Optical lens assemblies and related methods
View Patent ↗The disclosed optical lens assemblies may include a structural support element, a deformable element coupled to the structural support element, and a deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element. The deformable element may include a base element that, when deformed, alters an optical property of the optical lens assembly. The deformable element may have a non-uniform stiffness. Related methods of fabricating an optical lens assembly are also disclosed.
1. An optical lens assembly comprising:
a structural support element;
a deformable element coupled to the structural support element, the deformable element comprising:
a base element that, when deformed, alters an optical property of the optical lens assembly; and
a coating applied to at least a portion of a surface of the base element such that a stiffness of a first region of the deformable element is greater than a stiffness of a second region of the deformable element, wherein at least a portion of the coating is diffused into the base element, wherein a thickness of the coating in the first region is greater than a thickness of the coating in the second region; and
a deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element.
2. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied to the base element in a manner that causes at least one of:
the deformable element to have an aspherical shape, a spherical shape, or a parabolic shape when the deformable element is in a relaxed state; or
the deformable element to have the aspherical shape, a spherical shape, or a parabolic shape when the deformable element is actuated and deformed.
3. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the coating is cross-linked with the base element.
4. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the coating is applied to a surface of the base element facing the deformable medium; and
a refractive index of the coating is within 3% of a refractive index of the deformable medium.
5. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the coating is applied to a surface of the base element opposite the deformable medium.
6. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein a mechanical stress of the coating is at least one of:
within five percent of a mechanical stress of the base element; or
less than ninety-five percent of a mechanical stress of the base element.
7. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deformable element comprises a polymer material and exhibits a substantially uniform thickness, wherein a first region of the deformable element is cross-linked, and a second region is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to a lesser degree, such that the stiffness of the first region of the deformable element is different from a stiffness of the second region of the deformable element.
8. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein a configuration of the non-uniform stiffness is at least partially based on an inter-pupillary distance between a particular user's eyes.
9. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deformable element exhibits an antireflective property.
10. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the deformable element comprises a liquid diffusion barrier.
11. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the structural support element comprises a material having a higher relative rigidity than the deformable element.
12. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the base element comprises at least one of:
a polyolefin material;
a polycycloaliphatic material;
a polyether material;
a polyester material;
a polyimide material; or
a polyurethane material.
13. The optical lens assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first region comprises a peripheral region and the second region comprises a second region.
14. An optical lens assembly comprising:
a structural support element;
a deformable element coupled to the structural support element, the deformable element comprising:
a base element that, when deformed, alters an optical property of the optical lens assembly; and
a coating applied to at least a portion of a surface of the base element such that a stiffness of a first region of the deformable element is different from a stiffness of a second region of the deformable element, wherein at least a portion of the coating is diffused into the base element; and
a deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element, wherein:
the deformable element comprises a polymer material and exhibits a substantially uniform thickness, wherein a first region of the deformable element is cross-linked, and a second region is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to a lesser degree, such that the stiffness of the first region of the deformable element is different from a stiffness of the second region of the deformable element.
15. The optical lens assembly of claim 14 , wherein the base element of the deformable element comprises the first region of the deformable element that is cross-linked and the second region that is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to the lesser degree.
16. The optical lens assembly of claim 14 , wherein the coating of the deformable element comprises the first region of the deformable element that is cross-linked and the second region that is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to the lesser degree.
17. The optical lens assembly of claim 14 , wherein a configuration of the non-uniform stiffness is at least partially based on an inter-pupillary distance between a particular user's eyes.
18. An optical lens assembly comprising:
a structural support element;
a deformable element coupled to the structural support element, the deformable element comprising:
a base element that, when deformed, alters an optical property of the optical lens assembly; and
a coating applied to at least a portion of a surface of the base element such that a stiffness of a first region of the deformable element is different from a stiffness of a second region of the deformable element, wherein at least a portion of the coating is diffused into the base element; and
a deformable medium positioned between the deformable element and the structural support element, wherein:
a configuration of the non-uniform stiffness is at least partially based on an inter-pupillary distance between a particular user's eyes.
19. The optical lens assembly of claim 18 , wherein the coating has a variable thickness.
20. The optical lens assembly of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the base element or the coating comprises a polymer material including a first region that is cross-linked and a second region that is not cross-linked or is cross-linked to a lesser degree.