JP2792614B2 - Glass forming apparatus and method - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for forming a mold member for accommodating a glass material by a press operation mechanism when a high precision optical element such as an aspherical lens is formed by a press forming apparatus. TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a glass forming apparatus and a method for setting the same at a position.

[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. When the mold is worn or damaged, the mold is replaced.
2. Description of the Related Art A molding die is loaded / installed or removed / exported at a press molding position corresponding to a press operation mechanism.

However, when press molding is performed in an atmosphere of an inert gas, the molding chamber must be opened for mold replacement, so that much time is required for gas replacement and the operating rate is reduced. Decrease.

[0005]

Accordingly, a chamber for mold replacement is prepared, gas is replaced in advance in this chamber, and from this chamber to the molding chamber, and from the molding chamber to the mold exchange chamber. A method of moving the mold has been proposed. This is effective in that when the mold needs to be replaced due to damage to the molding die, the replacement operation can be easily performed in a short time, thereby avoiding a decrease in the operation rate.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a molding die in a press molding apparatus capable of efficiently and smoothly exchanging a molding die between the molding chambers when the molding chamber is connected to the molding chamber. It is intended to provide an exchange mechanism.

[0007]

Therefore, in the present invention,
In a glass forming apparatus for manufacturing an optical element by press forming, a first mold means for accommodating a glass material for press forming, and a second mold means are provided, and the first mold means is arranged at a forming position. At the same time as placing the second mold means in the standby position, and replacing the first mold means with the second mold means .
Therefore, the forming dies as these mold means are
Into or out of the corresponding press forming position
It is equipped with a mold exchange mechanism that
Molding chamber with a predetermined atmosphere in which the operation mechanism is installed
Is connected to a mold change chamber via a gate valve.
The mold exchange chamber is provided with a mold.
Place the pallet for placing and fixing the mold along the guide rails.
Exchanging means for exchanging between chambers;
The position of the pallet exchange by the above exchange means in the member
Pallet that replaces pallets with new and old molds placed
Is provided .

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the case where the mold exchanging mechanism of the present invention is applied to a press molding apparatus for an optical element shown in the drawings will be described in detail. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the illustrated press forming apparatus loads a glass material (glass blank) into a forming die 1 and operates a press operation mechanism 2 to move a movable portion (described later) of the forming die 1. The press molding is performed by operating the press molding, and the press molding 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 the gantry 10 and is provided with a gate valve 11 at an entrance 301 for carrying in the glass material and carrying out the 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.

Further, in the molding chamber-3, a suction finger-4 is provided as a replacement means for introducing (loading) the glass material into and out of the molding tool 1 with respect to the molding die 1. 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.

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, 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 mounted on the exchange chamber-1.
2 through the guide rails 6A inside the exchange chamber.
12 is guided through the gate valve 13 to a guide rail 6B laid in the molding chamber 3;
It is arranged at a press molding position in the molding chamber-3. As shown in FIG. 3, position setting members 61, 61, such as pins and guides, against which the tip of the pallet 5 abuts, and similar position setting members 62, which abut one side of the pallet 5, at the press forming position.
62 are provided respectively. Further, in order to abut one side of the pallet 5 against the position setting members 62, 62, pressing operators 63, 64 are provided at opposing positions.

In this embodiment, a constant temperature and heat insulating means 60 is provided so that the pallet 5 does not thermally expand under the influence of the ambient temperature. The constant temperature / insulation means 60
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, a heat insulating member 601 provided on the pallet 5 side and a cooling mechanism 6 located below the pallet 5 at the press forming position.
02.

The heat insulating member 601 is made of a plate-shaped ceramic material fitted to a flat receiving groove-shaped stage 51 formed on the upper surface of the pallet 5, and has a plurality of strip-shaped upper and lower surfaces. Fins 601A and 601B are formed.
Then, the mold 1 is placed on the heat insulating member 601 while being positioned on the pallet 1 via the guide pins 52 provided on the pallet 5.

The cooling mechanism 602 employs a water-cooled circulating cooling system.
Only the cooling part in contact with the bottom surface of is shown.

The pallet 5 introduced into the press forming position via the guide rail 6B firstly abuts the side surfaces of the pallet 5 against the position setting members 62, 62 by the operation of the pressing operators 63, 64. In this state, the tip is abutted against the position setting members 61, 61. Thus, the center of the upper and lower mold members 101 and 102 can be matched with the center of the pressing operation of the pressing operation mechanism 2 of the molding die 1 on the pallet 5 though it is indirect. In this case, the pallet 5 blocks heat from the mold 1 by the function of the heat insulating member 601 and is maintained at a predetermined temperature by the function of the cooling mechanism. Since the relative position of the mold 1 is not affected by thermal expansion, there is no deviation from the normal press position.

In the above embodiment, the heating power supply connector -5 of the molding die 1 is provided at the tip of the pallet 5.
3, and a connector 54 for a temperature sensor (not shown) such as a thermocouple, and the like.
A power supply side connector is provided at a predetermined position inside the molding chamber.
53A and a connector -54A on the temperature detecting device (not shown) side are provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the press operating mechanism 2 has a push-up operating member 201 disposed below the guide rail 6B at the press forming position.
Further, four operating members 202 for pressing are arranged above the molding die 1 corresponding to each upper die member 102, and these are held by a common holder block 203. The operation member 201 has a structure in which an upper end thereof can be inserted into the inside of the molding chamber 3 from outside through an annular member 204 provided at the bottom of the molding chamber-3. Is connected to a piston rod 206 extending upward from a cylinder mechanism 205 for lifting. 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 using the press operation mechanism 2, first, the cylinder mechanism 210 works to allow the holder block 20 to be 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 (the cylinder mechanism 205
Pushes up the operation member 201 and presses the lower mold member 101 upward through the push-up piece 207). 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-described mold exchange chamber 12 is equipped with a mold exchange mechanism 7 according to the present invention. The molding die exchange mechanism 7 includes an exchanging means 701, whereby the pallet 5 on which the molding die 1 is mounted and fixed is moved along the guide rail 6A through the gate valve 13. Are transferred to a guide rail 6B in the molding chamber-3.

The exchanging means 701 has a coupling hand 703 attached to the tip of a rod 702 extending into the mold exchange chamber 12, and an actuator 705 attached to a base end thereof 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.

Then, 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.
In this embodiment, a hook member 56 is provided at the rear end of the pallet 5 corresponding to the coupling hand 703, as shown in FIGS. The coupling hand 703 can be engaged and disengaged. 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 mechanism 7 has a pallet replacing 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.

Thus, the state in which the gate valve 13 is closed
Then, the door 12A is opened in advance, and the cylinder mechanism 712 is opened.
To move the feed bar 713 to the above-mentioned mold exchange chamber-1.
For example, the pallet 5 on which the new mold 1 is mounted is placed on the guide rail 6A of the stage 713A by protruding out of the opening of the cylinder mechanism 7, and the cylinder mechanism 7 is mounted.
12, the feed base 713 is returned, and as shown in FIG. 2, the side of the cylinder mechanism 712 is biased, the door 12A is closed, and the gas in the mold exchange chamber 12 is replaced. In this state, the above stage 7
A guide rail 13A of 13B is located at the center (pallet replacement position) of the mold exchange chamber-12.

Therefore, when it is necessary to change the mold,
The operation is stopped, the gate valve 13 is opened, and the used mold 1 is put on the empty stage 713B together with the pallet 5 on which the used mold 1 is placed from the molding chamber 3 by the operation of the exchange means 701. Can be taken out. After that, by operating the cylinder mechanism 712, the stage 713A is positioned at the center of the mold exchange chamber 12, and the exchanging means 701 is operated again.
Guide rail of molding chamber-3 from above guide rail 6A
The new molding die 1 can be transferred together with the pallet 5 to the tool 6B, can be set at the press position of the press operation mechanism 2, and immediately after setting, the mold is heated and the molding operation is restarted.
Rukoto is Ru can. After setting the mold, the gate valve
By closing 13, the used mold 1 is cooled to a desired temperature after the replacement of the new mold 1 with the molding chamber 3, and then the door 12 </ b> A is opened and the pallet 5 is opened.
Can be taken out from above.

Next, the process of molding an optical element molded article using the above-described press molding apparatus will be described in the order of loading, molding, and unloading, centering on the glass material. In addition,
The optical element molded here is an aspheric lens used for a camera, a video camera, and the like.

The glass material G is a glass blank previously formed into a spherical shape.
Placed on C. Then, by driving the electric motor 20B,
When the rotation axis is rotated by 180 degrees, the robot 19 is operated to bring the suction band 193 to the position, and suck and hold the glass material from the pallet 20C. Next, by the operation of the robot 19, the suction band 193 places the glass material G on the placing table 172. The above table 1
The glass material on 72 is preliminarily heated to an appropriate temperature. As described above, the glass material is carried into the molding chamber 3 by the operation of the carrying in / out means 17, and is heated to, for example, about 400 ° C. In addition, it is sucked and held by the suction pad 403 of the exchange means 4 and is introduced into the molding die 1. Here, the upper and lower mold members 101 and 102 are preliminarily heated to a temperature of, for example, about 10 ¹⁶ poise in terms of glass viscosity. Then, as described above, the upper die member 1 is operated by the cylinder mechanism 210.
02 descends, and the glass material G is moved to the upper and lower mold members 101, 10
An electric heater (not shown) is sandwiched between the two.
By the action of, for example, the glass viscosity is heated to about 10 ^10.5 poise (the temperature of the lower mold member 101 is about 10 ^{9.5 in terms of} glass viscosity,
The temperature of the upper mold member 102 is set to approximately 10 ^{10.0 in} terms of glass viscosity. Therefore, for example, a load of 400 kg is applied to the upper mold member 102 to perform press molding. Next, the upper and lower mold members 10
A cooling medium is introduced into the cooling medium introduction sections 101B and 102D of the first and second 102, and the temperature is lowered from about 10 ^10.5 to about 10 ¹³ poise in terms of glass viscosity. During this time, the cylinder mechanism 205 is actuated as necessary to press the lower mold member 101 from below. Thereafter, cooling is continued, and when the temperature of the molded product reaches 10 ^14.5 poise in terms of glass viscosity, the upper and lower mold members 101, 1 are controlled by turning on / off the electric heating heater and the cooling medium.
02 (to lower the temperature of the upper mold member), lower the temperature of the molded product to about 10 ¹⁶ poise in terms of glass viscosity, raise the upper mold member 102, open the mold, The molded product is taken out from between the lower die member 101 and the upper die member 102 by the suction pad 403.

Thereafter, the molded article is returned to the placing table 172 by the reverse operation of the exchange means 4, taken out of the molding chamber 3 by the carry-in / out means 17, and further removed by the robot 19. By operation, it is temporarily placed on the cooling stand 21, cooled to an appropriate temperature, and taken out.

[0035]

According to the present invention, as described above, a first mold means for accommodating a glass material for press molding and a second mold means in a glass molding apparatus for producing an optical element by press molding. comprising the door, the second mold section together with the first mold means disposed in the molding position and placed in the standby position, for performing the replacement of the first mold section and second mold section, this
The mold as these mold means corresponds to the press operation mechanism
Carry in or out of the press forming location
The above-mentioned press operation is provided.
The working mechanism is installed in a molding chamber of a predetermined atmosphere.
Is connected to a mold exchange chamber via a gate valve.
The mold exchange chamber is provided with a mold.
Place the pallet to be mounted and fixed along the guide rails on both channels.
Exchange means for exchanging between members, and the mold exchange chamber
Within the pallet change position by the change means
Pallets that replace pallets on which new and old molds are placed
Replacement means are provided . Therefore, it is possible to efficiently and smoothly exchange the mold between the two chambers in a predetermined gas atmosphere.

[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 plan view of a pallet for setting a molding die at a position of a press operation mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the same.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Mold 100 Mold 101 Lower mold member 102 Upper mold member 2 Press operation mechanism 3 Molding chamber 4 Suction finger 5 Pallet 7 Mold exchange mechanism 701 Replacement means 702 Rod 703 Coupling hand 704 Thrust bearing 705 Actuator 706 Motor 707 L-shaped crank 708 Guide rail 711 Pallet replacement means 712 Cylinder mechanism 713A, 713B Stage

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-4-50125 (JP, A) JP-A-3-197328 (JP, A) JP-A-4-12033 (JP, A) 16182 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB name) C03B 11/06

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. A glass forming apparatus for producing an optical element by press molding, comprising a first mold means for accommodating a glass material for press molding, and a second mold means, wherein the first mold means is provided. for the second mold section together to place the molding position placed in the standby position, performs replacement of the first mold section and second mold means, the pre-molds as these type means
Into the press forming position corresponding to the
Is equipped with a mold exchange mechanism that can be carried out from there.
And a predetermined atmosphere in which the press operation mechanism is installed
The mold chamber is exchanged via a gate valve.
A chamber is provided in series, and
A pallet on which the mold is placed and fixed is a guide rail.
Exchange means for exchanging between the two chambers along the
The palette by the exchange means in the mold exchange chamber.
Pallet with new and old molds placed at the replacement position
And a pallet replacement means for replacing the pallet . 2. The glass forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein
The first having a molding surface for molding the optical function surface
Placing the mold means in the molding position and replaceable with the first mold means
Operative second mold means in the standby position,
After a predetermined number of molding steps, the first mold means and the second mold
Replaced by means of
A glass forming method characterized by performing a forming operation.