Method for manufacturing optical elements according to a prescription

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019136367-A1
Application number	US-201816181951-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 6, 2018
Priority date	Nov 7, 2017
Publication date	May 9, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription is provided, including providing a combination of a block piece and a lens blank having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the lens blank being blocked with the first face on the block piece, surfacing and polishing the second face of the lens blank, cleaning the lens blank, hard coating the second face of the lens blank, degassing the lens blank, applying an AR-coating in a vacuum box coater, and deblocking the processed lens blank from the block piece, wherein the cleaning step includes a pre-cleaning step including a finishing drying step allowing the lens blank to be put on hold, and a deep cleaning step prior to the hard coating step.

First claim

1 .- 18 . (canceled)

19 . A method for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription, comprising:
providing a combination of a block piece and a lens blank having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the lens blank being blocked with the first face on the block piece; surfacing and polishing the second face of the lens blank; cleaning the lens blank; hard coating the second face of the lens blank; degassing the lens blank; applying an AR-coating in a vacuum box coater; and deblocking the processed lens blank from the block piece,
wherein the cleaning step comprises
a pre-cleaning step including a finishing drying step allowing the lens blank to be put on hold, and
a deep cleaning step prior to the hard coating step.

20 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the lens blank is a semi-finished lens blank, the first face of the semi-finished lens blank presenting a hard coat and/or an AR coating.

21 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the pre-cleaning step comprises a first washing step performed with a warm cleaning fluid having a temperature comprised between 30° C.-50° C.

22 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein the cleaning fluid consists of warm water free of additive chemical agents.

23 . The method according to claim 22 , wherein the water presents a hardness comprised between 5-25° d.H.

24 . The method according to claim 21 , wherein during the first washing step, a rotating cleaning jet of cleaning fluid and pressured gas is projected onto the surfaced and polished second face of the lens blank, the combination of the lens blank and the block piece rotating around its center axis during the first washing step.

25 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the pre-cleaning step further comprises a rinsing step with soft water having a hardness inferior to 3° d.H. performed after the first washing step.

26 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the pre-cleaning step comprises further a subsequent first drying step performed after a last of the first washing step or the rinsing step.

27 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein the first drying step comprises projection of a pressurized gas jet on the washed second face of the lens blank, the gas jet being centered with respect to the center axis of the semi-finished lens blank.

28 . The method according to claim 26 , wherein after the first washing step and before the first drying step, the combination of the block piece and the lens blank is disposed in a transportation tray and the first drying step is performed in a drying chamber separate from a washing chamber where the first washing step is performed.

29 . The method according to claim 19 , wherein the deep cleaning step comprises a second washing step with warm cleaning fluid having a temperature comprised between 30° C.-40° C.

30 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein during the second washing step, a least a second and a third static cleaning jets of cleaning fluid and pressured gas are projected respectively onto the surfaced and polished second face of the lens blank and onto the block piece, the lens blank being held through at least three gripper arms and rotating around its center axis.

31 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the deep cleaning step comprises drying step of the block piece carried out after the second washing step.

32 . The method according to claim 29 , wherein the deep cleaning step comprises further a third washing step with warm deionized water having a temperature comprised between 30° C.-40° C. under high pressure comprised between 150 bars and 200 bars.

33 . The method according to claim 32 , wherein during the third washing step, the lens blank is rotating around its center axis and a fourth cleaning jet performing a swiveling or a translational movement is projected towards the second face of the lens blank.

34 . A manufacturing facility for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription for carrying out a method according to claim 19 , comprising:
a first station configured for
surfacing and polishing a second face of a lens blank blocked with its first face opposite to the second face on a block piece, and
pre-cleaning the second face of the lens blank including a finishing drying step allowing the lens blank to be put on hold,
a second station configured for
deep cleaning the second face of the lens blank blocked with its first face on the block piece,
hard coating the second face of the lens blank,
a tunnel oven configured to degas the lens blank,
a vacuum box coater configured to apply an AR-coating, and
a third station configured to deblock the processed lens blank from the block piece for obtaining the optical element.

35 . The manufacturing facility according to claim 34 , further comprising a transfer system configured to convey the combination of a block piece and a lens blank blocked with its first face on the block piece between the processing stations.

36 . The manufacturing facility according to claim 35 , wherein the first station comprises an automatic charger of the combination of a block piece and a lens blank on a transportation tray.

Assignees

• Satisloh Ag

Inventors

• Peter Marc
• Flemming Marcel

Classifications

• B29D11/00432

  Auxiliary operations, e.g. machines for filling the moulds (B29D11/00125 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B24B13/0018

  for plane optical surfaces · CPC title

• B29D11/00942

  where the lens material is mounted in a support for mounting onto a cutting device, e.g. a lathe, and where the support is of machinable material, e.g. plastics · CPC title

• B29D11/00009

  Production of simple or compound lenses · CPC title

• C23C14/30 Primary

  by electron bombardment · CPC title