Process for forming a coated layer on a toric surface of an optical article

Abstract

A process for making a coating layer of a curable composition on a toric surface of an optical article, in particular an ophthalmic lens or lens blank, and in particular a functional coating layer; compositions and apparatus useful for the practice of the process; and products obtained from the practice of the process.

1 . A process for forming at least one coating layer on a toric surface of an optical article which comprises: 
 providing an optical article having a toric surface comprising a first principal meridian with a lower radius of curvature r and a second principal meridian with a higher radius of curvature R (r<R) and a periphery;    depositing on said toric surface of the optical article a pre-measured amount of a liquid curable composition;    applying pressure on said pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition to cause said liquid curable composition to spread over the toric surface of the optical article;    curing the liquid curable composition; and    recovering an optical article coated with at least one coating layer; wherein, the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing on the toric surface at least two drops of the liquid curable composition, each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the first principal meridian of lower radius of curvature r and having an apex angle up to 40°.    
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°.  
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two drops are deposited on the first principal meridian.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.  
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said at least two drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.  
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing an additional drop of the liquid curable composition at the center of the toric surface.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing two additional drops of the liquid curable composition each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the second principal meridian of higher radius of curvature R and having an apex angle of up to 40°.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the two opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°.  
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited on the second principal meridian.  
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.  
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the liquid curable composition deposition step comprises depositing two additional drops of the liquid curable composition each within one of two opposite sectors centered on the second principal meridian of higher radius of curvature R and having an apex angle of up to 40°.  
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the two opposite sectors have an apex angle up to 30°.  
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited on the second principal meridian.  
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 2 to 20 mm.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the two additional drops are deposited at a distance from the periphery of the optical article ranging from 5 to 10 mm.  
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.  
     
     
         19 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.  
     
     
         21 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.  
     
     
         22 . The process of  claim 7 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.  
     
     
         23 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.25 g or less.  
     
     
         24 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition is 0.20 g or less.  
     
     
         25 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure application step comprises: 
 providing a mold part having an internal and an external surface;    moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to bring the internal face of the mold part into contact with the liquid curable composition; and    applying pressure on the external face of the mold part.    
     
     
         26 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the mold part is a flexible wafer.  
     
     
         27 . The process of  claim 25 , wherein the internal face of the mold part bears one or more additional coating layers, whereby said one or more additional coating layers are transferred on the toric surface of the optical article at the completion of the process.  
     
     
         28 . The process of  claim 27 , wherein the coating layer or layers comprise a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.  
     
     
         29 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the pressure application step comprises: 
 providing a mold part having an internal and an external surface;    moving relatively to each other the optical article and the mold part to bring the internal face of the mold part into contact with the liquid curable composition; and    applying pressure on the external face of the mold part.    
     
     
         30 . The process of  claim 29 , wherein the mold part is a flexible wafer.  
     
     
         31 . The process of  claim 30 , wherein the internal face of the mold part bears one or more additional coating layers, whereby said one or more additional coating layers are transferred on the toric surface of the optical article at the completion of the process.  
     
     
         32 . The process of  claim 31 , wherein the coating layer or layers comprise a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.  
     
     
         33 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein said at least one coating layer, after curing, has a thickness of 100 μm or less.  
     
     
         34 . The process of  claim 27 , wherein said at least one coating layer, after curing, has a thickness of 100 μm or less.  
     
     
         35 . The process of  claim 25 , further comprising placing a transparent film between the internal face of the mold part and the toric surface of the optical article having the pre-measured amount of liquid curable composition deposited thereon, whereby, after completion of the process, the film is glued on the toric surface of the optical article.  
     
     
         36 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein an external face of the transparent film is coated with at least one coating layer.  
     
     
         37 . The process of  claim 36 , wherein said at least one coating layer comprises a hydrophobic top coat, an anti-reflective coating, an anti-abrasion coating, an impact resistant coating, a polarized coating, a photochromic coating, a dying coating or a stack of two or more of these coatings.  
     
     
         38 . The process of  claim 35 , wherein the mold part is an inflatable membrane.