System, mold and method for forming an ophthalmic lens
AssigneeGentex Optics, Inc.
InventorMelvin GORHAM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed embodiments include a system, apparatus and method for forming an ophthalmic lens having reduced risk of optical defects. An illustrative injection molding system includes a heated sprue and a hot runner fluidly coupled to the heated sprue. The system also includes a mold fluidly coupled to the heated runner to receive a molten material. The mold includes a material conduit, which may be included in an interchangeable gate insert, and a lens cavity. The hot runner forms a material conduit having an inlet for receiving material from the hot runner and an outlet for delivering material to the lens cavity. The material conduit also includes a branch cavity disposed between the inlet and the outlet for receiving a diverted volume of degraded lens material.
Claims15
An ophthalmic lens mold comprising:
- a lens cavity for forming an ophthalmic lens;
- a material conduit comprising an inlet and an outlet, the outlet being fluidly coupled to the lens cavity, and the inlet being fluidly coupled to a material source;
- wherein the material conduit comprises a branch cavity disposed between the inlet and the outlet.
A method of forming an ophthalmic lens, the method comprising:
- heating a lens material to form a molten lens material;
- delivering the molten lens material to a material conduit, the material conduit comprising an inlet and an outlet;
- flowing the molten lens material through the material conduit toward a lens cavity, the lens cavity defining a lens;
- diverting a first volume of molten lens material into at least one branch cavity disposed between the inlet and the outlet;
- and
- flowing a second volume of molten lens material through the outlet to the lens cavity.
An injection molding system comprising:
- a heated sprue;
- a hot runner, the hot runner being fluidly coupled to the heated sprue;
- and
- a mold fluidly coupled to the heated runner to receive a molten material, the mold comprising a the hot runner and a lens cavity;
- wherein the hot runner forms a material conduit comprising an inlet for receiving material from the hot runner and an outlet for delivering material to the lens cavity and a branch cavity disposed between the inlet and the outlet for receiving a diverted volume of degraded lens material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.