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Ophthalmic roughing wheel

a technology of ophthalmology and polishing wheels, which is applied in the direction of gear teeth, manufacturing tools, manufacturing apparatuses for gear teeth, etc., can solve the problems of manual removal of swarfs from lenses, improper lens configuration, and addition of several hand finishing steps

Inactive Publication Date: 2005-03-24
INLAND DIAMOND PRODS
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a rough-cutting wheel for rough cutting of an optical lens blank. The wheel comprises a hub portion that is adapted for attachment to a rotary power source. The wheel includes an outer circumferential cutting surface having a width. The outer circumferential cutting surface includes sufficient abrasive grit attached thereto to accomplish rough cutting of any conventional optical lens blank. The wheel includes a radially extending planar side portion, and in a p

Problems solved by technology

Typically, the wheels have buildup of swarf during the operation, which imparts itself onto the lens or, alternatively, the grinding process does not remove the excess material.
This creates the need to manually remove the swarf from the lens.
Any swarf that is not readily removed during the grinding of the edging operation, interferes with the operation and, at the very least, slows it down and may add to several hand finishing steps necessary at the end, or an improper lens configuration.
TRIVEX™ has been a particularly troublesome material to shape and finish.
Unfortunately, conventional forming wheels have resulted in much scrap and have otherwise been proved to be unsuitable for use with TRIVEX™ materials for lenses.
Therefore, it is desired to eliminate swarf removal on the optical lens by hand, regardless of the material used, which is labor intensive and time consuming.

Method used

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Examples

Experimental program
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Effect test

first embodiment

[0122] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a rough cutting wheel generally shown at 200 for rough cutting of an optical lens, as shown in FIGS. 1-5. The rough cutting wheel 200 preferably includes a hub portion generally indicated at 202 and an outer circumferential cutting surface generally indicated at 204. The cutting surface 204 includes a width W and includes an abrasive grit material 206 that is preferably attached thereto for rough cutting of the lens.

[0123] The exact grit rating of the abrasive grit material 206 is not thought to be critical to the success of the present invention, provided that the abrasive grit material 206 of the present invention is operable to rough cut any conventional optical lens materials, such as but not limited to polycarbonates and high index plastics, as well as those materials currently marketed under the trade names CR39® and TRIVEX™. In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the grit rating of...

second embodiment

[0136] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a polishing wheel generally shown at 200a for polishing of an optical lens, as shown in FIGS. 6-10. Again, the intended purpose of the polishing wheel 200a is to, among other things, facilitate the removal of swarf material.

[0137] The polishing wheel 200a is similar to the rough cutting wheel 200 shown in FIGS. 1-5, e.g., it includes a hub portion 202a, an outer circumferential cutting surface 204a (having a width W), an abrasive grit material 206a, at least one pair 208a of substantially adjacent swarf-clearing grooves 210a, 212a, respectively, that extend across the width W of the cutting surface 204a, i.e., are contiguous from a first outer planar surface 214a to a second spaced and opposed outer planar surface 216a of the wheel 200a, wherein each of the grooves 210a, 212a, respectively, preferably has planar sides 218a, 220a, respectively, that extend substantially perpendicular to either outer planar surfaces 21...

third embodiment

[0139] In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a first alternative rough cutting wheel generally shown at 200c for rough cutting of an optical lens, as shown in FIGS. 11-15. Again, the intended purpose of the rough cutting wheel 200c is to, among other things, facilitate the removal of swarf material.

[0140] The rough cutting wheel 200c is similar to the rough cutting wheel 200 shown in FIGS. 1-5, e.g., it includes a hub portion 202c, an outer circumferential cutting surface 204c (having a width W), an abrasive grit material 206c, at least one pair 208c of substantially adjacent swarf-clearing grooves 210c, 212c, respectively, that extend across the width W of the cutting surface 204c, i.e., are contiguous from a first outer planar surface 214c to a second spaced and opposed outer planar surface 216c of the wheel 200c, wherein each of the grooves 210c, 212c, respectively, preferably has planar sides 218c, 220c, respectively, that extend substantially perpendicular...

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Abstract

Ophthalmic rough-cut and polishing wheels having a plurality of swarf clearance grooves formed across the shaping face are described. The grooves are spaced around the shaping face of the wheels, wherein the slots are configured so as to be substantially angled either towards or away from one another.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60 / 505,564, filed Sep. 24, 2003.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates generally to rough-cut and polishing wheels of the type used for edging of an optical edge. More specifically, the present invention relates to rough-cut and polishing wheels that reduce the necessary manual removal of swarf from the lens after rough cutting, fine grinding, finishing, polishing, and / or beveling of an optical lens, so as to improve lens edge quality and / or geometry. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Optical lenses are typically made of various materials, such as polycarbonates and high index plastics, as well as those materials currently marketed under the trade names CR39® and TRIVEX™ (both readily commercially available from PPG Industries, Pittsburgh, Pa.). [0004] In order to finish and make these lenses ready for fitting into a lens frame, it is necessary...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): B24B9/14B24D3/00B24D3/06B24D3/28B24D5/00B24D5/10
CPCB24B9/14B24D5/10B24D5/00
Inventor RAFFAELLI, DENNIS R.
Owner INLAND DIAMOND PRODS