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US 5,505,654 AGranted
Lens blocking apparatus
AssigneeGerber Optical, Inc.
InventorsKenneth O. Wood, Jeffrey J. Murray, Jonathan M. Dooley, Richard P. Tinson, John E. Ladue, Robert J. Pavone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank for working the lens includes an alignment station for supporting and aligning the lens blank relative to a target image and a transport means for moving the lens from the alignment station to a blocking station while maintaining lens orientation. The blocking station includes a support for a lens block, support for the lens, and a mechanism for injecting heated liquid bonding material between lens and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens and block.
Claims53
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for creating a target image indicating a given desired orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station means supported by said base or supporting a lens blank such that said lens blank is freely movably positionable by an operator relative to said base;
- said means for creating a target image being part of a display means for producing a visual display in which said target image is superimposed on an image of said lens blank as supported by said alignment station means whereby by observing said visual display, the operator can move said lens blank on said alignment station means to bring it to said desired position indicated by said target image;
- said display means including a light source and means for directing light from said light source toward said alignment station means, and said means or creating a target image including a liquid crystal display device located behind said alignment station means with respect to said light directed toward said alignment station means so that both an image of the shadow cast by said lens blank and said target image can be produced simultaneously and in superposition with one another by said liquid crystal display device;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station means to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- and
- said blocking station including a block support for the block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and the block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another.
6 more elements
A method of automatically blocking a lens blank to a block comprising the steps of:
- providing an alignment station having a liquid crystal display device with a first generally upwardly facing face and a second generally downwardly facing face, said second face being a display face on which an image can be created and said first face being one to be illuminated;
- illuminating said first face of said liquid crystal display device by a light source remote from said first face;
- providing a blocking station for supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base and locating said blocking station remotely of said first face of said liquid crystal display device;
- controlling said liquid crystal display device to create a lens blank target image representing a desired position of a lens blank relative to said base;
- placing a lens blank between said light source and said first face of said liquid crystal display device so that a shadow of said lens blank is cast onto said first face and an image of said shadow appears on said second face of said liquid crystal display device superimposed on said target image;
- moving said lens blank relative to said first face of said liquid crystal display device until reaching a coinciding position at which on said second face said image of the shadow of said lens blank coincides with said target image;
- and
- thereafter transporting the lens blank to the blocking station such that it is positioned directly on the block in an orientation relative to said base having a precisely known relationship to the orientation of said lens blank relative to said base when said lens blank is in said coinciding position;
- and
- causing the lens blank and block to be bonded to one another at said blocking station by introducing a liquefied hardenable blocking material therebetween.
7 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means or injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said transport means including a transport arm having a vacuum controlled suction cup mounted on a ball and socket gripper to engage and hold the lens blank for transport between the alignment station means and the blocking station.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said block support including a water cooled ring which creates a mold cavity for the liquid bonding material and cools the material to solidify it and bond the block to the lens blank.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said blocking station also including a rotatable part having an axis locating pin which engages with a matching hole in the block.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking on ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another, said block support including a block support ring;
- and
- said blocking station further including a vertical actuator for lowering the block onto the block support ring prior to injecting the bonding material and for lifting the bonded lens blank and block from the support ring when bonding is complete.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said blocking station including a heated nozzle through which the bonding material is directed between the lens blank and block.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said means for injecting heated liquid bonding material including an injection nozzle through which the bonding material is directed between the lens blank and the block, a heated reservoir for holding a supply of liquid bonding material, a pressure chamber communicating with the reservoir through a controlled valve, a passageway for delivery of the bonding material from the pressure chamber to the injection nozzle, and means for controlling the introduction of pressurized air into the pressure chamber for bonding material injection.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said block including two axis orienting holes on its rear face, one of which holes is elongated to permit entry of a corresponding sized and shaped alignment pin.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- and
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- said block having an internal gripping feature on its rear face for engagement by said blocking station.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking an ophthalmic lens blank to a block for working the lens comprising:
- a base;
- means for displaying a target image for a given orientation of a lens blank relative to said base;
- an alignment station supported by said base for supporting and aligning a lens blank relative to the target image;
- a blocking station supported by said base for receiving and supporting a block in a given orientation relative to said base;
- transport means for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining the lens blank orientation established at the alignment station;
- said blocking station including a block support for the lens block, a lens blank support, and a means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block to one another;
- and
- a sensor positioned on the block support to detect the block in a fully seated position.
5 more elements
An apparatus for blocking a prescription lens having an outer surface and an inner surface such that the outer surface of said lens blank is bonded to a block in an orientation relative to the block satisfying prescription data, said apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a translucent liquid crystal display device supported on said base and having a first generally upwardly facing face and a second generally downwardly facing face parallel to said first face, said first face being a light input face and said second face being a display face;
- a lens alignment station having a lens blank support fixed to said base and disposed above said first face of said liquid crystal device for vertically supporting a lens blank while allowing said lens blank to be moved in directions generally parallel to said first face of said liquid crystal display device;
- means for illuminating said first face of said liquid crystal device such that a shadow of the lens blank supported by said lens blank support is cast onto said first face;
- means for controlling said liquid crystal device such that there appears on said display face an image of said lens blank shadow and an image of a target to which said lens blank shadow is to be moved, by movement of said lens blank relative to said first face, to achieve a desired orientation of said lens blank relative to said base;
- a blocking station disposed on said base and located remotely of said alignment station, said blocking station including a means for receiving a block and seating it in a given orientation relative to said base;
- lens blank moving means supported on said base and controllably moveable between said lens alignment station and said blocking station for effecting movement of the lens blank from said alignment station to said blocking station and for placing said lens blank on said block at an orientation having a known relationship to the orientation of said lens blank relative to said base at the start of said movement;
- and
- means associated with said blocking station for controllably causing the block and the lens blank to become bonded to one another while the lens blank and the block are each held fixed relative to said base.
6 more elements
An apparatus for blocking a lens blank to an associated block comprising:
- a base;
- a visual display means supported on said base for creating an image used as a target in the positioning a lens blank relative to said base;
- a lens alignment means fixed relative to said base for supporting a lens blank relative to said visual display means such that said imaged target and said lens alignment means are substantially superimposed one with the other;
- blocking means located remotely of said visual display means for holding a block in a given orientation with respect to said base and for supporting the lens blank above said block such that the lens blank and the block are spaced from one another by a gap extending substantially uniformly between the lens blank and the underlying block;
- transport means disposed on said base and being controllably moveable between positions located at the lens alignment means and at said blocking means for engaging with and holding a lens blank supported on said lens alignment means and transporting the lens blank from said lens alignment means to said blocking means and placing said lens blank on said blocking means in the precise orientation in which it was maintained on said lens alignment means;
- bonding means associated with said blocking means and including a bonding material capable of being interposed between said gap existing between said lens blank and said block when the lens blank and the block are each simultaneously supported by said blocking means;
- and
- control means linked to said visual display means, said blocking means, said transport means and to said bonding means for causing the target image to be displayed on said visual display means, for causing said transport means to controllably move the lens blank from said lens alignment means to said blocking means and for causing said bonding material to be interposed between said lens blank and said block.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.