Appeal No. 2000-0634
Application No. 08/274,942
Rather than reiterate the respective positions advanced by the Examiner and
Appellants, we refer to the Examiner’s Answer and to Appellants’ Brief for a complete
exposition thereof.
Clark discloses an apparatus and a process for forming lenses and/or semi-finished
lens blanks. The apparatus includes a first mold member and a mating second mold member.
The first and second mold members also include structure for defining an annular restriction
interconnecting an annular reservoir with the mold cavity. (Col. 2, ll. 45 to 63). Clark
discloses after the mold cavity and the reservoir have been filled, the lens material in the
mold cavity is polymerized while the lens material in the reservoir is inhibited from
polymerizing. (Col. 6, ll. 35 to 38). Clark also discloses the fluid environment to which the
lens material in the reservoir is exposed may be one which inhibits polymerization. (Col. 6,
ll. 52 to 56). Clark discloses that the polymerization of the lens material should proceed
from the center of the mold outwards in order to avoid polymerizing that portion of the lens
material in the mold which is adjacent the edge of the mold cavity and, consequently,
blocking off the reservoir from the center section of the mold cavity. (Col. 7, ll. 5 to 11).
Clark discloses a diaphragm (141) can be used to mask/inhibit polymerization of the lens
material adjacent to the mold. (Col. 7, ll. 21 to 25). Clark discloses heat or UV radiation,
parallel to the mold halves, can be used to polymerize the lens material. (Col. 7, ll. 26
to 28). Clark discloses as a preferred embodiment that after the lens material within the
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