JP4353954B2 - Heating method and apparatus by rotary heat transfer in press molding - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heating method and apparatus by rotary heat transfer in press molding of an optical element.

  FIG. 6 is a schematic sectional view of a conventional optical element manufacturing apparatus 6. In FIG. 6, a mold 60 includes a lower mold 61 fixed to a gantry, an upper mold 62 that is moved under pressure, and a mold 63 that surrounds and guides the lower mold 61 and the upper mold 62 and is slidable. . Reference numeral 64 denotes an optical element material preliminarily processed into a predetermined shape, 67 and 68 respectively heat the lower mold 61 and the upper mold 62, a lower heating body, and 69 an optical element as a product.

  As shown in the drawing, in the manufacturing apparatus 1, at stage I, the molded product optical element 69 is taken out, and the optical element material 64 to be molded is set on the molding surface of the lower mold 61. In stage II, the upper mold 62 descends to the set optical element material 64. In stage III, the upper mold 62 is inserted into the mold 63, and the mold 60 in which the optical element material 64 is sealed is conveyed to the molding chamber entrance by a conveyor not indicated by reference numerals. In stage IV, preliminary heating is performed on the mold 60 that has been sequentially conveyed into the molding chamber 65. The mold 60 is transferred to the molding chamber 65 by the transfer jig 66, and is heated and pressurized while being moved to the stages V to VIII. The mold 60 is gradually cooled and transferred by the stages IX to XI. The die that has been cooled by the jig 66 is taken out from the molding chamber 65. Further, the upper die 62 is moved up to the stay XIV by the conveyor. In this way, the optical element 69 is manufactured by performing a series of operations such as a heating process, a pressing process, and a cooling process within a predetermined time.

  In the molding chamber 65, when the optical element material 64 is heated, the lower mold 61 and the upper mold 62 are heated by heat conduction of the contact heating elements 67 and 68 shown in FIG. 6 or the radiant heating element 77 shown in FIG. The heat is transferred by this, and the optical element material 64 is heated to a predetermined softening temperature.

  FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of another conventional optical element manufacturing apparatus 7. The mold 70 encapsulating the optical element material 74 is set on a table and heated by a radiation type heating element 77 surrounded by the mold 70 at a distance, so that the optical element material 74 is softened.

  The optical element materials 64 and 74 are uniformly heated by the contact-type or radiation-type heating element to heat the optical element materials 64 and 74. However, the heat source, the optical element material, or the molds 60 and 70 Depending on the structure and material, it takes time until it is uniformly heated, and it may not be heated uniformly within a predetermined process time. On the other hand, when heated for a long time, the optical element material is partially oxidized and the characteristics of the optical element may be impaired, so that the heating time is limited. Therefore, it is desirable to have a method and apparatus capable of heating uniformly within a predetermined process time in order to mold a highly accurate optical element.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a heating method and apparatus capable of forming a high-quality optical element with a simple heating operation.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention surrounds the outside of a molding die by a setting step of setting a molding die encapsulating an optical element material on a table, and heating means. It is intended to provide a heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding, which includes a heating step for heating in step 1 and a relative rotation step for rotating either the heating means or the molding die.

  In the heating step, the heating unit is moved by the moving unit so as to approach or move away from the molding die set on the table.

  In the rotation step, the table is preferably rotated by the driving means.

  According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a heating device by rotary heat transfer in press molding for heating a molding die in which an optical element material is set, and the molding die is provided on the surface thereof. A table to be placed; heating means provided at an upper part of the table and having a heating element surrounding the outer periphery of the molding die so as to be movable; and drive means connected to the table and rotating the table. Another object of the present invention is to provide a heating device by rotary heat transfer in press molding.

  The heating means preferably has a second heat generating element that shields the upper part of the molding die so as to be movable and surrounds the outside of the molding die and defines a space having an opening toward the table side. .

  It is preferable that the second heat generating element is further provided with a through hole through which the pressurizing element for pressing the molding die is passed.

  In the heating apparatus, it is preferable to provide a moving element that moves the heating means so as to approach or move away from the table.

  According to the present invention, when the mold enclosing the optical element material is heated in the space surrounded by the heating elements, the table is rotated and set on the table regardless of the arrangement of the heating elements in the space. The periphery of the molding die can be heated, and uniform heating can be performed quickly within a predetermined time, thereby reducing the manufacturing time.

  Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows a heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing an apparatus 1 using a heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view schematically showing a heating state of the apparatus 1 using the method of the present invention. In the figure, reference numeral 2 is a table for setting the molding die 12, 3 is a heating means for heating the molding die 12, and 4 is a driving means for rotating the table 2 via the rotary shaft 13.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding of the present invention sets a molding die 12 enclosing the optical element material 11 on the table 2 in step S <b> 10. In step S12, the outside of the molding die 12 is surrounded by the heating means 3 and heated. Note that the heating means 3 is moved up and down by the moving element 15 toward and away from the molding die 12 set on the table 2. In step S14, either one of the heating means 3 and the molding die 12 is rotated and rotated relative to the other. As shown in FIG. 2, a motor 4 is provided as a driving unit, and the table 2 is rotated via a rotating shaft 13.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the apparatus 1 using the method of the present invention includes a table 2, a heating device, and a heating device that are based on rotary heat transfer in press molding that heats a molding die 12 enclosing an optical element material 11. Means 3 and driving means 4 are included.

  The table 2 is provided in a chamber surrounded by a frame 10 having a square cross section, and a molding die 12 is set on the surface 21 thereof.

  The heating means 3 is provided on the upper portion of the table 2 and shields the first heat generating element 31 that surrounds the outer peripheral portion 121 of the molding die 12 and the upper portion of the molding die 12 so as to be movable. A second heating element 32 that defines a space 30 having an opening toward the table 2 is provided together with the heating element 31. In this example, the second heat generating element 32 is further provided with a through hole 322, and the movable rod 141 provided in the cylinder tube 142 is passed through as the pressurizing element 14 for pressing the molding die 12. . Moreover, the moving element 15 connected to the 1st heat generating element 31 of the heating means 3 is provided, and the 1st heat generating element 31 is moved so that it may approach or move away from the 1st table side. Note that the moving element 15 is a cylinder device in this example, and moves the heating means 3 up and down via the frame 10 by a movable rod. The second heat generating element 32 only needs to define a sealed space together with the first heat generating element 31 when the molding die 12 is heated, and the main body does not need to generate heat.

  For example, a motor may be used as the driving unit 4. The motor 4 is connected to the table 2 via the rotary shaft 13 outside the frame body 10, and rotates the table 2.

  In the apparatus using the method of the present invention, in step S10, the molding die 12 enclosing the optical element material 11 is set on the table 2 (FIG. 2). In step S <b> 12, the heating unit 3 is lowered by the moving element 15 to surround the molding die 2 set on the table 2. In step S <b> 14, the table 2 is rotated by the driving unit 4 via the rotation shaft 13, the molding die 12 is rotated with respect to the heating unit 3, and the molding die 12 is heated in the space 30.

  When the molding die 12 is heated to a predetermined temperature, the rotation of the table 2 is stopped by the driving means 4, and the movable rod 141 is lowered to the molding die 12 side through the through hole 322 to press the optical element. Begin. Then, an optical element having a predetermined shape is obtained through the cooling operation.

  As described above, when the mold 12 enclosing the optical element material 11 is heated in the space 30 surrounded by the heating means 3, the table 2 is rotated and the molding mold 12 set on the table 2 is rotated. The molding die 12 can be heated quickly and uniformly to shorten the manufacturing time, and the quality of the optical element can be maintained.

  4 and 5 are longitudinal sectional views schematically showing another apparatus using the method of the present invention.

As shown in the drawing, a plurality of stages 130H ₁ , 130H ₂ , 130P, 130C ₁ , 130C ₂ , 130C ₃ corresponding to heating, pressing, and cooling processes are formed in a chamber 100 defined by a frame having a square cross section. Is provided between the stages 130H ₁ , 130H ₂ , 130P, 130C ₁ , 130C ₂ , 130C ₃ , and a specific stage 130H is provided by each transfer element 150. ₁ , 130H ₂ , 130P, 130C ₁ , 130C ₂ , 130C ₃ are subjected to heat treatment, press treatment, and cooling treatment, respectively, for the molding die 180 conveyed to the molding die 180. The heating means or cooling means of each stage has a U-shaped body having an opening toward the molding die 180, and each is connected by a first connecting element 114. The moving elements 110 and 110 for raising and lowering the respective heating means and cooling means are fixed to the outer surface portion of the upper frame of the chamber 100, have a cylinder tube 111 and a movable rod 112, and are connected by a second connecting element 115. The first connecting element 114 is connected to the first connecting element 114 via the longitudinal members 113, 113.

  In the stage 130P that performs the pressing process, through holes corresponding to each other are provided in the upper portions of the first connecting element 114 and the heating means 133, and the movable rod 122 of the pressing device 120 provided on the outer surface of the upper frame penetrates and forms The mold 180 can be pressed. The mounting tables 140, 140,... Corresponding to the respective stages are connected to a gear device 160 that is driven by a motor power unit 190 via corresponding rotating shafts 170, 170,.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the molding dies 180, 180,... Encapsulating the optical element material are localized on the tables 140, 140,. The moving element 110 is driven to lower the U-shaped heating element and cooling element, and each mold 180 is sealed. Next, the gear device 160 is driven by the motor 190 to rotate the table 140 through the rotating shaft 170, and the mold 180 is heated or lowered quickly and uniformly. Therefore, the loss of the characteristics of the optical element to be molded is also greatly reduced. Thus, the rotary heating method of the present invention can be applied to a series of manufacturing processes.

  As described above, the method and apparatus of the present invention can heat the mold in the molding apparatus and uniformly heat it early, reduce the manufacturing time, and obtain a high-quality optical element.

1 schematically shows a heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows schematically the apparatus 1 using the heating method by rotary heat transfer in the press molding of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows roughly the heating state of the apparatus using the method of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows schematically the other apparatus using the method of this invention. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows schematically the other apparatus using the method of this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the manufacturing apparatus of the conventional optical element. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the manufacturing apparatus of the other conventional optical element.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Frame 11 Optical element material 12 Mold 13 Rotating shaft 14 Pressurizing element 141 Movable rod 142 Cylinder tube 15 Moving element 2 Table 21 Surface 3 Heating means 30 Space 31 First heating element 32 Second heating element 322 Hole 4 Motor (drive means)
100 Chamber 110 Moving element 111 Cylinder tube 112 Movable rod 113 Vertical member 114 First connecting element 115 Second connecting element 120 Press device 121 Outer peripheral part 122 Movable rods 130H ₁ , 130H ₂ , 130P, 130C ₁ , 130C ₂ , 130C ₃ stage 133 heating means 140 mounting table 150 transfer element 160 gear unit 170 rotating shaft 180 molding die 190 power unit

Claims (5)

A set step of setting a molding die enclosing the optical element material on a table;
A heating step of surrounding and heating the outside of the molding die by a heating means;
A relative rotation step of rotating any of the heating means and the molding die,
In the heating step, the heating means is moved so as to approach or move away from the molding die set on the table by a moving means.
Heating method by rotary heat transfer in press molding.   2. The method according to claim 1, wherein in the rotating step, the table is rotated by a driving unit, and the molding die is rotated with respect to the heating unit. A heating device by rotary heat transfer in press molding for heating a molding die in which an optical element material is set,
A table on which the molding die is placed;
A heating means provided on an upper part of the table and having a heating element movably surrounding an outer periphery of the molding die;
A moving element that moves the heating means to approach or move away from the table;
Drive means connected to the table for rotating the table;
A heating device by rotary heat transfer in press molding, characterized by comprising:   The heating means further shields the upper part of the molding die so as to be movable, and together with the heating element surrounding the outside of the molding die, defines a second heat generation that defines a space having an opening toward the table side. 4. The device according to claim 3, comprising an element. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the second heating element is further provided with a through hole through which a pressurizing element for pressing the molding die is passed.

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