JALLOULI, Laurianne VAGHARCHAKIAN
  • Patent number: 9291747
    Abstract: An optical article having anti-fogging properties is disclosed. The optical article includes an anti-reflecting coating having anti-fogging properties even when the optical articles are provided with an anti-soiling top coat layer. The optical article may particularly find use in ophthalmic lenses, including eyeglass lenses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 22, 2016
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale D'Optique)
    Inventors: Gerald Fournand, Agnes Jallouli
  • Publication number: 20150361279
    Abstract: Method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps:—providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing —OH functions on at least one of its faces,—successively exposing in this order one face of the substrate bearing —OH functions to at least 3 distinct materials named M1, M2, M3 and optionally material M4 in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein:—M1 is a substituted silane comprising at least one function X1 directly bonded to a Si atom of the substituted silane, wherein the Si—X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a OH group of the substrate, X1 being preferably a hydrolysable group (such a —NH2 group) or a —OH group directly bonded to the silicon atom and comprising at least one fluorine containing group,—M2 is a substituted silane of number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol comprising at least one function X2 directly bonded to a silicon atom of said su
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Inventor: Gerald Fournand
  • Publication number: 20150360247
    Abstract: The machine for coating an optical article with a predetermined coating composition, includes a vacuum chamber (8) having an interior space (31) configured to receive the optical article, a vacuum pump (20) connected to the vacuum chamber (8), a nebulizer (40) configured to carry out a vacuum nebulization treatment of the composition for depositing it on the optical article in the vacuum chamber, and a control unit (2) configured to control the vacuum pump; the control unit being configured to cause the vacuum pump to suck gases from the vacuum chamber to bring it to a predetermined required pressure for the vacuum nebulization treatment, and the control unit and the nebulizer are configured to nebulize the predetermined coating composition which is liquid into a mist of aerosol droplets and to direct the droplets towards at least a surface of the optical article.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2013
    Publication date: December 17, 2015
    Applicant: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)
    Inventor: Gerald FOURNAND
  • Publication number: 20150331152
    Abstract: The present invention is dedicated to a method for the manufacture of an optical article comprising the following steps: providing a substrate having two main faces and bearing —OH functions on at least one of its faces, successively exposing one face of the substrate bearing —OH functions to at least 2 distinct materials named M1 and M2, M1 having a weight average molecular weight higher than M2, in a vacuum chamber under conditions resulting in the deposit of those materials on the surface of the substrate, and wherein: M1 is a substituted silane comprising: at least one function X1 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si—X1 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a —OH group of the substrate and/or a covalent bond with M2, and at least one fluorine containing group, M2 is a substituted silane having a number average molecular weight inferior or equal to 900 g/mol, comprising: at least one function X2 bonded to a silicon atom, wherein the Si—X2 group is capable of forming a covalent bond with a —O
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2013
    Publication date: November 19, 2015
    Applicant: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNIE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE)
    Inventors: Gerald Fournand, Agnes Jallouli, Dominique Conte
  • Publication number: 20150309216
    Abstract: A method for providing an optical article, such as an ophthalmic lens, with a topcoat, includes: (a) activating the surface of an outermost organic coating of the article with vacuum air plasma, (b) optionally depositing a specific bond coat composition onto the activated surface, so as to obtain a bond coat, and (c) coating the activated surface of the outermost organic coating, or the bond coat if present, with the topcoat composition so as to form a topcoat, preferably an anti-fouling or anti-fog topcoat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Publication date: October 29, 2015
    Inventor: Gerald FOURNAND
  • Publication number: 20150283579
    Abstract: A method for depositing a topcoat layer on, at least, one face of a substrate, includes the steps of: a) providing a flexible deposition device including a flexible supporting medium having a supporting surface coated with a film of a topcoat material; b) bringing into contact the film of topcoat material of the flexible deposition device with the face of the substrate; c) applying a pressure on the flexible supporting medium so that the flexible deposition device conforms to the geometry of the face of the substrate; and d) peeling off the flexible supporting medium from the substrate, whereby the topcoat material is at least partially separated from the flexible supporting medium and deposited on the contacted face of the substrate to form the top coat layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2015
    Publication date: October 8, 2015
    Inventors: Gerald FOURNAND, Peiqi JIANG
  • Patent number: 8945684
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for depositing an anti-fouling top coat onto the outermost coating layer of a coated optical article, comprising the following steps: a) providing an optical article having two main faces, at least one of which being coated with an outermost layer; b) treating said outermost layer with energetic species resulting in surface physical attack and/or chemical modification; and c) vacuum evaporating a liquid coating material for an anti-fouling top coat by means of an evaporation device, resulting in the deposition of the evaporated coating material onto the treated outermost layer of the optical article, wherein prior to the vacuum evaporation step of the liquid coating material, said liquid coating material has been treated with energetic species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Essilor International (Compagnie Generale d'Optique)
    Inventor: Gérald Fournand
  • Publication number: 20140161991
    Abstract: A machine for coating an optical article with an anti-soiling coating composition, includes a vacuum chamber (8) configured to receive the optical article, a vacuum pump (20) connected to the vacuum chamber (8), a plasma generator (11) configured to carry out a vacuum plasma treatment of the optical article, an evaporation device (10) configured to carry out a vacuum evaporation treatment of the composition for depositing it on the optical article, a control unit (2) controlling the plasma generator for removing an initial outermost anti-soiling coating of the article, controlling the evaporation device for recoating the article with the anti-soiling coating composition, being configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum plasma treatment and being further configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) not to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum evaporation treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL (COMPAGNE GENERALE D'OPTIQUE
    Inventors: Reto Strobel, Stephan Scholze, Gerald Fournand, Narendra Borgharkar