JP2755335B2 - Glass mold loading / unloading device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a glass molding die used for carrying in a glass material and carrying out a glass molded product when a high precision optical element such as an aspherical lens is formed by a press molding apparatus. The present invention relates to a carry-in / out device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, attention has been paid to a method of directly press-molding a softened glass material for optical use in a molding die instead of a method of processing an optical element by grinding and polishing.

[0003] Usually, in this type of molding, a glass material in a softened state is pressed by using a molding die member that slides in the barrel die in the barrel die, and the molding surface corresponding to the molding surface of the die member is pressed. An optical element press molding apparatus is used in which the optical function surface is formed on the glass material. In this case, a suction finger is used to carry the glass material into and out of the molding die. The suction fingers are separately prepared for carrying in a glass material and carrying out a glass molded product. One of the suction fingers sucks the glass material with the vacuum negative pressure led to the tip of the suction hand, and functions to suck and hold the suction material on a suction pad provided at the tip of the suction hand. The other suction finger also functions to suck the glass molded product by the vacuum negative pressure and to suck and hold the glass molded product on the suction pad.

[0004]

However, the use of separate suction fingers for carrying in the glass material and for carrying out the glass molded article as described above not only increases the cost of the apparatus but also increases the cost. In the case where press molding is performed in an atmosphere of an inert gas, the above-mentioned adsorption fingers are provided in the above atmosphere, so that the molding chamber must be made considerably large, and the gas displacement capacity becomes large. Invites disadvantages.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a molded article such as an optical element.
The shape of the glass material carried in the mold has a simple shape such as a sphere, and the shape of the press-formed product has a simple outer peripheral shape, such as a convex lens, and Focusing on the fact that the glass material is larger than the diameter of the glass material, a glass molding die loading / unloading device which can be used for carrying in the glass material and carrying out the glass molded product by one suction means is provided. It is assumed that.

[0006]

Therefore, in the present invention,
In a glass mold for manufacturing a molded product such as an optical element from a glass material by press molding, a suction pad of a suction finger has a portion for sucking the glass material and a portion for sucking the molded product. It is characterized by. In this case, the portion of the suction pad that sucks the glass material is a cone-shaped suction surface that sucks the glass material, and the portion that sucks the molded product is located on the outer periphery of the suction surface. A ring-shaped suction surface for sucking the peripheral edge of the glass molded product is preferable.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A case where the suction finger of the present invention is applied to a press forming apparatus for an optical element shown in the drawings will be specifically described below. The press forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2
As shown in FIG. 1, a glass material (glass blank) is loaded into a molding die 1, and the molding die 1 is operated by a press operation mechanism 2.
The press forming is performed by using a movable portion (described later) of this type. This press forming is preferably performed in an inert gas atmosphere such as a nitrogen gas atmosphere. To this end, the mold 1, the press operation mechanism 2, and the like are provided in a molding chamber 3 having an airtight structure.

The molding chamber 3 is disposed on a gantry 10 and is provided with a gate valve 11 at an entrance 301 for carrying in a glass material and carrying out a molded product, and is communicated with the outside via this. ing. Further, a mold exchange chamber 12 is provided on the gantry 10 adjacent to the molding chamber 3, and the exchange chamber 12 is connected to the molding chamber 3 via a gate valve 13. Communicating.

A suction finger 4 is provided in the molding chamber 3 as a replacement means for introducing (loading) the glass material into and out of the molding die 1 (outgoing). ing. Absorption finger-4
The suction hand 402 is attached to the upper end of the rotating shaft 401 which penetrates the floor of the molding chamber 3 and is vertically introduced into the molding chamber 3 from the outside.
The rotary shaft 401 is rotatably connected to the piston rod 14A of the cylinder mechanism 14 provided on the gantry 10, and is vertically moved in the axial direction by the operation of the piston rod 14A. The piston rod 14A is rotated by an electric motor 15 provided on the piston rod 14A via a gear train 16.

As shown in FIG. 3, the suction pad 403 has a cone-shaped suction surface 403A for sucking a spherical glass material (glass blank) G and the suction surface 40.
A ring-shaped suction surface 403B is provided on the outer periphery of 3A to suction the periphery of the glass molded product G '. Then, a vacuum / suction force is applied to the suction pad 403 by connecting a negative pressure passage 404 provided in the suction hand 402 to a center portion of the suction pad 403 and applying a negative pressure thereto. Can be. Therefore, when the glass material is sucked, the suction surface 403A acts (see FIG. 3A), and when the glass molded product is sucked, the suction surface 403B is used.
(See FIG. 3B).

When the glass material is sucked on the suction pad 403, the rotation shaft 4 is controlled based on the control of the cylinder mechanism 14 and the rotation control of the electric motor 15.
01 in the axial direction and the rotation operation, the suction pad 4
03 was introduced into the molding die 1 and a glass material was placed on the molding surface of the lower mold member 101. After molding, the glass material was introduced into the molding die 1 with the same suction pad 403 to suck the molded product. In this state, the rotary shaft 401 functions so as to be taken out of the molding die 1 by an axial operation and a rotating operation in the opposite direction.

The glass material and molded product carrying-in / out means 17 for the molding chamber 3 are arranged above the gantry 10 below the entrance / exit 301. The loading / unloading means 17 is replaced with a piston rod 18A extending upward from the cylinder mechanism 18 and is replaced with a chamber.
171 is mounted, and the replacement chamber -17 is mounted.
1 is provided with a table 172 that can move up and down through an opening 171A at the upper end of the table 1, and the table 172 can be moved up and down by elevating means (for example, a piston / cylinder mechanism) 173 provided in the exchange chamber-171. It is.

When loading or unloading a glass material or a molded product from / to the molding chamber-3,
With the glass material placed on the table 172, the piston rod 18A is raised and the exchange chamber-171 is raised under the control of the cylinder mechanism 18 to open the opening 1 thereof.
71A is brought into airtight contact with the gate valve 11. In this state, the inside of the exchange chamber-171 is replaced with a predetermined atmosphere, the gate valve 11 is opened, and the molding chamber-3 and the exchange chamber-171 communicate with each other.
Further, the placing table 172 is introduced into the molding chamber-3 by the elevating means 173, and the glass material is delivered to the suction finger-4 and the molded product is received. Then, thereafter, the elevating / lowering means 173 is operated in reverse, the placing table 172 is returned to the exchange chamber-171, the gate valve 11 is closed, and the cylinder mechanism works.
The replacement chamber-171 is lowered, and the
2 can be taken out and a new glass material can be brought into it.

In this embodiment, a required robot 19 is used to carry the glass material into the placing table 172 and take out the molded product therefrom. The robot 19 is
The glass material is replaced from the stocker 20 with the table 172 by using an adsorption means or the like, and
The molded product is taken out from 72 to a required place. That is, the robot 19 has an X-axis arm 191 and a Y-axis arm 192, and the suction arm 193 provided on the Y-axis arm 192 is moved by the X-Y arm by the action of both arms. It can be moved in the axial direction. The stocker 20 has an electric motor 20B provided on a frame 20A and a pallet 20C fixed to a rotating shaft thereof. The pallet 20C is turned by driving the electric motor 20B. At a location corresponding to the robot 19, a molded product is received and a glass material is delivered. In this embodiment, a cooling stand 21 is separately prepared, and the molded product taken out of the placing stand 172 by the suction hand 193 is temporarily placed on the cooling stand 21 and naturally or forcibly cooled to a desired temperature. .

The above-mentioned molding die 1 includes a molding die 100.
In addition, a four-piece structure in which four sets of the lower mold member 101 and the upper mold member 102 which are dispersedly arranged in four directions with respect to the center thereof are incorporated so as to be vertically slidable is provided. In order to receive the glass material and take out the molded product, an opening 100A for entering and exiting is formed in a side portion of the body mold 100. And the above-mentioned body mold 100
Are arranged and fixed on the pallet 5 in the molding chamber-3. The pallet 5 is guided from the exchange chamber 12 to the guide rail 6B laid in the molding chamber 3 through the gate valve 13 via the guide rail 6A in the exchange chamber 12. , At the press position in the molding chamber-3.

As shown in FIG. 1, the above-described press operation mechanism 2 moves the guide rail 6B at the press position.
An operation member 201 for pushing up is arranged below the upper side of the molding die 1.
The pressing operation members 202 are arranged, and these are held by a common holder-block 203. The operating member 201 has its upper end connected to the molding chamber 3 via an annular member 204 provided at the bottom of the molding chamber 3.
3, and has a lower end connected to a piston rod 206 extending upward from a cylinder mechanism 205 for pushing up. Further, the lower mold member 10 is provided at the upper end of the operation member 201.
1 is attached to the lower die member 101 while sliding with respect to the trunk die 100.
Can be pushed up in common.

The operating member 202 is guided by a sliding portion provided at the lower end of the holder block 203 so that it can move up and down.
3, is held downward so as to be able to move relative to the holder block 203 to a predetermined position. In this embodiment, a structure in which disc springs are stacked is adopted as the elastic mechanism 208, but other suitable mechanisms and structures may be employed.

A common rod 209 is connected to the upper end of the holder block 203.
Is connected to a piston rod 211 extending through a ceiling portion of the molding chamber 3 and extending from the inside to the outside, and extending downward from a cylinder mechanism 210 for pressing arranged at an upper portion of the molding chamber 3. Have been.

When the glass material is press-formed by using the press operation mechanism 2, first, the cylinder mechanism 210 works and the holder-block 20 is pressed.
3 is raised, and the upper die member 102 is raised, so-called,
Open the mold. Then, the glass material is introduced into the molding die 1 by the suction hand 402 described above, and the holder block 203 is lowered again.
Falls on the glass material. Thereafter, the cylinder mechanism 210 is further operated, and the holder block 20 is moved.
3, the operation member 202 is moved to the upper mold member 1
02 is pressed. After the upper mold member 102 is completely pushed out, during the cooling process, the cylinder mechanism 205
01 through the push-up piece 207 and the lower mold member 101.
Is pressed upward to secure the R surface. After the molding, when the cylinder mechanism 210 is operated and the holder block 203 is raised, the upper die member 102 is raised and the mold is opened.

The above-mentioned mold exchange chamber 12 is provided with mold exchange means 7. Mold exchange means 7
Is provided with an exchanging means 701 so that the pallet 5 on which the mold 1 is mounted and fixed can be moved along the guide rail 6A into the molding chamber 3 through the gate valve 13. To the guide rail 6B.

In the exchanging means 701, a coupling hand 703 is attached to a tip of a rod 702 extending into the mold exchange chamber 12, and an actuator 705 is attached to a base end of the rod 702 via a thrust bearing 704. The motor 706 mounted on the actuator 705 allows the rod 702 to be rotated via an L-shaped crank 707.
When the actuator 705 is driven, the rod 702 can be moved in the longitudinal direction by moving the actuator 705 along a guide rail 708 arranged in parallel with the rod 702. It is configured.

Thus, the rod 702 is rotated by the operation of the motor 706, and the operation of engaging and disengaging the coupling hand 703 with respect to the pallet 5 is performed by this operation, and the operation of the actuator 705 is performed. Then, the above pallet 5
It can move along the guide rail 6A.
Thus, under the control of the exchanging means 701, the pallet 5 is brought to the guide rail 6B of the molding chamber 3 via the gate valve 13 and set at the pressing position of the press operating mechanism 2, or Conversely, it can be withdrawn back to the mold change chamber-12.

The mold exchange means 7 has a pallet replacement means 711 for moving the pallet 5. The pallet replacement means 711 includes a piston rod 71 which advances and retreats in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 6A.
A cylinder mechanism 712 having 2A is provided on one side of the mold exchange chamber 12, and two stages 713A, 713 are provided at the tip of the piston rod 712A.
A feeder 713 having B is mounted. Each of the stages 713A and 713B is provided with the above-described guide rail 6A. The other side of the mold exchange chamber 12 has an opening for taking in and out the mold 1, and a door 12A is provided therein.

Then, the door 12A is opened in advance, the cylinder mechanism 712 is operated, and the feed base 713 is protruded from the opening of the mold exchange chamber 12 so that, for example, the stage 713A is opened. On the guide rail 6A,
Place the pallet 5 on which the new mold 1 is mounted, and
By operating the cylinder mechanism 712 in reverse,
3 and, as shown in FIG. 2, when the cylinder 12 is biased to the side where the cylinder mechanism 712 is located, the door 12 </ b> A is closed, and the gas replacement in the mold exchange chamber 12 is performed. The guide rail 6A of the stage 713B is located at the center (pallet replacement position) of the mold exchange chamber-12.

Therefore, by the operation of the exchange means 701,
From the molding chamber 3, the used mold 1 together with the pallet 5 on which the mold 1 has been placed can be taken out onto an empty stage 713B. After that, the cylinder mechanism 712 is operated to position the stage 713A at the center of the mold exchange chamber 12, and the exchanging means 701 is again operated to form the guide rail 6A from above. The new mold 1 can be transferred together with the pallet 5 to the guide rail 6B of the chamber-3, and can be set at the press position of the press operation mechanism 2. The used mold 1 can be removed from the pallet 5 by opening the door 12A after replacing the new mold 1 with the molding chamber-3.

[0026]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a glass molding die for producing a molded article such as an optical element from a glass material by press molding, the above-mentioned glass material is adsorbed on the suction pad of the suction finger. Since it has a part and a part for adsorbing the molded article, it can be used for carrying in the glass material and unloading the glass molded article by one adsorption means, and the press molding apparatus can have a simple structure as a whole. In addition, effects such as cost reduction can be obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of a press forming apparatus showing one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the press forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a front sectional view showing a main part of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 molding die 100 trunk die 101 lower die member 102 upper die member 2 press operation mechanism 201, 202 operation member 203 holder block 208 elastic mechanism 4 suction finger 401 rotary shaft 402 suction hand 403 suction pad 403A, 403B suction surface G Glass material G 'Glass molded product

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-130024 (JP, A) JP-A-63-144129 (JP, A) JP-A-4-108624 (JP, A) JP-A-4- 130024 (JP, A) JP-A-1-183426 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) C03B 11/00 C03B 35/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] In a glass mold for manufacturing a molded product such as an optical element from a glass material by press molding, a suction pad of a suction finger has a portion for sucking the glass material and a portion for sucking the molded product. A glass molding die loading / unloading device characterized by comprising: 2. A portion of the suction pad for sucking the glass material is a cone-shaped suction surface for sucking the glass material, and a portion for sucking the molded product is located on the outer periphery of the suction surface. 2. The apparatus for loading and unloading a molding die according to claim 1, wherein the apparatus is a ring-shaped adsorption surface that adsorbs a peripheral edge of the glass molded product.