Patent US931800A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3899314A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Lens manufacturing process
Assignee: American Optical Corp
•
Filing: 1974-03-18
•
Granted: 1975-08-12
•
Expires: 1994-03-18
Abstract
Abstract Manufacturing semifinished and certain finished opthalmic lenses without surface grinding and polishing operation. A flat preform comprised of a thickness of a desired lens glass, e.g. ophthalmic crown, and a lesser thickness of a chemically soluble protective glass fused to at least one side of the lens glass with a smooth, blemish-free interface is produced and thence cut and pressed or slumped to the meniscus shape desired of the ophthalmic lens. The lens is completed by removing the protective glass with a suitable solvent to expose the underlying smooth, blemish free surface(s) of the lens glass for ophthalmic use without further working.
Inventors
- 👤 Walter P Siegmund
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 14:31
CPC Classifications
C; C03; C03B; C03B23/00; C03B23/02; C03B23/023; C03B23/03; C03B23/0302; C03B11/00; C03B11/06; C03B11/08; C03B17/00; C03B17/02; C03B18/00; C03B18/02; C03B18/12; C03B23/037; C03B23/04; C03B23/047; C03B23/20; C03B23/207; C03B23/22; C03B23/26; C03B2215/00; C03B2215/40; C03B2215/46; C03B2215/48; C03C; C03C2218/00; C03C2218/30; C03C2218/355
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
185 words
THE METHOD OF MAKING A GLASS ARTICLE HAVING AT LEAST ONE FINISHED SURFACE OF OPHTHALMIC QUALITY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FORMING A FIRST LAYER OF GLASS OF THE TYPE DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, SAID FIRST LAYER BEING OF AT LEAST THE LENGTH, WIDTH AND THICKNESS DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, COVERING AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS WITH A SECOND RELATIVELY THIN LAYER OF A REMOVABLE GLASS DURING ONE STAGE OF THE FORMING OF SAID FIRST LAYER AND FUSING THE COVERING LAYER OF GLASS INTERFACIALLY TO SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS, THE COMBINATION OF SAID LAYERS OF GLASS CONSTITUTING A PREFORM OF SAID ARTICLE, FLATTENING SAID PREFORM TO A DEGREE OF PRECISION PRODUCING A FINISH OF OPHTHALMIC QUALITY UPON SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS ADJACENT SAID COVERING LAYER, HEAT SOFTENING AND SHAPING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID PREFORM TO AT LEAST THE APPROXIMATE SHAPE DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, AND REMOVING SAID COVERING LAYER OF GLASS FROM SAID PORTION OF SAID PREFORM TO EXPOSE THE UNDERLYING SURFACE OF SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS, SAID UNDERLYING CONSTITUTING SAID FINISHED SURFACE OF SAID ARTICLE.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
185 words
THE METHOD OF MAKING A GLASS ARTICLE HAVING AT LEAST ONE FINISHED SURFACE OF OPHTHALMIC QUALITY COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: FORMING A FIRST LAYER OF GLASS OF THE TYPE DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, SAID FIRST LAYER BEING OF AT LEAST THE LENGTH, WIDTH AND THICKNESS DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, COVERING AT LEAST ONE SIDE OF SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS WITH A SECOND RELATIVELY THIN LAYER OF A REMOVABLE GLASS DURING ONE STAGE OF THE FORMING OF SAID FIRST LAYER AND FUSING THE COVERING LAYER OF GLASS INTERFACIALLY TO SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS, THE COMBINATION OF SAID LAYERS OF GLASS CONSTITUTING A PREFORM OF SAID ARTICLE, FLATTENING SAID PREFORM TO A DEGREE OF PRECISION PRODUCING A FINISH OF OPHTHALMIC QUALITY UPON SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS ADJACENT SAID COVERING LAYER, HEAT SOFTENING AND SHAPING AT LEAST A PORTION OF SAID PREFORM TO AT LEAST THE APPROXIMATE SHAPE DESIRED OF SAID ARTICLE, AND REMOVING SAID COVERING LAYER OF GLASS FROM SAID PORTION OF SAID PREFORM TO EXPOSE THE UNDERLYING SURFACE OF SAID FIRST LAYER OF GLASS, SAID UNDERLYING CONSTITUTING SAID FINISHED SURFACE OF SAID ARTICLE.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
70 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said first layer of glass is produced by rendering its constituent materials fluid and flowing a layer of such materials onto a pool of a liquified medium upon which said materials will float and drawing said materials across and away from said pool, said step of flattening being effected by the movement of said glass materials over said pool of said floating medium.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method according to claim 2 wherein said step of covering said first layer of glass with said second layer of glass is effected by directing a supply of said second glass onto said first layer continuously as said first layer is floated over and drawn away from said pool of said floating medium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 3 wherein said second glass is initially in the form of a frit, said frit being doctored over said first layer of glass as said first layer is floated over and drawn away from said pool of floating medium.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said flattening of said preform includes a step of rolling the combination of said first and second layers of glass.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
91 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said first layer of said preform is formed of a rigid piece of glass of the type desired of said article and said second layer of glass is formed of at least one other rigid piece of glass assembled with said first piece, said preform being produced by the steps of heating and drawing the assembly of said first and second pieces of glass to a reduced cross-sectional size and rolling said heated and drawn assembly to the desired flattened configuration of said preform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of covering at least one side of said first layer of glass is accomplished by directing a glass vapor onto said first layer for condensation thereon as said second layer thereby producing said preform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of heat softening and shaping said portion of said preform is preceded by a step of cutting said portion away from said preform.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said step of removing said covering layer of glass is performed by exposing said layer to a chemical leaching medium.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
181 words
The method of making a lens having at least one finished surface of ophthalmic quality comprising the steps of: forming a first layer of glass of the type desired of said lens, said first layer being of at least the thickness, width and length dimensions desired of said lens; covering at least one side of said first layer of glass with a second relatively thin layer of a removable glass during one stage of the forming of said first layer and fusing the covering layer of glass interfacially to said first layer of glass, the combination of said layers of glass comprising a preform of said lens; flattening said preform to a degree of precision producing a finish of ophthalmic quality upon said first layer of glass adjacent said covering layer; heat softening and shaping at least a portion of said preform to a meniscus configuration; and removing said covering layer of glass from said portion of said preform to expose the underlying surface of said first layer of glass, said underlying surface constituting said one finished surface of said lens.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
181 words
The method of making a lens having at least one finished surface of ophthalmic quality comprising the steps of: forming a first layer of glass of the type desired of said lens, said first layer being of at least the thickness, width and length dimensions desired of said lens; covering at least one side of said first layer of glass with a second relatively thin layer of a removable glass during one stage of the forming of said first layer and fusing the covering layer of glass interfacially to said first layer of glass, the combination of said layers of glass comprising a preform of said lens; flattening said preform to a degree of precision producing a finish of ophthalmic quality upon said first layer of glass adjacent said covering layer; heat softening and shaping at least a portion of said preform to a meniscus configuration; and removing said covering layer of glass from said portion of said preform to expose the underlying surface of said first layer of glass, said underlying surface constituting said one finished surface of said lens.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1332410A
Cited
US1739743A
Cited
US1975397A
Cited
US2305683A
Cited
US2500105A
Cited
US2795084A
Cited
US3256081A
Cited
US3218143A
Cited
US3193367A
Cited
US3351446A
Cited
US3505051A
Cited
US3746526A
Cited
US3849095A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-08-11 | 1979-02-10 | 1979-08-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-08-11 | 1983-02-10 | 1983-08-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-08-11 | 1987-02-10 | 1987-08-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |