JP3110188B2 - 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 optical element molding apparatus in which a resin film is integrally molded on the surface of a molded glass base material so that a required optical function surface can be obtained.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a thin resin film made of a resin material has been formed on the surface of a formed glass base material having a shape close to an optical element which is a final formed product. There is known a molding method for obtaining an optical element having a highly accurate optical function surface such as a difficult aspheric surface.
A lens molded by such a molding method is generally called a replica lens.
It can be manufactured using the device described in JP-A-183512. In this replica lens molding apparatus, each step for molding is performed while intermittently moving the molding die member provided on the turntable to a predetermined position, during which the optical function surface of the molded glass base material is used. One resin film is formed.

On the other hand, when the thickness of the resin film is increased to a certain degree, shrinkage of the resin upon cooling affects the accurate transfer of the high-precision optical function surface prepared on the molding surface of the molding die member. Can not be done. Therefore, a resin film of a certain thickness is
A two-stage molding method has been proposed in which a first-layer resin film is formed on the surface of a molded glass base material, and a second-layer resin film on which an optically functional surface is accurately transferred is formed thereon. I have.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned molding apparatus, two apparatuses have to be prepared, which increases the equipment cost and increases the cost of the apparatus for molding the first resin film. It is necessary to transfer the formed glass base material to the second layer resin film forming apparatus, and a transfer means for that purpose must be provided.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide an optical element molding apparatus capable of achieving a high operation rate with a minimum capital investment, suitable for production of many kinds and in small quantities, and based on the above circumstances. Is what you do.

[0006]

Therefore, in the present invention,
Mold member and forming with the shaping surface corresponding to the optical functional surface
Provided an active energy ray curable resin between the shape glass preform
In the optical element molding apparatus for supplying a resin film on the surface of the glass base material by supplying the resin film, at least one layer of the resin film is provided.
And a two-layer resin film.
Molding mold members for at least one layer and two layers.
Serial and operating mechanism to operate the mold member, and an active energy ray irradiation mechanism for each mold member of the mold glass base material and a molded product sharing for supply and discharge respectively of the molded A supply / discharge robot, supply means for supplying an active energy ray-curable resin to the molded glass base material held by the robot, and a control system for sequentially controlling the operation of the robot and each mechanism in a predetermined cycle. Is provided.

[0007]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of an optical element molding apparatus according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 show the overall schematic configuration, in which reference numerals A and B denote a single-layer and two-layer molding die member 10 and an operating mechanism corresponding thereto. Reference symbol C indicates a supply / discharge robot. The robot C can be moved to an operation position corresponding to each molding die member by a numerical control slider D parallel to the arrangement direction of the molding die members 10. Reference numerals E and F denote an active energy ray irradiation mechanism provided for each molding die member, and reference numeral G supplies an active energy ray-curable resin to the molded glass base material 5 held by the robot C. Reference numeral H denotes a control system for sequentially controlling the operation of the robot C and each mechanism in a predetermined cycle.

Further, the above-described molding die member and its operating mechanism (A and B) have the same configuration as shown in FIG. In the figure, reference numerals 18 and 19
Are an upper base and a lower base which are vertically arranged as an apparatus frame, and the upper base 18 has a mold supporting portion 16A at the center.
Further, a mold 16 having a cylindrical peripheral wall portion 16B formed on the outer peripheral side is mounted. A molding die member 10 having a convex molding surface 10A is provided on the top of the mold supporting portion 16A.
A cylindrical holding member (support member) having an upper surface formed horizontally is provided on the outer peripheral side of the mold supporting portion 16A.
13 are fitted so as to be slidable up and down. In addition, the peripheral wall portion 16
B, a headed cylindrical mold lid 15 (or an upper molding mold member may be slidably fitted), and a top portion thereof corresponds to the molding surface 10A of the mold member 10. An active energy ray irradiation window 15A is opened, and an entrance 15B is formed in the upper side surface, through which a mechanical hand for sucking and holding the molded glass base material 5 (this is the above-described mechanical hand). (Contains a part of the supply / discharge robot)
Can be guided above the mold member 10 (see FIG. 7). Further, the mold lid 15 is moved up and down by a fork hand of elevating / retracting means (to be described later) comprising first and second cylinder mechanisms.
An engaging portion 15C is provided for engaging the fork hand.

A four-claw collet chuck 11 is disposed between the holding piece 13 and the peripheral wall 16B.
The claws 11A are arranged on the outer periphery of the holding piece 13 at positions shifted by 90 degrees from each other in a circumferential direction about the center axis of the mold member 10. A cam follower surface 13 extending in the vertical direction is provided on the outer periphery of the holding piece 13.
A is formed, and a cam portion 11B guided in a horizontal direction along the cam follow surface 13A is provided on the elastic arm portion 11C of each claw 11A. In order to guide each claw in the horizontal direction toward the center axis of the mold member, each claw 1
A tapered portion 16C is formed at the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 16B so as to face the rear end of 1A.

The lower base 19 is provided with a release cylinder mechanism 21 located immediately below the mold 16, and a vertical mechanism is provided between the upper base 18 and the lower base 19. A movable plate 24 is provided which is raised and lowered along a guide column 23 erected at
The holding member support member 13B is held above the elevating operation member 21A of the cylinder mechanism 21, and a plurality of connecting rod portions 13C (only one is shown in the figure). ) Is connected to the holding piece 13.
The moving plate 24 is provided with a ball screw receiving member 24A guided in the longitudinal direction by a ball screw 22 arranged in parallel with the guide support 23, and the ball screw 22 is provided with a servo motor 25 (this embodiment). When mounted on the lower base 19), the movable plate 24 moves up and down when driven to rotate.

The holding member support member 13B is provided with a cylinder mechanism 20 for operating the collet chuck. The cylinder mechanism 20 is a single-acting cylinder mechanism that drives the operator 20A in the ascending direction, and the lowering operation is achieved by the spring means when the cylinder mechanism 20 is released. The operator 20A is provided with a flange portion that regulates an upper limit and a lower limit, and the collet chuck elevating member 11D is fitted to the operator 20A so as to slide between them. This collet chuck lifting member 11D
Is connected to the collect chuck 11 via a plurality of connecting rods 11E (only one is shown in the figure), and has an operation delay corresponding to the clearance between the flanges of the operation element 20A, and The operation of the mechanism is transmitted.

In this embodiment, the movable plate 24 is wound around the connecting rod portion 13C, and the compression spring 17 is interposed between the form 16 and the holding piece support member 13B.
As a result, the movable plate 24 is held downward, and is wound around the connecting rod portion 11E by a compression spring 26 interposed between the form 16 and the collet chuck elevating member 11D. The collet chuck lifting member 11D is held downward.

As shown in FIG. 4, the supply / discharge robot C is provided with an advance / retreat slider 41 (Y-axis direction slider) that slides with respect to a numerical control slider D (X-axis direction slider) and a slider 41 mounted thereon. A vertical slider 42 (Z-axis direction slider), a rotation control unit 43 supported by the slider 42, a lens hand 44 that can rotate 180 degrees about a horizontal axis, and a tip of the lens hand 44. It is composed of a pair of suction portions 45A and 45B in opposite directions.
In this embodiment, cushion springs 46A and 46B for elastically supporting the lens hand 44 in the radial direction are provided for the rotating portion 43A of the rotation control unit.

As shown in FIG. 5, the supply mechanism G of the active energy ray-curable resin is provided on a numerically controlled vertical slider 51 and a support head 51A of a liquid supply device provided on the vertical slider 51. A stepping motor 52, a ball screw shaft 53 pivotally supported by the support head 51A and pivotally driven by the stepping motor 52, and a piston 54B which mounts the syringe 54A on the support head 51A and slides with respect to the syringe 54A.
The piston-cylinder mechanism 54 which is moved up and down by the ball screw shaft 53, the needle 55 attached to the lower end of the syringe 54A, and the active energy ray-curable resin sucked into the syringe 54A when the piston 54B rises are stored and stored. For this purpose, it comprises a petri dish 56 mounted on the lower base 19 and a frame 57 thereof.

Next, an embodiment of the molding apparatus of the present invention will be specifically described. First, before the molding process by the control system H, the vertical slider 51 is driven and the support head 51 is driven.
A is lowered, the needle 55 is guided into the petri dish 56, the stepping motor 52 is driven, the piston 54B is pulled up, and a desired amount of the active energy ray-curable resin in the petri dish 56 is sucked into the syringe 54A.
Thereafter, the vertical slider 51 is driven in reverse, and the support head 51A is raised to a required height. Also, at the start stage, as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the mold lid 15 is engaged with the engagement portion 15C by the fork hand 30A by the operation of the second cylinder mechanism 30 of the elevating / retracting means. It is lifted upward by the operation of the one-cylinder mechanism 31 (FIG. 14).
In step S1).

On the other hand, at the supply position of the molded glass base material and the discharge position of the molded product (set at a required position where the lens hand 44 can be moved by the slider D), the rotary unit 43 rotates by 180 degrees with respect to the horizontal axis. The formed glass base material 5 is sucked and held by one of the suction portions 45A at the tip of the lens hand 44 by the lens hand 44 that can be provided, and is brought under the supply mechanism G. Then, the piston 54B is lowered by the reverse rotation of the stepping motor 52, and the active energy-curable resin, which is a resin material, is spot-fed to the center of one surface of the molded glass base material 5.

When the supply of the resin is confirmed, the tip of the lens hand 44 is placed on the holding piece 13 through the entrance 15B by the descent of the lifting / lowering means (vertical slider 42) and the advance of the advance / retreat means (advance / retreat slider 42). Bring. In this embodiment, prior to this, the servo motor 25 is driven to move the moving plate 24 up. Then, the lens unit 44 is inverted by the operation of the rotation unit 43, and the molded glass base material 5 is received at the upper end of the holding piece 13 (see steps S6 to S9 in FIG. 14). In the course of the continuous molding process, the molded glass base material 5 on which the first-layer resin film has been molded is transferred to the lens hand 44.
Before the reversal, the suction is performed by the vacant suction portion 45B, and then the lens hand 44 is slightly raised at one end and then reversed (see steps S2 to S6 in FIG. 14). Also,
At this time, by the operation of the cylinder mechanism 20, the collet chuck elevating member 11D rises relatively to the holding piece 13,
The cam portion 11B is slid with respect to the cam follow surface 13A to hold the collet chuck 11 in an open state (see FIG. 11).

When the placement of the glass preform 5 is confirmed,
Next, by the operation of the cylinder mechanism 20, the collet chuck elevating member 11D descends relatively to the holding piece 13, and slides the cam portion 11B against the cam follow surface 13A.
The collet chuck 11 is changed to the closed state. As a result, the outer periphery of the glass base material 5 is held by the claws 11A of the collet chuck 11, and the axial alignment of the mold member at the first stage can be performed. At the same time, the lens hand 44 releases the suction action on the glass base material, and is led out by the functions of the lifting and lowering and moving means (see steps S9 to S12 in FIG. 14). Thereafter, the mold lid 15 is moved to the first cylinder mechanism 3.
The fork hand 30A is disengaged from the engagement portion 15B by the action of the first cylinder mechanism 30 and the second cylinder mechanism 30. As a result, the mold lid 15 is in a state where the glass base material 5 is suppressed from above at the top (see FIG. 12).

In this embodiment, in the next stage, the cylinder mechanism 20 is operated (the compression spring 26 also cooperates), and the collet chuck elevating member 11D is slightly moved up and down to open and close the collet chuck 11. Perform at least once.
As a result, even if the attitude of the glass base material 5 placed on the upper edge of the holding piece 13 is slightly inclined, the glass base material 5 is corrected to a horizontal state, and a correct placement state is obtained. Thus, it is possible to avoid unevenness in the spread of the resin during the subsequent mold clamping, to avoid the resulting defective shape of the resin film, and to prevent air from being trapped between the glass base material 5 and the resin.

Next, the servo motor 25 is driven in reverse,
The moving plate 24 is lowered, and the holding piece 13 and the collet chuck 11 are lowered. At this time, the collet chuck 11
The rear end is guided by the tapered portion 16C, and completes accurate alignment with the glass base material 5. In this state,
The resin comes into contact with the molding surface of the mold member 10, and the glass base material 5 separates from the upper edge of the holding piece 13. Then, the resin is spread around on the molding surface under the load of the mold lid 15 while taking a little time due to the resistance due to its viscosity (for example, viscosity of 2000 CPS), and is compressed and expanded into a flat plate shape. You.

In this embodiment, in the above operation process,
Again, the cylinder mechanism 20 is operated (the compression spring 26 also cooperates), the collet chuck elevating member 11D is slightly moved up and down, and the opening and closing operation of the collet chuck 11 is performed at least once. In the open state of the collet chuck 11, the chucking is not uniform, and if there is a gap between the mold supporting portion 16 </ b> A and the glass base material 5, the load of the mold lid 15 further increases the glass base material 5. At the stage where the gap between the lower surface and the molding surface of the mold member 10 is reduced and the resin spreads sufficiently around the molding surface, the periphery of the glass base material 5 is located at the periphery of the mold member 16A. To ensure an accurate horizontal position. At this stage, the collet chuck 11 is closed. In this manner, when forming the resin film on the lower surface of the glass base material 5, the resin flow between the glass base material 5 and the mold member 10 is given a certain degree of freedom, and the uneven load due to the mold cover 15 is reduced. In addition, the resin development is equalized to prevent the resin film from being damaged, and the accurate alignment of the glass base material 5 with the molding surface of the mold member 10 is completed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 13, ultraviolet rays as active energy rays are transmitted from above through the irradiation window 15A to the glass base material 5 by the ultraviolet irradiation device 35,
The resin film is cured. In the case of this embodiment, the stage (irradiation for a set time) at which the resin hardening is realized at 70 to 80% is checked, and the collet chuck 11 is opened here.
This avoids stress strain generated between the glass base material 5 and the mold member 10 due to shrinkage of the resin film until the final curing, and improves the surface accuracy of the optical functional surface of the optical element molded product after molding. Can be kept high.

When the end of the ultraviolet irradiation is detected, the first and second cylinder mechanisms 31 and 30 are operated, the mold lid 15 is raised by the fork hand 30A, and then the release cylinder mechanism 21 is operated. , Its operator 21A
To raise the holding piece 13 and the collet chuck 11, so that the rear end of the collet chuck 11 is
The collet chuck 11 is removed from A and the collet chuck 11 is opened by the elasticity of the shaft portion of the collet chuck. In addition, the lens hand 44 is moved from the outside to the entrance 1
It is brought on the glass base material 5 via 5B, and the molded product is adsorbed and carried out by its adsorption action.
In this case, after the molded product is adsorbed, the lens hand 44 is inverted in the mold lid 15 and the next glass base material adsorbed to the opposite suction portion (the molding surface of this glass base material is also The resin is supplied) on the upper end of the holding piece 13 in the same manner as described above, and in the subsequent process, the same molding as described above is performed to form the first resin film.

After the lens hand 44 is led out,
By the operation of the slider D, the robot C is moved to the resin supply mechanism G side in order to supply the second-layer resin onto the first-layer resin film of the molded glass base material (Step S1 in FIG. 14).
3 and S14). Then, similarly to the above, after the supply of the resin is achieved, the slider D is driven to access the mold member (B) for the second layer forming film (steps S15 to S17 in FIG. 14). reference). The subsequent molding operation with the mold member (B) corresponding to the second layer is as follows:
This is the same as the case of the first layer described above (see steps S18 to S29 in FIG. 14).

After the lens hand 44 is led out,
By the operation of the slider D, the robot C discharges the completed molded product, and is moved to a place having the above-described supply / discharge mechanism in order to adsorb the next molded glass base material to the adsorption portion of the lens hand 44. (See step S30 in FIG. 14). Here, the robot C releases the suction of the suction unit holding the molded product, and suction-holds a new molded glass base material (FIG. 14).
Steps S31 to S33). Thereafter, in the same manner as described above, the robot C is moved to the position of the resin supply mechanism G by the operation of the slider D to supply the resin to the molding surface of the glass base material (steps S34 through S34 in FIG. 14).
37). After that, the robot C is moved to the forming mold member (A) for the first layer forming film, and the first step S
Return to 1. In such an operation process of the robot C,
As described above, in each of the molding die members (A and B), the operation of forming the resin film on the molding surface of the molded glass base material is performed by the operation mechanism and the ultraviolet irradiation device 35.

The above-described control is uniformly executed by a command from the control system H. The work flow in the resin supply mechanism G is circulated, for example, as shown in FIG. 15, and the suction of resin from the petri dish by the piston / cylinder mechanism 54 is performed in the first and second layers. The total amount of resin supply is performed once. Further, the cylinder mechanisms 30, 31 in each of the molding die members (A and B) are used.
, The work flow of the cylinder mechanism 20 for the collet chuck, and the work flow of the release cylinder mechanism 21 are, for example, FIGS. 16A to 16C, respectively.
Is performed as shown in FIG. In addition, the work flow of the servo motor 25 and the work flow of the ultraviolet irradiation device 35 for raising and lowering the holding piece are performed, for example, as shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, respectively.

In the above embodiment, an apparatus for forming a replica lens in which two layers of resin film are formed on one side is described. However, two layers are formed on both sides, or one layer is formed on one side and two layers are formed on the other side. It is a matter of course that the molding apparatus of the present invention can be applied to molding of an optical element for forming a layer resin film.

[0028]

As described above, according to the present invention, a molding glass base material is supplied to a molding die member having a molding surface corresponding to a predetermined optical function surface, and then the molding surface and the glass The active energy ray-curable resin supplied between the base material and the base material is spread on a molding surface when the mold member is clamped, and is cured by irradiation with active energy rays to form a resin film on the surface of the glass base material. In the apparatus for molding an optical element as described above, the molding die member is composed of a pair of molding die members for at least one layer and two layers.
In connection with this, an operating mechanism, an active energy ray irradiation mechanism, and an active energy ray irradiating mechanism provided corresponding to the molding die member for performing press molding with each molding die member, A supply / discharge robot commonly used for one-layer and two-layer molding die members for supplying and discharging the molded glass base material and the molded product after molding, respectively, and the molded glass held by the robot Since it is provided with a supply mechanism for supplying the active energy ray-curable resin to the base material and a control system for sequentially controlling the operation of the robot and each mechanism in a predetermined cycle, the minimum equipment investment, and Suitable for multi-kind small-quantity production and high operation rate can be achieved.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an embodiment of an optical element molding apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is also a schematic side view.

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional front view of a molding die member and an operation mechanism of the molding die member in the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing the robot and its operation mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a resin supply mechanism for forming a resin film.

FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing a mechanism for opening and closing a mold lid.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the mold lid.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a laminated state of a resin film on a formed glass base material.

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an operation state of the apparatus showing each stage of a molding order.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional front view showing an operation state of the apparatus showing each stage of a molding order.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an operation state of the apparatus showing each stage of a molding order.

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an operation state of the apparatus showing each stage of a molding order.

FIG. 13 is a longitudinal sectional front view showing an operation state of the apparatus showing each stage of a molding order.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing an operation state of the apparatus centering on the operation of the robot.

FIG. 15 is a flowchart showing an operation state of the resin supply mechanism.

FIGS. 16A to 16C are flowcharts showing operating states of the respective working mechanisms.

FIGS. 17A and 17B are flowcharts showing the operating state of each working mechanism.

[Explanation of symbols]

 A, B Molding member C Robot D Numerical control slider E, F Ultraviolet irradiation device G Resin supply mechanism H Control system 5 Preformed glass base material 10 Molding member 11 Collet chuck 13 Hugging piece (support member) 15 Mold cover

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁷ Identification symbol FI // B29K 105: 20 105: 24 B29L 11:00 (56) References JP-A-1-171933 (JP, A) JP-A 4-371813 (JP, A) JP-A-4-78505 (JP, A) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) B29C 39/04-39/12 B29C 39/22-39 / 44 B29D 11/00 G02B 3/00-3/02

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] (1)Optical function surfaceCompatible withdidComponent with molding surface
Shape mold memberAnd between the molded glass base materialActive energy ray
Curable resinSupplyResin film on the surface of the glass base material
MoldingDoIn an optical element molding apparatus,The resin film is small
At least one and two layers of resin film
Molding molds for at least one layer and two layers
Operating the respective molding die members.Operation mechanism
And an active energy ray irradiation mechanism,the aboveEach mold member
The molded glass base material and the molded product
To supply and discharge respectivelySharedSupply and discharge b
The bot and the formed glass mother held by the robot
Supply of active energy ray-curable resin to materialsmeans
And the robot and each mechanism in a predetermined cycle in order.
Next, it is characterized by having a control system for operation controlWhen
didOptical element molding equipment. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the supply and discharge for the robot, the Ren
FIG hand, a pair of suction portion opposite directions to each other, upper
Glass base material and forming before forming for the forming mold member
Release the molded product from one suction part to the molding die
So that it is adsorbed from the mold member to the other adsorbing section.
2. The optical element molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the optical element is controlled.