1. A tool for sizing a gap between deck boards or other objects, the tool comprising in combination:
an elongate primary element extending between a first end and a second end;
said primary element being substantially rigid;
an elongate secondary element;
said secondary element affixed to said primary element;
said secondary element having a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis thereof which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from said first direction about said long axis of said secondary element; and
said elongate primary element extending in said first direction, substantially common with said first direction in which said greater thickness of said cross-section of said elongate secondary element is exhibited, such that said greater thickness of said elongate secondary element extends in a substantially common direction with extension of said elongate primary element.
2. The tool of claim 1 wherein said secondary element is affixed to said primary element adjacent said first end of said primary element.
3. The tool of claim 1 wherein said primary element and said secondary element are formed together from a unitary mass of material.
4. The tool of claim 1 wherein said secondary element is substantially linear and substantially rigid.
5. The tool of claim 4 wherein said secondary element is oriented substantially perpendicular to said primary element.
6. The tool of claim 5 wherein said primary element is substantially linear.
7. The tool of claim 6 wherein said tool includes a tertiary element affixed to said primary element.
8. The tool of claim 7 wherein said tertiary element is substantially linear and oriented substantially perpendicular to said primary element.
9. The tool of claim 8 wherein said tertiary element is oriented substantially perpendicular to said secondary element and spaced from said secondary element.
10. The tool of claim 7 wherein said tertiary element has a cross-section perpendicular to a tertiary element long axis which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from said first direction about said tertiary element long axis, and wherein a first direction thickness of said tertiary element is different from a first direction thickness of said secondary element.
11. The tool of claim 1 wherein an inner corner between said primary element and said secondary element is adapted to allow said primary element and said secondary element to lay flat against perpendicular sides of a board having a sharp substantially 90\xb0 corner.
12. The tool of claim 1 wherein said first direction of said cross-section of said secondary element terminates at a pair of opposing curved surfaces.
13. The tool of claim 12 wherein said opposing curved surfaces curve substantially about said long axis and with said opposing curved surfaces opposing each other in a plane substantially including said primary element therein.
14. The tool of claim 13 wherein said second direction of said cross-section of said secondary element terminates at substantially flat opposing surfaces which are substantially parallel to each other and closer to each other than a distance between said opposing curved surfaces.
15. A method for positioning deck boards with a uniform gap therebetween, the method including the steps of:
providing at least two gap sizing tools, each tool having an elongate primary element extending between a first end and a second end, the primary element being substantially rigid, an elongate secondary element, the secondary element affixed to the primary element, the secondary element having a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis thereof which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from the first direction about the long axis of the secondary element;
positioning a first board where desired;
positioning a second board substantially parallel to said first board with a gap therebetween;
locating at least two of the gap sizing tools of said providing step with secondary elements thereof extending at least partially downwardly into the gap between the first board and the second board, with the primary elements of each of the gap sizing tools resting upon an upper surface of at least one of the boards;
orienting the at least two gap sizing tools with surfaces thereof defining the greater thickness in the first direction in the cross-section of the secondary element abutting each of the boards, such that a thickness of the gap matches the greater thickness in the first direction of the cross-section of the secondary elements;
fastening the boards to other portions of the deck; and
removing the tools by:
first rotating each of the tools about the long axis of the secondary element; and
second translating the tools along the long axis until the secondary element is out of the gap.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein said providing step includes the steps of:
forming the tool to include a tertiary element affixed to the primary element, wherein the tertiary element has a cross-section perpendicular to a tertiary element long axis of which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from the first direction about the tertiary element long axis, and wherein a first direction thickness of the tertiary element is different from a first direction thickness of the secondary element;
selecting a gap width for the boards; and
said orienting step including the step of selecting between the secondary element and the tertiary element for placement within the gap and between the first board and the second board.
17. A gap sizing tool, comprising in combination:
an elongate center leg;
said center leg being substantially rigid;
an elongate first gap leg affixed to said center leg and extending substantially perpendicular to said center leg;
an elongate second gap leg affixed to said center leg and extending substantially perpendicular to said center leg;
said second gap leg non-parallel with said first gap leg;
wherein said first gap leg has a cross-section perpendicular to a long axis of said first gap leg which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from said first direction about said long axis of said first gap leg; and
said center leg extending in said first direction, substantially common with said first direction in which said greater thickness of said cross-section of said elongate first gap leg is exhibited, such that said greater thickness of said elongate first gap leg extends in a substantially common direction with extension of said elongate first gap leg.
18. The gap sizing tool of claim 17 wherein said second gap leg is spaced from said first gap leg.
19. The gap sizing tool of claim 17 wherein said second gap leg is substantially perpendicular to said first gap leg.
20. The gap sizing tool of claim 17 wherein said second gap leg has a cross-section perpendicular to a second gap leg long axis which exhibits a greater thickness in a first direction than a thickness exhibited in a second direction spaced from said first direction about said second gap leg long axis, and wherein a first direction thickness of said second gap leg is different from a first direction thickness of said first gap leg.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1.-26. (canceled)
27. A method for producing a lens, comprising:
shaping a first surface of the lens to have a first surface shape;
shaping a second surface of the lens opposing the first surface to have a second surface shape;
wherein shaping the first and second surfaces comprises aspherizing both surfaces to both reduce a component of an optical power of the lens and reduce a measure of distortion of the lens such that
the first surface includes a point of maximum curvature and the curvature of the first surface measured along a line between the point of maximum curvature and any other point on the first surface decreases by at least 1.5 diopters at a distance 15 mm from the point of maximum curvature,
the first and second surface shapes define at least a portion of the lens having a diameter of at least 30 mm such that the portion includes the point of maximum curvature of the first surface, a component of an optical power of the lens varies by less than 0.03 diopters over the portion, and
a measure of distortion of the lens varies by 0.1% or less over the portion.
28. The method of claim 27, wherein the curvature decreases monotonically in every direction from the point of maximum curvature.
29. The method of claim 27, wherein the measure of distortion is mean magnification, magnification aspect ratio, vertical magnification, or horizontal magnification.
30. The method of claim 27, wherein the component of the optical power is mean power, tangential power, sagittal power, or astigmatism.
31. The method of claim 27, wherein the first surface has a base curvature of 6 diopters or more.
32. The method of claim 27, wherein the first surface has a base curvature of 7 diopters or more.
33. The method of claim 27, wherein the shape of the first surface measured along the line between the point of maximum curvature and another point on the first surface decreases by at least 3 diopters a distance 20 mm from the point of maximum curvature.
34. A spectacle lens, comprising:
a first surface having a first surface shape; and
a second surface opposite the first surface, the second surface having a second surface shape,
wherein the first and second surfaces are aspherized to reduce both a component of optical power and reduce a measure of distortion of the lens such that
the first surface includes a point of maximum curvature and the curvature of the first surface measured along a line between the point of maximum curvature and any other point on the first surface decreases by at least 1.5 diopters at a distance 15 mm from the point of maximum curvature,
the first and second surface shapes define at least a portion of the lens having a diameter of at least 30 mm such that the portion includes the point of maximum curvature of the first surface, a component of an optical power of the lens varies by less than 0.03 diopters over the portion, and
a measure of distortion of the lens varies by 0.1% or less over the portion.
35. The lens of claim 34, wherein the curvature decreases monotonically in every direction from the point of maximum curvature.
36. The lens of claim 34, wherein the measure of distortion is mean magnification, magnification aspect ratio, vertical magnification, or horizontal magnification.
37. The lens of claim 34, wherein the component of the optical power is mean power, tangential power, sagittal power, or astigmatism.
38. The lens of claim 34, wherein the first surface has a base curvature of 6 diopters or more.
39. The lens of claim 34, wherein the first surface has a base curvature of 7 diopters or more.
40. The lens of claim 34, wherein the shape of the first surface measured along the line between the point of maximum curvature and another point on the first surface decreases by at least 3 diopters a distance 20 mm from the point of maximum curvature.