Granted Patent B2

US 12,235,524 · App. 18/065,720 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Inventors: Ronald D. Blum (Roanoke, VA); Joshua N. Haddock (Roanoke, VA); William Kokonaski (Gig Harbor, WA); John D. Hunkeler (Mission, KS)

Assignee: e-Vision Smart Optics, Inc.

G02C7/083A61F2/145A61F2/1616A61F2/1627G02B1/043G02C7/04G02C7/049A61F2250/0001A61N1/0543G02C2202/18G02C2202/20

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. An energized ophthalmic lens device, comprising:

a variable optic insert comprising at least a portion within an optical zone of the energized ophthalmic lens device and comprising a front curve piece and a back curve piece, wherein a back surface of the front curve piece and/or a front surface of the back curve piece have differing surface topology at least in the portion within the optical zone, the variable optic insert further comprising a non-optical zone;

an energy source embedded in the variable optic insert in at least a region comprising the non-optical zone;

a layer of liquid crystal material operatively associated with the variable optic insert; and

a layer of dielectric material proximate to the layer of liquid crystal material, wherein the layer of dielectric material varies in thickness across a region within the optical zone resulting in a varying electric field across the layer of liquid crystal material when an electric potential is applied across the layer of liquid crystal material.

2. The energized ophthalmic lens device of claim 1 wherein the energized ophthalmic lens device comprises a contact lens.

3. The energized ophthalmic lens device of claim 2 , further comprising:

a first layer of electrode material proximate to the back surface of the front curve piece; and

a second layer of electrode material proximate to the front surface of the back curve piece.

4. The energized ophthalmic lens device of claim 3 , wherein the layer of liquid crystal material varies its index of refraction affecting a ray of light traversing the layer of liquid crystal material when an electric potential is applied across the first layer of electrode material and the second layer of electrode material.

5. The energized ophthalmic lens device of claim 4 , wherein the variable optic insert alters a focal characteristic of the energized ophthalmic lens device.

6. The energized ophthalmic lens device of claim 5 , further comprising a controller.

7. An ophthalmic lens device with a sealed variable optic insert positioned within at least a portion of an optical zone of the ophthalmic lens device, wherein the sealed variable optic insert comprises:

a curved front surface and a curved back surface, wherein the curved front surface and the curved back surface are configured to bound at least a portion of a chamber;

a dielectric layer proximate to at least one of the curved front surface and the curved back surface, wherein a thickness of the dielectric layer varies at least within the portion within the optical zone;

an energy source embedded in the sealed variable optic insert in at least a region comprising a non-optical zone;

a layer containing liquid crystal material positioned within the chamber,

wherein the layer includes regions of liquid crystal material aligned by an alignment layer which orients molecules in the liquid crystal material; and

wherein the curved front surface and the curved back surface have different radii.

8. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 7 wherein an optical effect of the layer containing liquid crystal material is supplemented by an effect of the thickness of the dielectric layer when an electric field is applied across the layer containing liquid crystal material.

9. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 8 wherein the ophthalmic lens device is a contact lens.

10. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 9 further comprising:

a first layer of electrode material proximate to the curved back surface; and

a second layer of electrode material proximate to the curved front surface.

11. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 10 wherein at least a portion of the layer containing liquid crystal material varies its index of refraction affecting a ray of light traversing the layer containing liquid crystal material when an electric potential is applied across the first layer of electrode material and the second layer of electrode material.

12. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 11 wherein the sealed variable optic insert alters a focal characteristic of the ophthalmic lens device.

13. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 12 further comprising an electrical circuit, wherein the electrical circuit controls a flow of electrical energy from the energy source to the first and second layers of electrode material.

14. The ophthalmic lens device of claim 13 wherein the electrical circuit comprises a processor.

Assignments (3)

Continuity (7)

References Cited (369)