Method and apparatus for manufacturing optical lenses

Abstract

A method is proposed for manufacturing lenses, in particular eyeglass lenses/spectacle lenses, wherein the lenses are blocked for processing/machining on one block side and are provided with a removable protective layer before the blocking. In particular, the protective layer is applied by rotation coating and is formed from an adhesive which is cured by means of electromagnetic radiation. According to another aspect, a method for manufacturing a lens is proposed, wherein a first flat side of the lens is processed in a shaping manner and coated and a second flat side of the lens is temporarily provided with a cover layer for coating the first flat side. According to a further aspect, an apparatus for manufacturing lenses is proposed, wherein the apparatus comprises a receiving station for receiving lenses, a delivery station for delivering lenses, one or more work stations and a handling device for handling the lenses.

1 . A method for manufacturing lenses,
 wherein each lens is blocked for processing on a block piece by means of a block material on a block side and is de-blocked from the block piece after the processing,   wherein the block side is provided with a removable protective layer before the blocking,   wherein the protective layer is applied by means of rotation coating,   wherein the protective layer is formed from an adhesive which is cured before at least one of the blocking or application of the block material.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is at least one of applied or cured in/under an inert atmosphere. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the adhesive is cured by means of electromagnetic radiation. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the protective layer or the block material is irradiated with at least one of electromagnetic radiation or plasma radiation prior to the application of the block material in order to enable or improve mutual adhesion. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the lens is at least one of:
 rotated at different rotational speeds during the rotation coating, or   first accelerated to an initial rotational speed during the application of the adhesive and rotated at the initial rotational speed and then accelerated to at least one different rotational speed and rotated at this rotational speed.   
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein two lenses of a lens pair are each simultaneously provided with the protective layer. 
     
     
         7 . A method for manufacturing a lens,
 wherein a first flat side of the lens is manufactured in a shaping manner and coated, and   wherein a second flat side of the lens is temporarily provided with a cover layer for the coating of the first flat side.   
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein the second flat side of the lens is temporarily provided with a protective layer for the manufacturing of the first flat side. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the cover layer or the protective layer is applied by rotation coating. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the cover layer or the protective layer is formed from an adhesive. 
     
     
         11 . The method according  claim 10 , wherein the adhesive is cured at least one of:
 in/under an inert atmosphere,   with the lens rotating, or   by means of electromagnetic radiation.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the second flat side is blocked by means of a block material for the manufacturing of the first flat side on a block piece and is de-blocked again from the block piece after the manufacturing,
 wherein the second flat side is provided with the protective layer before the blocking.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the protective layer is removed at least one of:
 after the manufacturing of the first flat side,   after the de-blocking of the first flat side, or   before the coating of the first flat side.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the cover layer is applied after at least one of:
 manufacturing of the first flat side, or   removing the protective layer.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the cover layer is removed after coating the first flat side. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for manufacturing lenses, comprising:
 a plurality of stations and a handling device,   the plurality of stations comprising:   a receiving station for receiving lenses,   a delivery station for delivering lenses and   one or more work stations for at least one of manufacturing of lenses or coating of lenses,   wherein the handling device is adapted for handling the lenses in the apparatus and for the transport of the lenses between different stations of the plurality of stations of the apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the following configurations is provided:
 the handling device or a rotary axis of the handling device is at least one of arranged between or equidistant to or surrounded by more than one station of the plurality of stations, or   more than one station of the plurality of stations is arranged on a circular path around the handling device.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the handling device comprises a lens carrier for the lenses,
 the lens carrier being configured according to at least one of the following configurations:   the lens carrier comprises at least one covering for covering work stations, or   the lens carrier is rotatable around a rotary axis so that the lenses can be at least one of transported from one station of the plurality of stations to a following other station of the plurality of stations by rotation of the lens carrier around the rotary axis or moved at least in sections on a circular path.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to one of  claim 16 , wherein the handling device comprises a lens carrier for the lenses,
 the lens carrier comprising a plurality of arms, wherein each arm of the plurality of arms is arranged radially relative to the rotary axis of the handling device.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , wherein each arm of the plurality of arms of the lens carrier comprises one or more holders for holding a lens or a lens pair. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 20 , wherein the one or more holders is/are designed according to at least one of the following configurations:
 the one or more holders is/are arranged on a lower side of the respective arm, or   the one or more holders is/are designed for rotatably holding a lens or a lens pair.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the following configurations is provided:
 at least one of the receiving station or the delivery station comprises a turning device for turning the lenses, or   the receiving station comprises a centering device for centering the lenses.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein at least one of the following configurations is provided:
 one of the work stations is designed for applying at least one of a protective layer or cover layer by rotation coating,   one of the work stations is designed for curing at least one of the protective layer or the cover layer by means of electromagnetic radiation, or   the apparatus comprises a heating device for preheating at least one of the lenses, an adhesive, an application device, a pump, a prechamber, a nozzle or a work space.   
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the apparatus comprises a conveying device for conveying transport carriers for the lenses from the receiving station to the delivery station during at least one of processing or coating of lenses in the apparatus.