Lens blank alignment and blocking device and method

• US 20040046960A1
• Filed: 09/11/2002
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dac Vision Inc. (Abaque Finance SAS)
• Original Assignee: National Optronics, Inc. (EssilorLuxottica SA)
• Inventors: Shanks, Jennifer Snyder, Wagner, Mark Donald, Schutz, Henrik Arthur, Smith, David Matthew, Andrews, Daniel Edward, Deckert, Curtis Kenneth, Gerding, David William
• Granted Patent: US 6,869,333 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/399
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/005 Blocking means, chucks or the like; Alignment devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/27 for testing the alignment of axes means for centering or aligning a light guide within a ferrule G02B6/3834

Abstract

A lens blocking device is disclosed that includes a frame, a light source mounted on the frame, a carriage having a first end and a second end mounted on the frame for sliding movement between first and second positions, a first mirror mounted on the carriage first end and a lens block holder mounted on the carriage second end and shiftable between third and fourth positions with respect to the carriage, a stage disposed between the light source and the carriage, and including an opening, for supporting an object, an at least partially translucent screen generating a display image operably connected to the support frame, at least one second mirror arranged to reflect an image of an object on the stage from the first mirror, when the carriage is in the first position, onto the screen, and an actuator operably connected to the carriage. The actuator shifts the carriage between the first position and the second position and shifts the block holder between the third position and the fourth position, and the display image on the screen is superimposed over an image of the object on the stage when the carriage is in the second position.

Claims

1. An alignment device, comprising;

a light source;

a first mirror;

a stage disposed between said light source and said first mirror for supporting an object such that an image of an object supported on the stage is reflected by said first mirror;

a screen;

a processor for generating an image on said screen; and

at least one second mirror arranged to receive the image reflected from said first mirror and project the image of an object on the stage against said screen;

whereby said generated image on said screen is visible with the image of the object on the stage projected against said screen.

2. The device of claim 1, further including at least one lens located between said first mirror and said at least one second mirror.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said at least one lens inverts the image passing through said at least one lens.

4. The device of claim 2, including a third mirror interposed between said first mirror and said at least one lens for directing an image of an object from said first mirror toward said at least one lens.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein said first mirror, said third mirror, said at least one second mirror and said at least one lens are arranged to direct a non-inverted image of an object on said stage toward said screen.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a first lamp and a second lamp mounted on a rotatable support frame within a housing.

7. The device of claim 6 including a power source and a selector for selectively moving said first or second lamps into electrical engagement with said power source.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein said selector comprises a shaft connected to said rotatable support frame.

9. The device of claim 1, further including a carriage shiftable between first and second positions with respect to said stage, said first mirror being mounted on said carriage.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein said carriage is biased toward said first position.

11. The device of claim 10, including an actuator for shifting said carriage between said first and second positions.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said stage has an opening and a block is mounted on said carriage, said block being aligned with said opening when said carriage is in said first position.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein said block is movable between raised and lowered positions with respect to said carriage.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein said screen comprises a liquid crystal display including a layer of liquid crystal material supported in a first plane and a rear surface parallel to said first plane, wherein the image of an object on the stage is projected onto said rear surface.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein said screen is at least partially translucent.

18. The device of claim 16, wherein said rear surface is spaced less than about 0.5 mm from said first plane.

19. The device of claim 16, wherein said screen has a first portion with a backlight thereon.

20. The device of claim 16, wherein the image of an object on said stage is projected onto said screen at a second position not having a backlight.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein said processor includes a memory storing data including a plurality of alignment images.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein said memory stores a plurality of lens shapes.

14. The device of a 13, wherein said block is moved between said raised and lowered positions by said actuator.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said actuator comprises a motor and a crank arm connected to said motor for rotation therewith.

23. A lens blocking device comprising;

a frame;

a light source mounted on said frame;

a carriage having a first end and a second end mounted on said frame for sliding movement between first and second positions;

a first mirror mounted on said carriage first end;

a lens block holder mounted on said carriage second end and shiftable between third and fourth positions with respect to said carriage;

a stage disposed between said light source and said carriage, and including an opening, for supporting an object;

an at least partially translucent screen operably connected to said support frame generating a display image;

at least one second mirror reflecting an image of an object on said stage from said first mirror, when said carriage is in said second position, onto said screen; and

an actuator operably connected to said carriage, said actuator shifting said carriage between said first position and said second position and shifting said block holder between said third position and said fourth position;

whereby said display image on said screen is visible with the image of the object on said stage when said carriage is in said second position.

24. The device of claim 23, wherein said at least one second mirror comprises a second mirror and a third mirror and optics between said second mirror and said third mirror for inverting the image reflected from said second mirror.

25. The device of claim 24, including a collimating lens mounted between said light source and said stage.

26. The device of claim 25, including a condensing lens mounted between said first mirror and said second mirror.

27. The device of claim 26, wherein said optics include at least one lens selected from the group consisting of magnifying lenses and achromats.

28. The device of claim 23, wherein said at least partially translucent screen includes a backlit portion.

29. The device of claim 28, including a processor connected to said screen and an input device for causing said processor to display information on said screen.

30. The device of claim 29, wherein said input device includes a keyboard.

31. The device of claim 28, including a processor operably connected to said screen and an input device for causing said processor to display alphanumeric information on said backlit portion of said screen and graphical information on a partially translucent portion of said screen.

32. The device of claim 29, wherein said input device is operably connected to said processor.

33. The device of claim 23, wherein said stage is transparent.

34. The device of claim 23, wherein said lens block holder is located beneath the object on said stage when carriage is in said first position.

35. The device of claim 23 wherein said display image comprises alignment markings.

36. The device of claim 35, wherein, when the alignment markings on said screen are aligned with the image projected onto said screen, the object on said stage will be properly positioned for blocking when said carriage is in said first position.

37. The device of claim 23, wherein said screen comprises a liquid crystal display including a backlight operably associated with a portion of said liquid crystal display.

38. An image alignment device comprising:

a liquid crystal display having a first region and a second region and a first side and a second side;

a backlight mounted over said first region of said second side;

a processor operably connected to said liquid crystal display for generating an image on said liquid crystal display; and

a projector for projecting an image against said second region of said second side;

whereby the generated image on said liquid crystal display second portion is superimposed over the projected image when said display screen is viewed from said first side.

39. A lens alignment device comprising;

a stage for supporting a lens blank;

an at least partially translucent screen having a first side and a second side;

an image generator for generating an image on said screen; and

a projector for projecting an image of the lens blank on said stage against the second side of said screen;

whereby, when said screen is viewed from said first side, the generated image is combined with the lens blank projected image.

40. The device of claim 39, wherein said at least partially translucent screen comprises an LCD.

41. The device of claim 40, wherein said LCD includes a backlight.

42. The device of claim 40, wherein said LCD includes a first region and a second region and a backlight mounted over only said first region.

43. The device of claim 39, wherein said projector includes a light source disposed on a first side of said stage and at least one mirror disposed on a second side of said stage.

44. The device of claim 39, wherein said projector includes optics for inverting and magnifying the lens blank image projected by said projector.

45. The device of claim 39, wherein the image generator comprises a computer processor.

46. A method of blocking a lens blank comprising the steps of:

providing an at least partially translucent screen having a first side and a second side;

providing a stage;

placing a lens blank on the stage;

generating alignment markings on the screen;

projecting a non-inverted image of the lens blank supported on the stage against the second side of the screen;

moving the lens blank with respect to the stage while viewing the image on the first side of the screen until the image of the lens projected on the screen is aligned with the generated alignment markings on the screen;

providing a lens block bearing an adhesive at predetermined location adjacent the stage; and

moving the lens block from the predetermined location into contact with the lens blank to adhere the lens block to the lens blank.

47. A lens blocking device comprising:

a frame;

a light source mounted to said frame;

a carriage having a first end and a second end mounted for movement between first and second positions with respect to said frame;

a first mirror mounted on said carriage first end;

a lens block holder mounted on said carriage second end and shiftable between third and fourth positions with respect to said carriage;

a transparent stage having an opening mounted between said light source and said carriage;

a LCD having a first region and a second region and a first side and a second side, mounted on said frame;

a backlight overlying only said LCD first region on said second side;

a processor for generating alignment markings on said LCD second region and alphanumeric characters on said screen first region;

at least one second mirror mounted on said frame arranged to reflect an image of a lens blank on said stage reflected from said first mirror, when said carriage is in said first position, onto the second side of the second portion of said LCD;

optics mounted between said first mirror and said at least one second mirror for inverting an image reflected from said first mirror; and

an actuator operably connected to said carriage for selectively shifting said carriage between said first and second positions and said lens block holder between said third and fourth positions;

wherein the generated alignment markings on said screen second region overlie the image of the lens blank reflected on the second side of said screen when said carriage is in said first position.

48. The device of claim 47, wherein said light source comprises a primary lamp and a secondary lamp mounted to said frame and a power source for powering either said primary lamp or said secondary lamp.

49. The device of claim 48, including an actuator for selectively connecting one of said first lamp and said second lamp to said power source.

50. A method of positioning a lens blank for blocking comprising the steps of:

providing a screen having a first side and a second side;

providing a stage;

placing a lens blank on the stage, said lens blank having a first surface facing the stage and reference markings on said first surface;

generating alignment markings on the screen viewable from the first side of the screen;

projecting a non-inverted image of the reference markings on the first side of the lens blank onto the second side of the screen; and

moving the lens blank with respect to the stage while directly viewing the real image of the lens blank and the generated alignment markings until image of the reference markings on the lens blank projected on the screen are aligned with the generated alignment markings on the screen.

51. The method of claim 50 including the additional step of enlarging the non-inverted image of the first side of the lens blank before the image is projected onto the second side of the screen.

52. The method of claim 51 wherein said step of enlarging the non-inverted image of the first side of the lens blank comprises the step of enlarging the non-inverted image of the first side of the lens blank by about one third.

53. A method of positioning a lens blank for blocking comprising the steps of:

providing a screen having a first side and a second side;

providing a stage;

placing a lens blank on the stage;

generating alignment markings on the screen viewable from the first side of the screen;

projecting an enlarged image of the lens blank onto the second side of the screen; and

moving the lens blank with respect to the stage while viewing the enlarged image of the lens blank and the generated alignment markings until selected portions of the enlarged image of the lens blank projected on the screen are aligned with the generated alignment markings on the screen.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein said step projecting an enlarged image of the lens blank comprises the step of enlarging the non-inverted image by about one third.