Tool for the precision processing of optical surfaces

A tool for the precision processing of the optical surfaces of lenses, comprising:

• a rigid holder;
• an elastic membrane which includes a processing segment, a fastening segment which connects the membrane to the rigid holder, and a bellows-type segment which extends between the processing segment and the fastening segment;
• the elastic membrane, together with the rigid holder defining a cavity;
• the cavity being filled with a material which can be induced, in response to temperature changes, to form either a flexible or a rigid supporting layer for the membrane, wherein the filling material comprises a low melting point alloy which comprises a granulate of rigid material with a low specific gravity combined with a ductile material;
• means for selectively heating and cooling the filling material to selectively transform the filling material between its flexible and rigid states;
• and
• whereby the membrane's outer profile can be shaped to conform to the shape of the optical surface of a tense to be processed by selectively transforming the filling material to its flexible state such that when the processing segment contacts the optical surface, the bellows-type segment applies forces (F) to the filling material, causing the filling material to press the processing segment against the optical surface, so that the tool retains its shape after the filling material becomes rigid.

A tool for the precision processing of the optical surfaces of lenses, comprising:

• a rigid holder;
• an elastic membrane which includes a processing segment, a fastening segment which connects the membrane to the rigid holder, and a bellows-type segment which extends between the processing segment and the fastening segment;
• the elastic membrane, together with the rigid holder defining a cavity;
• the cavity being filled with a material which can be induced, in response to temperature changes, to form either a flexible or a rigid supporting layer for the membrane;
• means for selectively heating and cooling the filling material to selectively transform the filling material between its flexible and rigid states, wherein the holder includes a flange which projects into the cavity and which supports the means for heating and cooling the filling material:
• and
• whereby the membrane's outer profile can be shaped to conform to the shape of the optical surface of a lense to be processed by selectively transforming the filling material to its flexible state such that when the processing segment contacts the optical surface, the bellows-type segment applies forces (F) to the filling material, causing the filling material to press the processing segment against the optical surface, so that the tool retains its shape after the filling material becomes rigid.

A tool for the precision processing of the optical surfaces of lenses, comprising:

• a rigid holder;
• an elastic membrane which includes a processing segment, a fastening segment which connects the membrane to the rigid holder, and a bellows-type segment which extends between the processing segment and the fastening segment;
• the elastic membrane, together with the rigid holder defining a cavity;
• the cavity being filled with a material which can be induced, in response to temperature changes, to form either a flexible or a rigid supporting layer for the membrane;
• means for selectively heating and cooling the filling material to selectively transform the filling material between its flexible and rigid states;
• a sensor positioned inside the cavity for detecting a preselected condition of the filling material and responsively producing an output signal;
• and
• whereby the membrane's outer profile can be shaped to conform to the shape of the optical surface of a lense to be processed by selectively transforming the filling material to its flexible state such that when the processing segment contacts the optical surface, the bellows-type segment applies forces (F) to the filling material, causing the filling material to press the processing segment against the optical surface, so that the tool retains its shape after the filling material becomes rigid.