Method and apparatus for molding optical glass elements or the like

An apparatus for molding optical glass elements or the like, comprising:

• a pair of molds, upper and lower, mutually oppositely arranged in a molding chamber kept under an inert gas atmosphere;
• an infrared lamp unit provided around these molds to heat the upper and lower molds and a glass blank placed between these molds;
• mold moving means for enabling the upper and lower molds which are heated by the infrared lamp unit to be set in press-contact with each other and for press-molding the glass blank between these molds;
• supporting means for supporting the infrared lamp unit such that the lamp unit is movable along a direction in which the mold is moved by the mold moving means;
• and
• moving means for allowing the infrared lamp unit which is supported by the supporting means to be adjustably moved relative to the molds.

An apparatus for molding optical glass elements or the like, comprising:

• a pair of molds, upper and lower, mutually oppositely arranged in a molding chamber kept under an inert gas atmosphere;
• a high-frequency coil provided around these molds to heat the upper and lower molds and a glass blank placed between these molds;
• mold moving means for enabling the molds which are heated by the high-frequency coil to be set in press-contact with each other and for press-molding the glass blank between these molds;
• supporting means for supporting the high-frequency coil such that the high-frequency coil is movable along a direction in which the mold is moved by the mold moving means;
• and
• moving means for allowing the high-frequency coil which is supported by the supporting means to be adjustably moved relative to the mold.

A method for molding optical glass elements or the like comprising the steps of:

• placing a glass blank on a lower mold arranged in an opposed relation to an upper mold;
• adjusting, relative to the position of the mold, the position of heating means provided around these molds;
• heating, by the heating means to a desired level, the upper and lower molds and a glass blank arranged between these molds;
• and
• moving the upper and lower molds heated by the heating step relative to each other to set these molds in a press-contact state and press-molding the glass blank between the molds.

A method for molding optical glass elements or the like comprising the steps of:

• placing a glass blank on a lower mold arranged in an opposed relation to an upper mold;
• adjusting, relative to a position of the mold, a position of an infrared lamp unit provided around these molds;
• heating, by the infrared lamp to a desired level, the upper and lower molds and a glass blank arranged between these molds;
• and
• moving the upper and lower molds heated by the heating step relative to each other to set these molds in a press-contact state and press-molding the glass blank between the molds.

A method for molding optical glass elements or the like comprising the steps of:

• placing a glass blank on a lower mold arranged in an opposed relation to an upper mold;
• heating, by a high-frequency coil to a desired level, these molds and a glass blank arranged between the upper and lower molds, the high-frequency coil being provided around the upper and lower molds;
• adjusting the position of the high-frequency coil relative to the mold in accordance with that temperature level to which the mold is heated;
• and
• moving the upper and lower molds heated by the heating step relative to each other to set these molds in a press-contact state and press-molding the glass blank between the molds.