Method for molding a glass optical element with a transporting supporting member

Abstract

A method of molding a glass optical element. A supporting member is disposed in contact with a receiving mold part. A gob of molten glass is placed on an end surface of the receiving mold part and pre-molded by spreading out in contact with the end surface so as to form a glass preform. The glass preform supported by the supporting member is then transported to a heating furnace and heated. The heated glass preform supported on the supporting member is then transported to a position between a pair of mold parts and press molded to form a molded optical element. The end surface of the receiving mold part has a shape corresponding to an optical surface of the molded optical element so that in the pre-molding step, the glass preform is formed having a bottom portion having the shape corresponding to the optical surface. An auxiliary mold part can be provided having a molding surface in opposing facing relation with the end surface of the receiving mold part. The molding surface has a shape corresponding to another optical surface of the molded optical element, and the glass preform is formed having a top portion having the shape corresponding to the other optical surface of the molded optical element. By supporting the glass on the supporting member throughout the pre-molding operation, heating operation and press-molding operation, efficient mass production of optical elements is obtained.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.