JP2531810B2 - Optical element manufacturing equipment - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an optical element manufacturing apparatus, and more particularly to an apparatus for continuously obtaining an optical element having an optical functional surface directly from a molding material by press molding.

[Problems to be Solved by Related Art and Invention] In recent years, a material for optical element molding, for example, a glass blank preformed to a certain shape and surface accuracy has been housed in a molding die having a predetermined surface accuracy. A method for producing an optical element having a high-precision optical function surface by press-forming under heating so that post-processing such as grinding and polishing is not required has been developed.

In such a press molding method, generally, a molding upper mold member and a molding lower mold member are slidably opposed to each other in a molding barrel member, and these upper mold member, lower member and barrel member the molding material is introduced into the cavity formed by, as a non-oxidizing atmosphere of nitrogen atmosphere for example atmosphere for preventing oxidation of the mold member, to a temperature of moldable temperature e.g. molding material is 10 ⁸ to 10 ¹² poises The mold member is heated, the mold is closed and pressed for an appropriate time to transfer the mold member surface shape to the surface of the molding material, and the mold member temperature is cooled to a temperature sufficiently lower than the glass transition temperature of the molding material, and the pressing pressure is applied. Are removed, the mold is opened, and the molded optical element is taken out.

The molding material may be preheated to an appropriate temperature before being introduced into the mold member, or the molding material may be heated to a moldable temperature and then introduced into the mold member.
Further, while conveying the molding material together with the mold member, heating, pressing and cooling are performed at predetermined locations, respectively, so that continuity and high speed can be achieved.

The optical element press molding method and apparatus as described above are disclosed in, for example, JP-A-58-84134, JP-A-49-97009, British Patent No. 378199, and JP-A-63-11529.
JP, JP-A-59-150728 and JP-A-61-26528
It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No.

By the way, in the apparatus for continuously performing the above-mentioned pressing, it is necessary to supply the molding material to the molding die and take out the molded optical element obtained by the molding with the molding die. As a conventional transportation means for this operation,
There are those that both supply the molding material to the molding die and take out the molded optical element.Here, after feeding the molding material to the mold, once waiting and after the molding is completed The molded optical element is taken out, and then the operation of feeding a new molding material is started. In this way, it takes time to introduce a new molding material into the mold after taking out the molded optical element, it is difficult to shorten the cycle of continuous optical element manufacturing, and the energy consumption for heating the mold also increases. There is a drawback.

Further, in order to shorten the cycle of continuous optical element manufacturing, the feeding of the molding material to the molding die and the removal of the molded optical element may be carried out by separate conveying means. However, there is a drawback that it becomes complicated.

Therefore, the present invention can efficiently feed the molding material to the molding die and take out the molded optical element with a simple device configuration, and shorten the cycle of continuous optical element manufacturing. It is an object of the present invention to provide a device that can be used.

[Means for Solving the Problems] According to the present invention, in order to achieve the above object, a molding material is moved to a molding die through a first position and a second position in this order, An optical element manufacturing apparatus for moving a molded optical element obtained by molding with the molding die via the second position and the first position in this order, and from the first position to the second position. No. 1 has a conveying means for conveying the molding material to the first position and for conveying the molded optical element from the second position to the first position, and the conveying means holds the molding material. A holding part and a second holding part for holding the molded optical element.
An optical element manufacturing apparatus is provided.

In the present invention, the carrying means has a rotating shaft, the first holding portion is provided on one side of a plane including the rotating shaft, and the second holding portion is provided on the other side. There is a form.

In the present invention, there is a form in which the above-mentioned conveying means can reciprocate in the direction of the rotation axis.

In the present invention, the holding of the molding material by the first holding portion and the holding of the molded optical element by the second holding portion are both performed by vacuum suction.

In the present invention, the second position is in the molding chamber that includes the press section provided with the molding die, and the first position is in the substitution chamber that is communicably connected to the molding chamber through the sealable gate. There is a form that has the position of.

In the present invention, there is an embodiment having means for introducing a non-oxidizing gas into the molding chamber.

In the present invention, there is an embodiment having a means for introducing a non-oxidizing gas into the replacement chamber.

In the present invention, there is a form having means for reducing the pressure inside the substitution chamber.

[Embodiment] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an optical element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
It is a BCDDEF cross-sectional schematic diagram.

In the figure, 2 is a casing, and 4a and 4b are its supporting legs. A molding chamber 6 and a substitution chamber 8 are formed by the casing so as to be shieldable from the outside air. A hermetically sealed gate valve 10 provided between the molding chamber 6 and the substitution chamber 8
And the replacement chamber 8 is attached to the side of the molding chamber 6. A gate valve 12 is provided at the bottom of the replacement chamber 8 so as to be capable of being sealed with the outside.

Below the gate valve 12, there is arranged a feeding / unloading means 20 for feeding the molding material from the outside into the substitution chamber 8 and further taking out the molded optical element from the inside of the substitution chamber 8 to the outside. ing.

In the vicinity of the substitution chamber 8, a conveying means for conveying the molding material in the substitution chamber 8 into the molding chamber 6 and further conveying the molded optical element from the molding chamber 6 into the substitution chamber 8. 22 are arranged.

A heating unit 24, a transfer unit 26, and a pressing unit 28 are arranged in the molding chamber 6.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, two equivalent press parts P ₁ and P ₂ are provided.

The heating unit 24 receives the molding material conveyed into the molding chamber 6 by the conveying means 22, heats the material to an appropriate temperature, and further receives the molded optical element from the transfer unit 26.

The transfer section 26 transfers the molding material in the heating section 24 to the pressing section 28, and further transfers the molded optical element in the pressing section to the heating section 24.

The pressing unit 28 heats the molding material transferred by the transfer unit 26 to an appropriate temperature and then presses it with a molding die member.

 The details of each unit will be described below.

In the transfer / removal means 20, the cylinder 32 is a supporting leg.
It is supported by 34a and 34b and arranged vertically. 3
Reference numeral 6 denotes a piston rod which is moved up and down by a cylinder 32. A mounting table 38 for mounting a molding material or a molded optical element is attached to an upper end of the piston rod. The mounting table 38 has two press sections 28 (P ₁ , P
_In response to the provision of ₂ ), two mounting portions are provided side by side in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1 so that two molding materials or molded optical elements are mounted. .

The mounting table 38 is set such that the upper and lower end positions of the vertical movement stroke are inside the replacement chamber 8 and outside the replacement chamber. Of course, when the mounting table 38 is moved up and down, the gate valve 12 attached to the replacement chamber 8 is opened.

In the transfer means 22, a rodless cylinder 42 is supported by rodless cylinder support legs 44a and 44b and is arranged horizontally toward the replacement chamber 8. Reference numeral 46 denotes a bearing member which is horizontally reciprocally moved by the rodless cylinder 42, and one end of a horizontal transport shaft 48 parallel to the moving direction is attached to the bearing member so as to be rotatable around the axial direction. Has been. The other end of the transport shaft extends into the substitution chamber 8, and a suction means 50 for sucking the molding material or the molded optical element is attached to the tip thereof. On the other hand, a rotary cylinder 52 is attached to the bearing member 46, and an output gear 54 is provided. Further, a gear 56 meshing with the gear 54 is fixed to the tip end portion of the transport shaft 48, so that the transport shaft 48 can be rotated by the rotary cylinder 52.

The suction means 50 is provided with two suction portions on each of the upper and lower surfaces, and the arrangement thereof corresponds to the arrangement of the two mounting portions of the mounting table 38 (see FIG. 2). The suction portions on the upper and lower surfaces are turned upside down by the rotation of the transport shaft 48 by 180 °. A heater is built in the suction means 50.

The horizontal movement of the suction means 50 attached to the transfer shaft 48 is performed from the position in the displacement chamber 8 above the mounting table 38 (the position shown in FIG. 1) to the heating unit 24 in the molding chamber 6. Go to the position. Of course, when the suction means 50 is moved horizontally,
The gate valve 10 between the substitution chamber 8 and the molding chamber 6 is opened.

FIG. 5 is a view showing details of the suction means 50 attached to the tip of the transport shaft 48, where (b) is a plan view of a partial cross section, and (a) and (c) are respectively shown. It is a figure almost corresponding to the AA section and CC section of.

In FIG. 5, reference numeral 152 is a mounting member provided on the transport shaft 48, and two plates 154, 15 are attached to the mounting member.
5 are mounted butted in the same horizontal plane. These two plates have substantially symmetrical shapes, and two suction pieces 158,
160 is locked and held by the edge of the plate. A partition plate 162 for these two suction pieces is attached to the above two plates. The suction piece
158 and 160 are slightly movable in the horizontal direction with respect to the plates 154 and 156.

The upper and lower end surfaces of the suction piece 158 have suction portions 159a and 159a, respectively.
159b is formed. These suction parts are dish-shaped,
A suction port 164 is provided at the bottom thereof, and the suction port is connected to a vacuum suction unit (not shown) via a pipe 166.

Similarly, suction portions 161a and 161b are formed on the upper and lower end surfaces of the suction piece 160, respectively. These suction parts are dish-shaped, and a suction port 164 is provided at the bottom thereof,
The suction port is connected to a vacuum suction unit (not shown) via a pipe (not shown).

The vacuum suction for each of the suction units 159a, 159b, 161a, 161b is independently controlled.

The suction piece 158 has two heaters 168 and a thermocouple 170 for temperature measurement built therein.
One heater 172 and a thermocouple 174 for temperature measurement are built in.

In the heating section 24, a cylinder 62 is attached to the casing 2 outside the molding chamber 6, and is disposed vertically. Reference numeral 64 denotes a piston rod that is vertically moved by the cylinder 62, and penetrates the casing 2 to form the molding chamber 6
A mounting table 66 for mounting the molding material or the molded optical element is attached to the upper end of the mounting table 66. The mounting table 66 has two molding materials or molded optical elements.
Two mounting parts are provided side by side in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 1 so that they are mounted one by one (see FIG. 2).

Above the mounting table 66, a heating cylinder 68 is arranged so as to be suspended by a support member 70. The cylindrical body 68 is open at the bottom, and a heater 72 is attached to the inner surface thereof.

The vertical movement of the mounting table 66 is performed from a position below the position where the suction means 50 arrives (a position shown in FIG. 1) to a position inside the heating cylinder 68.

In the transfer section 26, the cylinder 82 is attached to the casing 2 outside the molding chamber 6, and is arranged vertically. Reference numeral 84 is a piston rod that is vertically moved by a cylinder 82, and penetrates the casing 2 to form the molding chamber 6
A rotating sleeve 86 is attached to the outer surface of the rotating sleeve 86 so as to be rotatable relative to the vertical direction. The sleeve penetrates the casing 2 and has two forked arms 88a and 88b extending in the horizontal direction at the upper end thereof. Adsorption means 90a, 90
b is installed. One of the suction means 90a has a press unit P ₁
And the other suction means 90b corresponds to the press section P ₂ . A suction unit is provided on the lower surface of each suction unit. Further, 92 is a drive means for rotating the sleeve 86 with respect to the piston rod 84.

The suction means 90a is rotated based on the rotation of the sleeve 86 from the position above the mounting table 66 of the heating unit 24 to the position of the press unit 28 (P ₁ ) including the intermediate position shown in FIG. It is necessary to rotate the suction means 90b from the position above the mounting table 66 of the heating section 24 to the position of the press section 28 (P ₂ ) including the intermediate position shown in FIG. is necessary.

A vertical fixed cylinder 102 is fixed to the casing 2 in the press section 28. A cylinder 104 is attached to the lower end of the fixed cylinder 102 outside the molding chamber 6 and is arranged vertically. Reference numeral 106 denotes a lower shaft which is connected to a piston rod of a cylinder 104 and is vertically moved. The lower shaft is accommodated in the fixed cylinder 102 so as to be slidable in the vertical direction.

On the upper end of the fixed cylinder 102, a lower end of a cylindrical body member 110 is placed via a ring-shaped heater plate 108, and the lower end is fixed to the fixed cylinder 102 by a holding ring 112. I have. A lower mold member 114 is arranged on the upper end of the lower shaft 106. The lower mold member is housed in the body member 110 and is slidable in the vertical direction with respect to the body member.

Further, the cylinder 122 is attached to the casing 2 outside the molding chamber 6 and arranged vertically. Reference numeral 124 denotes an upper shaft which is connected to a piston rod of a cylinder 122 and is vertically moved. The upper shaft is arranged above the lower shaft 102 and coaxially with the lower shaft. Upper shaft 12
The lower end surface of 4 has a convex spherical shape, and 126 is a spherical seat having an upper surface of a concave spherical shape corresponding to the convex spherical shape.
The spherical seat 126 exerts a function of self-centering during pressing. An upper end flange portion of an upper mold member 128 is disposed below the spherical seat 126, and the upper end flange portion is locked by a pressing ring 130 fixed to the upper shaft. The upper die member 128 is housed in the body die member 110, and is vertically slidable with respect to the body die member.

The upper end surface of the lower mold member 114 and the lower end surface of the upper mold member 128 are transfer surfaces for forming an optical functional surface of the optical element to be molded, and have a desired surface accuracy.

The lower shaft 106 and the upper shaft 124 each have a refrigerant flow path.
C ₁ and C ₂ are provided. Also, the heater plate 10
8, heaters H ₁ ,
H ₂ and H ₃ are built-in.

Next, the operation of the apparatus of the present invention will be described. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation timing of each unit.

The molding chamber 6 is filled with a nitrogen atmosphere by a nitrogen gas supply system (not shown). Initially, the gate valves 10, 12 are closed.

First, the gate valve 12 is opened (T ₀ ), two molding materials are placed on the mounting table 38 at the lower position shown in FIG. 1, and the mounting table 38 is lifted by the cylinder 32 to move the gate. It is introduced into the substitution chamber 8 through the valve 12 (T ₁ ). In the substitution chamber, the molding material is adsorbed by the lower surface side adsorption part of the adsorption means 50.

At the time of this suction, the suction pieces 158 and 160 are attached to the plate 15
Since it can be moved in the horizontal direction as appropriate with respect to 4,156, it can be arranged concentrically with respect to the mounting table 38.

In addition, the rotation position of the suction means 50 at this time is set as a reference state,
The state in which it has rotated 180 ° from now is the reverse state.

Next, the mounting table 38 is slightly lowered, the transport shaft 48 is rotated by 180 ° by the rotary cylinder 52, and the suction means 50 is turned upside down in the replacement chamber 8 (T ₂ ). As a result, the molding material is positioned on the upper surface side of the suction means 50.

Next, the placing table 38 is lowered from the position inside the substitution chamber 8 to the lower position outside the substitution chamber (T ₃ ).

Next, the gate valve 12 is closed (T ₄ ), the inside of the substitution chamber 8 is decompressed by decompression means (not shown), and the forming material is preheated by the heater incorporated in the adsorption means 50.

Next, a nitrogen gas is supplied into the replacement chamber 8 by a nitrogen gas supply system (not shown), and after the inside of the replacement chamber 8 is filled with a nitrogen atmosphere, the gate valve 10 is opened (T ₅ ).

Then, by the cylinder 42 to move the conveying shaft 48 towards the molding chamber 6, leads to a suction means 50 to the position of the heating part 24 of the forming chamber 6 (T _6).

Incidentally, the mounting table 66, prior to the arrival of the adsorption means 50 (e.g., at timing T _a), is raised to the upper limit position by the cylinder 62, further, an appropriate time in the heating cylinder 68 (T _a
From By T _b until) is disposed, it is heated to an appropriate temperature, thereafter (before the timing T ₆ above), is moved down to the position shown in Figure 1.

In this state, the transport shaft 48 is moved by the action of the rotary cylinder 52.
By rotating 180 degrees, the suction means 50 which has already reached above the mounting table 66 is turned upside down (T ₇ ). Then, the mounting table 66 is slightly raised to approach the lower surface of the suction means 50, and in this state, the suction by the suction means 50 is released, and the molding material is received on the mounting table 66. Therefore, since the mounting table 66 is pre-heated, when the molding material is placed thereon, the material does not break due to a temperature shock.

Even when the suction is released, the suction pieces 158 and 160 can be appropriately moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the plates 154 and 156.
The placement table 66 can be concentrically arranged.

Next, the mounting table 66 is lowered to the position (lower limit position) shown in FIG. 1, then the transfer shaft 48 is moved in the horizontal direction, and the suction means 50 is retracted to the substitution chamber 8 (T ₈ ). . In this state, the gate valve 10 is closed (T _9).

Incidentally, the mounting table 66 on which the molding material is mounted is the suction means described above.
After the cylinder 50 is retracted into the replacement chamber 8 (T ₈ ), it is raised by the action of the cylinder 62, and from that point on, the gate valve 10
Is closed (T ₉ ) and an appropriate time (from T _c to T _d ) within the time period until the next timing T ₁₀ (described later),
68 and heated to the appropriate temperature.

Then, the arms 88a, 88b to rotate the by the rotation driving means 92, first to position the suction unit 90a above the mounting table 66 (T _10), slightly increases the mounting table 66 by the cylinder 62 of the heating unit , The first molding material on the mounting table 66 is adsorbed by the adsorbing means 90a, and the mounting table 66 is slightly lowered again. The adsorption is performed by an air suction means (not shown).

Next, the rotation driving means 92 rotates the arms 88a and 88b to move the suction means 90a to the first press part P ₁ (T ₁₁ ). Here, the molding material G ₁ adsorbed by the adsorbing means 90a is introduced into the body member through the opening 111 provided in the side portion of the body member 110 (FIG. 4 (a)). Here, the suction means 90a is slightly lowered by the cylinder 82 of the transfer section (Fig. 4 (b)), and the molding material is placed on the lower mold member 114 (Fig. 4 (c)).

On the other hand, at the same time as the T _10, the suction means 90b is made to move to the second press section P _2, also suction means 90b at the timing of T ₁₁ is brought positioned above the mounting table 66. Then, a little raises the table 66 by the cylinder 62 of the heating unit in the T _11, the material for the second molding on the mounting table 66 is adsorbed to the adsorbing means 90b, thereby slightly lowering the mounting table 66 again.

Subsequently, the arms 88a and 88b are rotated to move the suction means 9
0b is moved to the second press section P ₂ (T ₁₃ ). Here, as in the case of the first press part P _1, suction means 90
The molding material adsorbed by b is introduced into the body member through an opening provided on the side surface of the body member 110,
Here, the suction means 90b is slightly lowered by the cylinder 82, and the molding material is placed on the lower mold member 114.

Then, the arms 88a, a 88b is rotated back to the intermediate position the suction means 90b from the second press section (T _14). The above T ₁₃
Adsorption means 90a are being brought positioned above the mounting table 66 in the adsorption means 90a in the T ₁₄ returns to the intermediate position.

 Thus, the state shown in FIG. 2 is obtained.

Next, press molding is performed in the two press parts 28 (P ₁ , P ₂ ).

Incidentally, when the molding material G ₁ is introduced into the body member 110, the upper shaft 124 is pulled upward by the cylinder 122, whereby the upper shaft 124 is shown in FIGS. 4 (a) to 4 (c). As described above, the upper die member 128 is moved to the upper position in the body die member 110, which causes the opening 111 on the side portion of the body die member.
Communicates with the cavity in the mold member, from which the molding material G ₁ is introduced into the cavity.

During pressing, the upper shaft 124 is moved downward by the cylinder 122, the upper die member 128 closes the opening 111 of the body die member 110, the cavity is closed, and the upper die member 128 is pressed downward. As a result, the molding material in the cavity is press-molded to form the optical element G ₂ (FIG. 4 (d)). The upper die member 128 moves downward until the lower end of the pressing ring 130 contacts the upper end of the body die member 110.

The press molding is performed for an appropriate time after heating the material for molding by the heaters H ₁ , H ₂ , and H ₃ until the material has a viscosity capable of being molded, and after molding into a cavity shape, the refrigerant circulation paths C ₁ , C
_The molded optical element is cooled by passing a cooling medium through ₂ . In the cooling process, the lower mold member 114 is pressed upward by the cylinder 104 with an appropriate pressure (however, the pressure is smaller than the downward pressing force of the upper mold member 128 by the cylinder 122), and the optical element contracts. Prevent sink marks.

Thereafter, the upper shaft 124 is raised to open the opening 111 on the side of the body member.

Then, the suction means 90a, 90b of the transfer section 26 are moved in substantially the reverse order of the time when the molding material is introduced into the press section 28, and the first press section P ₁ and the second press section P ₂ are moved. the the molded optical element is taken out by suction, respectively, placed on the mounting table 66 of the sequential heating unit 24, placed end to suction means 90a, a 90b to an intermediate position shown in FIG. 2 (T ₁₅ ~T _19).

In the course of press molding, i.e., the timing T ₁₄ T
_In the process up to ₁₅ , the cylinder 66 is heated to heat the mounting table 66.
The mounting table 66 is moved into the heating cylinder 68 by the operation of 62 (T _e ), and is heated to an appropriate temperature, while the rotation driving means 92 is at the intermediate position, that is, at the timing T ₁₅ . before,
By the operation of the cylinder 62, the mounting table 66 is lowered to maintain a state in which the formed material can be received. This is
It is the same as the process of T _{a to} T _b .

The step of taking out the formed material after the press forming is completed is realized by overlapping the step of taking in the press-formed material described above. That is, after the suction unit 50 is retracted to the substitution chamber 8, incorporation of new molding material have been carried out in the same manner as in the timing _{T 0 ~T 6 (T 20 ~T} 26), its timing T ₂₆ It is set to be after the timing T _19. Then, before the suction means 50 introduced into the heating unit 24 in the process of taking in the molding material returns from the reversal position to the reference position (T
To ₂₆ through T _27), it is to adsorb the The molded material on the table 66. That is, when the suction means 50 reaches the position above the mounting table 66, the mounting table 66 is slightly raised, and the molded optical element on the mounting table is suctioned by the lower suction section of the suction means 50. After lowering the mounting table 66 a little,
50 is reversed (T ₂₇ ), and then the mounting table 66 is raised slightly, and the molding material adsorbed by the newly lower adsorption section is placed on the mounting table 66.

When sucking and releasing the suction, the suction pieces 158, 16 are also used.
Since 0 can be appropriately moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the plates 154 and 156, it can be arranged concentrically with respect to the mounting table 66.

Then, in the same manner as in T ₈ through T _9, after been moved into the exchange chamber 8 the suction means 50 from the heating unit 24 (T _28), the gate valve 10 is closed (T _29).

As in the foregoing T _c through T _d, the mounting table 66 mounted with the molding material is heated cylinder by the cylinder 62 after T ₂₈ 68
(T _g ), heated to the appropriate temperature,
Next, before the molding material is moved to the heating section 24 by the operation of the rotation driving means 92, and before the molding material is sucked from the mounting table 66, the lower limit position (FIG. ) And wait (T _h ).

Hereinafter, in the transfer unit 26 and the press unit 28, the above T _{10 to} T
The same process as ₁₉ is performed.

On the other hand, the gate valve 12 is opened (T ₃₀ ), the mounting table 38 on which a new molding material is mounted is raised (T ₃₁ ), and the lower suction part of the suction means 50 sucks in the replacement chamber 8. after the mounting table 38 is slightly lowered, then rotated 180 ° to the conveying shaft 48 by the rotation cylinder 52, the suction means 50 is turned upside down (T _32), slightly increases the mounting table 38, a new lower The mounting table for the molded optical element adsorbed by the suction part on the side
38 Place on top.

When sucking and releasing the suction, the suction pieces 158, 16 are also used.
Since 0 can be appropriately moved in the horizontal direction with respect to the plates 154 and 156, it can be arranged concentrically with respect to the mounting table 38.

Next, the mounting table 38 is lowered to the outside of the substitution chamber 8 (T ₃₃ ), and the gate valve 12 is closed (T ₃₄ ).

As described above, the molding material placed on the mounting table 38 is press-molded and collected on the mounting table.

Hereinafter, press molding can be continuously performed by repeating the same process.

In the embodiment of the present invention, as can be seen from the above description, the suction portions on both sides of the suction means 50, the suction portion on one side (for example, 159a, 161a) is always used for suction of the molding material, other The suction portion (for example, 159b, 161b) on the surface side is always used for suction of the molded optical element.

In the above embodiment, the inside of the replacement chamber 8 is the first
And the heating part 24 in the molding chamber 6 is the second position in the present invention. In addition, in the present invention, the position of the molding die may be the second position.

Further, in the above embodiment, both holding of the molding material and holding of the molded optical element are performed by vacuum suction,
An appropriate gripping mechanism can be used as the holding mechanism.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the apparatus of the present invention, the feeding of the molding material to the molding die and the molding of the molded optical are performed with a simple apparatus configuration using only one conveying means. It is possible to efficiently take out the element and shorten the cycle of continuous optical element manufacturing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of an optical element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, and FIG.
It is a C-D-E-F cross-sectional schematic diagram. FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the operation timing of each part of the device according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4 (a) to 4 (d) are schematic cross-sectional views of the press section of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing details of the suction means. 6: Molding chamber, 8: Replacement chamber, 10, 12: Gate valve, 20: Inlet / outlet device, 22: Transfer device, 24: Heating unit, 26: Transfer unit, 28: Press unit, 38: Mounting table, 48 : Transport axis, 50: Adsorption means, 66: Mounting table, 68: Heating cylinder, 90a, 90b: Adsorption means, 106: Lower shaft, 110: Body member, 114: Lower mold member, 124: Upper shaft, 128 : upper mold members, 158, 160: suction block, 159a, 159b, 161a, 161b: adsorption unit, 164: suction inlet, 166: pipe, 168 and 172: heater, 170 and 174: thermocouples, H ₁ to H _3: heater, C _1, C ₂ : Refrigerant flow path, P ₁ , P ₂ : Press section.

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Masayuki Tomita 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Inc. (72) Inventor Fumitaka Yoshimura 3-30-2 Shimomaruko, Ota-ku, Tokyo Canon Within the corporation (56) Reference JP-A-2-225325 (JP, A) JP-A-2-92833 (JP, A) JP-A 1-298032 (JP, A) JP-A-61-44721 (JP, A) JP-A-61-26528 (JP, A) Actually developed Shou 63-192438 (JP, U)

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A molding material is moved to a molding die via a first position and a second position in this order, and the molded optical element obtained by molding with the molding die is the above-mentioned An optical element manufacturing apparatus for moving the second position and the first position in this order, which conveys the molding material from the first position to the second position and from the second position to the first position. 1 has a conveying means for conveying the molded optical element, and the conveying means has a first holding portion for holding the molding material and a second holding portion for holding the molded optical element. An optical element manufacturing apparatus characterized by having. 2. The conveying means has a rotating shaft, the first holding portion is provided on one side of a plane including the rotating shaft, and the second holding portion is provided on the other side. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, which is provided. 3. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the carrying means is capable of reciprocating in the rotation axis direction. 4. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein both the holding of the molding material by the first holding portion and the holding of the molded optical element by the second holding portion are performed by vacuum suction. . 5. The second position is located in a molding chamber including a press unit having a molding die, and the first position is in a substitution chamber communicatively connected to the molding chamber via a sealable gate.
The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein 6. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for introducing a non-oxidizing gas into the molding chamber. 7. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for introducing a non-oxidizing gas into the substitution chamber. 8. The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising means for reducing the pressure inside the substitution chamber.