EP0872307A1 - Drehmaschine und Verfahren - Google Patents

Drehmaschine und Verfahren Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0872307A1
EP0872307A1 EP98106802A EP98106802A EP0872307A1 EP 0872307 A1 EP0872307 A1 EP 0872307A1 EP 98106802 A EP98106802 A EP 98106802A EP 98106802 A EP98106802 A EP 98106802A EP 0872307 A1 EP0872307 A1 EP 0872307A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cutting tool
workpiece
axis
lathe
along
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP98106802A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0872307B1 (de
Inventor
Armando Durazo
Drew Morgan
Charles Mannor
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Novartis AG
Original Assignee
Novartis Erfindungen Verwaltungs GmbH
Ciba Geigy AG
Novartis AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Novartis Erfindungen Verwaltungs GmbH, Ciba Geigy AG, Novartis AG filed Critical Novartis Erfindungen Verwaltungs GmbH
Publication of EP0872307A1 publication Critical patent/EP0872307A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0872307B1 publication Critical patent/EP0872307B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
    • B24B—MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
    • B24B13/00—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor
    • B24B13/06—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor grinding of lenses, the tool or work being controlled by information-carrying means, e.g. patterns, punched tapes, magnetic tapes
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
    • B24B—MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
    • B24B13/00—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor
    • B24B13/0025—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor for contact lenses
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B24—GRINDING; POLISHING
    • B24B—MACHINES, DEVICES, OR PROCESSES FOR GRINDING OR POLISHING; DRESSING OR CONDITIONING OF ABRADING SURFACES; FEEDING OF GRINDING, POLISHING, OR LAPPING AGENTS
    • B24B13/00—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor
    • B24B13/04—Machines or devices designed for grinding or polishing optical surfaces on lenses or surfaces of similar shape on other work; Accessories therefor grinding of lenses involving grinding wheels controlled by gearing

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to the field of machining three-dimensional surfaces on workpieces and in particular relates to a lathe apparatus and method for maching non-axisymmetric surfaces on workpieces, such as contact lenses.
  • a contact lens is required having surfaces with different curvature radii in order to compensate for the astigmatism.
  • the astigmatism is coupled with nearsightedness or farsightedness so that the contact lenses required need to correct both conditions.
  • U.S. Patent No. 4,680,998 describes a lathe apparatus in which a lens blank is chucked to a spindle and the spindle rotated. A cutting tool is supported on a rotary quadrant whose rotational swing moves the cutting tool arcuately across the face of the lens blank. In this way, the cutting tool is moved through a predetermined tool path in order to cut the lens as the spindle rotates.
  • U.S. Patent Nos. 4,884,482 and 4,947,715 relate to method and apparatus for cutting an aspheric surface on a workpiece.
  • the apparatus and method described in the '482 and '715 patents is quite similiar to that described in the '998 patent.
  • the workpiece is oscillated (by oscillating the spindle) in an effort to improve the effective useful stroke of the oscillations between the cutting tool and the workpiece.
  • oscillating the workpiece is somewhat problematic.
  • the present invention comprises a lathe for manufacturing a product with a non-axisymmetric shape from a workpiece.
  • the lathe is particularly well-suited for making contact lenses with toric surfaces.
  • the lathe comprises a spindle for rotating the workpiece about an axis of rotation and a cutting tool for cutting the workpiece.
  • the lathe also includes a movable bed means for supporting the cutting tool in a fixed angular orientation relative to the axis of rotation and for moving the cutting tool along a predetermined path adjacent the workpiece as the spindle rotates the workpiece.
  • means are provided for oscillating the cutting tool along an oscillation axis as the movable bed means moves the cutting tool along the predetermined path.
  • the oscillation axis is oriented at a fixed, non-zero angle with respect to the axis of rotation.
  • the apparatus and method according to the present invention offers substantial advantages over known apparatus and methods.
  • the effective stroke of the oscillation is limited due to the fact that the oscillations occur parallel to the axis of rotation, while much of the surface of a lens to be machined is oriented such that the axis of rotation is not perpendicular to the surface at that point.
  • the effective stroke is limited by the rotary nature of the oscillations of the cutting tool.
  • the present invention obtains a greater effective use of the limited actual stroke of the known oscillation mechanisms by swinging the oscillation axis out to an angle relative to the axis of rotation and/or by oscillating the cutting tool with a translational movement.
  • the invention allows the manufacture of a wider range of contact lenses, including contact lenses with greater asymmetry than previously possible. Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a lathe apparatus amd method which is capable of producing a wide range of non-axisymmetric lenses. It is another object of the present invention to provide a lathe apparatus and method which is capable of producing lenses with greater non-axisymmetry. It is another object of the present invention to provide a lathe apparatus and method which provides a greater effective oscillation stroke using known oscillation mechanisms. It is another object of the present invention to provide a lathe apparatus and method for producing non-axisymmetric lenses which is simple in its construction, durable in operation, and economical to manufacture and use.
  • Fig. 1A through 1C depict examples of non-axisymmetric lens shapes which can be constructed using the present invention. It should be noted that these lens shapes themselves are not new and that they have been made in the past, albeit at greater cost and with greater difficulty than using the principles of the present invention.
  • Fig. 1A and Fig. 1B show front and left side views, respectively of a toric lens 10 having a spherical portion 11 and an aspherical portion 12.
  • the aspherical portion 12 has a first radius of cuvature r 1, in one direction and a second, quite different radius of curvature r 2 when viewed from a direction perpendicular thereto.
  • Fig. 1C shows another type of non-axisymmetry in which a toric lens 15 includes a generally spherical upper portion 16, an aspherical central portion 17 and a ballast portion 18.
  • the ballast portion 18 has a thickness t 2 which is substantially greater than the thickness t 1 of the upper portion 16.
  • Fig. 2 shows a prior art lathe apparatus for making toric lenses of a general type made by Rank Pneumo and known in the art.
  • Prior art lathe apparatus 20 includes an unshown base and a spindle housing 21 supported thereupon.
  • the spindle housing 21 houses and supports a rotatable spindle 22 driven by an unshown motor means.
  • the lathe apparatus 20 also includes sensor means for detecting the instantaneous angular position of the spindle for coordinating the movements of the cutting tool.
  • the prior art lathe apparatus 20 also includes a two-axis movable bed or quadrant 23.
  • a tool holder 24 is supported by a tool holder support housing 26 which in turn is mounted to the quadrant 23.
  • the tool holder support housing 26 houses internal (unshown) oscillation means for oscillating the tool holder back and forth in the direction of doubleheaded direction arrow 27 along oscillation axis 28. In this way, a cutting tool 29, which is mounted to the tool holder 24, is oscillated back and forth along the oscillation axis 28.
  • a chuck 31 is mounted at the end of the spindle 22 for supporting a lens blank or workpiece 32.
  • a spindle 22 rotates the workpiece 32 about rotation axis 33.
  • the quadrant 23 moves through a predetermined path using conventional CNC (Computer Numerical Control) principles. In doing so, the quadrant moves in the X and Z axes.
  • the prior art apparatus just described and shown in Fig. 2 uses dual piezoelectric actuators with a motion amplifying lever mechanism for oscillating the tool holder 24 and the cutting tool 29.
  • the range of motion of the oscillation is 0.4 mm (less as the rate of oscillation increases).
  • This 0.4 mm stroke limitation acts to limit the types of non-axisymmetric toric lenses that can be manufactured using such an arrangement because in many instances a stroke greater than 0.4 mm mould be required in order to provide the desired asymmetry.
  • Fig. 3 shows the novel lathe apparatus 40 according to a preferred form of the present invention.
  • the lathe apparatus 40 is similar in many repects to the prior art lathe apparatus 20 depicted in Fig. 2.
  • the novel lathe apparatus 40 includes an unshown base, a spindle housing 21 and a spindle 22.
  • the lathe apparatus 40 also includes a quadrant or movable bed 23 for moving in the X and Z directions.
  • the novel lathe apparatus 40 also includes a chuck 31 for supporting a workpiece or lens blank 32.
  • a tool holder 24 supports a cutting tool 29 and in turn is supported by a tool holder support housing 26. Note that the angular orientation of the cutting tool 29 relative to the tool holder 24 preferably is shifted (see Fig.
  • the tool holder support housing 26 also includes the internally mounted oscillation mechnism for oscillating the tool holder (and therefore the cutting tool 29) back and forth.
  • the dual piezoelectric actuators preferably are used, or alternatively, a motor can be used to oscillate the tool holder as taught in U.S. Patent No. 4,680,998. Alternatively, there may be other arrangements for oscillating the tool holder and the cutting tool.
  • the oscillation axis 48 is no longer oriented to be parallel to the rotation axis 33. Rather, the oscillation axis 48 is oriented at an oblique angle ⁇ with respect to the oscillation axis.
  • the oblique angle ⁇ is between about 20° and 70° with respect to the rotation axis 33. More preferably, the oblique angle ⁇ is between 30° and 60° with respect to the rotation axis. Most preferably, the oblique angle is about 45°.
  • Fig. 4 is useful in understanding the significance of repositioning the oscillation axis to the oblique angle ⁇ .
  • a portion of a lens L is shown in relation to the rotation axis 33.
  • the lens L has a sperical portion 51 and an asperical portion 52.
  • the non-axisymmetry is depicted by dash line 53. If one were to use the prior art lathe apparatus of Fig. 2 to try to produce this non-axisymmetry, the stroke of oscillation of the cutting tool would have to be greater than the distance d 2 in order to achieve the desired depth. However, the maximum stroke of the oscillation is less than the distance d 2 in many instances.
  • the distance d 1 corresponds to the necessary stroke required to achieve the profile.
  • the oscillation axis ideally is swung to an angle where it is perpendicular to the surface of the lens where the non-axisymmetry is required. In this way, the rather limited actual stroke of the known oscillation mechanism is more effectively utilized to achieve a desired non-axisymmetric profile.
  • the perpendicularity is not maintained over the entirety of the surface. It is possible to construct an arrangement in which the tool holder orientation is varied during use in order to maintain true perpendicularity at all points along the surface, but at the expense of added mechanical complexity and added computational complexity.
  • Fig. 5 shows a lathe apparatus 110 according to a second preferred form of the present invention.
  • the lathe apparatus 110 includes a spindle housing 121 and a driven spindle 122 for supporting and rotating a workpiece 132. The workpiece is rotated about an axis of rotation 133.
  • the lathe apparatus 110 also includes a rotatry quadrant 123 supporting a housing 126.
  • the housing 126 includes a mechanism (unshown in this figure) for reciprocating (oscillating 30 back and forth in a translational manner) a tool holder 124 which supports a cutting tool 129. In this way, the cutting tool 129 is reciprocated along movement axis 130.
  • An upper portion of rotary quadrant 123 moves arcuately in the direction of arcuate direction arrow 140 to move the cutting tool 129 through a predetermined arcuate path adjacent the workpiece 132.
  • Fig. 6 shows one preferred mechanism for oscilllating the cutting tool 129 in a reciprocal translational manner.
  • the oscillation mechanism 150 includes guide means 151 and 152 for guiding the tool bar 124 to restrict its motion to a reciprocating, translational motion depicted by arrow 130. Also, additional (unshown) guide means can be provided on the sides of the tool bar 124 to further restrict the movement to a translational, reciprocating motion.
  • the mechanism 150 is of the general type employed in the Rank Pneumo device described above.
  • the oscillation mechanism 150 also includes a pair of piezoelectric elements 156 and 157 for causing pivotal movement of a pendulum 158 about a pivot point 159. As the heigth of each of the piezoelectric elements 156 and 157 rises and falls with changing voltages applied thereto, this causes the pendulum 158 to pivot about the pivot point 159 and causes the lower end 161 of the pendulum to move through an arcuate path of movement depicted by direction arrow 160.
  • a linkage or strut 162 is pivotally connected at one end thereof to the lower end 161 of the pendulum 158 and is pivotally connected at an opposite end thereof to a backside portion of the tool bar 124.
  • the present invention has some notable advantages over the prior art lathe apparatus having oscillation mechanism. Firstly, for a given profile, it allows a smaller oscillation to be used to achieve the same asymmetric depth. The use of a smaller oscillation often allows the rate of oscillation to be increased, thereby allowing the spindle speed to be increased well. This increases the productive throughput or production rate of the lathe apparatus. Moreover, the present apparatus and method also allows greater effective use of the maximum stroke of the known oscillation mechanisms to increase the effective range of the oscillation mechanisms.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Turning (AREA)
  • Crystals, And After-Treatments Of Crystals (AREA)
  • Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
EP98106802A 1997-04-17 1998-04-15 Drehmaschine und Verfahren Expired - Lifetime EP0872307B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US83740797A 1997-04-17 1997-04-17
US837407 1997-04-17

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0872307A1 true EP0872307A1 (de) 1998-10-21
EP0872307B1 EP0872307B1 (de) 2002-01-02

Family

ID=25274362

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98106802A Expired - Lifetime EP0872307B1 (de) 1997-04-17 1998-04-15 Drehmaschine und Verfahren

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0872307B1 (de)
JP (1) JP4322324B2 (de)
AT (1) ATE211422T1 (de)
DE (1) DE69803327T2 (de)
DK (1) DK0872307T3 (de)
ES (1) ES2170977T3 (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7597033B2 (en) 2005-05-06 2009-10-06 Satisloh Gmbh Machine for machining optical workpieces, in particular plastic spectacle lenses
US20150128773A1 (en) * 2012-05-22 2015-05-14 Schneider Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for machining an optical workpiece

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102005052314A1 (de) * 2005-11-01 2007-05-03 Satisloh Gmbh Fast-Tool-Anordnung, insbesondere für Drehmaschinen zur Bearbeitung von optischen Werkstücken
CN100389917C (zh) * 2006-07-21 2008-05-28 清华大学 阿基米德螺线式菲涅耳透镜的金刚石车削加工方法及装置

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0439425A1 (de) * 1990-01-24 1991-07-31 Ciba-Geigy Ag Vorrichtung zum Herstellen einer Kontaktlinse mit insbesondere asphärischer Vorder- und/oder Rückfläche

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0439425A1 (de) * 1990-01-24 1991-07-31 Ciba-Geigy Ag Vorrichtung zum Herstellen einer Kontaktlinse mit insbesondere asphärischer Vorder- und/oder Rückfläche

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7597033B2 (en) 2005-05-06 2009-10-06 Satisloh Gmbh Machine for machining optical workpieces, in particular plastic spectacle lenses
US20150128773A1 (en) * 2012-05-22 2015-05-14 Schneider Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for machining an optical workpiece
US10092956B2 (en) * 2012-05-22 2018-10-09 Schneider Gmbh & Co. Kg Device and method for machining an optical workpiece

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DK0872307T3 (da) 2002-04-02
DE69803327D1 (de) 2002-02-28
ES2170977T3 (es) 2002-08-16
ATE211422T1 (de) 2002-01-15
JP4322324B2 (ja) 2009-08-26
JPH10296502A (ja) 1998-11-10
EP0872307B1 (de) 2002-01-02
DE69803327T2 (de) 2002-09-19

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