JPH06143116A - Lens conveying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To miniaturize a lens conveying system by adding a device for performing alignment of lenses to a lens conveying deice, and supplying aligned lenses to respective processing device or respective measuring devices. CONSTITUTION:Finger parts 26, 27 provided with lens holding parts are provided on the top end of a turning arm 7 capable of being turned, and a lens aligning device, a lens working device and a lens measuring device are arranged on the turning track at the top end of the turning arm 7.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lens transfer device for transferring a lens to be processed to a grinding and polishing machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a large number of lenses are processed or measured continuously through a plurality of processing steps and measurement steps, the lenses are efficiently conveyed to an apparatus that performs each step. It is important to process and measure it.
Hereinafter, a commonly used lens transport system will be described. The lens transport system is roughly a transport line such as a belt conveyor that is a device that transports a large amount of lenses, a processing device used in each processing step and a measurement device used in each measurement step, and before and after the measurement. The lens transporting device transports the lens from the transporting line to the processing device and the measuring device, and transports the lens after the completion of processing and after the measurement to the transporting line again. The respective processing devices and measuring devices are arranged in the order of the work procedure along the carrying direction of the carrying line, and the lens carrying device is provided between the carrying line and the respective working devices and measuring devices. Has been.

Here, as the above-mentioned lens conveying device, for example, there is one described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-167644. The lens transfer device described in this publication transfers a lens from a transfer line to a processing device, and has two sets of chucks for detachably holding a pallet, the chucks being vertically moved by an actuator and other actuators. Is configured to move between the transfer line and the processing machine.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned lens transport device has the following problems. That is, in the lens transporting device of the above publication, the lens holder and the lens pallet are used to fit the lens outer diameter to each other. However, when the lens wall thickness is as thin as 1 to 2 mm, the fitting length on the lens pallet is short. There is a problem in that it becomes unstable, the holding in the pallet becomes inaccurate, and the supply to the processing machine becomes defective. Further, in order to balance the lens outer diameter, it is necessary to manufacture the pallet with high accuracy, which causes a problem that the pallet manufacturing cost increases. Furthermore, according to the conventional lens transport system, each lens transport device is required for each processing device and measurement device (for example, a spherical measurement function by a simple sphere meter). There was a cost problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an apparatus for centering a lens is added to a lens transporting apparatus so that the lens in the centered state is provided to each processing apparatus and each measuring apparatus. It is an object of the present invention to realize the downsizing of the lens transport system by supplying the lens to each processing device and each measuring device by one lens transport device. It is another object of the present invention to provide a lens transport device which prevents the lens from being displaced during transport, can be reliably delivered to and from the processing machine, and has a lens reversing function and a simple spherical surface measuring function.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, a lens transporting device of the present invention is provided with a swiveling arm, a swiveling arm, and a plurality of lens holding portions which are rotatably provided at the tip of the swiveling arm. A finger portion having and provided on the turning trajectory of the tip of the turning arm,
A centering device for centering the lens with respect to the lens holding part, and at least a device for processing the lens on the turning trajectory of the tip of the turning arm or a device for measuring the shape or performance of the lens. It is characterized in that one device can be arranged.

[0007]

In the lens transporting device of the present invention having the above-mentioned structure, the lens is transported to each device while maintaining the lens centering state by the lens centering device. Further, the lens transportation to the apparatus (centering, processing, spherical surface measurement) for performing each process is handled by one lens transportation apparatus, and the entire system for transporting the lens is downsized.

Several embodiments of the lens transport device according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same elements will be denoted by the same reference symbols, without redundant description.

[0009]

First Embodiment First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 1
2 is a front sectional view of a lens transporting device that constitutes a lens transporting system, FIG. 2 is a top sectional view, FIG. 3 is a side sectional view, and FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged side sectional view. This example
Revolving arm 7 capable of revolving by the cam drive indexing device 5
Fingers 26 and 27 that are rotatable by the rotary actuator 8 are provided at the tip of the lens, and convey the lens 13. The lens transport device of this embodiment is installed on a transport line that transports the lens, and a processing machine for processing the lens and a spherical shape of the processed lens are provided around the lens transport device. A simple spherical measuring instrument for measurement is arranged. In addition, 13b is a processed lens and 13a is an unprocessed lens.

Here, point A in FIG. 2 is a position for transferring the lens 13 to the work head 23 of the processing machine, point B is a standby position before the lens 13 is transferred, and point C is on a conveyor (not shown). The transfer position of the moving lens pallet 21 and the centering position of the centering chuck 16, and the lens 13 is reversed to insert the cylinder 1.
It is an inverted position that is inverted by 9. Point D is a measurement position where the simple spherical surface measurement of the lens 13 is performed, and point E is a transfer position between the adjacent lens transport devices. In the lens transport device of this embodiment, the turning position of the turning arm is E.
It is configured symmetrically so that points match.

Next, the structure of the entire apparatus will be described. The revolving arm 7 revolves by the cam drive indexing device 5, and the reversible motor 6 is provided as its drive source. Here, the swivel arm 7 is provided with a switch dog 15 for detecting the above-mentioned points A to E, and a magnetic switch 14 is fixed to each of the points A to E so as to face the switch dog 15. Two fingers 26, 27 for lens handling are rotatably attached to the tip of the swivel arm 7 via a bearing box 9, and the rotary actuator 8 converts the vertical positions of both fingers 26, 27. It is like this. The base 1 to which the above-mentioned entire mechanism is attached is moved by the vertically moving cylinder 4 to three positions of rising, intermediate stopping, and lowering.

Next, the fingers 26 and 27 are shown in FIG.
Will be described. The lens 13 is suction-fixed to the suction pad 28 fixed to the inner cylinder 11. A vacuum generator (not shown) is connected to the suction pad 28. The inner cylinder 11 is vertically slidable in the outer cylinder 10, and the compression spring 12
Is urged upward in FIG. This compression spring 1
Reference numeral 2 serves as a buffer member when the lens 13 is transferred to the work machine work head 23 or the lens pallet 21.

Further, a plunger 30 is provided at the center of the suction surface of the lens 13 of the suction pad 28 so as to be constantly urged by a spring. The plunger 30 prevents the lens 13 from being displaced when the lens is handed over. That is, in order to transfer the lens 13 from the suction pad 28 to the work head 23 of the processing machine, the suction is released by breaking the vacuum of the vacuum generator, but the lens 13 may be displaced due to shock and vibration at this time. is there. Therefore, the center of the lens 13 is held by the plunger 30. Similarly, when the lens 13 is received from the lens pallet 21, the plunger 30 sucks the lens 13 in a fixed posture, so that even if the lens position in the pallet 21 is unstable, the lens 13 is reliably sucked and held.

Next, the means for reversing the upper and lower surfaces of the lens 13 will be described. On the top plate 2 fixed to the base 1, a centering chuck 16 used when transferring the lens and a reversing insertion cylinder 19 used when reversing the lens are mounted. Reverse insertion cylinder 19
A suction pad 20 is attached to the tip of the lens, and the lens 13 can be suction-fixed by a vacuum generator (not shown).

Next, a means for performing simple spherical surface measurement of the lens 13 will be described. Measuring cylinder 18 fixed to the base 1
The suction pad 20 is attached to the tip of the lens 13
Is fixed by adsorption. A signal-attached dial gauge 17 (a dial gauge with an upper and lower limit electrical signal) is attached above the measuring cylinder 18, and a ball lacking ring (not shown) is attached to this dial gauge 17 and a suction pad 20 is fixed to the lens by suction. By ascending and abutting 13
3 is a simple spherical measurement.

Next, the operation of the lens transport device of this embodiment will be described. In the present embodiment, the conveyance of the lens 13 is carried out by combining the revolving operation of the revolving arm 7 by the cam drive indexing device 5, the overall elevating and lowering operation by the up and down cylinder 4, and the up and down position conversion operation of the fingers 26, 27 by the rotary actuator 8. I do. First, the turning arm 7 turns from the waiting point B to the centering point C. The finger 27 descends, adsorbs the unprocessed lens 13b in the lens pallet 21, and rises again. Here, it temporarily stops at the intermediate position and is vertically converted so that the finger 27 is on the upper side. The lens 13b that has further risen to the upper end is centered by the centering chuck 16, and then once descends to an intermediate position and pivotally moves to the standby point B,
Convert the vertical position and wait.

When the processing completion signal of the processing machine is received, the turning arm 7 turns to the processing point A and moves up. The processed lens 13a fixed to the work head 23 of the processing machine is sucked and fixed by the other finger 26 and then lowered, and the vertical positions of the fingers 26 and 27 are converted at the intermediate position, and then the lens is lifted again to be centered. The raw lens 13b is supplied to the processing machine. The processing machine receives a signal that the revolving arm 7 has passed the standby point B and descends to the processing machine grindstone shaft 22 to perform grinding and polishing.

On the other hand, the finger 26 to which the processed lens 13a is fixed by suction moves to the measuring point D, passes the lens 13a to the suction pad 20 of the measuring cylinder 18, and then moves up to an intermediate position at the centering point C. stand by. The processed lens 13a adsorbed and fixed to the measuring cylinder 18 rises, and a simple spherical surface measurement is performed by the dial gauge with signal 17 to measure the processing accuracy, and the quality is judged. If the judgment is NG, an alarm is sounded to notify the work operator. If the determination is OK, the lens 13a is delivered to the finger 26 that has descended and swung the measuring cylinder 18. The finger 26 is at the centering point C.
To the lens pallet 21. With the above, the transfer between the lens processing machine and the transfer line is completed. When the lens 13 is to be inverted, the vertical position of the finger 26 is changed at the centering point C, and the lens 26 is transferred to the suction pad 20 of the reverse insertion cylinder 19, and the lens is directly transferred from the suction pad 20 to the lens pallet 21. Good.

It should be noted that the processing device includes any device as long as it processes the lens other than grinding and polishing, and the measuring device for measuring the shape of the lens is not limited to the spherical measuring device, but can be applied to the lens. Lever shape (for example, outer diameter,
Any device that measures wall thickness shall be included. Further, not only the shape of the lens but also a measuring device for measuring the performance of the lens (in particular, when the processing is polishing) may be arranged on the turning radius. Any device that measures the performance of a lens, such as a device, includes any device.

Further, in this embodiment, the position of the point E of the revolving arm is not particularly used, but the point E is
Other processing devices, measuring devices, etc. may be arranged. In addition, the space for arranging each processing and measuring device is determined by the turning radius of the turning arm, so when the number of devices becomes large and the space becomes insufficient, the lens transport device is provided symmetrically and each lens It is possible to arrange different devices at the positions of the turning radius of the transport device and transfer lenses between both lens transport devices to compensate for the lack of space. Further, in the present embodiment, the finger portion is provided with the two lens holding portions, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the finger portions may be provided with three or more lens holding portions as necessary.

According to this embodiment, the fingers 26, 27 are
Since the processing machine transfer position, the lens pallet transfer position, the lens centering position, the lens reversal position, and the simple spherical measurement position are arranged on the orbit of, the respective positions can be indexed only by the cam drive indexing device 5. It is possible to realize a lens transport device having a function. Further, since the lens moving distance is short, the series of operations described above is completed during lens processing by the processing machine, and the preparation for supplying the next unprocessed lens can be performed quickly and reliably.

Further, according to the present embodiment, since the lens is conveyed to the apparatus (centering, processing, spherical surface measurement) for performing each step by one lens conveying apparatus, the whole lens conveying system is provided. Can be miniaturized. Further, since the lens centering function is added to the lens transport device, it is possible to deliver the lens accurately with a simple lens pallet. Further, since the lens is handed over while pushing the inner diameter of the lens with the plunger, the lens can be delivered with certainty, and the reversal of the lens and the simple spherical surface measuring function can be realized with a small and simple structure.

[0023]

Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Figure 5
6 is a front sectional view of the lens transport device, FIG. 6 is a top sectional view, FIG. 7 is a side sectional view, and FIG. In this embodiment, the turning arm 7 is driven by the servo motor 24 instead of the cam drive indexing device 5 of the first embodiment. Further, the mounting position of the plunger 30 is changed from the finger shaft 29 to the inner cylinder 11. In this embodiment, since the servomotor is used to drive the revolving arm, the degree of freedom of the transfer position is widened and more additional functions can be added. Further, by fixing the plunger 30 to the inner cylinder 11 and opening the ventilation hole around the plunger 30, the suction efficiency is lower than that of the first embodiment, but even if the stroke of the compression spring in the plunger 30 is short. It is ready to respond.

[0024]

As described above, according to the lens carrying device of the present invention, by adding the lens centering device to the lens carrying device, the lens can be attached to each device while maintaining the lens centering state. Since the lens can be transported, the precision of the lens pallet when the lens is inserted into the transport line does not need to be very high, and it is not necessary to create the pallet with high precision according to the lens. Further, according to the present invention, the lens transportation to the apparatus (centering, processing, spherical surface measurement) for performing each step is handled by one lens transportation apparatus, so that the entire system for transporting the lens can be miniaturized. be able to.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front sectional view of a lens carrying device that constitutes a lens carrying system according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top cross-sectional view of the lens transport device according to the first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of the lens transport device according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a side cross-sectional view showing a part of the lens transport device of Example 1 in an enlarged manner.

FIG. 5 is a front sectional view showing a lens carrying device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a top cross-sectional view of the lens transport device according to the second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of a lens carrying device according to a second embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a side sectional view showing a part of the lens transport device of Example 2 in an enlarged manner.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Base 2 Top Plate 3 Guide 4 Vertical Cylinder 5 Cam Drive Indexing Device 6 Reversible Motor 7 Revolving Arm 8 Rotary Actuator 9 Bearing Box 10 Outer Cylinder 11 Inner Cylinder 12 Compression Spring 13 Lens 14 Magnetic Switch 15 Switch Dog 16 Centering Chuck 17 With Signal Dial gauge 18 Measuring cylinder 19 Reverse insertion cylinder 20 Suction pad 21 Lens pallet 22 Processing machine grindstone shaft 23 Processing machine work head 24 Servo motor 25 Bearing box 26, 27 fingers 28 Suction pad 29 Finger shaft 30 Plunger A Processing point B Standby point C Centering point D Measuring point E Transfer point

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A swivel arm that is swivelable, a swingable arm at the tip of the swivel arm, a finger portion having a plurality of lens holding portions, and a swivel path at the tip of the swivel arm, A centering device for centering the lens with respect to the lens holding part, and at least a device for processing the lens on the turning trajectory of the tip of the turning arm or a device for measuring the shape or performance of the lens. A lens conveying device, wherein one device can be arranged.