Coating device and method for supplying a lacquer and a solvent to a lacquer mixture

A coating device for dip coating an ophthalmic lens, the coating device comprising:

• a lacquer basin for receiving a lacquer mixture, wherein the lacquer mixture contains a lacquer and a solvent;
• an overflow channel arranged at the lacquer basin for collecting the lacquer mixture overflowing from the lacquer basin;
• a tubing system, which is connected to the lacquer basin for providing an influx of the lacquer mixture to the lacquer basin, and which is connected to the overflow channel for collecting a return flux of the lacquer mixture from the overflow channel, such as to enable a circulation of the lacquer mixture through the lacquer basin, the overflow channel and the tubing system;
• and
• a supply unit for dosing the lacquer and the solvent for supplying the lacquer mixture,
• wherein the tubing system includes a pump for circulating the lacquer mixture through the lacquer basin, the overflow channel and the tubing system, wherein the return flux of the lacquer mixture is a flux of lacquer mixture from the overflow channel to the pump generating a circulation of the lacquer mixture, and the influx is a flux of the lacquer mixture from the pump generating the circulation of the lacquer mixture to the lacquer basin,
• wherein the supply unit is connected to the tubing system and configured to feed at least one of the lacquer and the solvent directly into the tubing system,
• wherein the tubing system further includes a flow cooler having an inlet and an outlet,
• wherein the tubing system is configured to feed the return flux collected from the overflow channel into the inlet of the flow cooler, and
• wherein the supply unit is configured to feed at least one of the lacquer and the solvent directly into the influx of the lacquer mixture supplied to the lacquer basin.

A coating device for dip coating an ophthalmic lens, the coating device comprising:

• a lacquer basin for receiving a lacquer mixture, wherein the lacquer mixture contains a lacquer and a solvent;
• an overflow channel arranged at the lacquer basin for collecting the lacquer mixture overflowing from the lacquer basin;
• a tubing system, which is connected to the lacquer basin for providing an influx of the lacquer mixture to the lacquer basin, and which is connected to the overflow channel for collecting a return flux of the lacquer mixture from the overflow channel, such as to enable a circulation of the lacquer mixture through the lacquer basin, the overflow channel and the tubing system;
• and
• a supply unit for dosing the lacquer and the solvent for supplying the lacquer mixture,
• wherein the tubing system includes a pump for circulating the lacquer mixture through the lacquer basin, the overflow channel and the tubing system, wherein the return flux of the lacquer mixture is a flux of lacquer mixture from the overflow channel to the pump generating a circulation of the lacquer mixture, and the influx is a flux of the lacquer mixture from the pump generating the circulation of the lacquer mixture to the lacquer basin,
• wherein the supply unit is connected to the tubing system and configured to feed at least one of the lacquer and the solvent directly into the tubing system,
• wherein the lacquer basin is passively thermally isolated from its surroundings,
• wherein a side wall of the lacquer basin is provided at least partly from a material having a heat conductivity of 10 W/(m·K) or less, and/or
• with one or more integrated evacuated chambers, and
• wherein the supply unit is configured to feed at least one of the lacquer and the solvent directly into the influx of the lacquer mixture supplied to the lacquer basin.