Method for mounting functional elements in a lens

Abstract

A method for mounting functional elements in a lens includes mounting the functional elements on a foil, applying a closed contour alignment surface of an alignment tool having a central opening surrounded by the closed contour on the foil portion opposite to the mounted function elements, applying underpressure on the central opening to maintain the foil portion with the mounted functional elements on the alignment tool, cutting a flap including the foil portion and supporting the functional elements out of the foil, positioning and aligning the flap through actuator, fixing the position of the flap against the adjacent foil surface, embedding the foil with the mounted functional elements in a predetermined distance to the front surface of a mould, and casting and curing the lens with the embedded foil.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for mounting a functional element in a lens, comprising:
 mounting the functional element on a foil;   applying a closed contour alignment surface of an alignment tool having a central opening on a foil portion opposite to the mounted function element;   applying underpressure on the central opening to maintain the foil portion with the mounted functional element on the alignment tool;   cutting a hole in the foil portion with the functional element to produce a cut-out or cutting a flap comprising the foil portion and the functional element out of the foil;   positioning and aligning the functional element on the cut-out or the flap;   fixing a position of the cut-out with the functional element or a position of the flap against an adjacent foil surface;   embedding the foil with the mounted functional element in a predetermined distance to a front surface of a casting mould; and   casting and curing the lens with the embedded foil.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, before mounting the functional element on a first portion of the foil, mounting the functional element to a flexible printed circuit board. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein mounting the functional element to the flexible printed circuit board comprises:
 positioning the flexible printed circuit board on a surface of the casting mould having complementary recesses and at least one vacuum channel;   applying a vacuum pressure from a casting mould side through the least one vacuum channel; and   positioning the functional element via a functional element alignment tool through the at least one vacuum channel on the flexible printed circuit board.   
     
     
         4 . The method of any one of  claims 1 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises at least one camera, a light emitting element, or a passive element. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises the at least one camera and wherein aligning comprises connecting the at least one camera to a visualizing unit and providing a light source in a predetermined direction and positioning and aligning the at least one camera based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the at least one camera. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises at least one light source and wherein aligning comprises providing a camera and a visualizing unit, wherein the camera receives light from the at least one light source, and positioning and aligning the at least one light source is based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the at least one camera. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises the passive element reflecting or diffracting incoming light and wherein aligning comprises providing a light source, a camera and a visualizing unit, wherein the camera receives light from the passive element illuminated by the light source, and positioning and aligning the passive element is based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the camera. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the passive element comprises a crystal, a mirror element or a grating. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein positioning and aligning are performed via at least one actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the at least one actuator comprises at least one of a rotation actuator or a linear displacement actuator. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising an initial step of printing one or more conductors on the foil. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein conductors are printed via screen printing. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein aligning comprises aligning, via at least one actuator, the functional element on the foil of the cut-out or the flap to a predetermined angle and position relative to a lens geometry. 
     
     
         14 . A method for mounting a functional element in a lens, comprising:
 providing an alignment element on a foil having a predetermined mounting surface for the functional element;   positioning the functional element on the alignment element;   fixing a position of the functional element on the alignment element,   embedding the foil with the mounted functional element in a predetermined distance to a front surface of a mould; and   casting and curing the lens with the embedded foil.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , including initially mounting the functional element on a flexible printed circuit board. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein mounting the functional element on the flexible printed board circuit comprises providing a vacuum channel in the mould holding the flexible printed circuit board and within which vacuum channel the functional element is held with play before being positioned on the alignment element. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises at least one camera or a light emitting element or a passive element. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises the at least one camera and wherein the method comprises connecting the at least one camera to a visualizing unit and providing a light source in a predetermined direction and positioning and aligning the at least one camera based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the at least one camera. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises the light emitting element and wherein the method comprises providing a camera and a visualizing unit, wherein the camera receives light from the light emitting element, and positioning and aligning the light emitting element based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the camera. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the functional element to be placed comprises the passive element reflecting or diffracting incoming light and wherein the method comprises providing a light source, a camera and a visualizing unit, wherein the camera receives light from the passive element illuminated by the light source, and positioning and aligning the passive element based on images obtained on the visualizing unit from the camera.