Process and apparatus for making decorated eyeglasses frames
AssigneeLuxottica S.R.L.
InventorLuigi Francavilla
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for making eyeglasses frames (1), where at least one front rim (2) or a pair of sidepieces (3) of the eyeglasses frame (1) is decorated, comprises the steps of decorating a film, inserting the film into the mould (4) and injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) with the film applied to it/them; before the step of injection moulding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3), there is a step of thermoforming and trimming the film to form and shape the film according to a profile corresponding to a wall (7) of the mould (4), in such a way that the film (5) inserted in the mould is shaped like a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed.
Claims18
A process for making an eyeglasses frame (1), where at least one front rim (2) or a pair of sidepieces (3) of the eyeglasses frame (1) is decorated, comprising the following steps:
- (a) decorating a film (5);
- (b) placing the film (5) on a first contact element (61), which is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mold (4) and slightly larger in size, and thermoforming the film (5);
- (c) removing the thermoformed film from the first contact element (61) and placing the film (5) on a second contact element (62) which (a) is different from the first contact element (61) and (b) is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mold (4) and equal in size, and trimming the film while the film is on the second contact element (62);
- (d) inserting the trimmed film into the mold (4) and injection molding the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) with the film applied thereto, wherein the film (5) inserted in the mold (4) is formed and shaped according to a profile corresponding to the wall (7) of the mold (4) and is also formed and shaped like a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed.
An apparatus for making eyeglasses frames (1) having a front rim (2) and a pair of sidepieces (3) where the front rim (2) and/or the sidepieces (3) is/are decorated, comprising:
- a station (CC) for decorating a film (5);
- a mold (4) for injection molding of the eyeglasses frame (1), the mold (4) being composed of two parts (4a, 4b) which can be coupled to each other to make a molding cavity (C) having a wall (7) on which the film (5) to be applied to the front rim (2) or to the sidepieces (3) is positioned, wherein the apparatus further comprises:
- a film forming and trimming station (11) equipped with means (13) for thermoforming the film (5) for forming a piece of film (5) according to a profile corresponding to the wall (7) of the mold (4);
- shaping means (6, 9) configured to give the piece of film (5) the shape of a surface of the front rim (2) and/or of the sidepieces (3) to be formed, before injection in the mold;
- a first contact element (61) which is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mold (4) and slightly larger in size and which is configured to receive and support the film (5) during thermoforming;
- a second contact element (62) which is different from the first contact element (61) and which is shaped to match the wall (7) of the mold (4) and equal in size and which is configured to receive and support the previously thermoformed film (5) and to act in conjunction with trimming means (9) to trim the film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.