An apparatus and a block mold for blocking a lens are proposed, wherein the lens is blocked on a block piece by means of a block material. The space between the lens and the block piece is laterally delimited by a block mold. The block mold is preferably plate-shaped and has a plurality of block openings for forming different block sizes and has an integrated coolant channel. This enables easy and fast changing between different block sizes and very good cooling.

A method for blocking an optical element on an insert of a blocking device including: providing the insert of the blocking device, the insert being blocked in respect with the blocking device; providing thermoplastic material in a solid state in a first particulate form, the provided thermoplastic material having a feature included in an operating range; heating at least a part of the provided thermoplastic material at a temperature at which the thermoplastic material is in a melted state and flows under moderate pressure; providing on the insert an amount of the heated thermoplastic material for blocking one optical element; placing the optical element onto the thermoplastic material in the melted state; allowing the thermoplastic material to solidify, thereby blocking the optical element on the insert; converting the solidified thermoplastic material into a second particulate form, the converted thermoplastic material being intended to block another optical element.

Disclosed is a lens holding block for positioning and retaining a lens substrate in a processing machine, including a bottom part that is able to immobilize the lens holding block in the processing machine and an upper part. The upper part includes a chamber wherein is housed and attached a porous article so as to receive the lens substrate to be processed and which is able to be impregnated with a fluid, and a method for positioning and retaining a lens substrate onto a lens holding block.

A set includes a molding device having a molding face having the same shape as a contact face of the blocking device. A removable overlay of rigid material has a first face attached to a first face of the semi-finished optical element and a second face opposite to the first face having the same shape as the contact face of the blocking device, the set being configured for having a first subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is in molding contact with the molding face of the molding device, then a second subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is free and then a third subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is retained in contact with the contact face of the blocking device.

A blocking unit for a block piece for a spectacle lens comprising a block piece reception body with a reception surface adapted to receive a block piece with a spectacle lens to be blocked and a bottom surface opposite the working surface, and a plurality of light sources fixedly mounted to the block piece reception body. A process of curing a lens on a block piece. The process comprises the steps of defining, in a controller, a pattern of illumination, and sequentially turning on and off the light sources from a plurality of first light sources and optional second light sources based on the determined pattern, for curing a material between the lens and the block piece.

Method for determining a position of an optical lens member placed on a lens blocking ring (22). A reference system, blocking ring data, and optical lens member surface data are provided. Position parameters are provided defining a position of a reference point of the surface of the lens member with respect to the main plane of the reference system and an orientation, about the main axis of said placed surface at said reference point. The position of the placed surface is determined according to the position parameters. During a repositioning step (S6) the placed surface is virtually translated and rotated. During an altitude determination step (S7) a difference in position between the blocking ring and the placed surface is determined. The repositioning and altitude determining steps (S6, S7) are repeated so as to minimize the difference in position between the blocking ring and the placed surface.

A blocked lens assembly suitable for on-block processing and cleaning includes a blocked lens and a sealing member disposed on at least a portion of an edge and/or surface defined by the blocked lens. The blocked lens further includes a lens blank having a front surface and a back surface, a lens blocking piece to hold the lens blank while processing the back surface of the lens blank, and an adhesive layer, disposed between the front surface of the lens blank and the lens blocking piece, to affix the lens blank to the lens blocking piece. The sealing member protects the blocked lens so as to facilitate cleaning of the blocked lens while the lens blocking piece is affixed to the front surface of the lens blank

A set includes a molding device having a molding face having the same shape as a contact face of the blocking device. A removable overlay of rigid material has a first face attached to a first face of the semi-finished optical element and a second face opposite to the first face having the same shape as the contact face of the blocking device, the set being configured for having a first subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is in molding contact with the molding face of the molding device, then a second subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is free and then a third subset configuration in which the second face of the removable overlay is retained in contact with the contact face of the blocking device.

A method and associated implementing system eliminates much of the stress presently introduced by the bonding of ophthalmic lens blanks, or blanks to a holding device, namely a metal block. The method of attaching ophthalmic lens blanks to a blocking assembly comprises the steps of shaping a blocking assembly to take the shape of an ophthalmic lens blank surface of an ophthalmic lens, wherein the blocking assembly is not attached directly to the ophthalmic lens blank during shaping of the blocking assembly; and following the shaping of the blocking assembly, attaching the lens blank to the shaped blocking assembly.

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.