A method and apparatus for filling and molding contact lenses

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of automated contact lens production technology, specifically to a contact lens filling and molding method and apparatus, comprising the following steps: S10. The fixture assembly is transported to the workstation; S20. The lower mold positioning mechanism fixes the lower mold; S30. The upper mold positioning mechanism fixes the upper mold, the mold opening mechanism opens the upper mold, and the upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold away from the lower mold; S40. The injection unit fills the injection fluid; S50. The upper mold positioning mechanism presses the upper and lower molds together; S60. The lower mold positioning mechanism stops positioning, and the turnover unit drives the fixture assembly to leave the workstation. This invention features a compact overall structure, high functional integration, and eliminates the need for redundant turnover and complex actions. It enables rapid mold opening and sealing, and completes the injection filling action through the injection valve assembly. It avoids unnecessary actions by the injection needle assembly, improves the efficiency of multi-cavity injection filling, reduces the risk of manual operation, and enhances the overall production and processing quality of contact lenses.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of automated contact lens production technology, specifically to a method and apparatus for filling and molding contact lenses. Background Technology

[0002] Contact lenses are becoming increasingly popular due to their role in vision correction and aesthetic enhancement.

[0003] Currently, compression molding is a relatively new contact lens manufacturing process. Existing compression molding methods for contact lens production often use liquid materials such as high-molecular polymers. Liquid injection is a crucial step in the process, and while it has achieved some automation, conventional automated equipment still involves separate injection and suction of the raw materials. The overall injection process is complex, prone to malfunctions, and suffers from poor injection precision. Furthermore, misalignment and unevenness during mold closing can lead to variations in lens thickness, affecting the quality of the finished contact lenses. Asynchronous and unstable pressing processes, with incomplete removal of air bubbles within the mold, can also result in a high bubble rate in the lenses, further impacting the overall lens yield. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for filling and closing contact lenses that features automatic mold opening and closing, simultaneous multi-cavity operation, high functional integration, and stable operation.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution;

[0006] A method for filling and molding contact lenses includes an opening and closing molding unit, a liquid injection unit, and a turnover unit for a turnover fixture assembly. The specific steps are as follows:

[0007] S10. The turnover unit transports the fixture assembly to the liquid filling station;

[0008] S20. The lower mold positioning mechanism of the mold opening and closing unit fixes the lower mold of the mold from below the mold to be filled;

[0009] S30. After the upper mold positioning mechanism of the mold opening and closing unit fixes the upper mold of the mold to be filled from above, the mold opening mechanism of the mold opening and closing unit opens the upper mold of the mold, and the upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold away from the lower mold.

[0010] S40. The injection unit fills the mold with injection fluid;

[0011] S50. The upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold back to the lower mold position and places the upper mold in the lower mold;

[0012] S60. The upper mold positioning mechanism applies pressure to the upper mold, causing the upper mold and the lower mold to press together;

[0013] S70. The lower mold positioning mechanism stops positioning, and the turnover unit drives the fixture assembly that has completed the operation to leave the workstation.

[0014] Furthermore, in step S40:

[0015] S41. When the liquid injection unit is in the liquid extraction action, the liquid injection valve group of the liquid injection unit is in the liquid extraction state, and the liquid injector assembly of the liquid injection unit extracts the raw material from the constant temperature chamber for temporary storage.

[0016] S42. During the injection action, the injection valve group of the injection unit switches to the injection state, and the needle group module of the injection unit drives the injection needle group to the top of the fixture assembly.

[0017] S43. The injection unit pushes the liquid into the injection needle assembly to fill the lower mold, completing the liquid injection filling;

[0018] Furthermore, the lower mold positioning mechanism includes a lower mold positioning nozzle disposed below the fixture assembly and a lower mold positioning drive for pushing the lower mold positioning nozzle up and down;

[0019] Furthermore, the mold opening mechanism includes at least one mold opening drive, a fork connecting plate mounted on the execution end of the mold opening drive, and a mold opening fork mounted on the fork connecting plate for inserting and separating the upper and lower molds of the contact lens.

[0020] Furthermore, the upper mold positioning mechanism includes a suction nozzle assembly and an upper mold module that pushes the suction nozzle assembly to rise and fall; the upper mold module includes an upper mold lifting drive fixed on the upper mold support, an upper mold sliding frame installed at the execution end of the upper mold lifting drive, the upper mold sliding frame being slidably installed on the upper mold support, and a suction nozzle mounting bracket for installing the suction nozzle assembly is provided at the bottom of the upper mold sliding plate;

[0021] Furthermore, the nozzle assembly includes a plurality of nozzle slide rods slidably mounted on the nozzle mounting bracket, each nozzle slide rod having an upper mold nozzle mounted at its end, and each nozzle slide rod having a mold closing counterweight mounted on its body; the upper mold nozzle is located above the fixture assembly;

[0022] Furthermore, both the syringe assembly and the constant temperature chamber are mounted on the main injection frame; the injection needle assembly is connected to the injection valve assembly via an injection hose; the injection needle assembly is mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly module, and the needle assembly module is mounted on the side of the main injection frame via an injection side frame;

[0023] Furthermore, the needle assembly module includes a needle assembly forward movement drive mounted on the injection side frame, a displacement adjustment platform mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly forward movement drive, and a needle assembly downward pressure drive mounted on the execution end of the displacement adjustment platform; the execution end of the needle assembly downward pressure drive is equipped with a needle assembly mounting plate; a plurality of injection needles are mounted on the needle assembly mounting plate to form an injection needle assembly.

[0024] A contact lens filling and molding device for implementing the above-described contact lens filling and molding method includes a molding opening and closing unit, a liquid injection unit, and a turnover unit for transferring fixture components; the molding opening and closing unit includes an upper mold positioning component that defines the position of the upper mold, a lower mold positioning mechanism that defines the position of the lower mold, and a mold opening mechanism for opening the mold; the liquid injection unit includes a liquid injection needle assembly, a needle assembly module that drives the liquid injection needle assembly to the liquid injection position, a liquid injector assembly for extracting and injecting raw materials, a liquid injection valve assembly, and a constant temperature chamber for storing raw materials;

[0025] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0026] In practical use, the jig assembly is moved from the turnover unit to the liquid filling station, and the contact lens mold to be filled is placed inside the jig assembly. The overall liquid filling is divided into three actions: mold opening, filling, and mold closing. During the mold opening action, after the lower mold positioning mechanism positions the lower mold, the mold opening mechanism separates the upper and lower contact lens molds. The upper mold assembly drives the suction nozzle assembly to descend and adsorb the upper mold before rising to open the mold and wait for liquid filling. During the liquid filling action, the syringe assembly performs the action of extracting raw materials and filling liquid. During the extraction action, the liquid injection valve assembly is in extraction mode, and the liquid injector assembly injects the raw materials. Material is temporarily stored in a constant-temperature chamber, which is a small constant-temperature refrigerator. During the liquid injection process, the liquid injection valve group switches to the liquid injection mode, and the needle group module drives the liquid injection needle group to move above the fixture assembly. The liquid injector assembly pushes the material into the liquid injection needle group to complete the filling and liquid injection process. After the liquid injection is completed, the upper mold module drives the suction nozzle assembly to descend and uses its own designed counterweight to close the mold and seal it, completing the mold closing process. During the entire mold opening and filling process, the turnover unit stops moving, and the fixture assembly is stationary. After the mold closing is completed, the turnover unit drives another fixture assembly to start the next filling and mold closing work cycle.

[0027] This contact lens filling and molding device integrates mold opening, filling, and mold closing actions. Its compact structure and high degree of functional integration eliminate the need for unnecessary handling and complex movements. It enables rapid mold opening and cap removal, and the liquid injection of raw materials is achieved by the injection unit, with the injection valve assembly completing the integrated injection and filling process. This avoids unnecessary movements by the injection needle assembly, improving the efficiency of multi-cavity injection filling, reducing the risks of manual operation, and enhancing the overall production and processing quality of contact lenses. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the opening and closing mold unit structure of the present invention.

[0030] Figure 3 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the mold opening and closing unit D of the present invention.

[0031] Figure 4 This is a side view of the opening and closing mold unit structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 5 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the mold opening and closing unit B of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 6 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the opening and closing mold unit C of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the liquid injection unit structure of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 8 This is a partially enlarged schematic diagram of the injection unit A of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 9 This is a rear view of the injection unit of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0037] The technical solutions of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments.

[0038] refer to Figure 1-9 As shown, a contact lens filling and molding method includes a molding unit 500, a liquid injection unit 400, and a turnover unit 200 for a turnover fixture assembly 300. The specific steps are as follows:

[0039] S10. The turnover unit 200 transports the fixture assembly 300 to the liquid filling station;

[0040] S20. The lower mold positioning mechanism 560 of the mold opening and closing unit 500 fixes the lower mold of the mold from below the mold to be filled;

[0041] S30. After the upper mold positioning mechanism of the mold opening and closing unit 500 fixes the upper mold of the mold to be filled from above, the mold opening mechanism 550 of the mold opening and closing unit 500 opens the upper mold of the mold, and the upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold away from the lower mold.

[0042] S40. The injection unit 400 fills the mold with injection liquid;

[0043] S50. The upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold back to the lower mold position and places the upper mold in the lower mold;

[0044] S60. The upper mold positioning mechanism applies pressure to the upper mold, causing the upper mold and the lower mold to press together;

[0045] S70. The lower mold positioning mechanism 560 stops positioning, and the turnover unit 200 drives the fixture assembly 300 that has completed the operation to leave the workstation.

[0046] In practical use, the fixture assembly 300 is moved from the turnover unit 200 to the liquid filling station, and the contact lens mold to be filled is placed inside the fixture assembly 300. The overall liquid filling is divided into three actions: mold opening, filling, and mold closing. During the mold opening action, the lower mold positioning mechanism 560 positions the lower mold, and the mold opening mechanism 550 separates the upper and lower contact lens molds. The upper mold positioning mechanism descends and adsorbs the upper mold, then rises to open the mold, waiting for the liquid filling unit 400 to fill it. After the liquid filling is completed, the upper mold positioning mechanism descends and closes the mold to seal it, completing the mold closing action. During the entire mold opening and filling action, the turnover unit 200 stops moving, and the fixture assembly 300 is stationary. After the mold closing is completed, the turnover unit 200 drives another fixture assembly 300 to start the next filling and mold closing work cycle.

[0047] This contact lens filling and molding method integrates mold opening, filling, and mold closing actions, resulting in a compact overall structure and high functional integration. It eliminates the need for unnecessary handling and complex actions, enabling rapid mold opening and cap removal. The liquid injection and extraction of raw materials are achieved by the injection unit, with the injection valve assembly completing the integrated injection and filling process. This avoids unnecessary actions by the injection needle assembly, improves the efficiency of multi-cavity injection filling, reduces the risks of manual operation, and enhances the overall production and processing quality of contact lenses.

[0048] In step S40:

[0049] S41. When the liquid injection unit 400 is in the liquid extraction state, the liquid injection valve group 450 of the liquid injection unit 400 is in the liquid extraction state, and the liquid injector assembly 460 of the liquid injection unit 400 extracts the raw material from the constant temperature chamber 430 for temporary storage.

[0050] S42. When the injection unit 400 is in the injection action, the injection valve group 450 of the injection unit 400 switches to the injection state, and the needle group module 420 of the injection unit 400 drives the injection needle group 410 to above the fixture assembly 300.

[0051] S43. The liquid injector assembly 460 pushes the liquid into the liquid injection needle assembly 410 to fill the lower mold, thus completing the liquid injection filling.

[0052] During the liquid filling process, the syringe assembly 460 performs the actions of extracting raw materials and filling them with liquid. During the extraction action, the injection valve assembly 450 is in the extraction mode, and the injector assembly 460 extracts the raw materials from the constant temperature chamber 430 for temporary storage. The constant temperature chamber 430 is a small constant temperature refrigerator. During the injection action, the injection valve assembly 450 switches to the injection mode, and the needle assembly module 420 drives the injection needle assembly 410 to move above the fixture assembly 300. The injector assembly 460 pushes the raw materials into the injection needle assembly 410 to complete the filling and liquid filling action.

[0053] In this embodiment, the lower mold positioning mechanism 560 includes a lower mold positioning nozzle 562 for adsorbing the lower mold, and a lower mold positioning drive for pushing the lower mold positioning nozzle 562 up and down. When the fixture assembly 300 enters the workstation, the lower mold positioning drive 561 is used to push the lower mold positioning nozzle 562 up for adsorption and positioning. The lower mold positioning nozzle 562 is used to adsorb and fix the lower mold in the fixture assembly 300 to ensure the stability of the lower mold during the mold opening, filling and closing processes. After the mold closing is completed, the lower mold positioning drive 561 is used to push the lower mold positioning nozzle 562 down to wait for the next fixture assembly 300 to enter the workstation and start the next work cycle.

[0054] In this embodiment, the mold opening mechanism 550 includes at least one mold opening drive 551, a fork connecting plate 552 mounted on the execution end of the mold opening drive 551, and a mold opening fork 553 mounted on the fork connecting plate 552 for inserting the upper and lower molds of the contact lens. The mold opening mechanism is located on the side of the liquid filling station. The mold opening drive 551 is a cylinder, and each mold opening drive 551 corresponds to a mold on a fixture assembly 300. The mold opening drive 551 pushes the fork connecting plate 552 forward, inserting the mold opening fork 553 into the mold on the fixture assembly 300. Since the mold has been positioned by the lower mold positioning mechanism 560, only the upper mold is inserted by the mold opening fork 553 and suspended on the mold opening fork 553, waiting for the suction nozzle assembly 540 to adsorb it.

[0055] In this embodiment, the upper mold positioning mechanism includes a suction nozzle assembly 540 and an upper mold module 520 that pushes the suction nozzle assembly 540 up and down. The upper mold module 520 includes an upper mold lifting drive 521 fixed on the upper mold support 510. The upper mold lifting drive 521 is equipped with an upper mold sliding frame 522 at its execution end. The upper mold sliding frame 522 is slidably mounted on the upper mold support 510, and a suction nozzle mounting bracket 530 for mounting the suction nozzle assembly 540 is provided at the bottom of the upper mold sliding plate 522.

[0056] Multiple upper mold modules 520 can be set on the upper mold support 510 as needed. The upper mold lifting drive 521 is an electric cylinder module. The upper mold lifting drive 521 can push the upper mold sliding frame 522 to move up and down, thereby driving the suction nozzle assembly 540 to achieve the lifting and lowering movement of the upper mold after suction.

[0057] In this embodiment, the suction nozzle assembly 540 includes several suction nozzle slide rods 542 slidably mounted on the suction nozzle mounting bracket 530. Each suction nozzle slide rod 542 has an upper mold suction nozzle 541 mounted at its end, and a mold closing counterweight 543 mounted on the rod body of each suction nozzle slide rod 542. The upper mold suction nozzle 541 is located above the fixture assembly 300. The suction nozzle mounting bracket 530 has several suction nozzle slide rods 542 slidably mounted. This sliding mounting method avoids the downward movement during mold closing being directly transmitted to the mold, reducing the risk of mold damage. The bottom of each suction nozzle slide rod 542 is connected to the upper mold suction nozzle 541, and the mold closing counterweight 543 corresponding to each upper mold suction nozzle 541 has the same weight. Using a reasonable weight counterweight effectively achieves the mold closing action while avoiding damage to the mold. For different mold closing requirements, only the mold closing counterweight 543 on the suction nozzle slide rod 542 needs to be replaced.

[0058] In this embodiment, both the syringe assembly 460 and the thermostatic chamber 430 are mounted on the injection main frame 470; the injection needle assembly 410 is connected to the injection valve assembly 450 via an injection hose 411; the injection needle assembly 410 is mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly module 420, and the needle assembly module 420 is mounted on the side of the injection main frame 470 via an injection side frame 412; the injection valve assembly 450 is a reversible three-way valve assembly; the injection valve assembly 450 connects the injection needle assembly 410 and the thermostatic chamber 430, and the needle assembly module 420 is mounted on the side of the injection main frame 470, resulting in a compact overall layout that avoids unnecessary movement strokes.

[0059] In this embodiment, the needle assembly module 420 includes a needle assembly forward movement drive 421 mounted on the injection side frame 412, a displacement adjustment platform 422 mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly forward movement drive 421, and a needle assembly downward pressure drive 423 mounted on the execution end of the displacement adjustment platform 422. The needle assembly forward movement drive 421 is a linear module, and the needle assembly downward pressure drive 423 is a cylinder. The needle assembly forward movement drive 421 is used to drive the needle assembly downward pressure drive 423 to move above the fixture assembly 300, and the needle assembly downward pressure drive 423 drives the needle assembly module 420 to probe downward for injection. A manually adjustable displacement adjustment platform 422 is also provided between the needle assembly forward movement drive 421 and the needle assembly downward pressure drive 423 to achieve precise position adjustment of the execution end and avoid quality problems caused by errors.

[0060] In this embodiment, the needle assembly pressing drive 423 is equipped with a needle assembly mounting plate 424 at its execution end; a plurality of injection needles are mounted on the needle assembly mounting plate 424 to form an injection needle assembly 410; when the number of injection needles needs to be adjusted, only the corresponding needle assembly mounting plate 424 needs to be replaced, so as to achieve rapid equipment adjustment and debugging to adapt to more types of contact lens related fixtures.

[0061] In this embodiment, a leakage collection hopper 480 is also installed below the injection needle assembly 410; after the injection is completed, the injection needle assembly 410 returns to the initial stationary position under the drive of the needle assembly module 420, and the leakage collection hopper 480 can prevent residual raw material from dripping from the needle tip.

[0062] A contact lens filling and molding device for the aforementioned contact lens filling and molding method includes a molding opening and closing unit 500, a liquid injection unit 400, and a turnover unit 200 for transferring a jig assembly 300; the molding opening and closing unit 500 includes an upper mold positioning assembly defining the position of the upper mold, a lower mold positioning mechanism 560 defining the position of the lower mold, and a mold opening mechanism 550 for opening the mold; the liquid injection unit includes a liquid injection needle assembly 410, a needle assembly module 420 for driving the liquid injection needle assembly 410 to the liquid injection position, a liquid injector assembly 460 for extracting and injecting the raw material, a liquid injection valve assembly 450 for switching the extraction and injection action, and a constant temperature chamber 430 for storing the raw material.

[0063] The specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative examples illustrating the spirit of the invention. Those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains may make various modifications or additions to the described specific embodiments or use similar methods to substitute them, without departing from the scope defined by the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A method for filling and molding contact lenses, characterized in that, The system includes an opening and closing mold unit (500), a liquid injection unit (400), and a turnover unit (200) for a turnover fixture assembly (300). The specific steps are as follows: S10. The turnover unit (200) transports the jig assembly (300) to the liquid filling station; S20. The lower mold positioning mechanism (560) of the mold opening and closing unit (500) fixes the lower mold of the mold from below the mold to be filled; S30. After the upper mold positioning mechanism of the mold opening and closing unit (500) fixes the upper mold of the mold above the mold to be filled, the mold opening mechanism (550) of the mold opening and closing unit (500) opens the upper mold of the mold, and the upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold away from the lower mold. S40. The injection unit (400) fills the mold with injection fluid; S50. The upper mold positioning mechanism moves the upper mold back to the lower mold position and places the upper mold in the lower mold; S60. The upper mold positioning mechanism applies pressure to the upper mold, causing the upper mold and the lower mold to press together; S70. The lower mold positioning mechanism (560) stops positioning, and the turnover unit (200) drives the fixture assembly (300) that has completed the operation to leave the workstation; The lower mold positioning mechanism (560) includes a lower mold positioning nozzle (562) disposed below the fixture assembly (300) and a lower mold positioning drive (561) that pushes the lower mold positioning nozzle (562) up and down. The mold opening mechanism (550) includes at least one mold opening drive (551), a fork connecting plate (552) mounted on the execution end of the mold opening drive (551), and a mold opening fork (553) mounted on the fork connecting plate (552) for inserting the upper and lower molds of the contact lens. The upper mold positioning mechanism includes a suction nozzle assembly (540) and an upper mold module (520) that pushes the suction nozzle assembly (540) up and down. The upper mold module (520) includes an upper mold lifting drive (521) fixed on an upper mold support (510). An upper mold sliding frame (522) is installed at the execution end of the upper mold lifting drive (521). The upper mold sliding frame (522) is slidably installed on the upper mold support (510), and a suction nozzle mounting frame (530) for mounting the suction nozzle assembly (540) is provided at the bottom of the upper mold sliding frame (522). The nozzle assembly (540) includes a plurality of nozzle slide rods (542) slidably mounted on the nozzle mounting bracket (530). Each nozzle slide rod (542) has an upper mold nozzle (541) mounted at its end. Each nozzle slide rod (542) has a mold closing counterweight (543) mounted on its body. The upper mold nozzle (541) is located above the fixture assembly (300).

2. The contact lens filling and molding method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step S40: S41. When the liquid injection unit (400) is in the liquid extraction action, the liquid injection valve group (450) of the liquid injection unit (400) is in the liquid extraction state, and the liquid injector assembly (460) of the liquid injection unit (400) extracts the raw material from the constant temperature chamber (430) for temporary storage. S42. When the injection unit (400) is in the injection action, the injection valve group (450) of the injection unit (400) switches to the injection state, and the needle group module (420) of the injection unit (400) drives the injection needle group (410) to the top of the fixture assembly (300). S43. The injector assembly (460) pushes liquid into the injection needle assembly (410) to fill the lower mold, thus completing the liquid filling.

3. The contact lens filling and molding method according to claim 2, characterized in that, The injector assembly (460) and the constant temperature chamber (430) are both mounted on the main injection frame (470); the injection needle assembly (410) is connected to the injection valve assembly (450) via an injection hose (411); the injection needle assembly (410) is mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly module (420), and the needle assembly module (420) is mounted on the side of the main injection frame (470) via an injection side frame (412).

4. The contact lens filling and molding method according to claim 3, characterized in that, The needle assembly module (420) includes a needle assembly forward movement drive (421) mounted on the injection side frame (412), a displacement adjustment platform (422) mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly forward movement drive (421), and a needle assembly downward pressure drive (423) mounted on the execution end of the displacement adjustment platform (422); a needle assembly mounting plate (424) is mounted on the execution end of the needle assembly downward pressure drive (423); a plurality of injection needles are mounted on the needle assembly mounting plate (424) to form an injection needle assembly (410).

5. A contact lens filling and molding device, characterized in that, The method for implementing the contact lens filling and molding method according to any one of claims 1-4 includes a molding unit (500), an injection unit (400), and a turnover unit (200) for transferring the jig assembly (300); the molding unit (500) includes an upper mold positioning assembly defining the position of the upper mold, a lower mold positioning mechanism (560) defining the position of the lower mold, and a mold opening mechanism (550) for opening the mold; the injection unit includes an injection needle assembly (410), a needle assembly module (420) for driving the injection needle assembly (410) to the injection position, an injector assembly (460) for extracting and injecting raw materials, an injection valve assembly (450), and a constant temperature chamber (430) for storing raw materials.

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