Abstract
Methods for tinting or decoloring a lens include inserting a lens into a reception unit of a lens holder, providing an immersion bath containing a fluid, immersing the lens holder into the fluid; and rotating the lens holder around a rotation axis to a predetermined maximum rotation angle, wherein the rotation axis is located outside the lens and generally perpendicular to a plane of the lens. A lens obtainable by such methods, a lens having a tint or a decolorization, a lens holder, and a tinting device allowing for more complex (gradient) tints are also disclosed. The present disclosure further relates to a corresponding computer program.
Claims
1. A first method for tinting or decoloring a lens, the method comprising: inserting a lens into a reception unit of a lens holder; providing an immersion bath containing a fluid; immersing the lens holder into the fluid; and rotating the lens holder around a rotation axis to a predetermined maximum rotation angle, wherein the rotation axis is located outside the lens and generally perpendicular to a plane of the lens.
2. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first method further comprises displacing the reception unit from the rotation axis, optionally during immersion.
3. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens holder is rotated in a first direction to a first position at a first predetermined angle and in a second direction to a second position at a second predetermined angle, wherein the first predetermined angle is different from the second predetermined angle.
4. The first method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the lens holder is held in the first position for a first time period and in the second position for a second time period, and wherein the first time period is different from the second time period.
5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein immersing the lens holder into the fluid comprises moving the lens holder in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the immersion bath.
6. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein immersing the lens holder into the fluid comprises immersing the lens holder completely or partially into the immersion bath.
7. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first method further comprises adapting a maximum depth of immersion of the lens holder into the immersion bath according to the predetermined maximum rotation angle of the lens holder.
8. The first method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the lens holder is moved in the direction perpendicular to the surface of the immersion bath by a servo motor.
9. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens holder is rotated by a belt drive.
10. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fluid includes a liquid, optionally a tinting liquid, containing tint configured to tint the lens, or a decoloring liquid configured to decolorize the lens.
11. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first method further comprises steps of: removing the lens holder from the immersion bath; any of changing the fluid, displacing the lens with respect to the rotation axis, or rotating the lens around its own geometric center; and immersing the lens holder into a same or another immersion bath.
12. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens comprises a flat glass, a mono lens or a shield, optionally a helmet shield.
13. The first method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lens comprises a polygonal shape, optionally a triangular or quadrangular shape.
14-21. (canceled)
22. A first tinting device for tinting a lens, the tinting device comprising: a lens holder containing: a reception unit configured to hold a lens in a first plane; and a rotation axis generally perpendicular to the first plane, wherein the lens holder is configured to rotate around the rotation axis; an immersion bath comprising a fluid, wherein the lens holder is configured to be immersed in the fluid; and a rotation unit configured to rotate the lens holder around the rotation axis of the lens holder to a predetermined maximum rotation angle, wherein the rotation axis is located outside the lens.
23. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the reception unit is configured to be displaced from the rotation axis in a plane parallel to the first plane, optionally configured to be adjustably displaced, optionally configured to be adjustably displaced by up to 40 mm.
24. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the reception unit comprises a guiding element configured to support a positioning of the lens in the lens holder.
25. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the lens holder comprises two opposing plates, wherein the plates are generally parallel to the first plane and wherein the reception unit comprises a connecting element configured to connect the plates.
26. The first tinting device claimed in claim 25, wherein the connecting element comprises a recess and/or a protrusion for holding the lens.
27. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the reception unit is configured to hold three or more lenses.
28. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the rotation unit is configured to rotate the lens holder in a first direction to a first position at a first predetermined angle and in a second direction to a second position at a second predetermined angle, wherein the first predetermined angle is different from the second predetermined angle.
29. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 28, wherein the rotation unit is configured to hold the lens holder in the first position for a first time period and in the second position for a second time period, wherein the first time period is different from the second time period.
30. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the rotation unit is configured to adapt the predetermined maximum rotation angle of the lens holder according to a depth of immersion of the lens holder into the immersion bath.
31. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the rotation unit comprises a belt drive.
32. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 22, wherein the tinting device further comprises a lifting unit configured to move the lens holder in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the immersion bath.
33. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 32, wherein the lifting unit is configured to immerse the lens holder completely or partially in the immersion bath by moving the lens holder.
34. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 33, wherein the lifting unit is configured to be driven by a servo motor.
35. The first tinting device as claimed in claim 34, wherein the lifting unit is configured to adapt a maximum depth of immersion of the lens holder into the immersion bath according to the predetermined maximum rotation angle of the lens holder.
36. A non-transitory computer program comprising program code means for causing a computer to control the first tinting device as claimed in claim 22 to carry out the steps of the method as claimed in claim 1 when the computer program is carried out on the computer or processing unit.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0087] These and other aspects of the disclosure will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the exemplary embodiments described hereinafter. The disclosure will now be described with reference to the drawings wherein:
[0088] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a first exemplary embodiment of a method for tinting or decoloring a lens according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0089] FIG. 2A shows a variety of lenses obtainable with a conventional method for tinting or decoloring a lens;
[0090] FIG. 2B shows a first variety of lenses obtainable with a second exemplary embodiment of a method according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0091] FIG. 3 shows a second variety of lenses obtainable with a third exemplary embodiment of a method according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0092] FIG. 4 shows a pair of lenses obtainable with a fourth exemplary embodiment of a method according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0093] FIG. 5 shows an exemplary embodiment of a lens holder as known from the related art;
[0094] FIG. 6 shows the exemplary embodiment of the lens holder of FIG. 5 with a plurality of lenses being inserted in the lens holder;
[0095] FIGS. 7A and 7B show schematic drawings of a lens in a lens holder as shown in FIG. 5 after tinting;
[0096] FIG. 8 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a lens holder for use in an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0097] FIGS. 9A and 9B show schematic drawings of a lens in a lens holder as shown in FIG. 8 after tinting;
[0098] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view on a part of a second embodiment of a lens holder for use in an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0099] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a tinting device;
[0100] FIG. 12 shows a schematic drawing indicating the displacement of a reception unit with respect to the rotation axis of the lens holder,
[0101] FIG. 13 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of a tinting device;
[0102] FIG. 14 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a lens holder for use in an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure;
[0103] FIG. 15 shows a side view of a third exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure; and
[0104] FIG. 16 shows an exemplary gear arrangement for a precisely controlled angular rotation of a lens holder in a tinting device.
DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
[0105] FIG. 1 shows a flowchart of a first exemplary embodiment of a method for tinting or decoloring a lens according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In a first step S202 a lens (or a plurality of lenses) is inserted in a lens holder. The lens holder may either comprise a conventional lens holder in which the lenses are arranged in such a manner that the geometric center of the lens coincides with the rotation axis of the lens holder, or there may be used a lens holder according to an aspect of the present disclosure, wherein the geometric center of the lens inserted may be shifted away from the rotation axis.
[0106] In a second step S204 an immersion bath comprising a fluid is provided. The fluid may be a tinting liquid or a bleaching (decolorizing) liquid, for example. As the chronological order of steps S202 and S204 is of no relevance, step S204 may be performed before step S202.
[0107] In a third step S206 the lens holder is immersed into the fluid of the immersion bath. The lens holder may either be immersed completely or partly into the immersion bath.
[0108] In step S208 it is decided whether step S210 or step S212 is performed as a next step. This decision is based on the lens holder used. More particularly, this decision is based on the arrangement of the lens in the lens holder. If the rotation axis of the lens holder is not located outside the reception unit or outside the lens, i.e., crosses the reception area or the lens, step S210 is performed. Step S210 comprises adapting a maximum depth of immersion of the lens holder into the immersion bath according to the (predetermined) maximum rotation angle or adapting the maximum rotation angle according to a (predetermined maximum) depth of immersion of the lens holder into the immersion bath. However, if it is checked and verified in step S208 that the rotation axis is located outside the lenses in the lens holder (or outside the reception unit) the lens holder is allowed to rotate independently from the depth of immersion of the lens holder in the immersion bath (S212).
[0109] Optionally, the method of this exemplary embodiment further comprises step S214, i.e., removing the lens holder from the immersion bath, any of changing the fluid, displacing the lens with respect to the rotation axis, or rotating the lens around its own geometric center, and immersing the lens holder into the same or another immersion bath.
[0110] FIG. 2A shows a first variety of lenses obtainable with a conventional method for tinting or decoloring a lens. FIG. 2A, panel a) shows a centered halo lens tint. FIG. 2A, panel b) shows a further variation of a similar tinting. FIG. 2A, panel c) shows a lens with an inverted centered halo. These kind of tints can be obtained by a method comprising immersing the lenses partly in an immersion bath and rotating them by at least 360 around an axis crossing the geometric center of the lenses and being perpendicular to the lens plane.
[0111] FIG. 2B shows a first variety of lenses obtainable with a second exemplary embodiment of a method according to an aspect of the present disclosure. All lenses (more particularly lens tints) shown in FIG. 2B can be obtained by the method comprising displacing the geometric center of the lens from the rotation axis of the lens holder or by using a lens holder where the reception unit is displaced from the rotation axis. The lens holder is rotated by at least 360. FIG. 2B, panel a), shows a lens with a decentered halo tint. This kind of tint can be achieved if the lens, and in particular the geometric center of the lens, is positioned away from the rotation axis of the lens holder. Furthermore, the rotation axis should be arranged to lie in a plane parallel above the surface of the immersion bath, i.e., outside of the immersion bath comprising tint. Then, if the lens holder is rotated around its rotation axis, the tint design shown in FIG. 2B, panel a), is obtained. FIG. 2B, panel b), shows a lens with an inverted decentered halo. The method used may be the same as for lens shown in FIG. 2B, panel a), with the only difference being that the rotation axis should lie in a plane parallel, but below the surface of the immersion bath, i.e., inside the immersion bath.
[0112] FIG. 2B, panel c), shows a pair of lenses comprising a decentered halo tint. The positioning of the halos can be adjusted precisely by fixing the lens in the lens holder in a predefined position, in particular in a predefined distance from the rotation axis of the lens holder and in a predefined angular position with respect to the geometric center of the lens. FIG. 2B, panel d), shows another pair of lenses comprising a decentered halo. However, in FIG. 2B, panel d), the halo is only applied partly to the lenses. In particular, FIG. 2B, panel d), shows lens tints whose center of the gradient is located outside the lens, but close to the edge of the lens. In other words, to achieve a lens as shown in FIG. 2B, panel d), the rotation axis has to be located outside the lens. Different halo sizes can be obtained by adapting the depth of immersion into the immersion bath and by displacing the rotation axis.
[0113] FIG. 3 shows a second variety of lenses obtainable with a method according to an aspect of the present disclosure. FIG. 3, panel a), shows a lens with a tint called centered single pendulum. This kind of tint may be obtained if the rotation axis of the lens holder is positioned in a plane parallel above the surface of the immersion bath, i.e., outside of the immersion bath, and if the lens holder is rotated in both directions by only about 90. FIG. 3, panel b), shows a lens with a tint called centered dual pendulum. This kind of tint can be achieved in the same manner as the tint shown in FIG. 3, panel a), with the lens being rotated by 180 in the lens plane between tinting cycles. Similarly, the tint shown in FIG. 3, panel c), i.e., the centered triple pendulum tint, can be achieved if the lens tinted as shown in FIG. 3, panel a), is rotated by 120 degrees before another immersion into the immersion bath 104. FIG. 3, panel d), shows a centered rectangular pendulum tint. This kind of tint can be achieved if the lens tinted as shown in FIG. 3, panel a), is rotated by 90 degrees before another tinting cycle in the immersion bath 104. Hence, the lens tints shown in FIG. 3, panels b), c), and d), may be achieved according to an exemplary embodiment of the second method according to the present disclosure. FIG. 3, panel e), shows a surplus pendulum tint as a further example of a tailored tinting that can be provided by controlling immersion depth based on angular rotation. Said lens tint can be achieved by an exemplary embodiment of the third method disclosed in the present application.
[0114] FIG. 4 shows a pair of lenses obtainable with another exemplary embodiment of the second method according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In this embodiment the geometric center of the lenses is shifted away from the rotation axis of the lens holder. Furthermore, in a first tinting cycle, the lens holder is rotated by at least 360, wherein in a second cycle, the rotation of the lens holder is limited to be less than 360. More particular, the lens holder is rotated in a first direction by less than 180 and in a second direction by less than 180 degrees. Since the reception unit is decentered for obtaining the tint shown in FIG. 4 and since the holder is rotated like a pendulum, the tint shown in FIG. 4 is called decentered pendulum halo.
[0115] FIG. 5 shows a conventional lens holder 10 configured for tinting a plurality of lenses at the same time. The lens holder 10 comprises two opposing plates 14a and 14b which are connected by three rods 24a, 24b and 24c. The three rods 24a, 24b and 24c comprise a plurality of notches 28. A lens 50 to be tinted can be inserted in the notches of the rods and fastened by a bar 26 insertable between the plates 12a and 12b. The bar 26 is configured to apply a force onto a lens positioned in the notches, in particular, to force the lens to remain inside the notches 28 of the rods. Accordingly, the three rods 24a, 24b and 24c and the bar form a reception unit 20.
[0116] On the side of the plates showing away from the rods and the bar, the plates 14a and 14b each comprise a shaft 12a and 12b, respectively. The lens holder 10 may be rotated around an (imaginary) rotation axis 60 extending through the shafts 12a and 12b. Typically, the shafts 12a and 12b are positioned in the geometrical center of the plates 14a and 14b. The reception unit 20 is typically arranged in such a manner, that the geometric center of the lenses 50 held by the reception unit 20 is positioned on the rotation axis 60. Hence, when rotating the lens holder 10 around the rotation axis 60, the lenses 50 inserted in the lens holder are rotated around their geometric center.
[0117] FIG. 6 shows the conventional lens holder 10 of FIG. 5 with lenses 50 inserted in the reception unit 20. As can be seen, the lenses 50 are clamped between the rods 24a, 24b and 24c and the bar 26. In particular, the lenses are fixed by the notches 28 of the rods, thereby preventing a shifting of the lenses.
[0118] FIGS. 7A and 7B show schematic drawings of a lens in a lens holder 10 as shown in FIG. 6 after tinting. In particular, FIG. 7A shows a front view of a lens 50 inserted in a lens holder 10 comprising three rods 24a, 24b and 24c and a bar 26. The tint of the lens 50 can be achieved by a tinting procedure in which the lens holder 10 (and hence the lens 50) is rotated by at least 360 (or a multiple of 360) around its rotation axis 60 while being immersed in an immersion bath of varying depth. In fact, such a so called centered halo tinted lens may be produced by using a rotating lens holder 10 reciprocating in an immersion bath in such a manner that the rotation axis 60 remains below the surface of the immersion bath throughout the tinting procedure. The tint of the lens shown in FIG. 7A inverted centered halo tint.
[0119] FIG. 7B shows a front view of a lens 50 inserted in a lens holder 10 comprising three rods 24a, 24b and 24c and a bar 26. The lens is tinted with a so-called centered halo tint. This kind of tint can be achieved by using a solid tinted lens in the tinting procedure as described with respect to FIG. 7A, wherein the immersion bath comprises a decoloring liquid instead of a tint. However, the same kind of tinting may be achieved by using a tint in the immersion bath while the rotation axis 60 of the lens holder remains above the surface of the immersion bath throughout the tinting procedure.
[0120] FIG. 8 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a lens holder 10 for use in an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The lens holder 10 comprises two opposing plates 14a and 14b which are connected by three rods 24a, 24b and 24c. The three rods 24a, 24b and 24c comprise a plurality of notches 28. A lens 50 to be tinted can be inserted in the notches of the rods and fastened by a bar 26 which is configured to apply a force onto an inserted lens forcing the lens to remain inside the notches 28 of the rods. The lens holder 10 further comprises two shafts 12a and 12b on the outer side of the plates 14a and 14b, respectively. The shafts 12a and 12b are configured to be inserted in a reception for the shafts of a tinting device, thereby allowing a rotation of the lens holder 10 around the rotation axis 60 extending through the shafts 12a and 12b. As opposed to the conventional lens holder shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lens holder 10 of the present disclosure comprises a reception unit that is shifted away from the rotation axis 60. In particular, the geometric center of the reception area for the lenses is displaced with respect to the rotation axis 60. To be more precise, the rotation axis of the lens holder is located outside the lenses (and even outside the reception).
[0121] FIGS. 9A and 9B show schematic drawings of a lens 50 in a lens holder 10 as shown in FIG. 8 after tinting. In particular, FIG. 9A shows a front view of a lens 50 inserted in a lens holder 10 comprising three rods 24a, 24b and 24c and a bar 26. The tint of the lens 50 in FIG. 9A reflects a so called inverted decentered halo tint with the center of the gradient being located outside the lens, but close to the edge of the lens. By inserting a solid tinted lens 50 in the lens holder 10 as shown in FIG. 8, for example, and immersing said lens holder 10 (and the lens) partially into an immersion bath comprising a decoloring liquid while rotating the lens holder around its rotation axis by at least 360 the inverted decentered halo tint can be achieved. The gradual shading of the tint can be achieved if the lens holder 10 is moved (slightly) up and down with respect to the surface of the immersion (which is indicated by the dashed line) while the lens holder 10 is rotated.
[0122] FIG. 9B also shows a front view of a lens 50 inserted in a lens holder 10 comprising three rods 24a, 24b and 24c and a bar 26. The tint of the lens 50 shown is a decentered halo tint and can be achieved by the tinting procedure as applied to the lens shown in FIG. 9B, except that the lens 50 is exposed to tint instead of decoloring liquid.
[0123] FIG. 10 shows a perspective view on a part of a second exemplary embodiment of a lens holder for use in an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In particular, FIG. 10 shows a reception unit comprising three rods 24a, 24b, 24c and a bar 26, wherein the three rods and the bar are connected to shifting element 84. In this exemplary embodiment, the shifting element 84 comprises a ring. The rods 24a, 24b and 24c comprise notches in which the lens 50 is inserted. The lens 50 is furthermore prevented from falling out of the reception unit by the bar 26. A fixed position is guaranteed by the guiding element 15, being a stick in this exemplary embodiment which extends through a notch on the edge of the lens. The ring is arranged in such a manner that its plane is perpendicular to the rods. In other words, the plane of the ring is configured to be parallel to the lens plane. The shifting element 84 (i.e., the ring) is configured to be inserted into a decentration space 82 of a plate 14 of the lens holder.
[0124] In this exemplary embodiment, the shifting element 84 is configured to be shifted in the decentration space 84. In particular, the plate may comprise a scale indicating the amount of shifting (i.e., displacement) from the rotation axis of the lens holder. For example, if a marker on the ring pointed to 0 on the scale, this may indicate that the reception unit is positioned in such a manner that the geometric center of the reception area enclosed by the rods and the bar (and hence the lens) is crossed by the rotation axis of the lens holder. On the other hand, if the marker pointed to 1 for example, this would indicate a decentration by 10 mm, i.e., a shifting of the geometric center of the lens from the rotation axis by 10 mm. Similarly, the reception unit may be rotated in the decentration space 84 around an axis crossing the reception area (and hence the lens). The amount of rotation may be indicated by a scale as well.
[0125] The lens holder may further comprise fixing elements, for example screws, configured to fix the shifting element 84 in the decentration space 82 of the lens holder. The decentration space 82 in this exemplary embodiment comprises a recess in the plate 14. However, other kinds of decentration spaces are conceivable. For example, the decentration space could be defined by rails or the like on which the shifting element 84 could be moved.
[0126] FIG. 11 shows a side view of a first exemplary embodiment of a second tinting device 100. In fact, only parts of the tinting device 100 can be seen in FIG. 11. In particular, there is shown a plate 14a of the lens holder 10 and the shaft 12a on the plate 14a. The shaft 12a of the lens holder 10 is inserted in a receiving element of the tinting device 100. By this construction, the lens holder 10 can be stably rotated by driving the shafts.
[0127] FIG. 12 shows a schematic drawing indicating the displacement of a reception unit 20 with respect to the rotation axis of the lens holder. In this figure, the shifting element 84 is represented by a ring and the reception area 21 of the reception unit reflecting the position of the lens 50 is indicated by the circle surrounded by the dashed line. FIG. 12 particularly shows a displacement of the geometric center 80 of the reception area 21 of the lens holder (and hence of the lens) with respect to the rotation axis 60; indicated to amount to 5 mm. In particular, there is shown a space of decentration 82 indicating a space, in which the reception unit 20 can be moved around. As can be seen and as is also indicated by the scale shown, the reception unit 20 and hence the geometric center 80 of the lens can be shifted further away from the rotation axis 60, in particular in such a manner that the rotation axis does not longer cross the reception area of the lens holder, i.e., that the rotation axis is located outside the reception area (namely in a case where the shifted element 84 is shifted to the lowest position possible). However, the reception unit 20 may likewise be shifted back in a position where the geometric center 80 and the rotation axis 60 coincide.
[0128] FIG. 13 shows a perspective view on another exemplary embodiment of the second tinting device 100 for tinting a lens 50. The tinting device 100 comprises a lens holder 10, an immersion bath 104 and a rotation unit 102. The lens holder 10 comprises two opposing plates 14a and 14b which are connected by rods 24 and a bar 26. In order to hold the lens 50 in a fixed position, the rods comprise notches for receiving the lens and a bar ensuring that the lenses stay fixed in the lens holder. The rods of the lens holder 10 in this exemplary embodiment comprise a plurality of notches allowing a plurality of lenses to be held in the reception area of the lens holder 10. The lens holder 10 further comprises shafts 12a and 12b which are configured to be inserted in receiving elements 106 of the tinting device 100. Accordingly, the lens holder 10 may be rotated around an (imaginary) rotation axis 60 connecting the shafts 12a and 12b. In fact, there is provided a rotation unit 102 in the tinting device 100 comprising a belt drive 107 configured to rotate the shaft 12a and hence the lens holder 10 around the rotation axis 60.
[0129] The rods 24 and the bar 26 are connected on their ends to a shifting element 84, which is connected with the plates 14a and 14b, respectively. In particular, the shifting element can be moved in decentration space 82, i.e., a recess, in the plates 14a and 14b, respectively. Accordingly, the reception unit can be shifted along the surface of the plates 14a and 14b with respect to the point where the (imaginary) rotation axis 60 crosses the plates 14a and 14b, respectively.
[0130] In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 13 the tinting device 100 further comprises a lifting unit 108 which is configured to move the lens holder 10 in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the immersion bath. The lifting unit 108 may move the lens holder towards the bottom of the immersion bath and/or in reverse direction. Hence, the lifting unit 108 is configured to adjust the depth of immersion in the immersion bath 104. In particular, the lifting unit 108 may move the lens holder 10 while the rotation unit 102 rotates the lens holder 10. In this exemplary embodiment, the lens holder 10 may be rotated around its rotation axis 60 in a first direction to a first maximum angle while being immersed into the immersion bath by the lifting unit 108 to a first depth. Then, the lens holder 10 may be lifted such that it is no longer immersed in the immersion bath. In a next step, the lens holder may be rotated by the rotation unit 102 around its rotation axis 60 in a second direction to a second maximum angle while being immersed into the immersion bath by the lifting unit 108 to a second depth.
[0131] By adjusting the depth of immersion of the lenses into the immersion bath 104 and by adjusting the angles of rotation in the two rotation directions a wide variety of individual lens tints can be generated. This applies all the more, if tints are changed during the tinting process, i.e., between tinting cycles, for example by changing the tint's color. Furthermore, instead of using a tint in the immersion bath a decoloring liquid may be used resulting in novel decoloring effects. For example, lenses with a decentered halo tint at a first position and an inverted decentered halo at a second position may be created using the tinting device 100.
[0132] In this exemplary embodiment the lifting unit 108 is run by a servo motor 110. Using such a motor guarantees a smooth movement of the lens holder 10 and thus a precise tinting of the lenses.
[0133] FIG. 14 shows another exemplary embodiment of a lens holder 10 for use in a tinting device according to an aspect of the present disclosure. In this exemplary embodiment, the lens holder 10 is configured to hold a plurality of lenses 50, in particular more than 160 lenses. The lens holder 10 comprises a rack 16 to be inserted into a tinting device 100. The rack 16 comprises 16 sub-holders arranged in two rows. Each sub-holder comprises two rods comprising notches for receiving and fixing a plurality of lenses 50, particularly more than 10 lenses.
[0134] FIG. 15 shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a tinting device 100 according to an aspect of the present disclosure. The tinting device 100 comprises three lens holders 10a, 10b and 10c being partially immersed in an immersion bath 104 of the tinting device 100. In the lens holder 10c there are inserted a plurality of lenses 50 to be tinted.
[0135] FIG. 16 shows an exemplary gear arrangement for a precisely controlled angular rotation of a lens holder in a tinting device. In conventional tinting arrangements, such a precise angular control is not required. The inventors recognized that in particular in the context of the lifting unit 108 being configured to adapt a depth of immersion of the lens holder 10 into the immersion bath 104 according to a rotation angle of the lens holder 10, precise control of the angular rotation can be provided by providing a tinting device comprising a lens holder comprising a gear arrangement adapted to cause a rotation of the lens holder around the rotation axis. In particular, a spur gearing provides accurate control of the angular rotation.
[0136] While the disclosure has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the disclosure is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed disclosure, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims.
[0137] In the claims, the word comprising does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article a or an does not exclude a plurality. A single element or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to advantage.
[0138] A computer program may be stored/distributed on a suitable medium, such as an optical storage medium or a solid-state medium supplied together with or as part of other hardware, but may also be distributed in other forms, such as via the Internet or other wired or wireless telecommunication systems.
[0139] Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.
[0140] The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the disclosure illustrates and describes the present invention. Additionally, the disclosure shows and describes only the exemplary embodiments but, as mentioned above, it is to be understood that the disclosure is capable of use in various other combinations, modifications, and environments and is capable of changes or modifications within the scope of the concept as expressed herein, commensurate with the above teachings and/or the skill or knowledge of the relevant art.
[0141] All publications, patents and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference, and for any and all purposes, as if each individual publication, patent or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. In the case of inconsistencies, the present disclosure will prevail.
