The present disclosure relates to an anti-fog lens and a surface treatment method for a lens, and more particularly to an anti-fog lens having an anti-fog layer comprising a modified cellulose triacetate (TAC), and the surface treatment method thereof.
Generally, various types of lenses have two common problems to be solved which are lack of strength of the lenses and the fogging on the surfaces of the lenses.
Lenses are typically worn on faces, especially close to the mouth and the nose of the wearer. Therefore, the temperature of the warm moisture exhales from human body and the moisture presented in a closed space formed around the eyes (for example in the case of goggles such as swimming goggles, diving goggles or snow goggles) often being reduced to be lower than the boiling point (the condensation point) so that those moistures are condensed to form liquid water when contacting with the lenses having lower temperature. The phenomenon described above is so-called “fogging”.
On the other hand, since the material of a lens is typically selected from glass, resin and polycarbonate, in the case that the lens made of glass, the hardness of the lens is similar to that of the sands (dusts, which are mainly composed of silicon dioxide), and hence, the lens is easily being scratched.
In the existing art, it is known to immerse the lens in specific solutions (“reinforcing solutions”) to achieve anti-fog or reinforcing effect of the lens by adjusting the degree of immersion (the degree of modification). Small degree of modification is able to induce the lotus effect on the surface of the lens and reduce the surface tension of water, thereby rendering the moisture to condense and form a single layer of water film for avoiding fogging. On the other hand, larger degree of modification results the formation of a copolymer of silicon dioxide and organosilane molecules, thereby reinforce the strength of the lens.
However, it is difficult to achieve the small degree of modification and the larger degree of modification at the same time. Even if the above different degrees of modification can be achieved at the same time, it is still challenged to adjust the anti-fog effect and reinforcing effect required by the lenses for different applications.
Moreover, the reinforcing layers or electroplating layers formed by conventional immersion plating processes or evaporation deposition processes can be easily peeled off and have limited strength.
Therefore, there is a need to provide a solution to achieve both the anti-fog and reinforcing effects—even additional effects—of the lenses according to different needs for different applications. In addition, a simplified manufacturing process and improved yields are also highly desired.
In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present disclosure provides an anti-fog lens (an anti-fog spherical lens or an anti-fog aspherical lens) and a surface treatment method for the anti-fog spherical lens or the anti-fog aspherical lens.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an anti-fog lens comprising a lens having a first surface and a second surface, and an anti-fog layer disposed on a side of the first surface and a side of the second surface. The anti-fog layer comprises a modified triacetyl cellulose (TAC).
In certain embodiments, the anti-fog layer directly covers at least one of the first surface and the second surface.
In certain embodiments, the anti-fog lens further comprises a reinforcing layer disposed either between the first surface and the anti-fog layer on the first surface, between the second surface and the anti-fog layer on the second surface, or between the first surface and the anti-fog layer on the first surface and between the second surface and the anti-fog layer on the second surface, wherein the reinforcing layer comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene (PE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polypropylene (PP), modified polyphenylene oxide (MPPO), polysulfone, polyethersulfone (PES), polyetherimide (PEI), polyamide-imide (PAI), polyurethane (PU), polystyrene (PS), polycarbonate (PC), polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), polylactic acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS).
In certain embodiments, the anti-fog lens further comprises an electroplating layer disposed either between the first surface and the anti-fog layer on the first surface, between the second surface and the anti-fog layer on the second surface, or between the first surface and the anti-fog layer on the first surface and between the second surface and the anti-fog layer on the second surface.
In certain embodiments, the anti-fog lens further comprises a reinforcing layer disposed between the anti-fog layer and the electroplating layer.
In addition to the application for spherical lenses, the present disclosure can be used for aspherical lenses. The present disclosure further provides an anti-fog lens comprising an aspherical lens having a first surface and a second surface, and an anti-fog layer disposed on a side of the first surface and a side of the second surface. The anti-fog layer comprises a modified triacetyl cellulose (TAC).
Furthermore, in one aspect, the present disclosure provides surface treatment methods for lenses. The methods include those applied on spherical lenses and on aspherical lens. The methods are described herein.
A method for a (spherical) lens comprises: a preparing step comprising providing a spherical lens having a first surface and a second surface; and an adhering step comprising adhering an anti-fog film onto the first surface and the second surface.
In certain embodiments, the adhering step is performed by scrolling the anti-fog film onto the first surface and the second surface.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises, between the preparing step and the adhering step: a reinforcing step, comprising: immersing the spherical lens in a solution comprising silicon dioxide or an organosilane molecular copolymer.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises, between the preparing step and the adhering step: an electroplating step, comprising electroplating the spherical lens.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises, between the reinforcing step and the adhering step: an electroplating step, comprising electroplating the spherical lens.
In certain embodiments, the adhering step comprises holding the anti-fog film by a mechanical arm and adhering the anti-fog film onto the first surface.
In one aspect, the present disclosure provides a surface treatment method for a (aspherical) lens, comprising: a preparing step comprising providing an aspherical lens having a first surface and a second surface, and placing the aspherical lens and an anti-fog film in a mold; and an injecting step, comprising performing inject-molding using the mold to adhere the anti-fog film onto the second surface.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises, after the injecting step: a reinforcing step comprising spray-coating a solution on the first surface, wherein the solution comprises silicon dioxide or an organosilane molecular copolymer.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises, after the injecting step: an electroplating step comprising electroplating the first surface.
In certain embodiments, the method further comprises an adhering step comprising holding the anti-fog film by a mechanical arm and adhering the anti-fog film onto the first surface.
Therefore, the advantages of the present disclosure reside in that the reinforcement of the lens and the anti-fog effect can be both achieved by the use of the anti-fog layer and the solution or the electroplating process. It should be noticed that the adhering step for the spherical lens and that of the aspherical lens are significantly different. For example, in the case of a spherical lens, the anti-fog film can be adhered onto the spherical lens by scrolling, while in the case of an aspherical lens, since the aspherical lens includes a structure with various curvatures and without a same spherical center, the scrolling process is relatively less applicable. Therefore, the present disclosure further provides a method including a step for adhering the anti-fog film onto the aspherical lens.
In addition, the present disclosure further discloses a one-step surface treatment method comprising placing the anti-fog film in a mold and performing an inject-molding process to prepare an aspherical lens with an anti-fog layer thereon. The one-step surface treatment method can be applied on both spherical lenses and aspherical lenses.
These and other aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent from the following description of the embodiment taken in conjunction with the following drawings and their captions, although variations and modifications therein may be affected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure.
The present disclosure will become more fully understood from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The present disclosure is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Like numbers in the drawings indicate like components throughout the views. As used in the description herein and throughout the claims that follow, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, the meaning of “a”, “an”, and “the” includes plural reference, and the meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Titles or subtitles can be used herein for the convenience of a reader, which shall have no influence on the scope of the present disclosure.
The terms used herein generally have their ordinary meanings in the art. In the case of conflict, the present document, including any definitions given herein, will prevail. The same thing can be expressed in more than one way. Alternative language and synonyms can be used for any term(s) discussed herein, and no special significance is to be placed upon whether a term is elaborated or discussed herein. A recital of one or more synonyms does not exclude the use of other synonyms. The use of examples anywhere in this specification including examples of any terms is illustrative only, and in no way limits the scope and meaning of the present disclosure or of any exemplified term. Likewise, the present disclosure is not limited to various embodiments given herein. Numbering terms such as “first”, “second” or “third” can be used to describe various components, signals or the like, which are for distinguishing one component/signal from another one only, and are not intended to, nor should be construed to impose any substantive limitations on the components, signals or the like.
In addition, the directional indications (such as above, under, left, right, front, rear . . . ) in the embodiments are only used to describe the relative positions or movements, etc. of multiple components under specific circumstances (such as those shown in the drawings), and when the circumstances are changed, the directional indications may be changed accordingly.
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In the present embodiment, an organic or inorganic reinforcing layer 14 is formed on the surface of the spherical lens 1 by immersing the spherical lens 1 in the reinforcing solution. The thickness of the reinforcing layer 14 can be, for example, in the range of from 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, and hence, the spherical lens 1 can have an anti-scratching property and be durable. Next, the anti-fog film is adhered onto the first surface 11 and the second surface 12 of the spherical lens 1 for forming the anti-fog layer 13. Therefore, the anti-fog lens provided by the present disclosure can have both the anti-scratching property and the anti-fog property.
It should be noticed that the step of immersing the spherical lens 1 and the step of adhering the anti-fog film are each independent and can be performed separately. Therefore, a user or a manufacturer can adjust the degrees of reinforcement and anti-fog effect according to actual needs.
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The material of the electroplating layer 15 can be selected from nickel, copper, zinc, gold, silver or the any combination thereof. In addition, the electroplating layer 15 can be but not limited to a multi-layer electroplating coating, a water-repellent plating coating, a greaseproof coating, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-blue light coating, a mercury coating or a color mirror coating.
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Another preferred embodiment of the present disclosure is described herein. In the preferred embodiment, an anti-fog lens (shown in
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The surface treatment method of the anti-fog lens described above (using a spherical lens as a substrate) is described herein. The order of the steps can be adjusted based on actual needs and hence, are not limited to the description herein. The method comprises a preparing step of providing a spherical lens 1 having a first surface 11 and a second surface 21; an adhering step of adhering an anti-fog film onto the first surface 11 and the second surface 12; a reinforcing step of immersing the spherical lens 1 in a solution comprising silicon dioxide or an organosilane molecular copolymer; and an electroplating step of electroplating the spherical lens 1.
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The surface treatment method of the anti-fog lens (using an aspherical lens as a substrate) described above is described herein. The order of the steps can be adjusted based on actual needs and hence, are not limited to the description herein. The method comprises:
(1) A preparing step: providing an aspherical lens 2 having a first surface 21 and a second surface 22 and placing the aspherical lens 2 and an anti-fog film in a mold;
(2) An injecting step: performing inject-molding by the mold to adhering the anti-fog film onto the aspherical lens 2 (for example, onto the second surface 22 of the aspherical lens 2);
(3) A reinforcing step: spray-coating a solution comprising silicon dioxide and an organosilane molecular polymer onto, for example, the first surface of the aspherical lens 2 (rather than immersing the aspherical lens 2 in the solution);
(4) An electroplating step: electroplating, for example, the first surface 21 of the aspherical lens 2; and
(5) An adhering step: adhering an anti-fog film onto, for example, the first surface 21 of the aspherical lens 2.
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In sum, the surface treatment methods for spherical and aspherical lenses can be used to manufactured various type of anti-fog lenses. Therefore, the anti-fog property of the lens can be adjusted, or both the anti-fog property and the reinforcing property can be achieved at the same time. In addition, the degrees of anti-fogging and reinforcement can be adjusted based on actual needs. It should be mentioned that the process of manufacturing the aspherical anti-fog lens in a single step (using the inject-molding process) can be applied to the spherical lens as well, and such process can reduce the number of step in the manufacturing process and improve the yield of the manufacturing process.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.
The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the disclosure and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the disclosure and various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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109103768 | Feb 2020 | TW | national |