IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,617,020
Granted Patent B2
US 12,617,020 · App. 17/729,915 · Granted May 5, 2026

Precision freeform structuring for the fabrication of coded lenses

Inventors: Ping Guo (Northfield, IL); Yaoke Wang (Evanston, IL)
Assignee: Northwestern University
B23B5/40
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,617,020
App. No.
17/729,915
Granted
May 5, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system for fabricating coded lenses includes a cutting tool configured to controllably cut a workpiece at a specified position-dependent depth while traversing a surface of the workpiece along a specified two-dimensional path. A signal generator is operative to generate a signal for controlling fabrication of a coded lens from the workpiece. A vibration tool is operative to ultrasonically vibrate the cutting tool for cutting of gratings on the workpiece.

Claims (1231)

1 . A system for fabricating coded lenses comprising:

a cutting tool configured to controllably cut a workpiece at a specified position-dependent depth while traversing a surface of the workpiece along a specified two-dimensional path;

a signal generator operative to generate a signal for controlling fabrication of a coded lens from the workpiece; and

a vibration tool operative to ultrasonically vibrate the cutting tool for cutting of gratings on the workpiece, wherein the cutting tool is configured to machine a freeform surface and fabricate a variable grating on the machined freeform surface; and

a processor configured to control the cutting tool and the vibration tool for machining a freeform lens from the workpiece, wherein computing the three-dimensional freeform surface is based on a Chebyshev polynomial

Z

=

f

z

(

X

,

Y

)

=

-

(

c

⁡

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

1

+

1

+

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

I

∑

j

=

0

J

C

ij

⁢

T

i

(

X

L

x

)

⁢

T

j

(

X

L

y

)

+

Z

0

T

i

(

x

)

=

cos

⁡

(

i

⁢

arccos

⁢

x

)

,

where x, y, z are global coordinates, X, Y, Z are workpiece coordinates, ρ, θ are workpiece polar coordinates, Z=f z (X,Y) is a freeform surface function, Z 0 is a reference depth, T i (x) is a i th order Chebyshev polynomials at x, C ij is a 2-D Chebyshev polynomials coefficient, i, j are a order of Chebyshev polynomials, I, J are a maximum order of Chebyshev polynomials, c is a curvature of toric term.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool is configured to rotate to cut the workpiece in directions that are perpendicular to local gradients on the workpiece.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vacuum to remove cut material from the cutting tool while the cutting tool is cutting the workpiece.

4 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanism to feed the workpiece linearly along an axis relative to the cutting tool while the cutting tool cuts the workpiece.

5 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a spindle operative to hold the workpiece and turn the workpiece about a central axis to facilitate the cutting tool to cut the workpiece while the workpiece is turning.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the vibration tool includes an elliptical vibration tool.

7 . A method for fabricating coded lenses comprising:

generating a signal for controlling fabrication of a coded lens from a workpiece;

causing a cutting tool to traverse a surface of the workpiece along a specified two-dimensional path, based on the signal;

controllably cutting a workpiece at a specified position-dependent depth while traversing the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path, based on the signal; and

ultrasonically vibrating the cutting tool for cutting gratings on the workpiece; and

computing a three-dimensional freeform surface for machining a freeform lens from the workpiece, wherein computing the three-dimensional freeform surface is based on a Chebyshev polynomial

Z

=

f

z

(

X

,

Y

)

=

-

(

c

⁡

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

1

+

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

I

∑

j

=

0

J

C

ij

⁢

T

i

(

X

L

x

)

⁢

T

j

(

X

L

y

)

+

Z

0

T

i

(

x

)

=

cos

⁡

(

i

⁢

arccos

⁢

x

)

where x, y, z are global coordinates, X, Y, Z are workpiece coordinates, ρ, θ are workpiece polar coordinates, Z=f z (X,Y) is a freeform surface function, Z 0 is a reference depth, T i (x) is a i th order Chebyshev polynomials at x, C ij is a 2-D Chebyshev polynomials coefficient, i, j are a order of Chebyshev polynomials, I, J are a maximum order of Chebyshev polynomials, c is a curvature of toric term.

8 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece based on the Chebyshev polynomial to machine a freeform surface.

9 . The method of claim 7 , wherein causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path comprises feeding the workpiece along a linear direction at a variable rate.

10 . The method of claim 7 , wherein causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path comprises causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along quasi-spiral tool paths computed according to

M

n

≈

h

/

Δ

⁢

r

min

k

=

1

,

…

,

K

∇

f

⁡

(

X

k

,

n

,

Y

k

,

n

)

,

where at a revolution m from 1 to M n , the quasi-spiral tool path is computed by an interpolation, where a k th point on a m th revolution is labelled as (X k,m , Y k,m ),

where

X

k

,

m

=

m

⁡

(

k

-

1

)

M

n

⁢

K

⁢

(

X

k

,

n

+

1

-

X

k

,

n

)

+

X

k

,

n

,

Y

k

,

m

=

m

⁡

(

k

-

1

)

M

n

⁢

K

⁢

(

Y

k

,

n

+

1

-

Y

k

,

n

)

+

Y

k

,

n

,

Z

k

,

m

=

f

z

(

X

k

.

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

-

(

n

-

1

)

⁢

h

+

e

k

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

,

where e h (X k,m , Y k,m ) is a tool compensation term.

11 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the specified two-dimensional path is computed according to

[

X

k

,

m

Y

k

,

m

∇

x

f

⁡

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

∇

y

f

⁢

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

]

=

[

cos

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

-

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

0

0

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

sin

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

-

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

]

[

x

k

,

m

y

k

,

m

-

1

0

]

,

∂

f

⁡

(

X

,

Y

)

∂

X

=

cX

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

i

∑

j

=

0

j

C

ij

⁢

i

⁢

sin

⁢

(

i

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

X

L

x

)

)

1

-

(

X

L

x

)

2

⁢

cos

⁡

(

j

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

Y

L

y

)

)

∂

f

⁡

(

X

,

Y

)

∂

Y

=

cX

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

i

∑

j

=

0

j

C

ij

⁢

cos

⁡

(

i

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

X

L

x

)

)

⁢

j

⁢

sin

⁡

(

j

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

Y

L

y

)

)

1

-

(

Y

L

y

)

2

such that a cutting tool's trajectory in a workpiece coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is on a desired quasi-spiral, and a cutting direction is perpendicular to a local gradient.

12 . The method of claim 7 , further comprising compensating for a deviation of a cutting tool's actual cutting point from the desired cutting point on the workpiece by computing e h according to

e

h

=

R

⁢

tan

⁡

(

β

)

⁢

tan

⁡

(

β

2

)

β

=

arc

⁢

tan

⁡

(

∇

f

z

(

X

,

Y

)

)

and adjusting the cutting tool's actual cutting point based on e h .

13 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon for causing a processor to execute the method:

generating a signal for controlling fabrication of a coded lens from a workpiece;

causing a cutting tool to traverse a surface of the workpiece along a specified two-dimensional path, based on the signal;

controllably cutting a workpiece at a specified position-dependent depth while traversing the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path, based on the signal;

ultrasonically vibrating the cutting tool for cutting gratings on the workpiece; and

computing a three-dimensional freeform surface for machining a freeform lens from the workpiece, wherein computing the three-dimensional freeform surface is based on a Chebyshev polynomial

Z

=

f

z

(

X

,

Y

)

=

-

(

c

⁡

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

1

+

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

I

∑

j

=

0

J

⁢

C

ij

⁢

T

i

(

X

L

x

)

⁢

T

j

(

Y

L

y

)

)

+

Z

0

,

T

i

(

x

)

=

cos

⁡

(

i

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁢

x

)

where x, y, z are global coordinates, X, Y, Z are workpiece coordinates, ρ, θ are workpiece polar coordinates, Z=f z (X,Y) is a freeform surface function, Z 0 is a reference depth, T i (x) is a i th order Chebyshev polynomials at x, C ij is a 2-D Chebyshev polynomials coefficient, i, j are a order of Chebyshev polynomials, I, J are a maximum order of Chebyshev polynomials, c is a curvature of toric term.

14 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions for causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path further comprise instructions for feeding the workpiece along a linear direction at a variable rate.

15 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to further execute the method operations:

causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along quasi-spiral tool paths computed according to

M

n

≈

h

/

Δ

⁢

r

min

k

=

1

,

…

,

K

∇

f

⁡

(

X

k

,

n

,

Y

k

,

n

)

,

where at a revolution m from 1 to M n , the quasi-spiral tool path is computed by a interpolation, where a k th point on a m th revolution is labelled as (X k,m , Y k,m ), where

X

k

,

m

=

m

⁡

(

k

-

1

)

M

n

⁢

K

⁢

(

X

k

,

n

+

1

-

X

k

,

n

)

+

X

k

,

n

,

Y

k

,

m

=

m

⁡

(

k

-

1

)

M

n

⁢

K

⁢

(

Y

k

,

n

+

1

-

Y

k

,

n

)

+

Y

k

,

n

,

Z

k

,

m

=

f

z

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

-

(

n

-

1

)

⁢

h

+

e

k

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

,

where e h (X k,m , Y k,m ) is a tool compensation term.

16 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to further execute the method operations:

causing the cutting tool to traverse the surface of the workpiece along the specified two-dimensional path computed according to

[

X

k

,

m

Y

k

,

m

∇

x

f

⁡

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

∇

y

f

⁢

(

X

k

,

m

,

Y

k

,

m

)

]

=

[

cos

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

-

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

0

0

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

sin

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

0

0

-

sin

⁡

(

φ

k

,

m

)

cos

⁢

(

φ

k

,

m

)

]

[

x

k

,

m

y

k

,

m

-

1

0

]

,

∂

f

⁡

(

X

,

Y

)

∂

X

=

cX

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

i

∑

j

=

0

j

C

ij

⁢

i

⁢

sin

⁢

(

i

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

X

L

x

)

)

1

-

(

X

L

x

)

2

⁢

cos

⁡

(

j

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

Y

L

y

)

)

∂

f

⁡

(

X

,

Y

)

∂

Y

=

cX

1

-

c

2

(

X

2

+

Y

2

)

+

∑

i

=

0

i

∑

j

=

0

j

C

ij

⁢

cos

⁡

(

i

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

X

L

x

)

)

⁢

j

⁢

sin

⁡

(

j

⁢

arc

⁢

cos

⁡

(

Y

L

y

)

)

1

-

(

Y

L

y

)

2

such that a cutting tool's trajectory in a workpiece coordinate system (X, Y, Z) is on a desired quasi-spiral, and a cutting direction is perpendicular to a local gradient.

17 . The medium of claim 13 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to further execute the method operations:

compensating for a deviation of a cutting tool's actual cutting point from the desired cutting point on the workpiece by computing e h according to

e

h

=

R

⁢

tan

⁡

(

β

)

⁢

tan

⁡

(

β

2

)

β

=

arc

⁢

tan

⁡

(

∇

f

z

(

X

,

Y

)

)

and adjusting the cutting tool's actual cutting point based on e h .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 16, 2022
From: GUO, PING; WANG, YAOKE
To: NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Reel/Frame 060823/0211 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 63180388 · Apr 27, 2021
Related Publication 20220355387A1 · Nov 10, 2022
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