Apparatus and method for introducing an optical lens into a turning device

Abstract

An apparatus and a method for introducing an optical lens into a turning device are disclosed. The apparatus includes a carrier body and a carrier element for receiving the lens. The carrier element is arranged in the carrier body. The carrier element has a supporting surface for receiving the lens and is displaceably mounted in relation to the carrier body.

Claims

1. A method for introducing an optical lens into a turning device, the method comprising: providing a turning device and an apparatus, the apparatus being spatially fixed in relation to the turning device and being configured to introduce an optical lens having a convex surface and a concave surface into the turning device, wherein the optical lens has a center of gravity, wherein the apparatus includes a carrier body and a carrier element, wherein the carrier body is configured to receive the carrier element, wherein the carrier element has a supporting surface configured to receive the optical lens, wherein the carrier body has at least one support for the turning device, wherein the carrier element has a supporting surface configured to receive the optical lens, and wherein the carrier body has at least one support for the turning device; arranging the optical lens on the carrier element; introducing the optical lens into the turning device from the carrier element by displacing the carrier element in relation to the carrier body, wherein the turning device is placed on the at least one support and the carrier element is displaced in relation to the support; setting a position of the center of gravity of the optical lens relative to an axis of rotation about which the turning device is rotatably mounted; and bringing the center of gravity of the optical lens in line with the axis of rotation by repositioning the optical lens in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the turning device is a turning ring.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical lens is a spectacle lens, and wherein handling of the spectacle lens is implemented by the apparatus configured to introduce the optical lens into the turning device.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical lens is a spectacle lens, the method further comprising: coating a first side of the spectacle lens; turning the spectacle lens having the coating on the first side with the turning device; and coating a second side of the spectacle lens.

5. A method for introducing an optical lens into a turning device, the method comprising: providing a turning device and an apparatus, the apparatus being spatially fixed in relation to the turning device and being configured to introduce an optical lens having a convex surface and a concave surface into the turning device, wherein the optical lens has a center of gravity, wherein the apparatus includes a carrier body and a carrier element, wherein the carrier body is configured to receive the carrier element, wherein the carrier element has a supporting surface configured to receive the optical lens, wherein the carrier body has at least one support for the turning device, wherein the carrier element has a supporting surface configured to receive the optical lens, and wherein the carrier body has at least one support for the turning device; arranging the optical lens on the carrier element; introducing the optical lens into the turning device from the carrier element by displacing the carrier element in relation to the carrier body, wherein the turning device is placed on the at least one support and the carrier element is displaced in relation to the support; setting a position of the center of gravity of the optical lens relative to an axis of rotation about which the turning device is rotatably mounted; and bringing the center of gravity of the optical lens in line with the axis of rotation by repositioning the optical lens in a direction perpendicular to the axis of rotation, wherein the apparatus further includes at least one guiding device configured to guide the carrier element when the carrier element is displaced, wherein the carrier element is configured to receive the optical lens when the center of gravity of the optical lens is brought in line with the axis of rotation about which the turning device is rotatably mounted, and wherein the at least one guiding device includes guiding rods, wherein the guiding rods are guidable in a guiding shaft, surrounded by the carrier body, and wherein the guiding rods are configured to engage in the carrier element.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the turning device is a turning ring.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein the optical lens is a spectacle lens, and wherein handling of the spectacle lens is implemented by the apparatus configured to introduce the optical lens into the turning device.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the optical lens is a spectacle lens, the method further comprising: coating a first side of the spectacle lens; turning the spectacle lens having the coating on the first side with the turning device; and coating a second side of the spectacle lens.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1A shows a cross-sectional illustration of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for introducing an optical lens into a turning device;

(2) FIG. 1B shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of an apparatus for introducing an optical lens into a turning device;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional illustration of typical articles and their associated centers of gravity; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a method for introducing an optical lens into a turning device.

DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIGS. 1A and 1B shows a schematic illustration of a typical exemplary embodiment of an apparatus 110 for introducing an optical lens 112 into a turning device 114, in a cross section (FIG. 1A) and in a plan view (FIG. 1B). Here, the apparatus 110 can facilitate, in particular, a damage-free introduction of the lens 112 into the turning device 114.

(6) The turning device 114, which is configured to temporarily or permanently receive the lens 112, can have at least one holder 116 to this end, the lens 112 being able to be secured in the holder during a period of time. To this end, the holder 116 can have a frame 118 and at least one holding means 120 attached to or introduced in the frame. Here, the holding means 120 can be formed, for example, from a clamping section of a holding body (not illustrated) like in DE 101 46 542 A1 or EP 1 295 962 A1 or, as illustrated in FIG. 1B, it can be embodied as a spring element in the form of tensioning springs 122. However, other types of holding means 120 are possible.

(7) The embodiment of the turning device 114 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is present in the form of a turning ring 124, wherein, in addition to the holder 116 for receiving the lens 112, the turning ring 124 comprises a device 130, which is attached to an outer side 126 of the turning ring 124 and provided for setting an axis of rotation 128. As a result of this, the turning ring 124 can be moved through any angle about the axis of rotation 128. The device 130 attached to the outer side 126 of the turning ring 124 has cylindrical rods 132, which are disposed opposite one another on the outside 126 of the turning ring 124. Firstly, the rods 132 are insertable into a bearing element (not illustrated) provided for receiving these and, secondly, the rods thus serve as a shaft for the bearing element. Hence, the turning ring 124 can not only secure the lens 112 but simultaneously also turn it in the secured state through an angle, in particular in order to thus facilitate the processing of the lens 112, typically a coating of the lens 112 in a vacuum coating installation, from both sides. Therefore, the turning ring 124 can typically be configured for rotating the lens 112 through an angle of ±180°, taking account of tolerances known to a person skilled in the art, in particular taking account of a deviation of 15°, typically 5°.

(8) The apparatus 110 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises a carrier body 134 and a carrier element 136 for receiving the lens 112, wherein the carrier body 134 is configured firstly to receive the carrier element 136 and secondly to facilitate or at least simplify the handling of the apparatus 110, without the carrier element 136 being directly impinged on in the process. The carrier body 134 illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1A and 1B has a cutout 138, in which the carrier element 136 is introduced. Alternatively, the carrier body 134 can have a perforation (not illustrated), in which the carrier element 136 is introduced. Further, the carrier body 134 can have an outer side 140, which a handling element can grip and thus undertake the handling of the apparatus 110.

(9) The embodiment of the carrier element 136 illustrated schematically in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises a supporting plate 142, which has a supporting surface 144 configured to receive the lens 112. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the supporting surface 144 can typically be embodied as a round supporting surface 146; however, a different embodiment of the supporting surface 144 is possible, for example an oval, square, rectangular or hexagonal supporting surface. In an exemplary embodiment (not illustrated), the supporting surface 144 can have a non-planer configuration; instead, it can have a height profile which typically has a height difference of greater than a 0 mm and up to 10 mm. In a particularly typical exemplary embodiment, a distance between an edge of the supporting surface 144 and the carrier body 134 can be present in the form of a gap 148 and can be selected to be as small as possible in this case, in particular less than 2 mm, typically less than 1 mm. This can prevent an edge of the lens 112 from slipping into the gap 148 and, acting, as it were, like a wedge, impeding a movement of the supporting plate 142 there.

(10) The exemplary embodiment of the carrier body 134 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B further has a support 150, which is configured to receive the turning ring 124. To this end, the relative position and form of the support 150 are embodied in such a way that the apparatus 110 and the turning ring 124 can be secured with respect to one another in a set way by means of the support 150. This can simplify spatial securing of the apparatus 110 in relation to the turning ring 124. However, other types of securing are possible.

(11) The apparatus 110 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is suitable for any lens 112 for as long as the carrier element 136 is configured to receive the lens 112. Depending on a spatial extent of the carrier element 136, the lens 112 can consequently have a size from 1 cm to 1 m, typically from 2 cm to 50 cm. Typically, the apparatus 110 can be used for an optical element, particularly typically a spectacle lens 152. To this end, the spectacle lens 152 can typically be configured as a refractive optical lens or lens system, and can typically have an optically transparent material, in particular selected from glass, quartz and a transparent organic plastic.

(12) As FIG. 2 schematically illustrates, the lens 112, in particular the spectacle lens 152, has a center of gravity 154. In this case, the center of gravity 154 denotes an imaginary point within or outside a volume 156, which is taken up by the spectacle lens 152 and corresponds to an average of the relative positions of all mass elements of the lens 112, which are weighted with the respective mass of the relevant mass element. If, like in the case of optical elements, in particular spectacle lenses 152, there is a practically homogeneous mass distribution with substantially the same density within the volume 156 of the spectacle lens 152, the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 corresponds to a geometric centroid, which corresponds to the mean of all volume elements within the volume 156 of the spectacle lens 152.

(13) According to the disclosure, the carrier element 136 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B is displaceably mounted in relation to the carrier body 134 in such a way that the lens 112 is introducible into the turning ring 124 as a result thereof. The possibility of a displaceability of the carrier element 136 in relation to the carrier body 134 causes the carrier element 136 to be able to change its position or relative position in one direction 158 upon the action of a force on the carrier element 136. A consequence of the change in the relative position of the carrier element 136 is that the lens 112 received by the carrier element 136 is moved together with the carrier element 136. Consequently, the change in the relative position of the carrier element 136 in relation to the carrier body 134 can be implemented so that the relative position of the carrier element 136 changes in such a way that, as a result thereof, the lens 112 received by the carrier element 136, in particular on the supporting surface 144 of the supporting plate 142, is moved until the lens is introduced into the turning ring 124 as a result of this movement. Here, a distance between the supporting plate 142 and the turning ring 124, in particular a distance between the supporting surface 144 of the supporting plate 142 and the axis of rotation 128 of the turning ring 124, can be configured to be adjustable.

(14) Consequently, in a particularly typical exemplary embodiment, the spectacle lens 152 can be displaced until the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 is brought in line with the axis of rotation 128, about which the turning ring 124 is rotatably mounted. Hence, the spectacle lens 152 can be clamped into a turning ring 124 in such a way that the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 finally comes to rest on the axis of rotation 128 of the turning ring 124. As described above, what this can facilitate is that a turning procedure of the turning ring 124 can be fully completed, even if a magnetic field that was activated to turn the turning ring 124 was deactivated therebefore. The turning ring 124, which is applied to segments of a spherical cap of the vacuum coating installation, can be turned during the turning procedure. As a rule, not all of the turning rings 124 situated on the spherical cap of the vacuum coating installation are turned simultaneously in the process; instead, they are rotated successively within a spherical cap collar. The turning procedure is implemented once the turning ring 124 is guided past the magnetic field during a rotation of the spherical cap. If the magnetizable turning ring 124 is attracted by the magnetic field in the process, it begins to rotate about the axis of rotation of the turning ring, in particular through an angle of ±180°. However, other configuration types of the turning procedure are possible.

(15) In the exemplary embodiment of the carrier body 136 illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the carrier element is furthermore mounted so as to be displaceable in relation to the support 150. This can advantageously assist the displacement of the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 in line with the axis of rotation 128, about which the turning ring 124 is rotatably mounted.

(16) It is particularly typical for the carrier element 136 to be continuously displaceable, to be precise in relation to the carrier body 134 and/or, typically, in relation to the support 150. As a result, the displacement can assume any value within an interval that is bounded by a minimum displacement and a maximum displacement. An interval of greater than 0 mm and up to 30 mm, within which the displacement, more particularly the continuous displacement, of the carrier element 136 is possible, can be particularly typical, specifically when introducing spectacle lenses 152 into the turning ring 124. In an alternative but less typical configuration, the carrier element 136 can be incrementally displaceable, i.e., displaceable in small steps.

(17) The displacement, in particular the continuous displacement, of the carrier element 136 is implemented by means of a displacement device 160, which is configured to mount the carrier element 136 in displaceable fashion in relation to the carrier body 134. The exemplary embodiment of the displacement device 160 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B comprises a mechanical device in the form of a spring device 162, which has at least one compression spring 164 that is introduced in a dedicated spring shaft 166. As shown in FIG. 1A, the displacement of the supporting plate 142 can be facilitated here by spring-mounting the supporting plate 142 on the compression springs 164. Alternatively, any other type of suspension (not illustrated) can be used in place of a mechanical suspension, in particular a suspension by means of an elastic material, typically using a foam, a rubber or an air balloon. However, other types of displacement devices are conceivable, in particular a screwing device or hydraulic device (not illustrated).

(18) What can advantageously be exploited when the carrier element 136 is displaced as proposed is that the relative position of the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 can correlate sufficiently well with the form and the weight of the spectacle lens 152. As already mentioned, the present apparatus 110 can consequently achieve matching of various relative center of gravity positions of different spectacle lenses 152 with the relative position of the axis of rotation 128 of the turning ring 124 by way of the height-adjustable, typically continuously height-adjustable, carrier element 136 when the spectacle lenses 152 are introduced into the turning ring 124.

(19) The exemplary embodiment of the apparatus 110 schematically illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B can further have at least one guiding device 168 for guiding the carrier element 136. As shown in FIG. 1A, the guiding device 168 may comprise a plurality of cylindrical guiding rods 170 in this case, which guiding rods are guidable in a dedicated guiding shaft 172 in such a way that they can engage in the carrier element 136. This can facilitate a displacement of the carrier element 136 in the desired direction 158 without tilting the carrier element 136, especially to prevent the lens 112 from slipping from the supporting surface 144 of the supporting plate 142.

(20) In a particularly typical exemplary embodiment, the at least one compression spring 164 and/or the at least one guiding rod 170 can be disposed in the vicinity of an edge of the supporting plate 142, especially in order thus to achieve a relative position of the carrier element 136 that is as stable as possible. Here, the center point of a mid-perpendicular of the compression spring 164 and/or of the guiding rod 170 can be attached at a distance from the edge of less than one quarter of the diameter of the supporting plate 142. However, a different configuration is possible.

(21) Typically, the supporting surface 144 for the lens 112, in particular for the spectacle lens 152, and/or the support 150 for the turning ring 124 can have an embodiment with little dynamic friction. As a result, the lens 112 and/or the turning ring 124 can be easily moved during the clamping process. Furthermore, the surfaces of the spring shafts 166 and/or of the guiding shafts 172 of the at least one compression spring 164 and the at least one guiding rod 170, respectively, can also have such an embodiment that the at least one compression spring 164 and/or the at least one guiding rod 170 can be moved as easily as possible. As already mentioned, a coefficient of dynamic friction, pursuant to DIN 53375, of 0.02 to 0.5 is particularly typical.

(22) In a particular exemplary embodiment, the carrier body 134, in particular the support 150, can have studs 174 which can be used to spread the tensioning springs 122. Typically, the turning ring 124 can be rotated clockwise for the purpose of spreading the tensioning springs 122. Here, these studs 174 can be located opposite the ends of a star component 176, which can be embodied as part of the supporting plate 142 or, typically, which can be placed onto the supporting plate 142 as a separate part. Here, a lateral dimension of the studs 174 can be at least as large as the greatest lateral extent of a spring part of the tensioning springs 122, which is not guided along the stud 174 when spreading the tensioning springs 122. In this way, each of the tensioning springs 122, even if their end is bent inward, can be far enough away from the supporting plate 142 so that the supporting plate 142 can move without impediment where possible.

(23) As already mentioned, the relative position of the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 when placed on the supporting plate 142 is determined by its form. On account of numerous different forms of the spectacle lenses 152, the centers of gravity 154 thereof have a correspondingly different distance 178 from the supporting surface 144, as is evident from FIG. 2. Setting up a variable height for the supporting surface 144, as proposed here, therefore solves the problem of the present disclosure of bringing the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 in line with the axis of rotation 128 of the turning ring 124 and, as a result of this, differs from apparatuses known from the related art, which have a rigid supporting surface.

(24) FIG. 3 schematically shows a flowchart 180 of a typical exemplary embodiment of a method for introducing the optical lens 112 into the turning device 114. According to a provision step 182, the apparatus 110 for introducing the lens 112 into the turning device 114 is provided in an initial step. According to an application step 184, the lens 112 to be handled is applied to the carrier element 136. As described above, the lens 112 particularly typically is a spectacle lens 152. Typically, the application step 184 can be carried out by means of an automatic handling device, for example by means of a robot. According to an introduction step 186, the lens 112 is introduced into the turning device 114 from the carrier element 136 in such a way that, in the process, the carrier element 136 is displaced in relation to the carrier body 134 in such a way that the lens 112 is introduced into the turning device 114 as a result thereof In the particularly preferred configuration according to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the turning device 114 is placed on the at least one support 150 and the carrier element 136 is additionally also displaced in relation to the support 150. Here, it is particularly preferred for the carrier element 136 to be displaced in relation to the carrier body 134 until the center of gravity 154 of the spectacle lens 152 is finally brought in line with the axis of rotation 128, about which the turning device 114 is rotatably mounted.

(25) The method steps presented herein can typically be used in a method for producing at least one spectacle lens 152. This method comprises handling of the spectacle lens 152, at least during the production of the spectacle lens 152 by means of the apparatus 110 and/or during the method for introducing the lens 112 into the turning device 114.

(26) All publications, patents and patent applications cited in this specification are herein incorporated by reference, and for any and all purposes, as if each individual publication, patent or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. In the case of inconsistencies, the present disclosure will prevail.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(27) 110 apparatus 112 (optical) lens 114 turning device 116 holder 118 frame 120 holding means 122 tensioning spring 124 turning ring 126 outer side of the turning ring 128 axis of rotation 130 device 132 rod 134 carrier body 136 carrier element 138 cutout 140 outer side of the carrier body 142 supporting plate 144 supporting surface 146 round supporting surface 148 gap 150 support 152 spectacle lens 154 center of gravity 156 volume 158 direction 160 displacement device 162 spring device 164 compression spring 166 spring shaft 168 guiding device 170 guiding rod 172 guiding shaft 174 stud 176 star component 178 distance 180 flowchart 182 provision step 184 application step 186 introduction step