Process and apparatus for making decorated eyeglasses frames
AssigneeLuxottica S.R.L.
InventorLuigi Francavilla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for making eyeglasses frames (1), where at least one front rim (2) or a pair of sidepieces (3) of the eyeglasses frame (1) is decorated, comprises the steps of decorating a film, inserting the film into the mould (4) and injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) with the film applied to it/them; before the step of injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3), there is a step of thermoforming and trimming the film to form and shape the film according to a profile corresponding to a wall (7) of the mould (4), in such a way that the film (5) inserted in the mould is shaped like a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed.
Claims20
A process for making eyeglasses frames (1), where at least one front rim (2) or a pair of sidepieces (3) of the eyeglasses frame (1) is decorated, comprising the following steps:
- decorating a film (5);
- inserting the film into a mould (4) and injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) with the film applied to thereto,
- characterized in that it comprises, before the step of injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3), a step of thermoforming and trimming the film (5) to form and shape the film according to a profile corresponding to a wall (7) of the mould (4), in such a way that the film (5) inserted in the mould is formed and shaped like a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed.
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the thermoforming step comprises the following steps:
- preparing a contact element (6) shaped to match the wall (7) of the mould (4);
- positioning a piece of film (5) on the contact element (6) in order to form it and shaping the piece of film (5) by trimming the parts of the piece of film (5) projecting past the edges of the contact element (6).
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the film (5) is made in a different colour from the colour in which the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) of the eyeglasses frame (1) are made.
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the film (5) is trimmed along at least one three-dimensional trimming line.
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the step of decorating the film (5) is accomplished by a sublimation treatment.
The process according to any of the preceding claims, wherein thermoforming is performed by placing the film (5) on a first contact element (61), which is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mould (4) and slightly larger in size;
- and trimming of the film (5) is performed by placing the previously thermoformed film (5) on a second contact element (62), which is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mould (4) and equal in size.
An apparatus for making eyeglasses frames (1) having a front rim (2) and a pair of sidepieces (3) where the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) is/are decorated, comprising:
- a station (CC) for decorating a film (5);
- a mould (4) for the injection moulding of the eyeglasses frame (1), the mould (4) being composed of two parts (4a, 4b) which can be coupled to each other to make a moulding cavity (C) having a wall (7) on which the film (5) to be applied to the front rim (2) or to the sidepieces (3) is positioned,
- characterized in that it comprises:
- a film forming and trimming station (11) equipped with means (13) for thermoforming the film (5) for forming a piece of film (5) according to a profile corresponding to the wall (7) of the mould (4);
- shaping means (6, 9) configured to give the piece of film (5) the shape of a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed, before injection in the mould.
The apparatus according to any of the claims from 13 to 17, wherein the wall (7) of the mould (4) is equipped with means (10) for holding down the shaped film portion (5a), the means (10) comprising suction channels (10) connected to means for generating a negative pressure to guarantee the adherence of the shaped film portion (5a) to the wall (7).
The apparatus according to any of the claims from 14 to 18, comprising a control unit (16) which is connected to manipulating means (12) and to the means (14) for generating a negative pressure and which is programmed to coordinate the movement of the contact element (6) from the forming station (11) to the mould (4) with the switching on/off of the means for generating the negative pressure on the contact element (6) and on the bottom wall (7) of the mould (4).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.