Plastic lens generator and method
AssigneeNational Optronics, Inc.
InventorsLewis D. Houchens, Jr., John M. Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The generator for plastic lenses comprises a rotatable chuck for rotating an optical lens blank on a first axis. A drive system displaces the chuck and thereby the lens blank generally transverse to the first axis. A cutter is operably associatable with the chuck for engaging the lens blank and causing shaping thereof. The cutter includes a high speed rotary element rotatable on a second axis angularly disposed relative to the first axis. A second drive system for selectively displacing the cutter parallel to the first axis is provided. A computer control is operably associated with the first and second drive systems for coordinating displacement of the associated chuck and cutter for causing a selected curvature to be generated on the blank.
Claims30
A generator for plastic lenses, comprising:
- a) first and second spaced parallel guides extending in a first direction;
- b) a first support displaceably mounted to said first and second guides for movement therealong;
- c) first servo drive means operably associated with said first support for selectively moving said first support along said first and second guides;
- d) rotatable chuck means mounted to said first support and moveable therewith for grasping a lens blank and causing rotation thereof, said chuck means rotatable on a first axis transverse to said first and second guides;
- e) variable speed drive means operably associated with said chuck means and moveable therewith for selectively rotating said chuck means about said first axis;
- f) third and fourth spaced parallel guides extending in a second direction transverse to said first direction;
- g) a second support displaceably mounted to said third and fourth guides for movement therealong;
- h) second servo drive means operably associated with said second support and disposed exteriorly of said third and fourth guides and extending therealong and parallel thereto for selectively moving said second support along said third and fourth guides;
- i) rotatable cutter means mounted to said second support between and above said third and fourth guides and movable with said second support, said cutter means rotatable on a second axis extending angularly relative to said second direction and said cutter means selectively engageable with the lens blank for generating a surface thereon;
- and
- j) constant speed drive means mounted to said second support and moveable therewith and operably associated with said cutter means for causing rotation thereof.
A generator for plastic lenses and the like, comprising:
- a) first and second pairs of ways, said first pair of ways extending in a first direction and said second pair of ways extending generally transverse thereto and the ways of each pair being spaced apart and disposed in parallel;
- b) first and second supports, each support displaceably mounted to the ways of one of said pairs of ways and moveable therealong;
- c) a rotatable collet assembly mounted to said first support and moveable therewith, said collet assembly adapted for grasping a lens blank and rotating same;
- d) a first toothed gear connected to said collet assembly;
- e) first variable speed drive means mounted to said first support adjacent said first gear, said first variable speed drive means including a rotatable shaft;
- f) a second toothed gear connected to said shaft and rotatable therewith, said second toothed gear meshingly engaged with said first toothed gear so that rotation of said shaft causes associated rotation of said first gear and thereby of the collet assembly and the blank;
- g) a cutter system secured to said second support and moveable therewith for selectively engaging a lens blank grasped by said collet assembly and for generating a surface thereon;
- h) first and second servo drives, each of said servo drives connected to one of said supports for controlling movement thereof along the associated ways;
- and
- i) said second servo drive is disposed adjacent to and exteriorly of one of the ways of said second pair of ways.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.