JP2000329901A - Method for coloring plastic lens and plastic lens coloring device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a coloring method for a plastic lens by a gaseous phase method which yields a colored plastic lens having excellent level dyeability and a colored device therefor. SOLUTION: The coloring of the plastic lens 7 is executed by heating a coloring layer 3 containing sublimatable dyes and sublimating the dyes in this method. In such a case, the coloring layer 3 has at least a shape of the point 7 to be colored and a size larger than the same shape as thereof and the heating of the coloring layer 3 is executed by bringing a heating member 4 into contact with the entire part of the coloring layer 3 corresponding to the shape of the lens point 7 to be colored.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a plastic lens coloring method and a plastic lens coloring apparatus. More specifically, the present invention provides a method of coloring a plastic lens by a gas phase method, which can provide a colored lens having excellent levelness, as compared with a coloring method by a conventional gas phase method, and effectively carries out this coloring method. The present invention relates to a plastic lens coloring apparatus for performing the following.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, plastic lenses for optical use have been used in various fields instead of glass lenses. Among them, contact lenses and eyeglass lenses used for correcting vision have a cosmetic effect or a medical effect (for example, from ultraviolet rays). For the purpose of protecting the lens, etc.), the use of colored lenses has been actively performed. The reason why the glass lens is replaced by the plastic lens is that the plastic lens can be easily dyed in addition to its light weight and safety (hard to break).

Various methods have been used for dyeing plastic lenses for optical use. For example, as a method of dyeing a plastic lens for optics, particularly a plastic lens for spectacles, (1) a method of immersing the lens in a heated dye bath and then heating the lens to fix the dye, and (2) a plastic A method of preliminarily dissolving a dye in a raw material monomer of a lens substrate and then polymerizing the dye,
There are known a method of attaching a colored film to an eyeglass lens to transfer a dye contained in the film, and (4) a method of heating and sublimating an organic dye in a gas phase to cause coloring.

The above method (1) is a conventional method for coloring spectacle lenses, in which a disperse dye having a coloring ability for an optical plastic lens is dissolved and / or dissolved in water.
Or after heating the suspended dye solution, and immersing the optical plastic lens to be dyed therein for a predetermined time,
This is a method in which the optical plastic lens is heated to stabilize the dye that has penetrated therein by further diffusing into the inside. However, recently, in response to market needs for high added value, the diversification of optical plastic lens materials has progressed, and as a result, materials that are difficult to dye by conventional methods have increased.

[0005] Therefore, methods of increasing the temperature of the dyeing solution as much as possible, adding a dye accelerating agent, a so-called carrier, to the dyeing solution, or extending the time of immersion in the dyeing solution have been used. However, even with these methods, there is a limit in the attainable concentration, and there is a problem that it is not possible to dye at a high concentration even for a long time until the target concentration is reached.
In addition, a method of dyeing a coating film applied on a plastic lens material instead of directly dyeing the material (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 60-235101) is also performed.
The method of coloring the optical plastic lens is a method of applying an organic hard coat solution in which a dye is dissolved on the surface of the optical plastic lens and then performing a curing treatment. The application method includes a dipping method, a spray method, and a spinning ( (Spin coating) method or the like is used. However, also in this method, since it is difficult to contain a large amount of dye in the thin film, the attained concentration is still limited, and dyeing at a high concentration cannot be performed.

Instead of applying an organic hard coat solution in which a dye is dissolved to the surface of an optical plastic lens, an organic hard coat solution that can be dyed is applied, and then a method similar to the above-described method for dyeing a plastic lens substrate is used. A method of dyeing may be performed. However, also in this case, since it is difficult to contain a large amount of dye in the thin film, the attained concentration is still limited, and dyeing at a high concentration cannot be performed.

The method (2) is a method in which a dye is dissolved in a raw material monomer solution of an optical plastic lens substrate and then polymerized. However, the coloring density of the formed lens depends on the thickness of the lens. For example, in a concave lens in which the central part of the lens is thinner than the peripheral part, the color of the central part becomes lighter,
The periphery becomes darker, causing color shading throughout the lens, and in eyeglass lenses with different powers on the left and right,
Because there is a problem that the color density differs between the left and right,
This method is not practical. Furthermore, it is actually impossible to prepare many kinds of colored optical plastic lens base materials by preparing a large number of raw material liquids having different colors and densities according to market needs.

Further, the method (3) for transferring a dye is effective if it is a flat plate, but it is difficult to attach a film to a curved optical plastic lens neatly. In practice, it is actually impossible to perform uniform dyeing.

On the other hand, the method of (4) for coloring by sublimating the dye in the gas phase has the advantage that a lens which has been difficult to dye by the conventional immersion method can be easily dyed. (A) a method of coloring by sublimating radially using an organic dye pigment (Japanese Patent Publication No. 35-1384);
(B) a method of coloring a plastic lens by sublimating a solid sublimable dye (JP-A-56-153321 and JP-A-56-159376); A method has been proposed in which the dye is sublimated by heating to form a dyed layer on the surface of the plastic lens (JP-A-1-277814).

However, in the method (A), an organic pigment is used as a colorant, so that an opaque thin film of the pigment is formed. In the method (B), a solid sublimable dye is used. Cannot be quantitatively attached to the lens surface, uniform heating of the coloring source is impossible, and it is difficult to adjust the dyeing concentration. In addition, in the method (c), the substrate coated with the sublimable dye is heated in a non-contact state with the heating means, and the substrate is colored, as can be seen from the use of the tapered lens holder. The colored layer having a shape smaller than that of the lens to be formed is heated to form a stained layer on the surface of the plastic lens (see JP-A-1-277814, FIG. 1). According to such a method, uniform heating of the coloring source is possible and the adjustment of the dyeing density is easy as compared with the above method (b), but the leveling property is not always sufficiently satisfactory. Did not. Therefore,
It is possible to easily dye a plastic lens, which has been difficult to dye with the conventional immersion method, and it is easy to adjust the dyeing concentration. Was rare.

[0011]

Under such circumstances, the present invention provides a method which is more effective than the conventional coloring method using a gas phase method.
An object of the present invention is to provide a method for coloring a plastic lens by a gas phase method, which can provide a colored lens having excellent levelness, and a plastic lens coloring apparatus for effectively performing the coloring method.

[0012]

Means for Solving the Problems The present inventors have conducted intensive studies to achieve the above object, and as a result, the colored layer containing the sublimable dye has at least the same shape as the shape of the lens portion to be colored. The above size, and by heating the heating member in contact with the entire coloring layer corresponding to the shape of the lens portion to be colored, by sublimating the sublimable dye to color the plastic lens, and a specific With the device of the configuration, it is found that the purpose can be achieved,
Based on this finding, the present invention has been completed.

That is, the present invention provides (1) a method of coloring a plastic lens by heating a coloring layer containing a sublimable dye to sublimate the sublimable dye.
The colored layer has at least the same shape or more as the shape of the lens portion to be colored, and is used to heat the colored layer by heating the entire colored layer corresponding to the shape of the lens portion to be colored. A method of coloring a plastic lens, which is performed by bringing members into contact with each other, and (2) the plastic lens to be colored is held by supporting a peripheral portion thereof, and the colored surface direction of the lens is opened. A lens holding member having a stepped portion for engaging a base for sealing the lens, a base having a colored layer on the side facing the colored surface of the lens, and sealing the opening of the lens holding member; A heating member provided in contact with the entire surface on the opposite side of the colored layer, an opening having an opening for accommodating the lens holding member, and a container that can be sealed by the heating member; There is provided a plastic lens coloring system, which comprises a vacuum mechanism for the vacuum in the container.

[0014]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION In the method for coloring a plastic lens of the present invention (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as the “coloring method of the present invention”), a colored layer containing a sublimable dye is heated to be sublimated. By sublimating the sex dye, the plastic lens is colored.

In the coloring method of the present invention, the sublimable dye contained in the colored layer is not particularly limited as long as it has a property of sublimating when the dye is heated in air or vacuum. . Examples of such sublimable dyes include the dyes described in JP-A-1-277814, page 2, lower left column, lines 6 to 13, furthermore,
Dianix Red TA-N (Mitsubishi Chemical), Kayalon Microe
ster Red C-LS conc (Nippon Kayaku), Kayalon Micr
oester Red AQ-LE (Nippon Kayaku), Miketon Fast
Red Z (Mitsui Chemicals), Kayalon Microester Red D
X-LS (Nippon Kayaku), Dianix Blue UN-SE (Mitsubishi Chemical), Disperse Fast Blue Z (Mitsui Chemicals), Dia
nix / Samaron Navy Blue TA-N (Mitsubishi Chemical), Ka
yalon Microester Blue C-LS conc (Nippon Kayaku),
Kayalon Microester Blue AQ-LE (Nippon Kayaku),
Kayalon Microester Blue DX-LS conc (Nippon Kayaku), Dianix / Samaron Orange TA-N (Mitsubishi Chemical), Dianix Yellow TA-N (Mitsubishi Chemical), Kayalo
n Microester Yellow AQ-LE (Nippon Kayaku), Kaya
lon Microester Yellow DX-LS conc (Nippon Kayaku), Miketon Fast Yellow Z (Mitsui Chemicals), Kaya
Preferable examples include lon Microester Yellow C-LS (Nippon Kayaku). These sublimable dyes may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

In the present invention, a heating member is brought into contact with the coloring layer containing the sublimable dye to heat the coloring layer. At this time, a plate-like heat is applied between the heating member and the coloring layer. It is advantageous to interpose a conductive substrate. The substrate is preferably larger than the diameter of the plastic lens to be colored. Therefore, the colored layer may be formed on the surface of the plate-shaped thermally conductive substrate, and the substrate and the colored layer may be integrated with each other, or the fibrous product having the colored layer adhered may be used as the plate-shaped thermally conductive substrate. It may be arranged on the surface.

The material of the plate-shaped thermally conductive substrate has thermal conductivity and can be heated to a temperature required for sublimating the dye.
There is no particular limitation as long as it has sufficient resistance, but generally, a metal plate such as aluminum, an aluminum alloy, or stainless steel is used. In particular, an aluminum plate or an aluminum alloy plate has light weight and heat conductivity. It is preferable from the point of.

The method for forming a colored layer containing a sublimable dye on the surface of the plate-like heat conductive substrate is not particularly limited. For example, the sublimable dye and, if desired, a water-soluble A method of adding a binder such as an acrylic resin, preparing a coating liquid, applying the coating liquid to the surface of a pre-heated plate-shaped heat conductive substrate, and forming a colored layer can be preferably used. . At this time, the heating temperature of the plate-shaped heat conductive substrate is preferably 80 ° C. or higher. Also,
The color density of the lens can be controlled, for example, by controlling the amount of application.

On the other hand, as a method for attaching a colored layer to a fiber molded product, for example, paper or a woven or non-woven fabric made of synthetic fiber, natural fiber, glass fiber, or the like is immersed in the coating solution. For example, a method of forming a conductive layer can be used. By using a fiber molded article to which such a colored layer is attached, it is possible to quickly select a desired color and color the lens. In addition, based on a database stored in a computer, by an inkjet printer, to a plate-like thermally conductive substrate or a fiber molded product,
Printing may be performed using an ink containing a sublimable dye to form a colored layer.

In the coloring method of the present invention, it is necessary that the colored layer has at least the same size or more as the shape of the lens portion to be colored in order to color uniformly. If the colored layer is smaller than the shape of the lens portion to be colored, the dye is sublimated radially, but uneven coloring is likely to occur.

In the coloring method of the present invention, it is necessary to heat the colored layer by bringing a heating member into contact with the entire colored layer corresponding to the shape of the lens portion to be colored. By doing so, the colored layer can be uniformly heated. The heating member is not particularly limited as long as it can heat the entire colored layer corresponding to the shape of the lens portion to be colored in a contact state and can form a uniform stained layer on the lens surface. .

The operation of heating the coloring layer with a heating member to sublimate the sublimable dye to color the lens may be performed in the air or in a vacuum. It is preferably performed in a vacuum atmosphere. The degree of vacuum is appropriately selected according to the material of the lens to be colored, the desired coloring concentration, the type of the sublimable dye to be used, and the like. The heating temperature of the heating member varies depending on the material of the lens to be colored, the type of sublimable dye to be used, and the like. preferable. Further, the dyeing time can be appropriately selected according to the material of the lens to be colored, the type of the sublimable dye to be used, the desired coloring concentration, and the like.

When a dye layer is formed on the surface of a plastic lens by sublimating a sublimable dye, the temperature of the plastic lens depends on the type of the lens and is not particularly limited, but is usually in the range of 70 to 150 ° C. It is preferable to hold.

The plastic lens to which the coloring method of the present invention is applied is not particularly limited, and examples thereof include a homopolymer of methyl methacrylate, a copolymer having methyl methacrylate and one or more other monomers as a monomer component, and diethylene glycol bis. Allyl carbonate homopolymer,
Copolymers containing diethylene glycol bisallyl carbonate and one or more other monomers as monomer components, sulfur-containing copolymers, halogen-containing copolymers, polycarbonate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, unsaturated polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyurethane ,
A plastic lens made of polythiourethane or the like can be given. These plastic lenses can be colored by applying a known primer layer or hard coat layer on the surface. In this way, a colored plastic lens adjusted to a desired dyeing concentration and having excellent levelness can be obtained efficiently.

Next, the plastic lens coloring apparatus of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows one of the members constituting the plastic lens coloring apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example, in which a coloring device includes a lens holding member 1 and a base (plate-like heat conductive base) 2 having a coloring layer 3.
, A heating member 4, a container 5, and a vacuum pump (vacuum mechanism) 6.

The lens holding member 1 is a member that supports the peripheral portion of the plastic lens 7 to be colored and holds the lens.
Stepped portion 8 for engaging base 2 sealing this opening
have. 9 is a plastic lens 7 to be colored.
Is a position adjusting ring. Substrate (plate-like thermally conductive substrate)
2 has a colored layer 3 on the side facing the colored surface of the plastic lens 7 to be colored, and is used to seal the opening of the lens holding portion 1. The coloring layer 3 may be formed directly on the surface of the base 2, and the base 2 and the coloring layer 3 may be integrated with each other, or a fiber molded product having the coloring layer 3 attached may be attached to the base 2. Is also good.

The heating member 4 is provided on the back side of the base 2 (colored layer 3).
(The surface opposite to the side opposite to the substrate) is heated by contacting the entire surface to sublimate the sublimable dye of the colored layer, and is used to dye the colored surface of the plastic lens 7 to be colored.

The container 5 is a member for accommodating one or a plurality of combinations of the lens holding member 1, the plastic lens 7 to be colored, and the base 2 having the colored layer 3, and an opening for accommodating them. It is sealed by the heating member 4. The container 5 may have a heating mechanism 10 as needed in order to maintain the plastic lens 7 to be colored at a predetermined temperature. Further, a temperature measuring sensor and a vacuum measuring device (not shown) can be provided at an appropriate position. In addition, 11 is a packing.

The vacuum pump 6 is for maintaining the inside of the container 5 in a vacuum state. In this coloring device,
The distance between the plastic lens 7 to be colored and the colored layer 3 is appropriately selected according to the heating temperature of the lens and the colored layer, the coloring time, the degree of vacuum, the desired dyeing concentration, and the like.
Generally, it is selected in the range of 1 to 1000 mm. If the distance is less than 1 mm, the heat of the heating member when the dye is sublimated is transmitted to the plastic lens, and the optical characteristics of the lens may be impaired. If the distance exceeds 1000 mm, the amount of the sublimed dye reaching the plastic lens Becomes extremely small, and the time for forming the dyed layer becomes longer,
It becomes difficult to color deeply, which is not preferable.

[0030]

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to these examples. The coloring apparatus shown in FIG. 1 was used, and an unprocessed sulfur-containing plastic lens having a diameter of 80 mm [HOYA
Co., Ltd., trade name: Tesla lid].

Reference Example 1 "Dianix Red TA-N" which is a sublimable dye [Mitsubishi Chemical
Co., Ltd.] and 3 g of “Dianix Blue UN-SE” [manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation] were added to 100 ml of pure water to prepare a coating liquid. On a circular aluminum plate with a diameter of 103 mm and a thickness of 1 mm, which was previously heated to 100 ° C,
The coating liquid was sprayed by a spray to form a colored layer. The colored layer having a diameter of less than 103 mm was formed by spraying a circular colored layer having a desired size at the center of the aluminum plate.

Example 1 The aluminum plate obtained in Reference Example 1 had a diameter of 103 m
1 is a plate-like heat conductive substrate in which a plastic lens “Teslidalid” 7 having a diameter of 80 mm and the above-mentioned colored layer 3 are formed on the lens holding member 1 using the apparatus shown in FIG. The aluminum plate 2 was attached, and this was put in the container 5, and the container 5 was sealed with the heating member 4. The heating member 4 was in contact with the back surface of the aluminum plate 2, and the distance between the plastic lens 7 and the colored layer 2 was 1.5 mm.

The temperature of the plastic lens is maintained at 120 ° C. by the heating mechanism 10 of the container 5, the degree of vacuum in the container is maintained at 740 mmHg by the vacuum pump 6, and the heating member 4 is heated to 120 ° C. Staining was performed for 10 minutes. About the lens colored in this way,
When the transmittance was measured at a wavelength of 525 nm, it was 13.2%
Met. Also, when the uniformity of the coloring was visually examined,
It was uniformly colored. Further, no deformation of the lens was observed. This coloring treatment was repeated five times, and similar results were obtained.

Comparative Example 1 A plastic lens was dyed in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the aluminum plate and the heating member were not in contact with each other, and were separated by 2 mm. The transmittance of this colored lens at a wavelength of 525 nm was 76.5%. Further, when the uniformity of the coloring was visually examined, slight color unevenness was observed.

Comparative Example 2 A plastic lens was dyed in the same manner as in Example 1 except that a colored layer having a diameter of 70 mm was formed on an aluminum plate. The transmittance of this colored lens at a wavelength of 525 nm was measured.
8%. Further, when the uniformity of the coloring was visually examined, slight color unevenness was observed.

Comparative Example 3 "Dianix Red TA-N", a sublimable dye (supra) 3
g and 3 g of “Dianix Blue UN-SE” (described above) were added to 1 liter of pure water to prepare a coating solution.
, And a plastic lens "Teslarid" having a diameter of 80 mm was immersed therein for 30 minutes, but could not be colored.

[0037]

According to the coloring method of the present invention, a colored plastic lens having excellent levelness can be easily produced by a gas phase method as compared with a conventional coloring method by a gas phase method. Also, by using the coloring device of the present invention,
The above coloring method can be effectively performed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of an example of each member constituting a plastic lens coloring apparatus of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Lens holding member 2 Substrate (plate-shaped heat conductive substrate) 3 Coloring layer 4 Heating member 5 Container 6 Vacuum pump (vacuum mechanism) 7 Plastic lens to be colored 8 Step 9 Ring for adjusting the position of lens 10 Heating mechanism 11 Packing

Claims (8)

[Claims] 1. A method of coloring a plastic lens by heating a colored layer containing a sublimable dye to sublime the sublimable dye, wherein the colored layer has the same shape as the lens portion to be colored. Coloring a plastic lens having at least a size equal to or larger than the shape, and heating the colored layer by bringing a heating member into contact with the entire colored layer corresponding to the shape of the lens portion to be colored. Method. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein a plate-like heat conductive substrate is interposed between the heating member and the coloring layer. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the plate-shaped thermally conductive substrate is larger than the diameter of the plastic lens to be colored. 4. The method according to claim 2, wherein a colored layer is formed on the surface of the plate-shaped thermally conductive substrate, and the substrate and the colored layer are integrated. 5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a coating liquid containing a sublimable dye is applied to the surface of the pre-heated plate-like thermally conductive substrate, and a colored layer is formed and integrated. 6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the fiber molded article having the coloring layer attached thereto is disposed on the surface of the plate-shaped heat conductive substrate. 7. A lens holding device for holding a plastic lens to be colored by supporting the peripheral portion thereof and having a stepped portion for opening a direction of a colored surface of the lens and engaging a base body sealing the opening. A member, a substrate having a colored layer on the side facing the colored surface of the lens, and sealing the opening of the lens holding member; and a substrate provided in contact with the entire surface of the substrate opposite to the colored layer. It comprises a heating member, a container having an opening for accommodating the lens holding member, and capable of being sealed by the heating member, and a vacuum mechanism for evacuating the container. Plastic lens coloring equipment. 8. The plastic lens coloring apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the container has a heating mechanism.