CN220548147U - Automatic lower clamp machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present utility model relates to an automatic clamping machine for clamping together a lens blank and a clamping member. The automatic lower clamp machine comprises: a loading unit comprising a feeding device configured to transport a first tray carrying the lens blank and the clip together into position, and a clip configured to place the lens blank and the clip together in a lower clip unit; a lower clip unit configured to separate a lens blank and a clip that are secured together from each other; a lens turning unit configured to turn the lens blank after the lower clip by 180 °; a blanking unit configured to transfer the inverted lens blank to a second tray.

Description

Automatic lower clamp machine

Technical Field

The present utility model relates to an automatic clip machine for lens blanks.

Background

In the manufacture of optical or ophthalmic lenses, it is often necessary to perform a block (block) operation on unfinished or semi-finished lens blanks. In this operation, the lens blank is fixedly attached on one side to a suitable holder (blocker piece). The clip allows the lens precursor to be well maintained in a predetermined position and orientation during a manufacturing process (e.g., a surface treatment operation, an edging operation, a lamination operation, or the like). After the corresponding machining operation has been completed, the lens blank needs to be separated from the holder, i.e. a de-block operation is performed in order to subject the lens blank to subsequent machining, such as coating or the like. Thus, there is a need to transfer the separated lens blanks and corresponding documents (e.g., customer orders, process flow forms, etc.), such as from a white tray to an ash tray.

In the prior art, semi-automatic clamping down machines are typically employed for the clamping down operation, which requires an operator to manually load and unload, i.e., load and unload, the lens blank to separate the lens blank from the clamping member. Such an operation would bring about the following problems:

1. the manual feeding and discharging are performed, so that the labor efficiency of operation is low;

2. the holders of the clamps are asymmetrically arranged, which are spring-driven to accommodate clamps of different radii. This configuration makes the stability of the clamping operation poor, the failure rate can be as high as 20%, causing losses;

3. the manually performed pinching operation makes it difficult to accurately monitor and track production information such as yield, labor efficiency, etc. using digital means during manufacturing.

Disclosure of Invention

In order to solve the above problems, the present utility model proposes an automatic clamping machine that enables the clamping process of a lens blank to be performed fully automatically. More specifically, it enables automatic replacement of the tray carrying the lens blanks and the corresponding documents, as required by the process flow, and automatic loading and unloading to complete the automatic clamping operation.

The automatic lower clamping machine provided by the utility model has at least the following advantages:

1. full-automatic feeding and discharging of the lens blank and the clamping piece are realized, and automatic transfer of the bill is realized;

2. the automatic clamping machine of the utility model uses the clamp to clamp the clamping piece and uses two supporting pieces arranged along the long axis direction of the lens blank to support the lens blank, when the clamping piece is pulled downwards by the clamp, the supporting pieces firmly support the lens blank so as to ensure good stability of clamping operation;

3. the performance of the automatic clamping machine of the present utility model can be easily monitored digitally.

Drawings

Fig. 1 generally illustrates an automatic clip machine according to the present utility model.

Fig. 2 and 3 show parts of the automatic lower jaw machine according to the utility model, seen from different angles, respectively.

Figure 4A shows a blank tray carrying a lens blank and document secured with a holder.

Fig. 4B shows the ash tray carrying lens blanks and documents separated from the holder.

Fig. 5A shows a perspective view of a lower jaw unit of an automatic lower jaw machine according to the present utility model.

Fig. 5B shows a top view of a portion of a lower jaw unit of an automatic lower jaw machine according to the present utility model.

Fig. 5C shows a side view of a portion of a lower jaw unit of an automatic lower jaw machine according to the present utility model.

Fig. 5D illustrates a cross-sectional view of the clamp of the lower clamp unit according to the present utility model, taken along line A-A in fig. 5C, showing an opened state and a contracted state of the clamp.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 generally illustrates an automatic clip machine according to the present utility model. As shown in fig. 1, the automatic clamping machine generally comprises a bracket 1, a conveying device 2, a man-machine interaction interface 3 and an equipment electrical cabinet 4.

As shown in fig. 2 and 3, the stand 1 of the automatic down-clamping machine according to the present utility model generally houses a loading unit 5, a first tray releasing unit 6, a document transferring unit 7, a down-clamping unit 8, a lens flipping unit 9, a discharging unit 10, and a second tray releasing unit 11.

The feeding unit 5 of the automatic down-clamping machine comprises a feeding device. During manufacturing, the lens blank and the clip 16 secured thereto are placed in a first tray, which is transported by the feeding device to the proper working position in the automatic clamping machine. The workpiece transfer device is then able to remove the lens blank with the grippers from the first tray and place it lightly in the lower gripper unit 8. The first tray can be, for example, a white tray, as shown in fig. 4A, which houses a pair of lens blanks.

The lower clamping unit 8 of the automatic lower clamping machine is configured to separate the lens blank and the clamping member from each other. The construction and operation of the lower clamp unit 8 will be described in more detail below. The clamp, separate from the lens blank, is returned to the first tray by the workpiece transfer device.

The workpiece transfer device can be incorporated in either the loading unit 5 or the first tray release unit 6. The workpiece transfer device can be in the form of a movable robot. Preferably, the manipulator is provided with different operating parts for moving different parts, and the operating parts can be switched as needed during actual operation. For example, the manipulator can be provided with both suction cups for suction onto the lens blank and jaws for gripping the grippers.

The first tray release unit 6 includes a lifting unit. After all of the lens blanks in the first tray have been separated from the grippers and the separated grippers have been replaced in the first tray, the lifting unit lowers the first tray and conveys it to the conveyor 2 for conveying the first tray to a subsequent processing station.

The lens turning unit 9 is configured to remove and turn the lens blank separated from the clip from the lower clip unit 8 by 180 ° so that the lens blank can be placed in the second tray in the proper orientation. The lens flipping unit 9 can be implemented in the form of, for example, a robotic arm.

The blanking unit 10 includes suction cups configured to remove the flipped properly oriented lens blank from the lens flipping unit 9 and place it in a second tray, such as the ash tray shown in fig. 4B. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the blanking unit 10 can also be realized with clamping, claw or the like holding means.

During the manufacturing process of lenses, lens blanks are typically transported to various process stations along with corresponding documents. The document can be, for example, an order in which a customer's demand is recorded, a flow sheet in which process parameter information is recorded, or the like, so that an operator can perform appropriate operations, check product information, or the like. The automatic document feeder according to the present utility model can also include a document transfer unit 7 that includes a document holder. The document holder can be configured to remove documents from a first tray and insert the documents into a corresponding second tray as an empty second tray is entered into the automatic drop-down machine by the conveyor 2. The document holder can be, for example, a holder that is movable between above the first tray and above the second tray. Preferably, the document transfer unit 7 can also be configured to insert the document 180 ° after it has been flipped over into the second tray to maintain the document properly oriented so that the desired information is presented.

When a document has been inserted into a respective second tray and a respective lens blank separate from the holder has also been placed in the second tray, the second tray release unit 11 releases the second tray from the automatic down-clamping machine for subsequent processing of the lens blank.

Fig. 5A to 5D show a detailed configuration of the lower clamp unit 8 according to the present utility model. Lower clamping unit 8 is preferably configured to simultaneously perform a lower clamping operation on a pair of lens blanks 14. As shown, lower clamp unit 8 includes a clamping jaw 15 disposed about the lens blank that is configured to clamp the lens blank when the lens blank is placed in lower clamp unit 8. For each lens blank, the lower clamping unit 8 is further provided with a pair of supports 12 arranged in the direction of the long axis of the lens blank, which are configured to lift the lens blank by a top block 19 provided thereon during a clamping operation to facilitate separation of the lens blank from the clamping member 16. The support can also be driven mechanically or electrically, for example by a cylinder 13, to move in a left-right, front-back, up-down direction, to adjust its position and height. Preferably, the two supports are designed to have a height difference of 2mm in order to further ensure reliability, stability of the clamping operation and to widen the range of applicable products.

Furthermore, the lower clamp unit 8 further comprises a clamp 17 configured to clamp the clamp. As shown in fig. 5C and 5D, the clamp can, for example, be in the form of a sleeve having several circumferential sections. When the circumferential sections are separated from each other, the clamp is in an open state, the clamp can be easily inserted from above into a central hole defined by the clamp. The clamps can be mechanically or electrically controlled to move downward during the clamping down operation. At the same time, the circumferential sections of the clamp are closed, into a tightened state, to clamp the clamp. In this way, during the clamping down operation, the clamp moves downward to pull the clamp down and the support lifts the lens blank upward so that the clamp eventually separates from the lens blank. After the lens blank separated from the clamp is removed, the clamp is moved upwardly and the open state is restored to facilitate removal of the clamp from the clamp and replacement of the clamp by the workpiece transfer device to the first tray.

Preferably, the above mentioned clamping jaws are provided on the arms 18 of the lens flipping unit 9. In this way, after the completion of the lower clamping operation, the clamping jaws remain clamping the lens blank, which in turn effects the tilting of the lens blank separated from the clamping member by the pivoting of the arms of the lens tilting unit 9.

During operation of the automatic clamping machine according to the utility model, the first tray carrying the lens blanks and clamping members to be clamped is first transported by the feeding means of the loading unit 5 to the proper working position in the automatic clamping machine. Subsequently, the document transfer unit 7 transfers the documents in the first tray into the corresponding empty second tray. The work transfer device removes the lens blank with the grippers from the first tray and places it in the lower gripper unit 8, after which the lower gripper unit 8 separates the lens blank and the grippers from each other. The lens blank separated from the holder is flipped to the proper orientation by the lens flipping unit 9 and then placed in a second tray by the blanking unit 10 for release by the second tray release unit. After the gripper separated from the gripper has been replaced with the first pallet, the first pallet is transported by the conveyor 2 to a subsequent station. Preferably, the automatic clip-down mechanism is configured to simultaneously operate a pair of lens blanks in each step.

Preferably, the automatic clamping machine according to the present utility model further comprises a digitizing device to monitor in real time the performance parameters and the operating information of the automatic clamping machine. For example, kepwore can be used to collect machine data and Power BI can be used to visualize the data.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the above description and the accompanying drawings illustrate only non-limiting examples of automatic clamping down machines as taught herein. Accordingly, the utility model is not limited by the foregoing description and accompanying drawings. Various modifications will be able to be made by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope as defined by the appended claims.

List of reference numerals

1. Support frame

2. Conveying device

3. Human-computer interaction interface

4. Electrical cabinet for equipment

5. Feeding unit

6. First tray releasing unit

7. Document transfer unit

8. Lower clamping unit

9. Lens overturning unit

10. Discharging unit

11. Second tray releasing unit

12. Support member

13. Cylinder

14. Lens blank

15. Clamping jaw

16. Clamping piece

17. Clamp

18. Arm

19. And (5) a top block.

Claims (12)

1. An automatic clip machine for performing a clip operation on a lens blank and a clip member secured together, the automatic clip machine comprising:

a loading unit comprising a feeding device configured to transport a first tray carrying a lens blank and a clip secured together into position;

a lower clip unit configured to separate a lens blank and a clip that are secured together from each other;

a lens turning unit configured to turn the lens blank separated from the holder by 180 °;

a blanking unit configured to transfer the inverted lens blank to a second tray; and

a workpiece transfer device configured to transfer the lens blank and the clip secured together from the first tray to the lower clip unit.

2. The automatic document feeder of claim 1, further comprising a document transfer unit configured to transfer documents from the first tray to the second tray.

3. The automatic clip machine of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a digitizing device for monitoring performance and operation of the automatic clip machine.

4. The automatic downclamp machine of claim 1 or 2, wherein the downclamp unit comprises a clamp configured to clamp and pull down the clamp during a downclamp operation, and a support for supporting the lens blank.

5. The automatic clip machine of claim 4, wherein each lens blank is supported by two supports disposed along a long axis of the lens blank.

6. The automatic clip machine of claim 5, wherein the two supports have a height difference of 2 mm.

7. The automatic clip machine of claim 4, wherein the support member is drivable to adjust its position and height.

8. The automatic clip machine of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a first tray release unit configured to transport the first tray to a conveyor after all of the lens blanks in the first tray have been separated from the grippers and the separated grippers have been replaced with first trays.

9. The automatic clip machine of claim 8, wherein the conveyor is further configured to transport the second tray.

10. The automatic clamping machine of claim 1 or 2, wherein the workpiece transfer device is further configured to replace the separated clamp with the first tray.

11. The automatic downclamp machine of claim 1 or 2, wherein the lens flipping unit is provided with clamping jaws configured to clamp the lens blank during both a downclamp operation and a lens blank flipping operation.

12. The automatic clip machine of claim 4, wherein the clip is constructed of at least one circumferential section and is movable with movement of the clip between an open state in which the circumferential sections are separated from one another to facilitate insertion and removal of the clip, and a closed state in which the circumferential sections are closed to grip the clip.