JPS62223031A - Production apparatus for optical element - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the production efficiency in producing optical elements and improve mass-production effect, by arranging plural pressurizing members in a forming part and forming plural mold supporting parts into mold support and conveyor devices corresponding to the arrangement. CONSTITUTION:In a heating part (7a) of a forming apparatus 7 for plastic working of optical element, e.g. lens, etc., respective molds (W) and (W) are engaged and held in recessed parts of plural mold supporting parts formed in mold support and conveyor devices 9 and heated at a given temperature by a heater 3. The above-mentioned plural molds (W) are then conveyed to a forming part (7b) and plural pressurizing members (8b) and (8c), e.g. plural press rods, etc., corresponding to the above-mentioned plural molds (W) are lowered to pressure form materials for optical elements in the above-mentioned molds (W), which are then transferred to a cooling part (7c) to carry out cooling. The optical elements by plural numbers are produced in one line each time by the above-mentioned method to improve the production efficiency and reduce the production cost of the optical elements.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Field of Application of the Invention] The present invention relates to an optical element manufacturing apparatus that can mass-produce optical elements such as lenses by a plastic working method, and in particular, the present invention relates to an optical element manufacturing apparatus that can mass-produce optical elements such as lenses by a plastic working method, and in particular, an optical element manufacturing apparatus that is more effective in mass production than conventionally known apparatuses. , relates to an improved optical element manufacturing apparatus.

[Background of the invention]

Conventionally, many optical elements such as lenses, prisms, and filters have been processed by a method that mainly involves polishing a material for forming optical elements, such as glass.

However, this polishing process requires a considerable amount of time and skill, and in particular, polishing an aspherical lens requires a high-position polishing technique, and the processing time is even longer. It was difficult to produce large quantities in a short period of time.

Therefore, for the purpose of solving the problems existing in the conventional technology and manufacturing optical elements such as lenses in large quantities in a short period of time and in a more automatic manner, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59
-150728 publication describes the following methods and equipment 5ff.
A proposal for iK has been disclosed. This method and apparatus aim to obtain an optical element by heating a mold containing a material for molding an optical element to a predetermined temperature and compression molding it in a heated atmosphere. According to , it is thought that it will be possible to automatically manufacture optical elements in large quantities because it does not require polishing or can significantly reduce the polishing process compared to conventional technology. .

FIGS. 8 and 9 are schematic diagrams for explaining the method and apparatus disclosed in the publication.

In FIG. 8, reference numeral 1 denotes a continuous furnace type molding apparatus in which a heating section 1a, a molding section 1b, and a cooling section IC are formed. A heater 3 is installed in the heating part la of the molding apparatus 1, and a press rod 2 for compression molding is installed in the molding part lb. As shown in FIG. 9, molds W each containing a molding material M are loaded into the molding device 1 one by one, and after heating, compression molding, and cooling are performed in this order, the molding is performed outside the device. The molded optical element P (FIG. 9) is taken out from the mold W.

As shown in FIG. 9, the molding process consists of an upper mold 4 having a surface 4a forming the first functional surface of the optical element, and a lower mold 4 having a surface 5a forming the second functional surface of the optical element. It consists of a mold 5 and a mold 6 that is fitted onto the lower mold and guides the outer periphery of the skirt portion of the upper mold. However, in the known molding apparatus as described above, molding is performed while passing the molds W one by one into the heating section 1a, the molding section 1b, and the cooling section lc, but in the above configuration, one mold W is passed one by one in one line. Since only optical elements could be obtained, it was inefficient.Therefore, there was a drawback that the manufacturing cost of optical elements was high.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved optical element manufacturing apparatus that eliminates the drawbacks of the prior art methods and apparatus and is capable of manufacturing several optical elements at a time on one line.

[Summary of the invention]

The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention includes a molding device in which a plurality of pressure members (i.e., press rods) are installed in a molding section, and a mold support provided with a mold support section corresponding to the position of the pressure members. It consists of a combination of a body and a carrier.

In the apparatus according to the present invention, several molds for molding optical elements are formed into a group, each group is placed on one support and carrier, and the carrier is heated and molded within the molding apparatus. ,
It is moved through three cooling steps, and in the molding section of the molding apparatus, a plurality of molds on the carrier are pressed by a plurality of pressure members, thereby making it possible to manufacture a plurality of optical elements at once.

A plurality of mold supports are formed on the mold support and carrier KVi corresponding to the position i of the internal pressure member of the molding apparatus, and therefore, during molding, each pressure member serves as the mold support and Positioned in the mold on the carrier.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 7. In addition, in Figs. 1 to 7, Fig. 8 and g9
The parts indicated by the same reference numerals as those in the figures are the same parts as in the conventional molding apparatus and mold, so the explanation will be omitted.

FIG. 1 shows an improved optical element manufacturing apparatus according to the present invention, which includes a molding device 7 and a molding device for supporting and transporting a plurality of molds W within the molding device 7. It is composed of a combination of a mold support and a conveyor 9.

The molding device if7, like the known molding device 1, has a heating section 7.
a, a molding section 7b, and a cooling section 7c,
In the molding section 7b, unlike the conventional molding apparatus 1, a plurality of press rods, that is, pressure members 8 & - 8d (4 in this embodiment, but any number may be used) are provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the mold support/carrier 9 has nine mold support recesses 9al corresponding to the pressure members 8&~8d of the molding device 7. A mold W is fitted into the mold 9a as shown in FIG. Therefore, the molded gw is stably supported without fear of movement when it is transported within the molding device 7 or when it is pressurized by the pressure members 8a to 8d in the molding section 7b. The distances 11 and 12 between the centers of each of the recesses 9a are equal to the distances between the centers of the plurality of pressure members 8&~8d installed in the molded part 7b.

Also, the diameter D of each recess 9a! When heated, each mold W
It is set to be equal to the outer diameter of the Lv fitting portion.

4 and 5 show recesses 10a and lla with diameters D2 and D3 different from those in FIG. FIG. 3 is a plan view of mold supports and conveyors 10 and 11 of another embodiment in which the mold supports and conveyors 10 and 11 are formed.

The mold support/carrier 12 shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 has a hole 12b for temperature measurement in the bottom of a recess 12a that accommodates the mold W, and (i.e., the bottom surface of the lower mold 5) for temperature measurement.

A temperature sensor (not shown), which is provided so as to be movable forward and backward within the molding apparatus, can be inserted into these holes 5b and 12b.

In addition, a notch 12c for type display is formed in the support/carrier 12 for the molding, and the notch 12c is read by a detector (not shown) and the temperature of the mold is detected by the temperature detector. Through this detection, appropriate molding control is executed for each mold support and carrier in the molding apparatus. Note that a protrusion or a recess other than the notch, or a type display section other than that may be provided.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the optical element manufacturing apparatus of the present invention, the production efficiency can be increased several times that of conventional apparatuses, so that the manufacturing cost of optical elements can be significantly reduced.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an optical element manufacturing apparatus t according to the present invention, and FIG. Figure 3 shows 1it-1 when the mold is placed on the mold support and carrier shown in Figure 2. 7th perspective view of the embodiment of
The figure is a cross-sectional view of a mold placed on the mold support and carrier shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 8 is a schematic vertical cross-sectional view of a known molding device, and FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a known mold , is. 1: Molding device, la: heating section. 1b=molding section, IC: cooling section. 2 nibble rod, 3: heater, W: mold,
M: Material, 4: Upper mold, 5: Lower mold. 6: Copper plate, 9 to 12: Molding die support and conveyor, 9a to 12a: Recessed portion (molding die support portion), 8a to 8d: Pressure member (press rod) 7: Molding device, 7a
: heating section, 7b: molding section, 7C second cooling section. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 7 Figure 8

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) An optical element consisting of a combination of a molding device having a heating section, a molding section, and a cooling section, and a mold support/carrier for supporting and moving a plurality of molds within the molding device. In the manufacturing apparatus, a plurality of pressure members corresponding to a plurality of molds are disposed in the molding section, and a plurality of pressure members corresponding to the plurality of molds are arranged in the mold support and conveyor in positions corresponding to the pressure members in the molding section. An optical element manufacturing apparatus characterized in that a plurality of mold support parts are formed. (2) The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mold support and conveyor includes a type display section. (3) The optical element manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the mold support/carrier is provided with a hole for temperature measurement.