Fluid lens assembly

Abstract

A non-round fluid lens assembly includes a non-round rigid lens and a flexible membrane attached to the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between the non-round rigid lens and the flexible membrane. A reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity allows a fluid to be transferred into and out of the cavity so as to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly. In an embodiment, a front surface of the non-round rigid lens is aspheric. Additionally or alternatively, a thickness of the flexible membrane may be contoured so that it changes shape in a spheric manner when fluid is transferred between the cavity and the reservoir.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fluid lens assembly, comprising:
 a non-round rigid lens having a back surface and a front surface, the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction;   a flexible membrane coupled to the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between a front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the rigid lens; and   a reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity between the front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a fluid is transferable between the reservoir and the cavity to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly,   wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces an optical error.   
     
     
         2 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces a plus power of the fluid lens at high gaze angles. 
     
     
         3 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface having a rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction at least partially reduces a spherical aberration optical error. 
     
     
         4 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is ellipsoidal. 
     
     
         5 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the front surface is hyperboloidal. 
     
     
         6 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the rotationally symmetrical aspheric correction does not exceed 0.18 D. 
     
     
         7 . A fluid lens assembly, comprising:
 a non-round rigid lens having a back surface and a front surface, the front surface having a tonic aspheric correction;   a flexible membrane coupled to the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a cavity is formed between a front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the rigid lens; and   a reservoir in fluid communication with the cavity between the front surface of the flexible membrane and the back surface of the non-round rigid lens, such that a fluid is transferable between the reservoir and the cavity to change the optical power of the fluid lens assembly,   wherein the front surface having a tonic aspheric correction at least partially neutralizes astigmatism generated on the flexible membrane by inflation of the flexible membrane.   
     
     
         8 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the front surface having a tonic aspheric correction at least partially neutralizes natural astigmatism of an eye of a wearer of the fluid lens assembly. 
     
     
         9 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the tonic aspheric correction does not exceed 0.18 D. 
     
     
         10 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 7 , wherein an eccentricity of the fluid lens is approximately 0.94. 
     
     
         11 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising a second flexible membrane attached to the front surface of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
         12 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane with an adhesive. 
     
     
         13 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the adhesive has a refractive index approximately equal to a refractive index of the fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane by laser welding. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein the second flexible membrane is bonded to the front surface of the flexible membrane by ultrasonic welding. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately equal to a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately three times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately four times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
         19 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately six times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane. 
     
     
         20 . The fluid lens assembly of  claim 11 , wherein a thickness of the second flexible membrane is approximately four to six times larger than a thickness of the flexible membrane.