IP Library Granted Patent US 11,914,231
Granted Patent B2
US 11,914,231 · App. 17/280,205 · Granted Feb 27, 2024

Lens, lens blank, and eyewear

Inventors: Eiichiro Hikosaka (Nagoya, JP); Yoshinobu Okada (Niihama, JP); Akifumi Aono (Nagoya, JP)
Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals, Inc.
G02C7/083G02C7/06
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,914,231
App. No.
17/280,205
Granted
Feb 27, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

This lens is provided with: a transparent first substrate; a transparent second substrate provided facing the first substrate in the thickness direction of the first substrate; a first optical characteristic varying portion which is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, and which has an optical characteristic which is varied by means of electric control; and a second optical characteristic varying portion which is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, is provided displaced with respect to the first optical characteristic varying portion in the thickness direction, and which has a optical characteristic which is varied by means of electric control.

Claims (39)

1. A lens, comprising:

a first substrate which is transparent;

a second substrate provided so as to face the first substrate in a thickness direction of the first substrate, the second substrate being transparent;

a first optical property changeable portion that is provided between the first substrate and the second substrate, wherein an optical property of the first optical property changeable portion is changed by electrical control; and

a second optical property changeable portion provided between the first substrate and the second substrate and provided so as to be shifted from the first optical property changeable portion in the thickness direction, wherein an optical property of the second optical property changeable portion is changed by electrical control.

2. The lens according to claim 1 , wherein the second optical property changeable portion faces the first optical property changeable portion in the thickness direction.

3. The lens according to claim 2 , wherein the first optical property changeable portion and the second optical property changeable portion have different shapes in front view.

4. The lens according to claim 1 , wherein:

the first optical property changeable portion has a first optical power in a state where a voltage is applied to the first optical property changeable portion;

the second optical property changeable portion has a second optical power greater in absolute value than the first optical power in a state where a voltage is applied to the second optical property changeable portion; and

an area of the first optical property changeable portion in front view is greater than an area of the second optical property changeable portion in front view.

5. The lens according to claim 2 , wherein the first optical property changeable portion and the second optical property changeable portion have a same shape in front view.

6. The lens according to claim 1 , further comprising a third substrate provided between the first optical property changeable portion and the second optical property changeable portion, wherein:

the first optical property changeable portion includes a first diffraction structure that diffracts incident light, and a first liquid crystal layer that faces the first diffraction structure in the thickness direction;

the second optical property changeable portion includes a second diffraction structure that diffracts incident light, and a second liquid crystal layer that faces the second diffraction structure in the thickness direction;

the first diffraction structure is provided on a side surface of the first substrate and the third substrate; and

the second diffraction structure is provided on a side surface of the second substrate and the third substrate.

7. The lens according to claim 6 , wherein:

the first diffraction structure is provided on the third substrate that faces the first substrate; and

the second diffraction structure is provided on the third substrate that faces the second substrate.

8. The lens according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein:

the first optical property changeable portion has a first electrode and a second electrode that apply voltage to the first liquid crystal layer;

the second optical property changeable portion has a third electrode and a fourth electrode that apply voltage to the second liquid crystal layer; and

at least one of the first electrode or the second electrode faces at least one of the third electrode or the fourth electrode in the thickness direction.

9. The lens according to claim 8 , wherein:

one electrode of the first electrode and the second electrode faces one electrode of the third electrode and the fourth electrode in the thickness direction;

another electrode of the first electrode and the second electrode faces another electrode of the third electrode and the fourth electrode in the thickness direction.

10. The lens according to claim 8 , wherein:

the first electrode and the third electrode face each other in the thickness direction; and

the second electrode and the fourth electrode face each other in the thickness direction.

11. The lens according to claim 8 , wherein the first electrode and the second electrode and the third electrode and the fourth electrode make up a single electrode.

12. A lens blank, comprising:

a blank portion; and

the lens according to claim 1 , integrally formed with the blank portion.

13. An eyewear, comprising:

the lens according to claim 1 ;

a frame that holds the lens; and

a control section that controls a voltage applied to the first optical property changeable portion and the second optical property changeable portion.

14. The eyewear according to claim 13 , wherein the control section controls the voltage applied to the first optical property changeable portion and the voltage applied to the second optical property changeable portion independently of each other.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 12, 2024
From: MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
To: CARL ZEISS VISION INTERNATIONAL GMBH
Reel/Frame 066439/0283 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 26, 2021
From: HIKOSAKA, EIICHIRO; OKADA, YOSHINOBU; AONO, AKIFUMI
To: MITSUI CHEMICALS, INC.
Reel/Frame 055727/0132 →