ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605240055
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: GREG EDWARDS STAFF WRITER
Innotech Inc., Roanoke developer and manufacturer of eyeglass lens fabricating systems, said Thursday it has been granted a patent for a new type of composite plastic lens that combines the best properties of different materials.
The patent, the company's 14th since it started up three years ago, covers the method used to make the lenses and the lenses themselves, the company said.
Previously, plastic lenses have been made two ways. One of the two types of plastics was used made thinner and more shatter-resistant lenses. The other produced thicker lenses that had fewer aberrations but were less shatter resistant, Innotech explained.
The new patent allows the manufacture of a composite lens that has the advantages of both types of plastic, said Amitava Gupta, Innotech's vice president for research and development.
Steve Bennington, the company's chief operating officer, said commercial introduction of the new lenses should occur in 1998. The lenses can be made with Innotech's Excalibur lens fabrication system, which allows optical retailers to make multi-focal and single-vision lenses in their offices rather than sending prescriptions to laboratories.
LENGTH: Short : 32 linesby CNB