JPH1029826A - Device for positioning central position of optical preform - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To position the preform center of an optical preform prior to forming to the central position at the point where the optical preform is placed by placing the optical preform on a reference member which supports the disk surface of the optical preform and has a known positioning point and moving the optical preform to the known positioning point while controlling the optical preform by a driving means. SOLUTION: This device has the reference member 11 which has the positioning point of the known position and has the supplying part 11a which supports the disk surface of the optical preform P. The device has driving means 12a, 12b, 12c for positioning the optical preform P so as to position the preform center of the optical preform P onto the positioning axis which is the axis passing the positioning point. The driving means 12a to 12c are connected respectively straight bar-shaped moving members (chucks) 13a, 13b, 13c. The optical preform P is moved by the movement thereof. The front ends of the respective chucks 13a to 13c have sensors 15a, 15b, 15c for detecting that these front ends come into contact with an object.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical material center positioning device for determining the position of the center of the outer diameter of an optical material made of an optical material such as optical glass.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an optical component, for example, a glass lens is subjected to grinding or polishing in order to give a design lens surface shape to an optical material made of an optical material including an optical glass such as a crown glass and a flint glass. It has been manufactured by performing a polishing step and a centering step of making the center axis of the lens coincide with the optical axis by grinding the outer peripheral portion.

On the other hand, in recent years, in the manufacture of relatively small-diameter aspherical lenses and the like, a "press molding method" in which an optical material made of an optical material is placed in a mold and pressure-molded has been used. In this method, as shown in FIG. 5, an optical material P made of an optical material such as optical glass is prepared. The molding apparatus includes a lower mold 51 having a female recess having a lower surface shape of the lens.
An upper mold 52 having a female concave portion having an upper surface shape of the lens;
It is configured with a trunk mold 53. The upper mold 52 is driven up and down by a hydraulic mechanism 54. The body mold 53 is guiding means for making the position of the female recess of the upper mold 52 exactly match the position of the female recess of the lower mold 51 when the upper mold 52 comes into contact with the lower mold 51. A heating device 55 is provided around the molding device.
Is arranged.

In the case of performing press molding, first, the optical material P is placed on the female mold concave portion of the lower mold 51, and is heated by the heating device 53 (FIG. 5A). The heating is performed until the temperature of the glass becomes equal to or higher than the transition point of the glass. By this heating, the optical material P softens and becomes plastic. Next, in this state, the upper die 52 is lowered by the hydraulic mechanism 54 to press the optical material P (FIG. 5B). Thereby, the optical material P is formed into a lens shape formed between the lower mold 51 and the upper mold 52. Thereafter, the system is gradually cooled, the upper mold 52 is raised by the hydraulic mechanism 54, and the molded lens (hereinafter, referred to as “post-mold lens”) L is removed from the lower mold 51 (FIG. 5C).

When the optical material P is placed on the female mold concave portion of the lower mold 51 and when the lens L is taken out, the suction pad 61 provided at the tip of the arm 71 of the industrial robot is used.
Is used. The arm 71 has a pipe shape. Also,
The suction pad 61 is a funnel-shaped member made of silicon rubber or the like, and has an opening in the center.
1 communicates with the internal space. With such a configuration,
After the suction pad 61 is in contact with the lens L after molding, the arm 71
When the air is sucked by a vacuum pump or the like (not shown) through the suction pad 61, the inside of the suction pad 61 becomes a negative pressure. To the next process.

[0006]

Some of the lenses and the like molded by the above-mentioned conventional molding method require extremely high precision in the surface shape and dimensions. In such a case, FIG. Optical material P before molding shown in (A)
The precision of the shape and dimensions of the optical material P is high, and the optical material P is
It was necessary to accurately place the mold on the mold recess without eccentricity.

In the conventional method, in order to place the optical material P on the concave portion of the lower mold 51, the optical material P prepared in advance is used.
Is mounted on a predetermined mounting location (not shown), the arm 71 of the industrial robot is three-dimensionally driven, and the suction pad 61 provided at the tip of the arm 71 is moved to the center position of the optical material mounting location. To the suction pad 6
1, the arm 71 of the industrial robot is driven three-dimensionally again to move the suction pad 61 to the center position of the concave portion of the lower mold 51, and the optical material P held by the suction pad 61 is moved downward. It was necessary to take the process of placing the mold on the mold recess of the mold 51.

In this case, the exact coordinates and the like of the center position of the above-described optical material placement location (not shown) and the center position of the mold concave portion of the lower mold 51 are known in advance by measurement or the like. These data can be stored in a computer (not shown) or the like that controls the industrial robot, so that once input, the suction pad 61 can always be moved to the same position.

However, in the case where the optical material before molding, which has been prepared in advance, is placed at the place where the optical material is to be placed, it has conventionally been performed visually or the like without using any positioning device or method. Outer diameter center of optical material (hereinafter,
It is called “material-centric”. ) Did not match the center position of the optical material placement location, and could include errors. This error in the mounting position has a great effect on the accuracy of the finally formed lens L, and depending on the degree, the lens L may have to be discarded in some cases.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to position a material center of an optical material before molding at a center position of an optical material mounting position or the like. It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical material center positioning device capable of performing the above-mentioned operations.

[0011]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an optical material center positioning apparatus according to the present invention has two board surfaces which are made of an optical material and whose projected shape is a circular plane or a curved surface. An optical material center positioning device that determines a position of a material center that is a center of the circle of an optical material having an outer peripheral portion whose projected shape forms a circumferential line on an outer periphery thereof, and has a positioning point whose position is known. A reference member having a support portion that supports at least a part or all of the board surface of the optical material, and a material for the optical material attached to the reference member and driven by the reference member or the optical material. Driving means for positioning so that the center is located on a positioning axis which is an axis passing through the positioning point is provided.

In the above-mentioned optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, the optical material center positioning apparatus is attached to the reference member and is configured to be movable in a first positioning direction that is a direction approaching the positioning axis in a plane perpendicular to the positioning axis. And a moving member having a contact end at an end in the first positioning direction, wherein the driving means moves the moving member in the first positioning direction at the time of the positioning to move the contact end to the It is brought into contact with the outer periphery of the optical material.

In the optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, the reference member has a reference position serving as a reference for movement of the moving member, and the projection point of the reference position is centered on the positioning point. Is located on the circumference of the circle.

In the above optical device center positioning apparatus, preferably, the first positioning direction of the moving member is such that the contact end of the moving member is linearly or spirally directed toward the positioning axis. The direction of approach.

In the above-described optical material center positioning device, preferably, three or more moving members are provided.

In the above-described optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, the driving means is configured such that, at the time of the positioning, the abutting ends of the moving members have an equal distance per unit time in the first positioning direction. They are moved at the same time in proportion.

In the above-described optical material center positioning device, preferably, the optical material center positioning device further includes contact detection means for detecting that the contact end portion has contacted the outer peripheral portion of the optical material during the positioning.

In the above-described optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, the drive unit is stopped when it is detected that all of the abutting ends contact the outer peripheral portion of the optical material during the positioning. Control means for causing

In the above-described optical material center positioning device, preferably, the support portion has a rotation forming surface formed by rotating a straight line or a curve as a wall surface and a rotation axis of the rotation forming surface as a positioning axis. It is formed in a concave surface and circularly supports the first board surface, which is one board surface of the optical material, during the positioning.

In the above-described optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, the driving means vibrates the reference member during the positioning.

In the above-mentioned optical material center positioning apparatus, preferably, a second axis which is coaxial with a positioning axis passing through the positioning point and which is opposite to the first board surface of the optical material.
A moving member that is configured to be movable in a second positioning direction that is a direction approaching the board surface, and that has a moving member having a circular contact edge at an end in the second positioning direction;
At the time of the positioning, the moving member is moved in the second positioning direction, and the contact edge is brought into contact with the second board surface of the optical material by a bell clamp method.

[0022]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

(1) First Embodiment FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of an optical material center positioning apparatus according to the present invention.
FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment, in which FIG. 1A is a top view in a state where an optical material is gripped, and FIG.
Respectively show AA sectional views. As shown in the figure, the optical material center positioning apparatus 101 includes a reference member 11 and three driving sections 12a and 1
2b, 12c and three chucks 13 as moving members
a, 13b, and 13c, and a sensor 15 serving as contact detection means.
a, 15b, and 15c.

The reference member 11 is made of a metal material, a ceramic material, a synthetic resin material, or the like, and has a shape in which a cylindrical concave portion is formed at the center of a disk-shaped member. The bottom of the central recess forms a flat supporting portion 11a, and an annular outer frame portion 11b is provided on the outer peripheral side of the supporting portion 11a. The three-dimensional coordinates and the like of the center position of the circle forming the support part 11a are known, and correspond to a positioning point.
Further, a straight line passing through the positioning point and perpendicular to the support portion 11a is:
It corresponds to the positioning axis.

In the outer frame portion 11b, three through holes 14a, 14b, 14c perpendicular to the above-mentioned positioning axis and radially formed at three equally spaced positions on the circumference, that is, at 120 ° circumferential angles.
Has been established. Into these holes, chucks 13a, 13b, and 13c in the form of straight rods having the same length are inserted, and can be moved back and forth in the longitudinal direction of each hole. The rear end of each of the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c, that is, an end in a direction away from the positioning axis in a plane perpendicular to the positioning axis (hereinafter, referred to as a "separation direction") is connected to the driving units 12a, 12b, 12c, respectively. Connected.

Each drive unit 12a, 12b, 12c includes a drive source (not shown) such as an air cylinder and a motor, a speed reduction / transmission mechanism (not shown), an ON / OFF switch (not shown), It has a direction changeover switch (not shown) and a control device (not shown) as control means. With such a configuration, each of the driving units 12a, 12b, 12c
By turning on an ON / OFF switch (not shown) and switching a rotation direction switch (not shown) to one of them, the chucks 12a, 12b, and 12c to be connected can be connected at the same distance ratio per unit time, that is, at the same speed. Thus, the support portion 11a can be simultaneously moved in a direction approaching the center side of the support portion 11a, that is, in a plane perpendicular to the positioning axis (hereinafter, referred to as an "approaching direction"). This approach direction corresponds to the first positioning direction.

A rotation direction changeover switch (not shown)
Is switched to the opposite side, the drive source can be rotated in the reverse direction, and the chucks 12a, 12b, 12c can be simultaneously moved in the separation direction at the same speed. A deceleration / transmission mechanism (not shown) that performs such an operation includes a known gear,
It is realized by a cam, a winding mechanism, or the like, or an appropriate combination thereof. For example, a combination of a worm and a worm gear, a combination of a pinion gear and a rack, and the like.

The sensors 15a, 15b, 15c are provided at the tips of the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c in the approaching direction. This sensor position corresponds to the contact end. Each sensor 15a, 15b, 15c is
It detects that the tips of 3a, 13b, and 13c have come into contact with the object, and outputs a contact detection signal to a control device (not shown) provided inside drive units 12a, 12b, and 12c.
A signal line to a control device (not shown) is provided, for example, inside each of the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c.

A control unit (not shown) provided inside each of the driving units 12a, 12b and 12c is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer or the like. This control device (not shown) monitors signals from the sensors 15a, 15b, 15c. Further, the control device (not shown) is connected to an ON / OFF switch (not shown) of the driving unit, and when a contact detection signal is sent from all the sensors, the control device is turned off.
It is programmed to turn off the N / OFF switch (not shown) and stop the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c. In addition, by operating a control device (not shown), an ON / OFF switch (not shown) of the driving unit can be turned ON, and the movement of the chucks 13a, 13b, and 13c can be started.

Next, the operation of the optical material center positioning apparatus 101 according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. The optical material P for positioning is, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a substantially disk-shaped material made of an optical material such as optical glass, and has two convexly curved disk surfaces, and the outer peripheral side surface is a cylindrical surface. It is formed in a planar convex lens shape. The projection shape of each board is circular, and the center of the circle is the material center of the optical material P.

First, the optical material P is placed on the support 11a of the reference member 11 (see FIG. 2A). The mounting may be performed manually, or a suction pad mounted on an arm or the like of an industrial robot may be used. In this case, the mounting position of the optical material P may be on the support portion 11a, and may be eccentric from the positioning point. Support part 11a
When placed on the top, the support portion 11 of the board surface of the optical material P
The board surface on the a side is point-supported on the support portion 11a by its center, that is, the center of the material.

In this case, the chucks 13a, 13b,
Reference numeral 13c denotes that at least the optical material P is drawn in the separation direction to a position where a space in which the optical material P can be placed on the support portion 11a can be secured. In the case shown in FIG. 2A, the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c are provided with holes 14a, 14b,
14c is completely retracted into each sensor 15a, 15c.
The tip surfaces of b and 15c coincide with the inner wall surface of the outer frame portion 11b. Alternatively, the chucks 13a, 13b, 13c
It may project to some extent from the holes 14a, 14b, 14c in the approaching direction. As described above, the position where each chuck waits before the movement starts corresponds to the reference position serving as the reference for the movement of each chuck. The reference position is located on the circumference of a circle centered on the positioning point.

Next, by operating a control device (not shown), an ON / OFF switch (not shown) of the drive unit is operated.
Is turned on and a rotation direction switch (not shown) is switched to any one to start each of the drive units 12a, 12b, and 12c, and to start moving the chucks 13a, 13b, and 13c. Thereby, the chucks 12a, 12b, 12c
Move simultaneously and linearly in the approaching direction at the same speed (see FIG. 2B). In this case, if the mounting position of the optical material P is eccentric from the positioning point, at least one chuck (for example, the chuck 13a in FIG. 2B)
First comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the optical material P. In this case, the contact sensor outputs a contact detection signal to a control device (not shown).

Next, since the chuck (for example, the chuck 13a in FIG. 2B) in contact with the optical material P continues to move in the approaching direction, the optical material P is pushed by this chuck. Move. The same applies to other chucks. As a result, eventually, all the chucks 13
Sensors 15a, 15b, 1 at the tip of a, 13b, 13c
5c comes into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the optical material P (see FIG. 2C). In this case, contact detection signals are output from all the sensors 15a, 15b, 15c to a control device (not shown). In this case, the control device (not shown) turns off the ON / OFF switch (not shown), and the chucks 13a, 1
Stop all of 3b and 13c.

In the state shown in FIG. 2C, all the chucks move by an equal length from the three equally-divided positions on the circumferential line which is the projection line of the inner wall of the outer frame portion 11b toward the positioning point. If the projected shape of the outer periphery of the optical material P is a circle, the material center of the optical material P is located on a positioning axis that passes through the center (positioning point) of the circular support portion 11a. Thereby, “positioning” is realized.

Since the three-dimensional coordinate values and the like of the positioning points are known as described above, the suction pad or the like mounted on the arm or the like of the industrial robot is moved so that the center of the optical material P becomes the center position of the suction pad. (See FIG. 2 (D)). However, if the chuck is loosened before the suction is completed, there is a possibility that the position of the optical material P is shifted. Therefore, each chuck is retracted and loosened in the separation direction after the suction is completed (see FIG. 2E). Thereafter, operations such as holding and lifting by the suction pad are performed, and the arm or the like of the industrial robot is driven,
The optical material P is moved to a predetermined position. At this point,
Since the material center of the optical material P coincides with the center position of the suction pad, if the coordinates of the center position and the like are moved to the mold concave portion and placed, the optical material P is not decentered on the mold concave portion. It can be placed accurately.

(2) Second Embodiment Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a second embodiment of the optical material center positioning apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the optical material center positioning device 102 includes a reference member 21 and
The drive unit 22 includes a drive unit 22 as a drive unit and an intake pump 26.

The reference member 21 is made of a metal material, a ceramic material, a synthetic resin material, or the like, and has a shape in which a substantially mortar-shaped support portion 21a is formed at the center of a disk-shaped member. The support portion 21a is a concave surface having the back surface of the side surface of the cone as a wall surface, and the point serving as the vertex of the cone has known three-dimensional coordinates and the like, and is a positioning point. Also,
A straight line passing through the positioning point and passing through the central axis of the cone corresponds to the positioning axis.

Further, the suction pump 26 is positioned near the positioning point.
Are formed in the reference member 21 to form an intake pipe 27. The suction pump 26 includes a driving source (not shown) such as a motor and a vacuum pump mechanism (not shown).
And an ON / OFF switch (not shown).

A drive section 22 is connected around the reference member 21. The drive unit 22 includes a drive source (not shown) such as a motor, a vibration generating mechanism (not shown), an ON / OFF switch (not shown), and the like. With such a configuration, the drive unit 22 includes an ON / OFF switch (not shown).
Is turned on, the reference member 21 can be vibrated.

The vibration generating mechanism (not shown) for performing such an operation is realized by a known mechanical mechanism or an appropriate combination thereof. For example, it is a mechanism including a weight or the like eccentrically attached to a rotation shaft of a motor or the like.

Next, the operation of the optical material center positioning apparatus 102 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The optical material P for positioning has the same shape as that shown in FIGS.

First, the optical material P is placed on the support 21a of the reference member 21. The mounting may be performed manually, or a suction pad mounted on an arm or the like of an industrial robot may be used. In this case, the mounting position of the optical material P only needs to be on the support portion 21a, and may be eccentric from the positioning point. When placed on the support portion 21a, the board surface of the optical material P on the support portion 21a side,
It is line supported on the support part 21a. The board surface of the optical material P on the side linearly supported on the support portion 21a corresponds to a first board surface.

Next, an ON / OFF switch (not shown) of the drive unit 22 is turned ON, the drive unit 22 is started, and the entire reference member 21 is vibrated. The optical material P also receives vibration,
Try to move to the most stable state. As a result, finally, the first board surface of the optical material P is symmetrically supported on the support portion 21a by the circumferential edge of the outer circumference. In this case, if the projected shape of the outer periphery of the optical material P is an accurate circle and the conical surface of the support portion 21a is accurate, the planar projection shape of the support line of the optical material P is a circle.

In this state, the material center of the optical material P is located on the positioning axis passing through the vertex of the cone forming the support 21a. Thereby, “positioning” is realized.

Since the three-dimensional coordinate values and the like of the positioning points are known as described above, the suction pad or the like mounted on the arm or the like of the industrial robot is moved so that the center of the optical material P becomes the center position of the suction pad. Can be adsorbed and held in such a manner as to match with. However, the optical material P is the support 2
There is a possibility that the position of the optical material P may be shifted only by contacting the suction pad or the like only on the surface 1a. Therefore, after the positioning is completed, the ON / OFF of the intake pump 26 is turned ON / OFF.
An OFF switch (not shown) is turned ON, a vacuum pump mechanism (not shown) is started, and air is sucked through the intake pipe 27. By doing so, the inside of the space sandwiched between the lower surface of the optical material P and the support portion 21a becomes negative pressure,
The optical material P is adsorbed by the support portion 21a and does not move by a certain amount. Thereafter, after suction is performed by the suction pad, the suction pump 26 is turned off to separate the optical material P from the support portion 21a, and the optical material P is held by the suction pad.
The optical material P is moved to a predetermined position by driving the arm or the like of the industrial robot by performing an operation such as lifting. At this time, since the material center of the optical material P coincides with the center position of the suction pad, if the coordinates and the like of the center position are moved to the mold concave portion and placed, the optical material P is placed on the mold concave portion. It can be placed accurately without eccentricity.

(3) Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a third embodiment of the optical material center positioning apparatus according to the present invention. As shown in the figure, the optical material center positioning device 103 includes a reference member 21 and
A drive unit 32 serving as a driving unit, a moving member 33, and an intake pump 26 are provided. Among these, the configurations of the reference member 21 and the intake pump 26 are exactly the same as those of the second embodiment.

The drive section 32 is connected to the reference member 21. The drive unit 32 includes a deceleration / transmission mechanism (not shown) and an O
It has an N / OFF switch (not shown), a movement control device (not shown), and the like. The moving member 33 includes an arm 33a movable by the driving unit 32 and an arm 33a.
A has a clamp holder 33b attached to the tip of “a”. The tip of the clamp holder 33b is a circular contact edge 33c.

By operating the movement control device (not shown) according to the above configuration, the drive unit 32 is turned on.
The ON / OFF switch (not shown) is turned ON, and the moving member 3
3 in the θ direction (turning direction) and the z direction (vertical direction) in FIG.
The contact edge 33c of b can be moved to a predetermined three-dimensional position. The direction approaching the upper surface of the optical material P in the z direction corresponds to the second positioning direction.

The deceleration / transmission mechanism (not shown) for performing such an operation is realized by a known mechanical mechanism or an appropriate combination thereof. For example, it is a mechanism including a gear, a cam, a winding mechanism, or a combination thereof. Further, the movement control device (not shown) is constituted by, for example, a microcomputer or the like.

Next, the operation of the optical material center positioning device 103 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. The optical material P for positioning has the same shape as that shown in FIGS.

First, the optical material P is placed on the support 21a of the reference member 21. The mounting may be performed manually, or a suction pad mounted on an arm or the like of an industrial robot may be used. In this case, the mounting position of the optical material P only needs to be on the support portion 21a, and may be eccentric from the positioning point. When placed on the support portion 21a, the board surface of the optical material P on the support portion 21a side,
It is line supported on the support part 21a. The board surface of the optical material P on the side linearly supported on the support portion 21a corresponds to a first board surface. The board surface of the optical material P opposite to the first board surface corresponds to the second board surface. In this case, it is assumed that the moving member 33 has been retracted to an obliquely upward position or the like so as to secure at least a space in which the optical material P can be placed on the support portion 21a.

Next, since the coordinates and the like of the positioning axis are known, by operating a movement control device (not shown),
Turn ON / OFF switch (not shown) of drive unit 32
Then, the arm 33a of the moving member 33 is rotated in a predetermined direction so that the center of the clamp holder 33b is aligned with the positioning axis. Next, when the arm 33a is lowered in the second positioning direction, the contact edge 33c contacts the second board surface of the optical material P. In this state, when the contact edge 33c is further lowered slightly in the second positioning direction, so-called "bell clamp type" centering is performed. As a result, finally, the first board surface of the optical material P is symmetrically supported on the support portion 21a by the circumferential edge of the outer circumference. In this case, the projected shape of the outer periphery of the optical material P is an accurate circle, and the support portion 21
If the conical surface of a is accurate, the planar projection shape of the support line of the optical material P is a circle.

In this state, the material center of the optical material P is located on the positioning axis passing through the vertex of the cone forming the support 21a. Thereby, “positioning” is realized.

Since the three-dimensional coordinate values and the like of the positioning points are known as described above, the suction pad or the like mounted on the arm or the like of the industrial robot is moved so that the center of the optical material P becomes the center position of the suction pad. Can be adsorbed and held in such a manner as to match with. At this time, in order to prevent the position of the optical material P from shifting when the suction pad or the like abuts, the second
The suction by the suction pump 26 is performed as in the case of the embodiment.

Thereafter, the suction pad or the like is
The entire moving member 33 is retracted to an obliquely upward position or the like by ascending, rotating, or the like so that the optical material P can be brought into contact with the board surface, and is sucked by the suction pad. The optical material P is moved to a predetermined position by driving the arm or the like of the industrial robot by holding the suction pad and lifting the optical material P. At this point, the center of the optical material P is coincident with the center position of the suction pad.
Can be accurately placed on the mold recess without eccentricity.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Each of the above embodiments is merely an example, and has substantially the same configuration as the technical idea described in the claims of the present invention, and those having the same functions and effects are:
Anything is included in the technical scope of the present invention.

For example, in each of the above embodiments, an optical glass is described as an example of an optical material forming an optical material, but the present invention is not limited to this. Any optical material may be used.

In each of the above embodiments, the shape of the optical material has been described by taking as an example a convex lens shape in which both surfaces are convex curved surfaces and the outer peripheral portion is cylindrical. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Any shape may be used as long as the projection shape has two circular flat surfaces or two curved surfaces, and may be, for example, a disk shape or a concave lens shape. Further, it is sufficient that the outer peripheral portion has an outer peripheral portion whose projected shape forms a circumferential line, and the outer peripheral portion may be a convex lens shape or the like that is a single circumferential line.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, the example in which the step of determining the position of the center of the optical material is before the molding of the optical material has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Polishing, centering,
It can be applied to all other optical material processing processes such as coating.

In each of the above embodiments, one of the surfaces of the optical material is point-supported by the support (first embodiment), and one of the surfaces of the optical material is circularly supported by the support. (Examples 2 and 3) have been described, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, when one surface is a flat optical material, one of the surfaces of the optical material is used. The whole surface may be supported by the support portion. In general, the support portion may be configured to support at least part or all of at least one of the surfaces of the optical material.

In the first embodiment described above,
Although the description has been given by taking the linear rod-shaped chuck as an example of the moving member, the present invention is not limited to this, and other forms of the moving member, for example, a plate-shaped or block-shaped moving member, or a plurality of plate-shaped members A diaphragm shutter of a camera configured such that the opening is enlarged and the opening is contracted inward from the center of the ring-shaped member by rotating the flat-shaped member by rotating the driving wheel and attaching the plate-shaped member to the ring-shaped member by eccentrically pivoting the ring-shaped member. (Lens shutter) A moving member of a mechanism similar to the mechanism may be used. In this case, the contact ends of the plate-shaped members, which are moving members, approach each other in the form of a spiral toward the positioning axis, and this direction is the first positioning direction.

In the first embodiment described above,
Although the case where the number of chucks as moving members is three has been described as an example, the present invention is not limited to this. In general, the number of moving members of this type is any number as long as it is three or more. You may. Also, the mounting position or the reference position of the moving member may be any position on the circumference, and is not limited to the equally divided position.

In the first embodiment described above,
Although a microcomputer has been described as an example of the control means, the present invention is not limited to this, and the control means is not provided. When it is detected that the abutment has come into contact with the outer peripheral portion of the optical material, the abutment is displayed by lighting a display means corresponding to the drive unit, and an operator (operator) monitors the three contacts. The configuration may be such that the operator operates to stop all the driving units when all of the display means display the contact.

Further, in the second and third embodiments, the back surface of the conical side surface is described as an example of the support portion. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and a member having a circular outer edge is positioned. Any surface may be used as long as it is possible, for example, a back surface of a spherical surface, a rotation forming surface such as a paraboloid of revolution or a hyperboloid of revolution, or the like. The conical surface is a surface obtained by rotating an oblique line, and the spherical surface is a surface obtained by rotating an arc. In the case of such a rotation forming surface, the rotation axis is the positioning axis.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, examples of the driving means for driving the optical material (first and third embodiments) and the examples for driving the reference member (second embodiment)
However, the present invention is not limited to this, and other forms of driving means, for example, those that drive both the optical material and the reference member, may be generally attached to the reference member, Any driving means may be used as long as it is configured to drive at least one of the optical material and the optical material so that the material center of the optical material is positioned on the positioning axis.

[0067]

As described above, according to the optical material center positioning apparatus according to the present invention, the reference member having the positioning points whose positions are known and supporting the board surface of the optical material, and the reference member attached to the reference member. Driving means for driving the reference member or the optical material so that the material center of the optical material is positioned on the axis passing through the positioning point, so that the material center of the optical material before molding is moved to the optical material mounting position. If it is used at the time of molding the optical material, the precision of the shape and dimensions of the optical material after molding can be made high.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a configuration of an optical material center positioning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, wherein FIG. 1 (A) is a top view in a state where an optical material is gripped, and FIG. FIG. 1 (A)
Respectively show AA sectional views.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an optical material center positioning procedure using the optical material center positioning device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an optical material center positioning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a configuration of an optical material center positioning device according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a view for explaining a conventional lens forming method;
FIG. 5A shows a state where the optical material is placed on the lower mold.
FIG. 5B shows a state during heating and compression, and FIG. 5C shows a state where molding is completed and a lens is to be taken out.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 11 Reference member 11a Support portion 11b Outer frame portion 12a to 12c Drive portion 13a to 13c Chuck 14a to 14c Hole 15a to 15c Sensor 21 Reference member 21a Support portion 22 Drive portion 26 Intake pump 27 Intake pipe 32 Drive portion 33 Moving member 33a Arm 33b Clamp holder 33c Contact edge 51 Lower mold 52 Upper mold 53 Trunk mold 54 Hydraulic mechanism 55 Heating device 61 Suction pad 71 Arm 101-103 Optical material center positioning device L Molded lens P Optical material

Claims (11)

[Claims] 1. A center of the circle of an optical material having two outer surfaces, each of which is made of an optical material and has a circular or flat projected surface and whose outer peripheral portion has a projected shape that forms a circumferential line. An optical material center positioning device for determining a position of a material center, the device having a positioning point having a known position, and having a support portion for supporting at least a part or all of a board surface of the optical material. A reference member, and driving means attached to the reference member and driving the reference member or the optical material to position the material center of the optical material so as to be positioned on a positioning axis that is an axis passing through the positioning point. An optical material center positioning device, comprising: 2. The optical material center positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the optical material center positioning device is attached to the reference member and is movable in a first positioning direction that is a direction approaching the positioning axis in a plane perpendicular to the positioning axis. And a moving member having a contact end at an end in the first positioning direction, wherein the driving means moves the moving member in the first positioning direction at the time of the positioning to thereby form the contact end. An optical material center positioning device, wherein the optical material is brought into contact with an outer peripheral portion of the optical material. 3. The optical material center positioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the reference member has a reference position serving as a reference for movement of the moving member, and the projection point of the reference position is centered on the positioning point. An optical material center positioning device, which is located on the circumference of a circle. 4. The optical material center positioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first positioning direction of the moving member is such that the contact end of the moving member is linearly directed toward the positioning axis. Alternatively, the optical material center positioning device is a direction in which the optical material approaches in a spiral shape. 5. The optical material center positioning apparatus according to claim 2, wherein three or more moving members are provided. 6. The optical material center positioning apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the driving means is configured such that, at the time of the positioning, the abutting end of each of the moving members has an equal distance per unit time in the first positioning direction. An optical material center positioning device, which is simultaneously moved at a ratio. 7. The optical material center positioning device according to claim 6, further comprising contact detection means for detecting that the contact end portion has contacted the outer peripheral portion of the optical material during the positioning. Optical material center positioning device. 8. The optical material center positioning device according to claim 7, wherein the drive unit is stopped when it is detected that all of the abutting ends contact the outer peripheral portion of the optical material during the positioning. An optical material center positioning device, comprising a control unit for causing the optical material to be positioned. 9. The optical material center positioning device according to claim 1, wherein the support portion has a rotation forming surface formed by rotating a straight line or a curve as a wall surface and a rotation axis of the rotation forming surface as a positioning axis. An optical material center positioning device, which is formed in a concave surface and circularly supports a first board surface, which is one board surface of the optical material, during the positioning. 10. The optical material center positioning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the driving unit vibrates the reference member during the positioning. 11. The optical material center positioning device according to claim 9, wherein the direction is a direction approaching a second board surface opposite to the first board surface of the optical material and coaxial with a positioning axis that is an axis passing through the positioning point. A moving member configured to be movable in a second positioning direction and having a circular abutting edge at an end in the second positioning direction, wherein the driving unit positions the moving member during the positioning in the second positioning direction; An optical material center positioning device, wherein the optical material is moved in a direction to contact the contact edge with a second board surface of the optical material by a bell clamp method.