JP2908753B2 - Optical element molding equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an inert gas ejecting apparatus used for a material cooling step in a press molding apparatus for producing an optical element such as a high precision glass lens.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Japanese Patent Application No. 63-227847 discloses a conventional apparatus for forming an optical element such as a high-precision glass lens. The cooling means of the molding apparatus described in this publication is configured such that the heated optical material and the barrel carrier are press-molded by raising an upper mold that is a fixed mold and a lower mold that is vertically movable. It is used for what was done. The formed optical material is configured to be uniformly and rapidly cooled by blowing a non-oxidizing gas while maintaining the press-formed state after the press-forming.

[0003] The above-mentioned conventional cooling means will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a molding device of a conventional optical element, as viewed from the side.
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line AA 'shown in FIG. FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a main part of another embodiment of the conventional optical element molding apparatus. FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the operation state of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 6, the upper base 3, the lower base 4, and the periphery of the fixed upper mold 2 and the mold 1 disposed in the molding chamber 10 surrounded by the side walls 20 and 21 and 22 and 23. Air supply pipes 11, 12, 13,
14 ejection nozzles 8, 9 at the tip of 14 (8 ', 9' not shown)
As indicated by arrows, the non-oxidizing gas (N ₂ ) is simultaneously sprayed uniformly onto the outer surface of the cylindrical carrier 15 and the optical material (glass material) 17 loaded and mounted on the cylindrical carrier 15. It is arranged as follows. In the figure, reference numeral 7 disposed opposite to the mold 1 is a mold attached to the lower mold 6 configured to operate in the vertical direction as indicated by arrows. Reference numeral 16 extending to the left of the barrel-shaped carrier 15 denotes a transfer arm that moves in a transfer path 18 to transfer the barrel-shaped carrier 15 into the molding chamber 10.

In addition to the above cooling means, there is also a cooling means as shown in FIGS. As shown in FIG. 9, an optical material 17 (not shown) placed on a barrel-shaped carrier 15
Is pressed by the molds 2 and 6, and the side cooling arms 26 are formed.
And 27 are respectively moved from the left and right directions to surround the trunk-shaped carrier 15 so as to surround the outer periphery of the trunk-shaped carrier 15. Subsequently, a number of nozzles 28, 2 provided on semicircular enclosing surfaces 24, 25 of cooling arms 26, 27, respectively.
From No. 9, a device for cooling the molded optical element and the cylindrical carrier 15 by simultaneously blowing (spraying) a non-oxidizing gas is employed.

[0006]

However, the cooling gas jetting nozzles (spouting ports) 8, 9 according to the former method according to the former method.
Is located far from the press forming position, the cooling gas ejection nozzles 8 and 9 are provided in order to improve the cooling efficiency of the press formed glass material 17 or reduce the influence on the non-cooled portion.
When the process is not necessary,
The number of steps for retreating to the initial installation position increases. For this reason, the time required for one molding increases. Needless to say, it is necessary to provide a mechanism for moving the cooling gas jet nozzles 8 and 9, and furthermore, there are various problems such as a complicated molding apparatus and a decrease in operation reliability. Occurs.

Further, if the cooling gas jet nozzles 8 and 9 are fixed at the molding position of the glass material 17 beforehand, the supply device and the discharge device of the glass material 17 are shielded from the molding point. . This causes a problem that the mechanism and structure of the supply device and the discharge device are complicated. Furthermore, in order to prevent collisions on these mechanisms, there arises a problem that a size and shape required for uniform cooling of the press-formed glass molded product cannot be obtained.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has been made without increasing the time required for one molding step to cool the molded glass material during the molding step. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical element molding apparatus capable of obtaining a sufficient cooling effect on a glass material.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a molding apparatus for press-molding a heated optical material with upper and lower dies, and at a position which is always lower than the molding surface of the above-mentioned dies and is coaxial with the dies along the dies. A cooling gas outlet for discharging the non-oxidizing gas, and a cooling gas outlet for communicating with the cooling gas outlet so as to equalize the ejection pressure of the non-oxidizing gas discharged through the gas outlet. An optical element molding apparatus, comprising: a chamber filled with the non-oxidizing gas; and a gas supply port through which the non-oxidizing gas flows into the chamber.

[Operation] The carrier means transports and mounts the barrel carrier on which the optical material is placed on the molding surface of the mold, and injects a cooling gas provided on the mold and the barrel shaft with the molding operation of the mold. The cooling member having the outlet is operated in the same manner, and during the molding, the cooling gas is uniformly jetted from the cooling gas jet port to simultaneously cool the mold and the optical material.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings of the embodiments, the same members and the same components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be made in the first drawing, and the subsequent drawings will be omitted.

[First Embodiment] FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a main part of a first embodiment of an optical element molding apparatus according to the present invention as viewed from the front. FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the top shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, a cylindrical ring member 39 is provided at an intermediate position in the cylindrical cover 40.
Are arranged. A cylindrical lower mold 37 having a flange-like base end of the same diameter is integrally mounted on the upper end of a cylindrical lower mold support 38 and is fitted to the inner diameter of the ring member 39 so as to be vertically movable. Is equipped. A screw is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the upper end portion of the cover 40 to form a ring-shaped mold holder 3.
The lower mold 37 is screwed and mounted on the outer periphery of the lower mold 37, and the upper surface of the outer edge of the flange of the lower die 37 is pressed and fixed.

On the upper end surfaces of the cover 40 and the mold retainer 35, a cooling member 42 provided with a cooling gas jet nozzle 30 formed in a ring-shaped and cylindrical shape is mounted. At a desired position on the outer peripheral surface of the cooling member 42, a cooling gas supply port 32 configured to be connected to a cooling gas supply means provided outside is provided. The cooling member 4
A cooling gas ejection nozzle 30 is provided in the inside 2, and a chamber 31 is provided to make the ejection pressure uniform, and a plurality of cooling gas ejection holes 33 formed in a tapered surface 44 of an inner peripheral surface of the cooling member 42. It is configured to eject uniformly. In order to make the jet pressure uniform, the chamber 31 is larger than the cross-sectional area of the cooling gas jet 33 (see FIG. 1), and therefore has a sufficiently large volume. Cooling member 4
The center position of the lower end face of 2 is formed in a concave shape by the same diameter method as the die holder 35. Thereby, as is apparent from FIG. 1, a gap is formed between the inner peripheral surface of the cooling member 42 and the outer peripheral surface of the lower mold.

Further, in the above configuration, on the upper end surface of the lower die 37, that is, on the molding surface, the optical material 36 is placed and loaded on the circular transfer drum carrier 43. Further, in the above configuration, the plurality of cooling gas outlets 33 are coaxially disposed at a position sufficiently lower than the upper end surface of the lower die 37.

The operation of this embodiment having the above configuration will be described. The transfer arm (not shown) allows the optical material 36
Is transported and placed on the upper end surface of the lower die 37. Subsequently, when the lower mold support 38 is driven, the lower mold 37 rises. As the lower die 37 rises, the lower end surface of the die holder 35 engaged with the upper surface of the flange at the base end thereof is lifted and connected to the die holder 35 to form an integrally formed cover. 40 is also lifted upward. By raising the cover 40, the cooling member 42 integrally provided on the upper end surface of the cover 40 is also lifted and raised, and the optical material 36 on the lower die 37 comes into contact with the upper die (not shown). To be pressed into a desired shape.

During the molding (pressing), when the cooling gas 34 is supplied from the cooling gas supply port 32 by driving the cooling gas supply means having the optical material 36 provided outside, the cooling gas 34 is cooled by the lower mold. 37, the cooling gas is injected into the chamber 31 through the cooling gas injection nozzle 30 located at a position lower than the molding surface, and the gas is injected into the chamber 31 to make the gas injection pressure uniform.
As shown in the figure, the cooling gas is injected from a number of cooling gas injection ports 33 toward the optical material 36 and the lower mold 37 for cooling.

The optical material 36 cooled as described above and
The lower mold 37 descends and returns to its original position, and
Is transferred to the next step. On the other hand, the lower die 37
Loaded with the barrel-shaped carrier 43 loaded with the optical material 36
It is brought onto the lower mold 37 from the transfer arm
The same steps as described above are repeated. In the above embodiment,
The used cooling gas 34 is a non-oxidizing gas such as N _Two
Gas was used. In the present embodiment,
Although the lower die 37 is provided with a cooling means, it is not necessarily limited to the lower die.
The upper mold and the lower mold may be provided instead of the upper mold.
It is obvious that the same effect can be obtained even if the
You.

According to the present embodiment having the above-described structure, the cooling gas injection port 33 is fixedly disposed at a position lower than the upper end surface of the lower die 37, so that the cooling is uniform and the molding time is shortened.
In addition, since the cooling gas supply means has been simplified, interference with other mounting members has been eliminated, so that no failure has occurred and the reliability of operation of the apparatus has been improved. Further, since the cooling gas outlet 33 is disposed coaxially with the lower mold 37, a uniform and sufficient cooling effect can be obtained for the optical material 36 and the lower mold 37.
Further, since the chamber 31 is provided in the cooling member 42, the ejection pressure is made uniform, and the optical material 36 and the lower mold 37 can be uniformly cooled to improve quality.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cooling means according to a second embodiment of the optical element molding apparatus of the present invention, and a part of the cooling means is shown in cross section. It is.
The cooling means of the present embodiment shown in the figure is composed of the cooling member 4 provided on the upper end surface of the cover 40 of the first embodiment.
2 is replaced. Although not shown, the donut-shaped ring-shaped member 47 connected to the cooling gas supply means provided outside the apparatus has a wide groove 46 formed in the center of the inner peripheral side wall surface. In addition, the ring-shaped member 4
The upper surface of the groove 46 is airtightly and integrally mounted on the peripheral surface of the inner surface 7 by a ring-shaped cooling gas cover 41 so as to form a cooling gas jet nozzle (not shown) 30 which is wide in a circle. The chamber 31 ′ is configured to make the pressure of the supplied cooling gas 34 uniform and eject it.

Further, since a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the lower mold 31 and the cooling gas cover 41 in the inner diameter of the cooling gas cover 41, the lower mold 37 can be slidably inserted and removed. The upper portion of the lower die 37 is formed between the upper end surface of the ring-shaped member 47 and the inner peripheral surface of the cooling gas cover 41, that is, between the upper end of the ring-shaped member 47 and the inner peripheral surface of the cooling gas cover 41. Forming a tapered surface 44,
A narrow groove (cooling gas ejection hole) 45 communicating with the chamber 31 ′ is formed in a circle at the center position to cool the optical material 36 and the lower mold 37. Since the groove 46 is sufficiently wide and has a large cross-sectional area with respect to the width of the slot 43 (see FIG. 2), the volume of the chamber 31 'also increases, and therefore, the inside of the chamber 31' is increased. The pressure of the cooling gas is made uniform.

Since the operation of the above configuration is almost the same as that of the first embodiment, only the above configuration will be described.
Non-oxidizing gas 34 supplied from the cooling gas supply port 32
Is injected into the chamber 31 ′, and then is injected from the cooling gas jetting narrow groove 45 formed between the ring-shaped member 47 and the cooling gas cover 41 to form the optically molded material 36 and the lower mold 37 which are formed by heating. Cooled evenly.

According to the present embodiment having the above-described structure, since the cooling gas jetting narrow groove 45 is provided over the entire inner periphery of the cooling member 42 ', the optically molded material 36 and the lower mold 37 which are formed by heating are formed. The molded product having a more accurate surface shape is more uniformly cooled from the outer periphery of the molded product.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cooling means according to a third embodiment of the optical material molding apparatus of the present invention. The cooling means of this embodiment shown in the figure is configured by replacing the cooling member 42 provided on the upper end surface of the cover 40 in the first embodiment. Donut-shaped cooling member 4 shown in the figure
A chamber 31 for uniformizing the pressure of the cooling gas 34 supplied from the cooling gas ejection nozzle 30 is provided in 2 ″.

The inner diameter of the cooling member 42 "is
7 is formed so that it can be inserted and removed, and a lower mold 37 is provided at the upper end thereof.
Further, a tapered surface 44 is formed at a position corresponding to the optical material 36 loaded on the body carrier 43 placed on the upper end surface (molding surface) of the lower die 37. At the center of the circumferential surface of the tapered surface 44, a large number of cooling gas ejection holes 33 'are formed by inclining the circumference at equal intervals in the tangential direction of the optical material 36 over the entire circumference. The cooling gas 34 is ejected to the optical material 36 and the upper part of the lower mold 37 through the chamber 31.

The operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration is substantially the same as that of the first embodiment, and therefore, only the operation of the above configuration will be described here. The cooling gas (non-oxidizing gas) 34 filled in the chamber 31 is jetted tangentially toward the optical material 36 from a plurality of inclined cooling gas jet ports 33 ′. The jetted cooling gas 34 generates a vortex. Therefore, a higher cooling effect can be obtained. According to the present embodiment having the above configuration, a high cooling effect can be obtained, so that a molding time can be reduced and a high quality molded product can be obtained.

[Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a main part of a fourth embodiment of the optical material molding apparatus according to the present invention as viewed from the front. As shown in the drawing, the present embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that a cylindrical cover 40 is provided.
Between the lower mold 37 and the cooling member 42 disposed on the upper end surface of the lower mold 37.
The mold presser 35, which presses the flange portion of the lower mold 37, is screwed to the inner diameter of the cover 40, and presses the flange portion of the lower mold 37, whereas the mold presser 35 is formed corresponding to the screw of the inner diameter of the cover 40. This is a forming device in which the outer diameter screw of the cooling member 42 ″ is screwed. In other words, a screw is formed on the inner diameter of the upper end of the cylindrical cover 40 to have the same diameter, and the screw corresponding to the outer diameter is formed. The cooling member 42 ″ having the above structure is screwed together to press and fix the upper surface of the flange at the base end of the lower die 37 fixed to the upper end surface of the lower die support 38.

The operation of the present embodiment having the above configuration is omitted because it is the same as that of the first embodiment. According to the present embodiment having the above configuration, the lower die is directly held down and fixed by the cooling member, so that the configuration of the entire apparatus is simplified, and the cooling gas outlet can be always installed at a position lower than the upper end surface of the lower die. There are advantages such as less restriction on the device and the discharge device, and simplification of the configuration of the supply device and the ejection device.

[0028]

According to the present invention having the above-described structure, the cooling gas jet nozzle is always provided at a position lower than the molding surface of the molding die, so that the molding process is simplified, and the time required for molding is shortened. Was. In addition, due to the simplification of the molding process, the moving mechanism during the molding process has a simple configuration, and the reliability of the molding operation has been improved. Further, with the simplification of the above mechanism, the supply device and the discharge device also have no interference due to the cooling gas ejection port. In addition, the cooling gas injection port provided on the cooling member is coaxially installed along the mold, and a chamber is provided to make the injection pressure from the cooling gas injection port uniform, so that the optical material and the molding die are uniform. In addition, a sufficient cooling effect can be obtained, and thus the molded optical element can obtain a more accurate surface shape, so that a very remarkable effect is obtained in quality and productivity.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of a first embodiment of an optical element molding apparatus according to the present invention from the front.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an operation state of an upper surface of the optical element molding apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a main part of a cooling unit according to a second embodiment of the optical element molding apparatus of the present invention, and showing a part of the cooling unit in cross section.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a main part of a cooling unit according to a third embodiment of the optical element forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part from the front of a fourth embodiment relating to the optical element molding apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a conventional optical element molding apparatus as viewed from the side.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line AA ′ shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a main part of another embodiment of a conventional optical element molding apparatus.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an operation state of the optical element molding apparatus shown in FIG. 8;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 cooling gas ejection nozzle 32 cooling gas supply port 33 cooling gas ejection port 34 cooling gas 35 mold holding member 36 optical material 37 lower mold 38 mold support 39 ring member 40 cover 41 cooling gas cover 42, 42 ', 42 " Cooling member 43 Body-shaped carrier 44 Tapered part 45 Gas ejection mechanism 46 Groove 47 Ring-shaped member

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A molding apparatus for press-molding a heated optical material with upper and lower molds, wherein said molding apparatus is arranged at a position always lower than a molding surface of said mold and coaxially with said mold along said mold, and is non-oxidized. A cooling gas jet for discharging an oxidizing gas, and the non-oxidizing gas is filled so as to make the jet pressure of the non-oxidizing gas discharged through the gas jet opening uniform. And a gas supply port through which the non-oxidizing gas flows into the chamber.