The blocking device includes a blocking portion configured for blocking the semi-finished optical element and including a support member configured for providing a rigid support to the semi-finished optical element, the support member including a support element made of a shape-memory material having a rigid state below a predetermined temperature and a plastic state above the predetermined temperature, the support element assuming in the absence of external forces a predetermined memory shape when heated above the predetermined temperature, the support member having a contact face onto which the first face of the semi-finished optical element is to be applied; saind blocking portion including at least one of a heating device configured for heating the support element above the predetermined temperature and a cooling device configured for cooling the support element below the predetermined temperature.

Described is a variable reference blocking apparatus for blocking an optical article (5). The apparatus comprises an adjustable ring unit (11) having a plurality of concentric members (19,19c,19i) positioned about a central axis. Each concentric member (19,19c,19i) generally comprises a lip region (17) on its upper end that is capable of receiving at least a portion of a front face of the optical article (5). The apparatus further comprises a moveable base (13) in which its upper portion is coupled with a removable insert (7). The removable insert (7) is generally positioned to be centered about the front face of the optical article (5).

An opaque adhesive can be used to secure the convex surface of a lens blank to a lens blocking piece. This opaque adhesive can include a resin that is curable under ultraviolet light and contains many dispersed pigment particles. The pigment particles may absorb light in the wavelength range of about 300 nm to about 800 nm such that the adhesive appears substantially opaque. A lens-on-block (LOB) system that uses the opaque adhesive to adhere a lens blank to a lens blocking piece facilitates on-block inspection of surface defects by increasing the contrast of light reflected from the surface being inspected. Put differently, the defects in the lens blank's surfaces stand out more when viewed in front of the opaque adhesive The inspection results can be used to carry out rework loops that eliminate or correct the detected defects, providing a streamlined method for on-block manufacturing of ophthalmic lenses.

Optical articles and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed herein. In one aspect, the methods and optical articles formed include light-blocking compositions applied to optical substrates in accordance with the optical properties of the optical substrate. In another aspect, a method is disclosed in which the light-absorbing compositions are printed onto the optical substrate in the shape and size of the final lens that is to be formed from the optical substrate. In another aspect, the methods and optical articles utilize at least two different light-blocking compositions to achieve desired functionality of the optical article.

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 collet (230) for holding a contact lens mold half (240) during machining of a surface of the mold half (240) having a disc (235) having a face and defining: a central structure (250a), at the center of the face, for receiving a head portion (240a) of the mold half (240), and an elongate recess (250b), in the face, for receiving a tail portion (240b) of the mold half (240), the elongate recess (250b) extending from the central structure (250a) along a radius of the disc (235).

Optical articles and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed herein. In one aspect, the methods and optical articles formed include light-blocking compositions applied to optical substrates in accordance with the optical properties of the optical substrate. In another aspect, a method is disclosed in which the light-absorbing compositions are printed onto the optical substrate in the shape and size of the final lens that is to be formed from the optical substrate. In another aspect, the methods and optical articles utilize at least two different light-blocking compositions to achieve desired functionality of the optical article.

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.

A blocking piece for vacuum blocking a lens blank is disclosed. The blocking piece includes a blank contacting element formed of a rigid fluid-permeable material having an upper surface for contacting the lens blank. The blocking piece further includes a support element having an upper part tightly enclosing the blank contacting element on a peripheral surface of the blank contacting element and a lower part adapted to engage with a clamping device for clamping the blocking piece. The lens blank is fixed to the upper surface of the blank contacting element by applying a vacuum within the blocking piece to provide suction through essentially the entire upper surface of the blank contacting element. The disclosure further relates to a method for blocking a lens blank and a use of an element formed of a rigid fluid-permeable material as a part of a blocking piece.

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.