A seamless lens cover, and methods of forming such a seamless lens cover. The cap structure that covers a camera of a rotating panoramic camera system includes a seamless lens cover through which images are obtained by the camera. The cap structure may be injection molded at an initial lens cover thickness, and then a portion of the as molded initial lens cover thickness may be removed (e.g., by machining away) to achieve the final desired thickness. By such a method, the lens cover may be injection molded at thicknesses suitable for injection molding (e.g., about 0.06 to about 0.1 inch), after which most of the thickness may be machined away, to provide a seamless lens cover having a thickness of less than about 0.015 inch, exhibiting at least 60% transmittance to the thermal spectrum, no lensing characteristics, and no curvature effect.

The invention relates to an edging pad for releasably connecting a material blank that is to be edged to a holder, wherein the edging pad has a polymeric carrier layer and adhesive coatings which are applied to both sides of the polymeric carrier layer, wherein one side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the holder, has an adhesive coating formed of a first adhesive, and the other side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the material blank, has an adhesive coating formed of a second and a third adhesive which are different from one another, such that the second adhesive provides adhesiveness to the material blank and the third adhesive is an adhesive which limits twisting and slippage of the polymeric carrier layer relative to the material blank, wherein the second adhesive and the third adhesive are applied to the other side of the polymeric carrier layer in separate regions.

The invention relates to an edging pad for releasably connecting a material blank that is to be edged to a holder, wherein the edging pad has a polymeric carrier layer and adhesive coatings which are applied to both sides of the polymeric carrier layer, wherein one side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the holder, has an adhesive coating formed of a first adhesive, and the other side of the polymeric carrier layer, which is to be connected to the material blank, has an adhesive coating formed of a second and a third adhesive which are different from one another, such that the second adhesive provides adhesiveness to the material blank and the third adhesive is an adhesive which limits twisting and slippage of the polymeric carrier layer relative to the material blank, wherein the second adhesive and the third adhesive are applied to the other side of the polymeric carrier layer in separate regions.

Disclosed is a method for generating settings for machining an optical lens, including: a) acquiring a file characterizing the shape to which the optical lens must be machined in order to allow it to be mounted in a spectacle frame; b) decomposing the shape into a plurality of distinct objects, including an exterior envelope inside of which all the other objects are located; c) determining a machining order of the other objects; and d) generating the machining settings depending on the machining order.

A manually operated lens cribber has a cutting compartment on a base. The cutting compartment has a door that is moveable between a closed position and an open position. A cutting tool is inside the cutting compartment and rotates about a first axis. A lens blank carrier is attached to the base in a manner to be manually movable across the base on a second axis that is substantially perpendicular to the first axis. The lens blank carrier has a hand operated screw mechanism on which a lens blank can be mounted and which moves the lens along a third axis that is substantially parallel to the first axis. A releasable end stop is positioned on the base for positioning the lens blank carrier relative to the cutting tool so that the desired amount of material is removed from the lens blank. A calibration and positioning scale is also provided.

There is provided a surfacing station for processing of surfaces of optical elements as workpieces, including a processing unit configured to process surfaces of optical elements; a controller unit configured to communicate with a database containing processing protocols, which can be carried out by the surfacing station, and to control operation of the processing unit in accordance with the processing protocols; and an identification tag base configured to communicate with the controller unit and configured to determine identification tags of consumable items used by the surfacing station, the controller unit being configured to enable a surfacing protocol for processing of the optical elements as workpieces in function of an identified consumable item.

There is provided a surfacing station for processing of surfaces of optical elements as workpieces, including a processing unit configured to process surfaces of optical elements; a controller unit configured to communicate with a database containing processing protocols, which can be carried out by the surfacing station, and to control operation of the processing unit in accordance with the processing protocols; and an identification tag base configured to communicate with the controller unit and configured to determine identification tags of consumable items used by the surfacing station, the controller unit being configured to enable a surfacing protocol for processing of the optical elements as workpieces in function of an identified consumable item.

An ophthalmic lens processing apparatus is provided that includes a housing, a support structure, and ophthalmic lens processing components configured to perform an ophthalmic process on an ophthalmic lens. The housing includes a case and a user access member. The support structure includes a support plate received within and movably connected to the case. At least one of the ophthalmic lens processing components is mounted to and movable with the support plate. Also provided is a method of improving user accessibility to the at least one ophthalmic lens processing components of the ophthalmic lens processing apparatus.

An ophthalmic lens processing apparatus is provided that includes a housing, a support structure, and ophthalmic lens processing components configured to perform an ophthalmic process on an ophthalmic lens. The housing includes a case and a user access member. The support structure includes a support plate received within and movably connected to the case. At least one of the ophthalmic lens processing components is mounted to and movable with the support plate. Also provided is a method of improving user accessibility to the at least one ophthalmic lens processing components of the ophthalmic lens processing apparatus.

A compensating pad for applying to an ophthalmic lens blank to be blocked, or for interposing between an ophthalmic lens blank and a block piece. The compensating pad comprises a main body that is designed to be elastic having a maximum thickness corresponding to a maximum layer thickness difference of the ophthalmic lens blank, in order to locally compensate for the layer thickness difference of the blocked ophthalmic lens blank.