Abstract: A method for laminating a film on to an optical article and a bi-layer adhesive for use in the method. The bi-layer adhesive includes a latex adhesive layer and an HMA layer sequentially disposed on the film and dried to form a solid layer of uniform thinness throughout to provide optical quality. Various types of films may be employed to provide an optical function. Following optional pre-treatment steps, the adhesives are coated on to the film. An optical hot press technique is used to deliver heat and pressure over a short period of time to form a functionally-enhanced optical article with high adhesive strength.

Abstract: An optical adhesive product and a process for manufacturing an optical adhesive product, laminated film ensembles, and laminated lenses. The optical adhesive product includes a glyoxal water solution that is pH adjusted for use as an optical adhesive that demonstrates a wet peel force strength above about 6 Newtons. A water based polymer, such as PVOH, may be added to the adhesive system. According to the process, the glyoxal adhesive system is manufactured and utilized to laminate TAC-PVA-TAC films together to form a polar film ensemble. The polar film ensemble is laminated to an optical substrate and in the case of an ophthalmic lens, surfaced, coated and edged. The optical adhesive product avoids film separation in the polar TAC-PAV-TAC film ensemble during edging.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for elimination of lamination defects on progressive addition lenses. The lamination method uses a flexible bladder designed to apply pressure evenly across the lens surface. A spacer is positioned between a Hard Multi-Coat carrier and the flexible bladder. The spacer is located in a region of the carrier which is designated to deliver a coating to a section of the lens which is farthest from the carrier. The spacer asymmetrically increases the pressure applied to the carrier to eliminate lamination defects.

Abstract: A transparent, non elastomeric, high refractive index, impact resistant poly(thio)urethane/urea material comprising the reaction product of: a) at least one (?, ?)-diiso(thio)cyanate cycloaliphatic or aromatic polysulfide prepolymer, and b) at least one aromatic primary diamine, in an equivalent molar ratio amine function/iso(thio)cyanate function ranging from 0.5 to 2, wherein, said prepolymer and diamine are free from disulfide (—S—S—) linkage and wherein the (?, ?)-diiso(thio)cyanate polysulfide prepolymer is the reaction product of at least one cycloaliphatic or aromatic diiso(thio)cyanate and at least one (?, ?)-diol prepolymer.

Abstract: A method for laminating a functional film on to an optical base element and a tri-layer adhesive system for use in the method. The tri-layer adhesive includes a first latex adhesive layer disposed on the functional film and a second latex adhesive layer disposed on the optical base element. An HMA layer is disposed in between the latex layers to form a tri-layer adhesive to permanently retain the functionalized film on the optical base element. The method includes first coating a latex adhesive on the functional film and second coating a latex adhesive on the optical base element. An HMA is then coated on to one of the dried latex adhesive layers. The film is hot pressed on to the optical base element with the HMA sandwiched in between the latex layers to form a laminated optical device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for elimination of lamination defects on progressive addition lenses. The lamination method uses a flexible bladder designed to apply pressure evenly across the lens surface. A spacer is positioned between a Hard Multi-Coat carrier and the flexible bladder. The spacer is located in a region of the carrier which is designated to deliver a coating to a section of the lens which is farthest from the carrier. The spacer asymmetrically increases the pressure applied to the carrier to eliminate lamination defects.

Abstract: An optical adhesive product and a process for manufacturing an optical adhesive product, laminated film ensembles, and laminated lenses. The optical adhesive product includes a glyoxal water solution that is pH adjusted for use as an optical adhesive that demonstrates a wet peel three strength above about 6 Newtons. A water based polymer, such as PVOH, may be added to the adhesive system. According to the process, the glyoxal adhesive system is manufactured and utilized to laminate TAC-PVA-TAC films together to form a polar film ensemble. The polar film ensemble is laminated to an optical substrate and in the case of an ophthalmic lens, surfaced, coated and edged.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a Fresnel lens or other lens having a structured surface such as refractive and/or diffractive bi-focal or other multi-focal lenses includes press-coating the structured surface with a low or very low refractive index coating material. The coating is sufficient thick to adequately cover the structured surface so that a smooth coating surface with good optical properties is obtained, for example in the case of a Fresnel structure a thickness greater than 1.5 times and less than 5 times the Fresnel structure height, and is cured in situ. A film, e.g., of PET, PC or PU or a film stack, e.g. a TAC/PVA/TAC film stack is prepared and a heat melting adhesive is applied to the side of the film or film stack to be contacted with the coated structured surface of the lens blank. The film or film stack is then laminated to the cured coating.

Abstract: A method for producing an ophthalmic lens comprised of a base lens and a film structure bound to said base lens includes a pressure-free heating. Said heating is performed after assembling the film structure with a semi-finished lens (1), and before said semi-finished lens is machined for obtaining the base lens. Although a maximum heating temperature is higher than a glass-transition temperature of the semi-finished lens, no image distortion and optical aberration is produced for the final ophthalmic lens. The maximum heating temperature is also lower than a glass-transition temperature of the film structure.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a polarized optical device and the resulting optical device. In the process, an optical device is coated with an adhesive. A PVA polarizing film is moistened to render it formable. The PVA polarizing film is laminated on to the adhesive coating so that the PVA polarizing film forms to the shape of the optical device. The film, adhesive, device ensemble is then heat annealed. The PVA polarizing film is then contacted with a boric acid solution to crosslink the PVA so that it can withstand use and further processing. A polarized optical device includes an adhesive disposed between an optical base element and a PVA polarizing film.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for transferring at least one coating onto at least one geometrically defined surface of a lens substrate to produced a lens substrate coated with at least one functional coating adhering to at least one geometrically defined surface through a layer of transparent adhesive composition.

Abstract: A method for laminating a functional film on to an optical base element and a tri-layer adhesive system for use in the method. The tri-layer adhesive includes a first latex adhesive layer disposed on the functional film and a second latex adhesive layer disposed on the optical base element. An HMA layer is disposed in between the latex layers to form a tri-layer adhesive to permanently retain the functionalized film on the optical base element. The method includes first coating a latex adhesive on the functional film and second coating a latex adhesive on the optical base element. An HMA is then coated on to one of the dried latex adhesive layers. The film is hot pressed on to the optical base element with the HMA sandwiched in between the latex layers to form a laminated optical device.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for coating at least one geometrically defined surface of an optical article's substrate. The process can include: (a) providing a removable carrier made of plastic material and having an internal surface and external surface; (b) providing an optical article comprising a substrate having at least one geometrically defined surface forming a Fresnel lens; (c) depositing a curable coating composition onto either the at least one surface forming a Fresnel lens; (d) moving the carrier and optical article relatively to each other; (e) applying a pressure onto the external surface of the carrier to spread out the curable coating composition to cover said at least one surface forming a Fresnel lens; (f) curing the layer of curable coating composition; (g) withdrawing the removable carrier to recover the substrate of the optical article having at least one Fresnel lens forming surface coated with the cured coating composition.

Abstract: The invention concerns a process for making a coated optical lens blank free of visible fining lines which comprises: (ix) providing an optical article having at least one fined but unpolished geometrically defined main face; (x) providing a mold part having an internal and external surface; (xi) depositing on said main face of said optical article or on the internal surface of the mold part a requisit amount of a liquid curable coating composition; (xii) moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to either bring the coating composition into contact with the main face of the optical article or into contact with the internal face of the mold part; (xiii) applying pressure to the mold part to spread the liquid curable coating composition on said main face and form a uniform liquid coating composition layer onto the main face; (xiv) curing the liquid coating composition layer; (xv) withdrawing the mold part; and recovering the free of visible fining lines coated optical article.

Abstract: Processes for applying a coated or uncoated film onto at least one geometrically defined surface of a lens substrate which comprises: providing a liquid hot melt adhesive (HMA) composition; providing a film having two opposite main surfaces; providing a lens substrate having at least one geometrically defined surface; and applying the film to the lens substrate surface using the HMA.

Abstract: A method for laminating a film on to an optical article and a bi-layer adhesive for use in the method. The bi-layer adhesive includes a latex adhesive layer or a specific silane adhesive and an HMA layer sequentially disposed on the film and dried to form a solid layer of uniform thinness throughout to provide optical quality. Various types of films may be employed to provide an optical function. Following optional pre-treatment steps, the adhesives are coated on to the film. An optical hot press technique is used to deliver heat and pressure over a short period of time to form a functionally-enhanced optical article with high adhesive strength.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for transferring at least one coating onto at least one geometrically defined surface of a lens substrate to produced a lens substrate coated with at least one functional coating adhering to at least one geometrically defined surface through a layer of transparent adhesive composition.

Abstract: The invention concerns a photocurable adhesive composition comprising, based on total weight of photopolymerizable monomers and/or oligomers of the composition: 5 to 60 wt % of at least one mono or polyacrylate monomer or oligomer thereof (A); 5 to 50 wt % of at least one thio(meth)acrylate monomer or oligomer thereof (B); and 20 to 50 wt % of at least one aromatic dimethacrylate monomer or oligomer thereof (C); with the proviso that the composition does not contain a brominated monofunctional acrylate.

Abstract: The present method for coating a Fresnel lens comprises providing an uncoated Fresnel lens blank having a structure surface and a non-structured surface, providing a transparent mold part having molding surface substantially matching the base curvature of the Fresnel lens, depositing a metered quantity of coating resin between the molding surface and the structured surface of the Fresnel lens, applying pressure between the Fresnel lens and the mold part while maintaining the distance between the molding surface and the structure surface so that the thickness of the coating is greater than 1.5 times the Fresnel structural height of the structured surface and less than 5 times of the Fresnel structure height of the structured surface and curing the resin coating in situ by directing the incident UV radiation at the Fresnel lens.

Abstract: The present method for coating a Fresnel lens blank includes providing an uncoated Fresnel lens blank having a structure surface and a non-structured surface, providing a transparent mold part having molding surface substantially matching the base curvature of the Fresnel lens, depositing a metered quantity of coating resin between the molding surface and the structured surface of the Fresnel lens, applying pressure between the Fresnel lens and the mold part while maintaining the distance between the molding surface and the structure surface so that the thickness of the coating is greater than 1.5 times the Fresnel structural height of the structured surface and less than 5 times of the Fresnel structure height of the structured surface and curing the resin coating in situ by directing the incident UV radiation at the Fresnel lens. A double coating may be employed for obtaining both higher optical power and better mechanical properties.