Method of manufacturing optical lens

Abstract

An optical lens manufacturing method according to the present invention is characterized by including the first optical member preform forming step of forming a first optical member preform 40 formed of a first transparent material into a columnar shape and having a first optical acting portion 11 that forms a curved surface on a side surface thereof, the primary drawing step of drawing the first optical member preform formed by the first optical member preform forming step, and the first optical member forming step of slicing the first optical member preform drawn 40 in the primary drawing step, thus forming a first optical member 2 with a columnar shape. According to this optical lens manufacturing method, the shape of the optical lens, and particularly the shape of the first optical acting portion 11 , can be determined at the stage of the preform before primary drawing. Thus, the preform can be machined with a sufficiently large size, and machining operations can be performed simply and accurately.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An optical lens manufacturing method characterized by comprising: 
 the first optical member preform forming step of forming a first optical member preform formed of a first transparent material into a columnar shape and having a first optical acting portion that forms a curved surface on a side surface thereof;    the first drawing step of drawing the first optical member preform formed in the first optical member preform forming step;    the first optical member forming step of slicing the first optical member preform drawn in the first drawing step, thus forming a first optical member with a columnar shape;    the optical lens preform forming step of forming an optical lens preform formed such that a first optical member array, formed by arraying a predetermined number of first optical members fabricated in the first optical member forming step in one or two rows is surrounded by a second optical member made of a second transparent material;    the secondary drawing step of drawing the optical lens preform fabricated in the optical member preform forming step;    the optical lens form forming step of slicing)the optical lens preform drawn in the secondary drawing step, thereby forming an optical lens form; and    the optical lens form machining step of cutting the optical lens form fabricated in the optical lens form forming step, thereby forming an optical lens with a desired shape.    
     
     
         2 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the second optical member has a cylindrical tube and a plurality of spacers arranged to fill a gap between the cylindrical tube and one or two rows of the first optical member arrays inserted at a center in the cylindrical tube.  
     
     
         3 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent material has a thermal expansion coefficient which is higher than that of the second transparent material.  
     
     
         4 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent material has a refractive index which is different from that of the second transparent material.  
     
     
         5 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent material has a yielding point which is higher than a temperature necessary for the secondary drawing step, and the second transparent material has a yielding point which is lower than a temperature necessary for the secondary drawing step.  
     
     
         6 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein when the optical lens preform is to be sliced in the optical lens form forming step, the optical lens preform is sliced while inclined with respect to a drawing direction.  
     
     
         7 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first optical member preform has a semicircular cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         8 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first optical member preform has a cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         9 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the first transparent material has a refractive index which is different from that of the second transparent material.  
     
     
         10 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to claims  1 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes machining such that either one of respective side surfaces of the first optical member array which does not have a first optical acting portion is exposed.  
     
     
         11 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 1 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes the second optical acting portion forming step of forming a second optical acting portion by polishing the second optical member.  
     
     
         12 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to claims  1 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes the second optical acting portion forming step of forming a second optical acting portion by adhering an optical member made of the second transparent material to the second optical member.  
     
     
         13 . An optical lens manufacturing method characterized by comprising: 
 the first optical member preform forming step of forming a first optical member preform formed of a first transparent material into a columnar shape and having a first optical acting portion that forms a curved surface on a side surface thereof;    the first drawing step of drawing the first optical member preform formed in the first optical member preform forming step;    the first optical member forming step of slicing the first optical member preform drawn in the first drawing step, thus forming a first optical member with a columnar shape;    the optical lens preform forming step of forming an optical lens preform formed such that the first optical member array, formed by arraying a predetermined number of first optical members fabricated in the first optical member forming step in one or two rows is surrounded by a second optical member made of a second transparent material;    the heating/compressing step of heating and compressing the optical lens preform fabricated in the optical lens preform forming step;    the optical lens form forming step of slicing the optical lens preform heated and compressed in the heating/compressing step, thereby forming an optical lens form; and    the optical lens form machining step of cutting the optical lens form fabricated in the optical lens form forming step, thereby forming an optical lens with a desired shape.    
     
     
         14 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first transparent material has a yielding point which is higher than a temperature necessary for the heating/compressing step, and the second transparent material has a yielding point which is lower than a temperature necessary for the heating/compressing step.  
     
     
         15 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first optical member preform has a semicircular cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         16 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first optical member preform has a cylindrical shape.  
     
     
         17 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the first transparent material has a refractive index which is different from that of the second transparent material.  
     
     
         18 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes machining such that either one of respective side surfaces of the first optical member array which does not have a first optical acting portion is exposed.  
     
     
         19 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes the second optical acting portion forming step of forming a second optical acting portion by polishing the second optical member.  
     
     
         20 . An optical lens manufacturing method according to  claim 13 , wherein the optical lens form machining step includes the second optical acting portion forming step of forming a second optical acting portion by adhering an optical member made of the second transparent material to the second optical member.  
     
     
         21 . An optical member manufacturing method comprising: 
 the first optical member preform forming step of forming a first optical member preform formed of a first transparent material into a columnar shape and having a side surface including a plurality of curved surface portions formed parallel to the column axis and arranged in contact with each other;    the first drawing step of drawing the first optical member preform formed in the first optical member preform forming step; and    the first optical member forming step of slicing the first optical member preform drawn in the first drawing step, thus forming a first optical member with a columnar shape.    
     
     
         22 . An optical lens manufacturing method comprising: 
 the optical lens preform forming step of forming an optical lens preform formed such that the first optical member formed in the optical member manufacturing method according to  claim 21  is surrounded by a second optical member made of a second transparent material;    the secondary drawing step of drawing the optical lens preform fabricated in the optical lens preform forming step;    the optical lens form forming step of slicing the optical lens preform drawn in the secondary drawing step, thereby forming an optical lens form; and    the optical lens form machining step of cutting the optical lens form fabricated in the optical lens form forming step, thereby forming an optical lens with a desired shape.