The present disclosure relates to a contact lens, and more particularly to a smart contact lens.
A conventional smart contact lens has a lens body and a circuit structure embedded in the lens body. However, since the circuit structure has a flat shape and the lens body has a substantially spherical shape, the circuit structure is difficult to be embedded and positioned in the lens body.
In response to the above-referenced technical inadequacies, the present disclosure provides a contact lens to effectively improve on the issues associated with conventional smart contact lenses.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, one of the technical aspects adopted by the present disclosure is to provide a contact lens, which includes a lens body and an embedded module. The lens body includes an optical portion and an annular wearing portion that surrounds the optical portion. The lens body has a front surface and a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface and that is configured for being worn on an eye. The embedded module includes a pre-mold body and a circuit structure. The pre-mold body is made of an eye-friendly material. The pre-mold body is entirely embedded in the lens body, and the pre-mold body and the lens body are gaplessly connected to each other so as to jointly form a connection interface that is spaced apart from the front surface and the rear surface. The pre-mold body includes an inner optical layer and an enclosing ring. The inner optical layer is embedded in the optical portion so as to divide the optical portion into a front optical layer and a rear optical layer that is spaced apart from the front optical layer. The enclosing ring extends from a peripheral edge of the inner optical layer and embedded in the annular wearing portion. The circuit structure is embedded in the enclosing ring, and a partial surface of the circuit structure is flush with an outer surface of the enclosing ring and is connected to the annular wearing portion.
In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, another one of the technical aspects adopted by the present disclosure is to provide a contact lens, which includes a lens body and an embedded module. The lens body includes an optical portion and an annular wearing portion that surrounds the optical portion. The lens body has a front surface and a rear surface that is opposite to the front surface and that is configured for being worn on an eye. The embedded module includes a pre-mold body and a circuit structure. The pre-mold body is made of an eye-friendly material. The pre-mold body is entirely embedded in the annular wearing portion of the lens body, the pre-mold body is ring-shaped and surrounds the optical portion, and the pre-mold body and the lens body are gaplessly connected to each other so as to jointly form a connection interface that is spaced apart from the front surface and the rear surface. The circuit structure embedded in the enclosing ring, and a partial surface of the circuit structure is flush with an outer surface of the enclosing ring and is connected to the annular wearing portion.
Therefore, in the contact lens provided by the present disclosure, the contact lens is designed to have the pre-mold body being made of the eye-friendly material for pre-enclosing and pre-positioning the circuit structure and the electronic component therein, so that the circuit structure and the electronic component in the manufacturing process of the contact lens can be positioned and entirely embedded in the lens body through the pre-mold body.
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 described embodiments may be better understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:
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.
Referring to
Moreover, the contact lens 100 in the present embodiment can have a correcting function for a refractive error that includes hyperopia, myopia, astigmatism, presbyopia, or astigmatism-presbyopia; or, the contact lens 100 can be a makeup lens without the correcting function.
The contact lens 100 in the present embodiment includes a lens body 1 and an embedded module 10 that is embedded in the lens body 1. The embedded module 10 includes a pre-mold body 4, an electronic component 2 embedded in the pre-mold body 4, and a circuit structure 3 that is embedded in the pre-mold body 4 and that is electrically coupled to the electronic component 2, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, according to design requirements, the embedded module 10 can include only the pre-mold body 4 and the circuit structure 3, and be provided without the electronic component 2. The following description describes the structural and connection relationship of each component of the contact lens 100.
The lens body 100 in the present embodiment is formed by solidifying a hydrogel (e.g., p-HEMA) or a silicone hydrogel, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The lens body 1 includes an optical portion 11 and an annular wearing portion 12 that surrounds the optical portion 11. The optical portion 11 can be formed with or without the correcting function for the refractive error according to design requirements. It should be noted that the optical portion 11 can be formed to have at least one component embedded therein according to design requirements (e.g., when the contact lens 100 is applied to a digital zoom device).
Moreover, the optical portion 11 defines a central axis L, and a center of the optical portion 11 and a center of the annular wearing portion 12 are located on the central axis L. The annular wearing portion 12 is connected to an outer edge of the optical portion 11 and is substantially in a circular ring shape. Specifically, the pre-mold body 4 is entirely embedded in the lens body 1, and the pre-mold body 4 and the lens body 1 are gaplessly connected to each other so as to jointly form a connection interface 43.
The pre-mold body 4 has an inner optical layer 41 and an enclosing ring 42 that extends integrally from a peripheral edge of the inner optical layer 41. Moreover, a thickness of the pre-mold body 4 in the present embodiment is not uniform, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, the thickness of the pre-mold body 4 can be substantially uniform.
The inner optical layer 41 is embedded in the optical portion 11 so as to divide the optical portion 11 into a front optical layer 111 and a rear optical layer 112 that is spaced apart from the front optical layer 111. Accordingly, the front optical layer 111, the rear optical layer 112, and the inner optical layer 41 sandwiched between the front optical layer 111 and the rear optical layer 112 can cooperate to jointly provide an optical property (e.g., a diopter) of the contact lens 100, thereby meeting a wider range of requirements.
Moreover, the enclosing ring 42 is embedded in the annular wearing portion 12, and the electronic component 2 and the circuit structure 3 are embedded in the enclosing ring 42. In addition, a production manner relevant to the electronic component 2 and the circuit structure 3 embedded in the enclosing ring 42 (or a manufacturing method of the embedded module 10) can be adjusted or changed according to design requirements, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
In addition, the pre-mold body 4 is made of an eye-friendly material that can be a hydrogel (e.g., p-HEMA) or a silicone hydrogel. The eye-friendly material can allow the pre-mold body 4 to preferably have properties (e.g., an oxygen permeability) that is similar or substantially identical to properties of the lens body 1, and the pre-mold body 4 and the lens body 1 can be made of different materials, but the present disclosure is not limited by the present embodiment.
In summary, in the contact lens 100 provided in the present embodiment, the contact lens 100 is designed to have the pre-mold body 4 being made of the eye-friendly material for pre-enclosing and pre-positioning the circuit structure 3 and the electronic component 2 therein, so that the circuit structure 3 and the electronic component 2 in the manufacturing process of the contact lens 100 can be positioned and entirely embedded in the lens body 1 through the pre-mold body 4.
Specifically, when the circuit structure 3 and the electronic component 2 are disposed in a forming mold (not shown in the drawings), the forming mold abuts against a partial surface of the circuit structure 3 to precisely position the circuit structure 3 and the electronic component 2 to a predetermined position, such that a hydrogel or a silicone hydrogel is injected into the forming mold to encapsulate the circuit structure 3 and the electronic component, 2 and is solidified to form the pre-mold body 4.
Specifically, the annular wearing portion 12 has a layout region 121 being C-shaped and a lower eyelid region 122 that is arranged between two ends of the layout region 121. The electronic component 2 is arranged in the lower eyelid region 122 of the annular wearing portion 12. When the contact lens 100 is worn on the eye 200, the lower eyelid region 122 and the electronic component 2 are arranged inside of a lower eyelid 201 of the eye 200 that is less sensitive than another portion of the eye 200, thereby effectively reducing a foreign body sensation (FBS) of the user.
In other words, as shown in
Moreover, the front surface 1a has a viewable surface 11a corresponding in position to the optical portion 11 and a free curved surface 12a that corresponds in position to the annular wearing portion 12. The viewable surface 11a has a first curvature relevant to an optical design for correcting the refractive error; or, the first curvature of the viewable surface 11a and the rear surface 1b can jointly form a structure with no diopter.
Specifically, the first curvature of the viewable surface 11a is different from a second curvature of the free curved surface 12a, and a thickness of the annular wearing portion 12 gradually increases in a direction toward the electronic component 2 (or the lower eyelid region 122), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, the first curvature can be substantially equal to the second curvature, and the thickness of the annular wearing portion 12 is substantially uniform.
In other words, through the pre-mold body 4, any position of the annular wearing portion 12 of the contact lens 100 can be provided to have at least one of the electronic component 2 embedded therein according to design requirements. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, two opposite sides of the annular wearing portion 12 in a horizontal direction of the eye 200 can each be provided to have at least one of the electronic component 2 embedded therein through the pre-mold body 4, so that the annular wearing portion 12 has a largest thickness in the horizontal direction and becomes gradually thinner in a vertical direction of the eye 200. Accordingly, the above arrangement of the contact lens 100 can enable the contact lens 100 to receive at least two of the electronic components 2 and to reduce the FBS of the user.
In summary, the contact lens 100 of the present embodiment is provided with the free curved surface 12a arranged on the front surface 1a of the lens body 1, so that a thickness of the layout region 121 does not need to be based completely on (or be equal to) a thickness of the lower eyelid region 122 for thinning the layout region 121. Accordingly, an oxygen permeability of the layout region 121 can be effectively increased, and the FBS of the contact lens 100 can be reduced (or improved).
In order to further increase the oxygen permeability of the layout region 121 and further reduce the FBS of the contact lens 100, the contact lens 100 preferably has at least one of the technical features disclosed in the following paragraphs by adjusting the second curvature of the free curved surface 12a, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
The annular wearing portion 12 (e.g., a part of the annular wearing portion 12 corresponding to the enclosing ring 42) has a largest thickness Tmax located at a part of the annular wearing portion 12 (e.g., the lower eyelid region 122) corresponding in position to the electronic component 2, and also has a smallest thickness Tmin located at a part of the layout region 121 (e.g., a top part of the layout region 121 shown in
The circuit structure 3 arranged in the pre-mold body 4 can be independently used (not shown in the drawings) or can be used in cooperation with the electronic component 2, so that the circuit structure 3 (and the electronic component) can be electrically or physically driven to implement at least one of functions including energy reception, wireless signal transmission, digital calculation, sensing and monitoring, pressure application, current release, image projection, optical zoom, and power storage, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
The partial surface of the circuit structure 3 is flush with an outer surface of the enclosing ring 42 and is connected to the annular wearing portion 12. As shown in
In the present embodiment, as shown in
The carrier 31 in the present embodiment is a flexible printed circuit board (FPCB) having a thickness within a range from 10 μm to 300 μm. Moreover, the thickness of the carrier 31 is preferably within a range from 40 μm to 80 μm, and polymer materials of the carrier 31 can include polyimide (PI), liquid-crystal polymer (LCP), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or poly(ethylene 2,6-naphthalene dicarboxylate) (PEN), but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Specifically, the carrier 31 has a C-shaped segment 311 embedded in the layout region 121 and a connection segment 312 that is embedded in the lower eyelid region 122. The connection segment 312 is connected in-between two distal ends of the C-shaped segment 311. The electronic component 2 can be assembled to the connection segment 312, and the circuit 32 is formed on the C-shaped segment 311 and extends to the connection segment 312 for being electrically coupled to the electronic component 2. Each of the carrier 31, the circuit 32, and the electronic component 2 can have a partial surface that is flush with the outer surface of the enclosing ring 42 and that is connected to the annular wearing portion 12 (e.g., the partial surface of the electronic component 2 is connected to the lower eyelid region 122).
Moreover, since the carrier 31 easily wrinkles or has stress concentration in a pressing and forming process, the C-shaped segment 311 has at least one thru-hole 3111 that is fully filled with the enclosing ring 42. It should be noted that, in a top view of the contact lens 100 along (or perpendicular to) the central axis L, an area of the at least one thru-hole 3111 is 1% to 85% (e.g., preferably 10% to 40%) of an area surrounded by an outer contour of the C-shaped segment 311, thereby effectively reducing generation of the wrinkles or the stress concentration on the carrier 31, and further increasing the oxygen permeability of the contact lens 100 by being cooperated with the free curved surface 12a.
In addition, the carrier 31 can have a plurality of radial notches 313 recessed from an outer edge thereof toward the central axis L so as to allow the carrier 31 to have a fixed curvature, thereby further reducing the generation of wrinkles or the stress concentration on the carrier 31. In the present embodiment, the radial notches 313 are fully filled with the enclosing ring 42, and the radial notches 313 are respectively formed on boundaries between the C-shaped segment 311 and the connection segment 312, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Moreover, in the top view of the contact lens 100, the area of the at least one thru-hole 3111 is 1% to 75% of an area of the annular wearing portion 12. Moreover, a quantity of the at least one thru-hole 3111 formed on the C-shaped segment 311 in the present embodiment is more than one, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, the C-shaped segment 311 of the carrier 31 can be formed without any thru-hole 3111.
In the present embodiment, the circuit 32 has at least one enclosed loop, and the thru-holes 3111 of the C-shaped segment 311 are arranged in the at least one enclosed loop of the circuit 32. It should be noted that a quantity of the at least one enclosed loop in the present embodiment is more than one, and the thru-holes 3111 are respectively arranged in the enclosed loops of the circuit 32, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
Each of the thru-holes 3111 is curved and has a width that gradually increases from two ends thereof toward a center thereof (e.g., the thru-hole 3111 in the present embodiment is substantially in a crescent shape). Specifically, any one of the thru-holes 3111 has an inner edge 3112 and an outer edge 3113, and two ends of the inner edge 3112 are respectively connected to two ends of the outer edge 3113 so as to form the two ends of the thru-hole 3111.
Any one of the inner edge 3112 and the outer edge 3113 is in an arced shape, a radius of the inner edge 3112 is less than a radius of the outer edge 3113, and a center of the inner edge 3112 and a center of the outer edge 3113 are respectively located on two different planes perpendicular to the central axis L. In other words, each of the thru-holes 3111 in the present embodiment is arranged along the fixed curvature of the carrier 31 and is not located on a flat plane.
In order to clearly describe the arrangement of the thru-holes 3111, the following relationships are described according to the top view of the contact lens 100. The central axis L defines an origin point, an X axis, and a Y axis that is perpendicular to the X axis, and the X axis and the Y axis are intersected at the origin point. The contact lens 100 is sequentially divided into a first quadrant Q1, a second quadrant Q2, a third quadrant Q3, and a fourth quadrant Q4 along a counterclockwise direction with respect to the origin point.
In the top view of the contact lens 100, the lower eyelid region 122 is arranged in the third quadrant Q3 and the fourth quadrant Q4, the Y axis is substantially a center line of the lower eyelid region 122, and a central angle 6122 of the lower eyelid region 122 with respect to the origin point is preferably within a range from 30 degrees to 180 degrees. The central angle 6122 can be changed according to design requirements and is not limited by the present embodiment.
Moreover, in the top view of the contact lens 100, the thru-holes 3111 are arranged in the first quadrant Q1, the second quadrant Q2, the third quadrant Q3, and the fourth quadrant Q4 (e.g., four parts of the thru-holes 3111 are respectively arranged in the first quadrant Q1, the second quadrant Q2, the third quadrant Q3, and the fourth quadrant Q4), and an area of any one of the four parts of the thru-holes 3111 is 50% to 150% of an area of another one of the four parts of the thru-holes 3111.
Specifically, in the top view of the contact lens 100, any one of the thru-holes 3111 is arranged across at least two quadrants (e.g., any one of the thru-holes 3111 is arranged in the first quadrant Q1 and the fourth quadrant Q4, or is arranged in the second quadrant Q2 and the third quadrant Q3), and any one of the thru-holes 3111 can be mirror symmetrical to the X axis, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.
The thru-holes 3111 include at least one first thru-hole 3111a and at least one second thru-hole 3111b. Moreover, a quantity of the at least one first thru-hole 3111a and a quantity of the at least one second thru-hole 3111b in the present embodiment can each be more than one, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. The first thru-holes 3111a are located at an inner side of the second thru-holes 3111b. In other words, a radius of each of the second thru-holes 3111b is different from (e.g., greater than) a radius of each of the first thru-holes 3111a.
In the present embodiment, each of the first thru-holes 3111a is in an arced shape having a center of circle located on the central axis L, and the first thru-holes 3111a are spaced apart from each other. Each of the second thru-holes 3111b is in an arced shape having a center of circle located on the central axis L, and the second thru-holes 3111b are spaced apart from each other.
Moreover, any one of the first thru-holes 3111a is located in a region defined by a central angle of the corresponding second thru-hole 3111b, and a partition between any two of the first thru-holes 3111a adjacent to each other and a partition between any two of the second thru-holes 3111b adjacent to each other are not arranged in a same radial direction of the contact lens 100.
It should be noted that the contact lens 100 in the present embodiment can be further cooperated with any kinds of devices. For example, in other embodiments of the present disclosure not shown in the drawings, the contact lens 100 can be wirelessly connected to any wearable device (e.g., a glasses-mounted reader or a neck-worn reader) worn on a user, and the wearable device (or the reader) can use a common wireless transmission technology (e.g., the RFID technology in a bandwidth of 13.56 MHz or 860-960 MHz) or other wireless technologies of induction power or signal transmission so as to supply power, sensing function, or signal feedback for the contact lens 100, thereby providing an intelligent monitoring (e.g., a full-time intraocular pressure value collection and warning), an intelligent treatment (e.g., a dry-eye drug sustained release control), AR services (e.g., an image projection), or other intelligent applications.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, each of the thru-holes 3111 has an elongated shape substantially having a same width, and the carrier 31 has a plurality of radial notches 313 that are recessed from an outer edge thereof toward the central axis L and that are embedded in the pre-mold body 4.
Specifically, in the top view of the contact lens 100, an area of the thru-holes 3111 arranged in the first quadrant Q1 and the second quadrant Q2 can be greater than an area of the thru-holes 3111 arranged in the third quadrant Q3 and the fourth quadrant Q4. Moreover, an area of the thru-holes 3111 should be 1% to 85% (e.g., preferably 10% to 40%) of an area surrounded by an outer contour of the C-shaped segment 311.
Moreover, the thru-holes 3111 include a plurality of first thru-holes 3111a and a plurality of second thru-holes 3111b. The first thru-holes 3111a are located at an inner side of the second thru-holes 3111b. In other words, a radius of each of the second thru-holes 3111b is different from (e.g., greater than) a radius of each of the first thru-holes 3111a.
In the present embodiment, each of the first thru-holes 3111a is in an arced shape having a center of circle located on the central axis L, and the first thru-holes 3111a are spaced apart from each other. Each of the second thru-holes 3111b is in an arced shape having a center of circle located on the central axis L, and the second thru-holes 3111b are spaced apart from each other.
Referring to
In the present embodiment, the pre-mold body 4 can be formed without the inner optical layer 41 described in the first embodiment. In other words, the structure of the pre-mold body 4 provided by the present embodiment is similar or substantially identical to that of the enclosing ring 42 described in the first embodiment. Specifically, the pre-mold body 4 in the present embodiment is ring-shaped and surrounds (an outer side of) the optical portion 11, and a center of the pre-mold body 4 is located on the central axis L. The pre-mold body 4 and the lens body 1 are gaplessly connected to each other so as to jointly form a connection interface 43 that is spaced apart from the front surface 1a and the rear surface 1b of the lens body 1.
Moreover, the electronic component 2 and/or the circuit structure 3 are embedded in the pre-mold body 4, and each of the electronic component 2 and the circuit structure 3 has a partial surface that is flush with an outer surface of the pre-mold body 4 and that is connected to the annular wearing portion 12. In addition, the circuit structure 2 can include the carrier 31 and the circuit 32, which are shown in
It should be noted that the carrier 31 of the present embodiment is provided as shown in
In conclusion, in the contact lens provided by the present disclosure, the contact lens is designed to have the pre-mold body being made of the eye-friendly material for pre-enclosing and pre-positioning the circuit structure and the electronic component therein, so that the circuit structure and the electronic component in the manufacturing process of the contact lens can be positioned and entirely embedded in the lens body through the pre-mold body.
Moreover, the contact lens of the present disclosure is provided with the free curved surface arranged on the front surface of the lens body, so that a thickness of the layout region does not need to be based completely on (or be equal to) a thickness of the lower eyelid region for thinning the layout region (e.g., the thickness of the annular wearing portion gradually increases in a direction toward the lower eyelid region). Accordingly, an oxygen permeability of the layout region can be effectively increased, and the foreign body sensation of the contact lens can be reduced (or improved).
In addition, the contact lens of the present disclosure is provided with the at least one thru-hole being formed on the C-shaped segment and having a specific area (e.g., the area of the at least one thru-hole 3111 is 1% to 85% of the area surrounded by an outer contour of the C-shaped segment 311), thereby effectively reducing the generation of wrinkles or the stress concentration on the carrier, and further increasing the oxygen permeability of the contact lens by being cooperated with the free curved surface.
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.
This application claims the benefit of priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/351,432 filed on Jun. 12, 2022, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Some references, which may include patents, patent applications and various publications, may be cited and discussed in the description of this disclosure. The citation and/or discussion of such references is provided merely to clarify the description of the present disclosure and is not an admission that any such reference is “prior art” to the disclosure described herein. All references cited and discussed in this specification are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties and to the same extent as if each reference was individually incorporated by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63351432 | Jun 2022 | US |