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EP-4739492-A1 - METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A MOULD FOR AN OPTICAL ELEMENT

EP4739492A1EP 4739492 A1EP4739492 A1EP 4739492A1EP-4739492-A1

Abstract

A method is provided for manufacturing a mould for an optical element. The method comprises manufacturing, by means of a first manufacturing technology, in accordance with a first dataset, a first part of a first master piece, the first master piece being at least a partial representation of the optical element manufacturing, by means of a second manufacturing technology, in accordance with a second dataset, a second part of a first master piece and joining, on a first substrate area, the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece for forming the first master piece. The method further comprises providing at least one mould piece comprising a cavity having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first part of the first master piece joined with the second part of the first master piece.

Inventors

  • BISKOP, Gregorius Petrus Franciscus
  • HOFMAN, Julius
  • HAGE, Catherine Cornelia Johanna

Assignees

  • Addoptics B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20240705

Claims (18)

  1. 1. Method of manufacturing a mould for an optical element, the method comprising: manufacturing, by means of a first manufacturing technology, in accordance with a first dataset, a first part of a first master piece, the first master piece being at least a partial representation of the optical element; manufacturing, by means of a second manufacturing technology, in accordance with a second dataset, a second part of the first master piece; joining, on a first substrate area, the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece for forming the first master piece; providing at least one mould piece comprising a cavity having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first part of the first master piece joined with the second part of the first master piece.
  2. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein providing the at least one mould piece comprises: providing, on the first substrate area, a first formwork around the first master piece; providing a first amount of mould substance in the first formwork; allowing the first amount of mould substance to settle, thus forming a first mould; and removing the first formwork.
  3. 3. The method according to any one of claim 1 and claim 2, wherein the first part of the first master piece is a representation of a first part of the optical element that provides the main optical functionality of the optical element.
  4. 4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second part of the first master piece is a representation of a second part of the optical element that provides, in use, at least one of support for optical functionality of the first part of the optical element, mechanical support for the first part of the optical element and an aesthetical function.
  5. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the first part of the first master piece has a shape of at least part of a lens and the second part of the first master piece is at least part of a support member arranged to surround at least part of the lens.
  6. 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising depositing a filler substance at at least part of an interface between the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece.
  7. 7. The method according claim 6, wherein the filler substance deposited is the same as one of the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece.
  8. 8. The method according to any one of claim 6 and claim 7, wherein the filler substance comprises at least one material comprised by at least one of the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece.
  9. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece predominantly comprise the same one or more materials.
  10. 10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first manufacturing technology and the second manufacturing technology comprise at least one of the following: printing; casting; milhng; pressing; injection moulding.
  11. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first manufacturing technology and the second manufacturing technology are the same.
  12. 12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first manufacturing technology has a higher resolution than the second manufacturing technology.
  13. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second part of the first master piece at least partially surrounds the first part of the first master piece.
  14. 14. The method according to anyone of the preceding claims, further comprising, prior to providing the first amount of mould substance, providing a master mould skeleton around the deposited amount of master substance.
  15. 15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the master mould skeleton comprises at least one of an organic polymer and a metal.
  16. 16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first mould amount comprises an elastomer, for claim silicon rubber.
  17. 17. A method for manufacturing an optical element, the method comprising: manufacturing a first production mould part according to a method according to any one of the preceding claim s, wherein the first production mould comprises a first cavity that is complementary shaped to the first master piece, the first master piece representing a first part of the optical element, the first production mould comprising a first cavity; providing a product substance in the first cavity; allowing the product substance to settle thus forming the optical element; and removing the first production mould part from the optical element.
  18. 18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising: manufacturing a second production mould part according to the method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the second production mould comprises a second cavity that is complementary shaped to a second master piece, the second master piece representing a second part of the optical element; combining the first production mould with the second production mould, such that cavities of the first production mould and the second production mould face one another, thus forming a product cavity; providing a product substance in the product cavity, the product cavity having a shape equivalent to that of the optical element..

Description

Title: Method of manufacturing a mould for an optical element TECHNICAL FIELD The various aspects and implementations thereof relate to manufacturing of optical elements and moulds for casting such optical elements. BACKGROUND Printing a master piece for manufacturing of a mould for an optical element, for example as presented in unpublished patent application PCT/NL2022/050215, is a time consuming and expensive process. EP 4 119 321 Al discloses A method for forming a mould insert includes forming a stamp, a surface of the stamp including a plurality of inverted microstructures formed thereon; and pressing the stamp into a medium disposed on a surface of a first mould insert to form a microstructured film, the microstructured film including a plurality of microstructures formed on a surface of the microstructured film based on the plurality of inverted microstructures, the plurality of microstructures being complementary to the plurality of inverted microstructures. SUMMARY It is preferred to provide a more efficient printing process of masters for manufacturing of a mould. This is particularly preferred if certain parts of the optical element are custom made, like prescription glasses for a virtual reality display and other parts of the optical element are standard, like a mounting of the glasses in the display. A first aspect provides a method of manufacturing a mould for an optical element. The method comprises manufacturing, by means of a first manufacturing technology, in accordance with a first dataset, a first part of a first master piece, the first master piece being at least a partial representation of the optical element manufacturing, by means of a second manufacturing technology, in accordance with a second dataset, a second part of a first master piece and joining, on a first substrate area, the first part of the first master piece and the second part of the first master piece for forming the first master piece. The method further comprises providing at least one mould piece comprising a cavity having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first part of the first master piece joined with the second part of the first master piece. Hence, the cavity has a shape defined by both a first part shape of the first part of the first master piece and a second part shape of the second part of the first master piece, which first part of the first master piece is joint with the second part of the first master piece. The first part and the second part may both be provided on the first substrate area while being joined. This aspect allows for increase flexibility of manufacturing moulds for optical elements and other objects. Firstly, the first part of the first master piece may be manufactured using a first manufacturing technology and the second part of the first masterpiece may be manufactured using a second manufacturing technology. The first manufacturing technology may be the same as or different from the second manufacturing technology. In this way, each part may be manufactured using an optimal manufacturing technology, based on, for example, a trade off between accuracy and cost. Additionally, or alternatively, durability of materials may be taken into account. Second, either or both of the first part of the first master piece or the second part of the first master piece may be used with other parts, for use in other moulds. This means that in other cases, not all of the master piece has to be manufactured every time, but only the first part or the second part of a manufacturing piece. This may reduce manufacturing time, may increase stock flexibility, may reduce a number of total parts in stock and may in such ways reduce cost. It is noted that more than two parts may be provided for providing a single master piece. In an implementation, providing the at least one mould piece comprises providing, on the first substrate area, a first formwork around the first master piece, providing a first amount of mould substance in the first formwork, allowing the first amount of mould substance to settle, thus forming a first mould; and removing the first formwork. This implementation allows for convenient and efficient way of providing the mould. In a further implementation, the first part of the first master piece is a representation of a first part of the optical element that provides the main optical functionality of the optical element. Optical elements generally require different tolerances, either higher or lower, depending on applications, than other parts of the element to be manufactures - and there may be other differences in manufacturing and product requirements. This implementation addresses those differences. In again a further implementation, the second part of the first master piece is a representation of a second part of the optical element that provides, in use, at least one of support for optical functionality of the first part of the optical element, mechanical support for the first p