Apparatus for processing a lens

• US 20030214627A1
• Filed: 04/04/2003
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/08/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Original Assignee: Hoya Corporation
• Inventors: Samukawa, Masahiko
• Granted Patent: US 6,800,017 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 351/156
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 11/0883 for spindles, e.g. for their bearings or casings
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 19/03 for grinding grooves in glass workpieces, e.g. decorative grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/02 Equipment for cooling the grinding surfaces, e.g. devices for feeding coolant cooling or lubricating during dressing operation B24B53/095; incorporated in grinding wheels B24D
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 55/04 Protective covers for the grinding wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 9/14 of optical work, e.g. lenses, prisms control of the position of the tool for bevelling optical work B24B47/225

Abstract

A lens-holding shaft 41 displaces a lens 1 towards a main rotating tool 50 for processing the peripheral portion of the lens 1. A long hole 115 penetrating a waterproof case 101 is formed in the waterproof case 101 along the locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft 41 and the lens-holding shaft is inserted through the long hole 115. At the outside of the waterproof case 101 along the long hole 115, a flexible water-resistant sliding shutter 130 is disposed in a manner such that the sliding shutter 130 can be freely displaced. The sliding shutter 130 is connected with the lens-holding shaft 41. A guide member 150 containing the sliding shutter 130 is bent at a position before the main shaft 51.

Claims

1. An apparatus for processing a lens, comprising:

a waterproof case;

a lens-holding shaft arranged to hold a lens and penetrate the waterproof case, and disposed at least partially in the waterproof case;

a processing device disposed to processes a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the lens-holding shaft is displacable towards the processing device;

a cooling liquid dispenser disposed to inject cooling liquid towards the lens;

wherein a long hole is formed along a locus of displacement of the lens-holding shaft at a portion of the waterproof case where the lens-holding shaft penetrates the waterproof case;

a flexible sliding shutter connected to the lens-holding shaft and disposed to close the long hole; and

a guide member disposed outside of the long hole to guide the sliding shutter, wherein the guide member is bent in an axial direction of the lens-holding shaft.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the processing device comprises a main shaft parallel with the lens-holding shaft, and wherein the guide member is bent at a position between the long hole and the main shaft.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a drain arranged to discharge cooling liquid accumulated at a lower portion, or at an inside of the guide member.

4. An apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a drain arranged to discharge cooling liquid accumulated at a lower portion, or at an inside of the guide member.

5. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the waterproof case stands in a vertical direction, the lens-holding shaft is displaced in a vertical direction above the main shaft, and the guide member is disposed in a vertical direction at a position facing the long hole and is bent above the main shaft towards an outside of the apparatus.

6. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the waterproof case stands in a vertical direction, the lens-holding shaft is displaced in a vertical direction above the main shaft, and the guide member is disposed in a vertical direction at a position facing the long hole and is bent above the main shaft towards an outside of the apparatus.

7. An apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the waterproof case stands in a vertical direction, the lens-holding shaft is displaced in a vertical direction above the main shaft, and the guide member is disposed in a vertical direction at a position facing the long hole and is bent above the main shaft towards an outside of the apparatus.

8. An apparatus for processing a lens according to claim 1, further comprising:

a finishing device disposable to chamfer or groove a peripheral portion of the lens;

a measurement device disposed to measure a peripheral shape of the lens, and process a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the lens-holding shaft is displacable toward the finishing device;

wherein the lens-holding shaft is elevatable and lowerable in a vertical direction;

wherein the measurement device is fixed on an upper face of the waterproof case and supports a pair of measuring devices protruding towards an inside of the waterproof case in a manner such that the measuring device can be displaced along the lens-holding shaft;

wherein the finishing device is disposed on the upper face of the waterproof case and supports rotating tools for processing a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the rotating tools are displacable between a position vertically above the holding shaft and a prescribed waiting position in a direction intersecting the holding shaft;

a first penetrating hole having a shape of a long hole is formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the measuring device along the holding shaft;

a second penetrating hole formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the rotating tools in a direction intersecting the holding shaft; and

one or more shutters, disposed at a side of the rotating tool, and arranged to close the first penetrating hole and the second penetrating holes at an inner periphery of the waterproof case.

9. An apparatus for processing a lens, comprising:

a waterproof case;

a lens-holding shaft arranged to hold a lens;

a finishing device disposable to chamfer or groove a peripheral portion of the lens;

a measurement device disposed to measure a peripheral shape of the lens, and process a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the lens-holding shaft is displacable toward the finishing device;

a cooling liquid dispenser disposed to inject cooling liquid towards the lens;

wherein the lens-holding shaft is elevatable and lowerable in a vertical direction;

wherein the measurement device is fixed on an upper face of the waterproof case and supports a pair of measuring devices protruding towards an inside of the waterproof case in a manner such that the measuring device can be displaced along the lens-holding shaft;

wherein the finishing device is disposed on the upper face of the waterproof case and supports rotating tools for processing a peripheral portion of the lens, wherein the rotating tools are displacable between a position vertically above the holding shaft and a prescribed waiting position in a direction intersecting the holding shaft;

a first penetrating hole having a shape of a long hole formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the measuring device along the holding shaft;

a second penetrating hole formed on the upper face of the waterproof case in accordance with a range of displacement of the rotating tools in a direction intersecting the holding shaft; and

one or more shutters, disposed at a side of the rotating tool, and arranged to close the first penetrating hole and the second penetrating holes at an inner periphery of the waterproof case.

10. An apparatus according to claim 9,

wherein the finishing device further comprises

a base disposed on an upper face of the waterproof case and displaced towards the holding shaft,

one or more sleeves fixed at the base and protruding into an inside of the waterproof case and

rotating tools disposed at lower ends of the sleeves;

and

wherein the shutters further comprise

a first shutter disposed at the sleeves towards the first penetrating hole in a horizontal direction along the inside of the waterproof case, and

a second shutter disposed at the sleeves at a side opposite to a side of the first penetrating hole.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

concave portions engagable with portions of the sleeves and formed at a position intersecting the second penetrating holes in the first penetrating hole and penetrate the first penetrating hole, and

swinging shutters arranged to selectively close the concave portions in accordance with displacement of the sleeves, and disposed at an upper face of the waterproof case.