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US-20260126672-A1 - LENSES, EYEWEAR, AND METHODS FOR ENHANCING PERCEPTION OF VISUAL LIGHT

US20260126672A1US 20260126672 A1US20260126672 A1US 20260126672A1US-20260126672-A1

Abstract

Lenses and eyewear are provided having enhanced or reduced transmittance of green light which can enhance the optical experience of various activities, including golfing and fishing. The improved lenses and eyewear are characterized by the presence of compounds within or upon the lenses that limit the transmittance of certain wavelengths of light while allowing the transmittance of other wavelengths of light. The compounds may typically be one or more optical dyes that are chosen for their absorption spectra to limit the transmittance or enhance the transmission of certain wavelengths of light. Methods for enhancing the visual experience and methods of fabricating the lenses are also disclosed.

Inventors

  • Scott T. MacGuffie

Assignees

  • Scott T. MacGuffie

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251028

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A lens comprising: a lens wafer; and a compound overlaying the lens wafer or embedded in the lens wafer, the compound comprising one or more dyes; wherein the one or more dyes are selected to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than a transmittance at 480 nm and greater than a transmittance at 580 nm.
  2. 2 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes comprise a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 525 nm.
  3. 3 . The lens as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
  4. 4 . The lens as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.
  5. 5 . The lens as recited in claim 2 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 470 nm and 510 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 575 nm and 515 nm.
  6. 6 . The lens as recited in claim 5 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 480 nm and 500 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between of 585 nm to 505 nm.
  7. 7 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide a light transmittance at 700 nm greater than the light transmittance at 580 nm.
  8. 8 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide a light transmittance at 450 nm greater than the light transmittance at 480 nm.
  9. 9 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the lens wafer comprises one of a polycarbonate, a polyamide, a polymethyl methacrylate, a cyclic olefin copolymer, and a bio-based thermoplastic.
  10. 10 . The lens as recited in claim 1 , wherein the one or more dyes are further adapted to provide the light transmittance at 550 nm that is at least 10% transmittance greater than the transmittance at 480 nm.
  11. 11 - 20 . (canceled)
  12. 21 . A lens comprising: a polymer; and one or more dyes embedded in the polymer; wherein the one or more dyes are selected to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than a transmittance at 480 nm and greater than a transmittance at 580 nm.
  13. 22 . The lens as recited in claim 21 , wherein the one or more dyes comprise a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 525 nm.
  14. 23 . The lens as recited in claim 22 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of polymer.
  15. 24 . The lens as recited in claim 22 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer and the second dye comprises 0.05 to 0.5 grams of dye per kilogram of polymer.
  16. 25 . The lens as recited in claim 22 , wherein the first dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 470 nm and 510 nm and the second dye is adapted to limit light transmittance between 575 nm and 515 nm.
  17. 26 - 30 . (canceled)
  18. 31 . A method for enhancing perception of visual light, the method comprising: receiving visual light on a surface of a lens comprising: a lens wafer; and a compound overlaying the lens wafer or embedded in the lens wafer; wherein the compound is configured to impart light transmittance characteristics such that the lens exhibits a light transmittance at 550 nm that is greater than 30%, and greater than the transmittance at 480 nm and greater than the transmittance at 580 nm; allowing the visual light to pass through the lens; and with the lens, filtering at least some of the visual light passed through the lens to reduce a transmittance of a light bandwidth of 500 nm to 570 nm.
  19. 32 . The method as recited in claim 31 , wherein the compound comprises one or more dyes, a first dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 460 nm and 520 nm and a second dye adapted to limit light transmittance between 565 nm to 525 nm.
  20. 33 . The method as recited in claim 32 , wherein the first dye comprises 0.01 to 1 grams of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer and the second dye comprises 0.01 to 1 gram of dye per kilogram of the lens wafer.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority from pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/713,555, filed on Oct. 29, 2024, and from pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application 63/765,079, filed on Feb. 28, 2025, the disclosures of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Technical Field The present invention generally relates to lenses and eyewear, such as, sunglasses. More particularly, the present invention relates to lenses providing specific light filtering characteristics that selectively filter or enhance green wavelengths of light, and may enhance the transmission of non-green wavelengths of light to enhance visual perception by the wearer or detection by an optical device. Description of Related Art Tinted optical lenses, for example, sunglasses, are often used to protect a wearer's eyes from undesirable ambient light and glare. As known in the art, the tint or coloring of the lens can decrease the amount of light transmitted through the lens, while the lens can be treated with various films, coatings, or treatments to minimize undesirable glare, for example, using polarizing coatings. As known in the art, the optical light spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum, that is the light detectable by the human eye, is typically defined as electromagnetic radiation between wavelengths of approximately 380 nanometers [nm] and 740 nm. Below 380 nm the radiation is referred to as ultraviolet light and above 740 nm, the radiation is referred to as infrared light. Between these two limits lies the well-known blue-green-yellow-orange-red (ROYGBIV) spectrum that characterizes rainbows and oil spills. Due to the discontinuous nature of the visual color spectrum, the perception of color by the human eye is a complex phenomenon. The perception of the overlapping bands of color in the visual spectrum can make it difficult for the human eye and the human brain to contrast overlapping ranges of visual color. For example, though the wavelengths of the bands of colors in the visual spectrum may vary slightly, the color wavelength bands are typically defined as blue light: 450-500 nanometers [nm]; green light: 500-570 nm; orange-yellow light: 570-620 nm; and red light: 620-750 nm. Viewing a rainbow in the sky clearly indicates that these ranges are not distinct. Accordingly, it is understood that the human eye and brain can have difficulty contrasting colors, and this difficulty may be manifested in difficulty in clearly perceiving colors. As known in the art, the term “transmittance” refers to the effectiveness of a medium for transmitting radiant energy, for example, visible light. Transmittance may typically be provided as a ratio of the power of the incident radiation to the power of the radiation transmitted, for example, as defined in American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard ANSI Z80.3-2018 “Ophthalmics—Nonprescription Sunglass and Fashion Eyewear Requirements,” which is included by reference herein. This ratio of transmittance is typically expressed as a percent [%]. For example, a substantially transparent medium may typically have a transmittance of substantially 100%, that is, allowing substantially all the incident visible light to pass through the medium. An opaque medium may typically have a transmittance of substantially 0%, that is, allowing substantially no incident visible light to pass through the medium. Accordingly, translucent media have a transmittance somewhere between these extremes. Though the optical spectrum spans from 380 nm to 740 nm, studies have found that human color vision may be characterized by three color channels: red (having an intensity at about 610 nm), green (having a intensity at about: 540 nm), and blue (having a intensity at about: 450 nm). Based on the level of light detected at each of these three channels at the eye, the brain interprets the colors seen. However, studies have also shown that the human eye has poor chromatic response at about wavelengths of 480 nm and about 580 nm. As known in the art, “poor chromatic response” means that the human eye has difficulty perceiving distinctions in color at these wavelengths due an inability of the eye to distinguish color or confuse colors at or near these wavelengths. The poor chromatic response at the 480 nm wavelength roughly corresponds to where the spectra of the green-light band and the blue-light band overlap. The poor chromatic response at the 580 nm wavelength roughly corresponds to where the spectra of the green-light band and the red-light band overlap. Light at these wavelengths, 480 nm and 580 nm, may inhibit proper interpretation of colors by the human brain, causing color confusion, that is, the reduced ability to accurately identity the color of the radiation received by the eye. Since these wavelengths, 480 nm and 580 nm, are recognized for their poor chromatic response, it can be useful to reference these wavelength