US 12,440,940 B2Granted

Apparatus and method for deblocking a lens

AssigneeSchneider GmbH & Co. KG

InventorsGunter Schneider, Klaus Hofmann, Thomas Simmer, Klaus Krämer

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An apparatus and a method for deblocking a lens, wherein the lens is blocked with a block material on a block piece. The block material is preheated by radiation. The blocked lens, the deblocked lens, and the deblocked block piece are handled by means of separate grippers. For deblocking, the lens and the block piece are held by opposing holding devices in a rotating manner, while a fluid jet acts on the block material from the side. After the deblocking, the lens and the block piece are cleaned simultaneously. Then, a holding device together with the deblocked lens pivot out from a working space. The deblocked lens is placed with the block side upward in a transport carrier. This makes possible a simple design and an optimized process sequence.

Claims13

Dependent claims

Apparatus for deblocking a lens from a block piece, on which the lens is blocked by means of a block material, wherein a block facing side of the lens, comprising:

a working space,
a first holding device for holding of the lens in the working space and for rotating the lens about an axis of rotation,
a second holding device for holding of the block piece in the working space, and
multiple nozzle devices for dispensing fluid jets in the working space,
further comprising:
first, second and third nozzle devices for respectively generating first, second, and third fluid jets in the working space, wherein the first fluid jet is operable for detaching the lens from the block material, the second fluid jet is operable for removing block material from the block piece, and the third fluid jet is operable for removing at least one of a protective layer or block material from the lens, at least one of the three nozzle devices being arranged at a different angle than the other two nozzles relative to a central axis of the holding devices,
wherein at least one of the holding devices has a rotary motor drive, and
wherein at least one of the first nozzle device, the second nozzle device or the third nozzle device is linearly movable back and forth in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the lens.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/487,683Filed 15 Feb 2018
Priority: DE 10 2017 001 67922 Feb 2017
Published: US 2020/0130126 A130 Apr 2020
Granted: 14 Oct 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification6 codes

B24B 13/0057
Blocking means, chucks or the like; Alignment devices: deblocking of lenses
B29D 11/00009
Producing optical elements, e.g. lenses or prisms: production of simple or compound lenses
B29D 11/00423
Production of simple or compound lenses: plants for the production of simple or compound lenses
B29D 11/00942
Combined cutting and grinding thereof: where the lens material is mounted in a support for mounting onto a cutting device, e.g. a lathe, and where…