Method of controlling an edger device, machine programmed to edge an ophthalmic lens blank, and computer program
AssigneeNational Optronics, Inc.
InventorKurt William Schaeffer
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a method of controlling an ophthalmic edger device, and a machine programmed to edge and ophthalmic lens blank. A lens blank and an edger device for forming a groove in a peripheral edge of the lens blank are provided. A central processing unit is provided, which is operably associated with the edger device for controlling operation of the edger device. Processing instructions are transmitted from the central processing unit to the edger device, wherein the processing instructions comprise forming a groove in a peripheral edge of a lens blank, and removing lens material debris from the formed groove.
Claims18
A method of controlling an edger device, comprising the steps of:
- providing an opthalmic lens blank;
- providing an edger device for forming a groove in a peripheral edge of the lens blank;
- providing a central processing unit operably associated with the edger device for controlling operation of the edger device;
- and
- transmitting processing instructions from the central processing unit to the edger device, wherein the processing instructions comprise:
- a) forming a groove in a peripheral edge of a lens blank;
- and
- b) removing lens material debris from the formed groove, wherein said steps of forming a groove and removing lens material debris are transmitted in a single cycle.
A machine programmed to edge a lens blank, comprising:
- an edger device for forming a groove in a peripheral edge of an ophthalmic lens blank;
- a central processing unit operably associated with the edger device for controlling operation of the edger device;
- and
- a computer program stored on a medium in communication with said central processing unit, said computer program comprising:
- a) a first instruction set operably causing said edger device to edge the pereipheral edge of the lens blank to a first size;
- b) a second instruction set operably causing said edger device to form a groove in a peripheral edge of a lens blank;
- and
- c) a third instruction set operably causing said edger device to edge the peripheral edge of the lens blank to a second size smaller than the first size after forming the groove, and thereby causing said edger device to remove lens material debris proximate an upper portion of the formed groove.
A computer program stored on a medium for use in an edging process employing an ophthalmic lens blank and an edger device having a router tool, the computer program comprising:
- a first set of computer instructions operably recalling trace data about the lens blank to be edged;
- a second set of computer instructions operably causing the router tool to edge a peripheral edge of the lens blank to a first size;
- a third set of computer instructions operably causing the router tool to form a groove in the peripheral edge of the lens blank at a selected position defined by and relative to the trace data;
- a fourth set of computer instructions operably causing the router tool to edge the peripheral edge of the lens blank to a second size smaller than the first size after forming the groove, and thereby causing the edger device to remove lens material debris proximate an upper portion of the formed groove.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.