US 12,420,480 B2
Method and machine for the production of an optical element by additive manufacturing
Maxime Lecompere, Charenton-le-Pont (FR)
Assigned to Essilor International, Charenton-le-Pont (FR)
Appl. No. 18/269,087
Filed by ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL, Charenton-le-Pont (FR)
PCT Filed Dec. 21, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/087049
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 22, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/136407, PCT Pub. Date Jun. 30, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 20306675 (EP), filed on Dec. 23, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2024/0042683 A1, Feb. 8, 2024
Int. Cl. B29C 64/135 (2017.01); B29C 64/255 (2017.01); B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 10/00 (2015.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); B33Y 80/00 (2015.01)
CPC B29C 64/135 (2017.08) [B29C 64/255 (2017.08); B29C 64/393 (2017.08); B33Y 10/00 (2014.12); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); B33Y 80/00 (2014.12)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. Process for the production of an optical element by using an additive manufacturing technology comprising:
providing a curable material, with a predetermined layer thickness;
curing said curable material layer by layer, inside sliced outlines (C1) corresponding to the intersection between the mean plane of each layer and an external 3D contour of the optical element, the geometry of each sliced outline (C1) being determined according to the geometry of said optical element, said optical element comprising at least: a first volume element (V1) and a second volume element (V2), by:
forming the first volume element (V1) by irradiating the curable material with at least a first curing surface energy (E1) with a first light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp1), and
forming the second volume element (V2) by irradiating the curable material with at least a second curing surface energy (E2) with a second light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp2),
wherein said second light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp2) is different from the first light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp1); and
wherein the optical article is built by layer by layer and the difference between the second light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp2) and the first light depth penetration value within the curable material (Dp1) is equal to or higher than an average layer thickness.