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US 4,856,234 AGranted
Optical lens manufacturing apparatus and method
AssigneeResearch Machine Center, Inc.
InventorGary D. Goins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A carrier is disclosed for holding an optical lens blank while forming optical surfaces on the blank. The carrier includes a clamp for holding the periphery of the lens blank while exposing a central area of the blank. An outer peripheral surface and one of two spaced end surfaces on the carrier are used in a method for locating and positioning said carrier/lens blank in a lathe, milling machine or other machine tool such that the exposed lens blank surfaces may be precisely and accurately cut to form optical lens surfaces with minimal error or misalignment. Holders for mounting the carrier in a lathe or milling machine and having locating surfaces engaging the outer peripheral and one end surface on the carrier are also disclosed.
Claims31
A carrier for holding an optical lens blank having a central area and a periphery while optical surfaces are formed on the blank, said carrier comprising:
- a rigid body having an outer peripheral surface, first and second spaced end surfaces, and an inside surface defining an aperture extending through said body on an axis, said outer peripheral surface and said spaced end surfaces being adapted to accurately locate said carrier on a tool for machining the lens blank surfaces;
- lens blank holding means mounted on said rigid body for holding at least portions of the periphery of a lens blank within said body, said lens blank holding means extending axially toward the exterior of said rigid body no further than flush with one of said end surfaces when mounted on said rigid body;
- said carrier being reversible to allow use of each of said spaced end surfaces for locating said carrier on a tool for machining the lens blank surfaces and to allow access to the central lens blank area from adjacent each end surface without removing said lens blank holding means from said rigid body such that opposite surfaces of the central area of the lens blank are exposed and accessible when said carrier is reversed for performing operations to form optical surfaces on the lens blank.
A carrier for holding an optical lens blank while forming optical surfaces on the blank, said carrier being reversible for access to the lens blank from either side, said carrier comprising:
- an annular body having a cylindrical outside surface, first and second spaced, parallel end surfaces, an inside surface defining an aperture extending through said body on an axis, and a lens blank retaining surface positioned axially intermediate said end surfaces, said outside surface and said end surfaces being adapted to accurately locate said carrier on a tool for machining the lens blank surfaces;
- an annular lens blank retaining member received in said annular body and having an outside surface, an inside surface defining an aperture through said member and an end surface;
- and
- securing means for securing said retaining member in said annular body;
- said lens blank retaining member extending axially away from said lens blank retaining surface to a position no further than flush with one of said end surfaces of said annular body when secured by said securing means and retaining a lens blank in said body;
- whereby when a lens blank is received within said body against said lens blank retaining surface, said retaining member is received and secured within said annular body with said securing means to hold the periphery of the lens blank between said end surface of said retaining member and said lens blank retaining surface whereby opposite surfaces of a central area of the lens blank are exposed and accessible through said apertures when said carrier is reversed for performing operations to form optical surfaces on the lens blank.
3 more elements
A method for manufacturing an optical lens from a lens blank comprising:
- positioning and holding an optical lens blank in a rigid carrier having an outer peripheral surface and an end surface such that opposite sides of a predetermined area of said lens blank are exposed by said carrier;
- mounting said carrier with said lens blank on a rotating support having a rotational axis using said end surface and said outer peripheral surface to locate and position said carrier with respect to said rotational axis by contacting said end and outer peripheral surfaces against corresponding surfaces on the rotating support such that one of said exposed sides of said lens blank faces outwardly;
- and
- cutting an optical surface in said outwardly facing lens blank surface with a cutting tool whereby said optical surface is precisely and accurately formed with respect to said rotational axis.
1 more element
A method for manufacturing an optical lens from a lens blank comprising:
- positioning and holding an optical lens blank in a rigid carrier having an outer peripheral surface and first and second parallel end surfaces such that opposite sides of a predetermined area of said lens blank are exposed by said carrier;
- mounting said carrier with said lens blank on a rotating support having a rotational axis using one of said end surfaces and said outer peripheral surface to locate and position said carrier with respect to said rotational axis by contacting one of said end and said outer peripheral surfaces against corresponding surfaces on the rotating support such that one of said exposed sides of said lens blank faces outwardly;
- and
- cutting an optical surface in said outwardly facing lens blank surface with a cutting tool;
- repositioning said carrier and lens blank on said rotational support using the other of said end surfaces and said outer peripheral surface to locate and position said carrier with respect to the rotational axis by contacting said other of said end surfaces and said outer peripheral surface against corresponding surfaces on the rotating support such that the opposite one of said sides of said lens blank faces outwardly;
- cutting an optical surface in said outwardly facing opposite side of said lens blank with a cutting tool;
- and
- mounting said carrier on a milling machine after both said optical surfaces have been cut using said outer peripheral surface and one of said end surfaces to locate and position said carrier and lens blank by contacting said outer peripheral surface and said one of said end surfaces against corresponding surfaces on the milling machine and cutting the outline of said lens in said lens blank with a cutting tool on said milling machine whereby said two cut optical surfaces are precisely aligned and positioned with respect to one another after manufacture for accurate optical resolution.
5 more elements
A carrier for holding an optical lens blank having a central area and a periphery while optical surfaces are formed on the blank, said carrier comprising:
- a rigid body having an outer peripheral surface, first and second spaced end surfaces, and an inside surface defining an aperture extending through said body;
- lens blank holding means on said rigid body for holding at least portions of the periphery of a lens blank within said body, said lens blank holding means including an aperture extending therethrough corresponding in size to said aperture in said rigid body;
- said carrier being reversible to allow use of each of said spaced end surfaces for locating said carrier on a tool for machining the lens blank surfaces and to allow access to the central lens blank area from adjacent each end surface thereof without removing said lens blank holding means from said rigid body such that opposite surfaces of the central area of the lens blank are exposed and accessible through said apertures in said rigid body and lens blank holding means when said carrier is reversed for performing operations to form optical surfaces on the lens blank.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.