Mold apparatus and method

Abstract

A mold apparatus is arranged to produce molded optical elements The apparatus includes a first mold unit for defining mold cavities and flow passageways, and a second mold unit having a patterned surface for sealing against the first unit. The patterned mold surface may be formed with a plurality of optical patterns, and mold pins may be used to complete the mold cavities. The patterned surface may be formed on a flat metal puck. The puck may be replaced by another puck insert so that the apparatus can be used to produce products having different optical characteristics. Other parts of the apparatus may be changed out to produce molded optical elements of various sizes and shapes. A variety of techniques are described for forming micro-refractive, diffractive and/or other patterns in the metal puck surface.

1 . A mold apparatus for producing molded optical elements, said apparatus comprising: 
 a first unit for defining mold cavities and flow passageways; and    a second mold unit having an integrated mold surface for sealing against said first unit, said integrated mold surface containing a plurality of patterns for molding optical patterns in the optical elements; and    wherein said first mold unit is removable, and wherein said apparatus is arranged to receive other first mold units to produce products of different sizes and shapes.    
     
     
         2 . A mold apparatus for producing molded optical elements, said apparatus comprising: 
 a first mold unit for defining a plurality of mold cavities and flow passageways;    a second mold unit having a mold surface for sealing against said first unit, said mold surface containing a corresponding plurality of patterns for molding optical patterns in the optical elements, said optical patterns being located on a single flat metal puck covering the plurality of mold cavities and said flow passageways; and    means for removing said metal puck, such that other pucks may be installed in said apparatus to produce products having different optical characteristics.    
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said patterns include micro-refractive patterns.  
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said patterns include diffraction patterns.  
     
     
         5 . A method for making molded optical elements, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a single metal puck with a plurality of optical patterns;    locating said single metal puck against a mold surface to seal a plurality of mold cavities and flow passageways formed upon said mold surface; and    subsequently, molding optical elements within said mold cavities such that said optical patterns of said single metal puck are formed in said optical elements; and    separating said mold surface from said metal puck, and locating another mold surface against said metal puck to form different size mold cavities.    
     
     
         6 . A method for making molded optical elements, said method comprising the steps of: 
 providing a single metal puck with a plurality of optical patterns;    locating said single metal puck against a mold surface to seal a plurality of mold cavities and flow passageways formed upon said mold surface; and    subsequently, molding optical elements within said mold cavities such that said optical patterns of said single metal puck are formed in said optical elements; and    separating said puck from said mold surface, and providing another metal puck having patterns formed therein to form optical elements having different optical characteristics.