DEVICE, TOOL AND METHOD FOR MACHINING OF AN OPTICAL LENS

• US 20130273815A1
• Filed: 11/14/2011
• Published: 10/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schneider GmbH & Company KG
• Original Assignee: Schneider GmbH & Company KG
• Inventors: Schneider, Gunter
• Granted Patent: US 9,089,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 451/8
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 17/0909 Detection of broken tools
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/15546 Devices for recognizing tools in a storage device, e.g. coding devices
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/0037 the lenses being worked by different tools, e.g. for rough-grinding, fine-grinding, polishing
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/0055 Positioning of lenses; Marking of lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B24B 13/06 grinding of lenses, the tool or work being controlled by information-carrying means, e.g. patterns, punched tapes, magnetic tapes
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 13/147 comprising assemblies of felted or spongy material; comprising pads surrounded by a flexible material
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/021 with pattern for identification or with cosmetic or therapeutic effects methods and processes take preference, e.g. printing, marking or copying processes B41M; identification in general G09F3/00; producing decorative effects in general B44C; surface treatment of glass C03C15/00 - C03C23/00; positioning or marking of lenses B24B13/0055
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/134 Identifying information on tool or tool holder
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 483/174 Abrading wheel

Abstract

A device, a tool, and a method for machining, especially polishing, of an optical lens by means of a tool are proposed, an information medium on one working surface of the tool being optically acquired and removed as the lens is machined and thus the state of the tool being indicated.

Claims

1-18. -18. (canceled)

19. A device for machining of an optical component, comprising:

at least one of a machining apparatus and a polishing apparatus for machining of the optical component,

at least one tool for the machining of the optical component, and

an acquisition apparatus for identification of said at least one tool,

an information medium on a working surface of the at least one tool and having identification information relating to the at least one tool and an indication of the state of the tool, the information medium being removable for displaying of the state of the tool,

wherein the acquisition apparatus being adapted for identification of the tool and also for acquisition of the state of the tool from the information medium.

20. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein said at least one tool is a plurality of tools and wherein a magazine is provide for the plurality of tools, wherein the acquisition apparatus is adapted for identification of the tools and the respective location of each in the magazine for enabling each tool to be replaced at the same location in the magazine after use for machining of the component.

21. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the at least one tool comprises a polishing tool.

22. The device as claimed in claim 21, wherein the information medium is located on a polishing surface of the tool.

23. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the information medium is imprinted onto a working surface.

24. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the information medium comprises a bar code.

25. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the acquisition apparatus is an optical device for optical identification of at the tool from the information medium.

26. The device as claimed in claim 19, wherein the acquisition apparatus is assigned to a holding apparatus for the at least one tool.

29. The tool as claimed in claim 26, wherein the information medium is imprinted onto the working surface.

30. The tool as claimed in claim 26, wherein the at least one tool comprises a polishing tool and wherein the information medium is located on a polishing surface of the polishing tool.

27. A tool for machining of an optical component, comprising:

a working surface,

an information medium for identification of the tool and for displaying the state of the tool on the working surface,

wherein the information medium is removable for displaying the state of the tool.

28. The tool as claimed in claim 27, wherein the information medium comprises a bar code.

31. A method for machining of an optical component by means of at least one tool, comprising the steps of:

using an information medium on a working surface of the tool for identification of the tool, and

removing the information medium when the optical component is being machined for displaying the state of the tool.

32. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein said at least one tool comprises a plurality of tools kept ready in a magazine for alternate use in machining, and wherein said method comprises the step of identifying the tools and the respective location of each in the magazine, and

replacing each tool at the same location in the magazine after use for machining of the component.

33. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the information medium is optically acquired.

34. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the information medium comprises a bar code and the acquisition device comprises a bar code reader which is used to read the bar code.

35. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein a polishing tool is used as the tool.

36. The method as claimed in claim 35, wherein the information medium is located on a polishing surface of the polishing tool.

37. The method as claimed in claim 31, wherein the information medium is imprinted on the tool.

38. The method as claimed in claims 32, wherein a new tool added to the magazine is initially identified along with its location in the magazine using an information medium, and the information later used for returning the tool to the same position in the magazine after use.