Method for manufacturing components, apparatus for manufacturing components, and molds

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a component that allows for easy release of the component from the mold without causing damage or cracking. [Solution] The method for manufacturing the member includes a mold having a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, a molding step in which the molding material is heated and pressed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface by bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface close together to form the molding material into a member, a cooling step in which the mold is cooled after the molding step, and a release step in which the member is released from the mold after the molding step, and at least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, by changes in heat or load during the cooling step or the release step.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a member, a manufacturing apparatus for a member, and a mold.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, with the increase in magnification and miniaturization of optical devices, high precision and miniaturization of optical systems have been required. As optical members employed in these optical systems, there are optical elements made of resin or glass, and with the miniaturization of products, the necessity of molding optical elements with a small outer diameter has been increasing. In molding small-diameter optical elements, since the diameters of the mold and the optical element are small, the amount of thermal shrinkage becomes small, and there are cases where the mold and the optical element do not separate. Therefore, methods for separating the mold and the optical element have been proposed.

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a method of separating a mold and an optical element by protruding a release member from the molding surface of the mold and bringing the release member into contact with the optical element to apply an external force for separation.

[0004] Also, as a method different from the method of separating by bringing a release member into contact with an optical element, there is a method disclosed in Patent Document 2. Patent Document 2 discloses a method of forming a thin elastic portion on the outer peripheral portion of a mold and changing the curvature of the outer peripheral portion by applying an external force to this elastic portion to separate the optical element and the mold.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] However, the method of demolding by applying external force as described in Patent Document 1 may cause scratches or cracks to occur on the optical element before it is demolded from the mold. Furthermore, the method of demolding by deforming the thin elastic portion of the outer circumference of the mold as described in Patent Document 2 may complicate the molding apparatus and lead to increased costs for the optical element.

[0007] This invention has been made in view of the above problems, and aims to provide a method for manufacturing a component, a device for manufacturing a component, and a mold that can easily release the component from the mold without causing damage or cracking. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] According to one aspect of the present invention, a method for manufacturing a member is provided, comprising: a molding step of forming a member by using a mold having a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, and bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface close together, thereby heating and pressing a molding material between the first molding surface and the second molding surface; a cooling step of cooling the mold after the molding step; and a release step of releasing the member from the mold after the molding step, wherein at least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, by a change in heat or load during the cooling step or the release step.

[0009] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is a manufacturing apparatus for a member comprising: a mold having a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface; a drive system for bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface closer together or separating the first molding surface and the second molding surface; and a temperature control unit for controlling the temperature of the mold, wherein at least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is a molding surface, by changes in heat or load.

[0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is a mold comprising a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, wherein at least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, by changes in heat or load. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to easily release the mold from the component without causing scratches or cracks. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0012] [Figure 1A] This is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] This is a cross-sectional view showing the molding die in an open state before the pressing operation in a molding apparatus for optical elements according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1C] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the molding die is closed and the molding material is pressed in the molding apparatus for an optical element according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1D] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the molding mold has been opened after demolding in a molding apparatus for optical elements according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the change in the molded surface during the molding process in an optical element molding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the change in the molded surface during the demolding process in an optical element molding apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the change in the molded surface during the molding process in an optical element molding apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7]It is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the change of the molding surface during the mold release process in the optical element molding apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] It is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] It is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0013] [First Embodiment] A method for manufacturing an optical element, an apparatus for manufacturing an optical element, and a mold according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 3. In this embodiment, a case of manufacturing an optical element as an example of a member will be described. Note that the embodiments shown below are examples, and for example, the detailed configuration can be appropriately changed and implemented without departing from the gist of the present invention. Also, in the drawings referred to in the description of the following embodiments, unless otherwise specified, elements denoted by the same reference numerals have the same functions. Also, in the drawings, when a plurality of the same elements are arranged, the reference numerals and their descriptions may be omitted. Also, for the sake of convenience of illustration and description, the shapes, sizes, arrangements, etc. of the elements shown in the drawings may be schematically represented.

[0014] First, the configuration of the optical element manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 1A. FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an optical element molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Note that FIG. 1A shows the state of the molding die 10 during the pressing operation described later.

[0015] The molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an optical element manufacturing apparatus that manufactures an optical element by press molding. As shown in FIG. 1A, the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment includes a molding die 10, a drive system 12, a heater 14, a gas introduction pipe 16, and a controller 20.

[0016] The molding die 10 is a mold having, for example, a cylindrical upper mold member 1, for example, a cylindrical lower mold member 2, and a body mold 3. The upper mold member 1 is a mold member as a first mold for press molding an optical element. The lower mold member 2 is a mold member as a second mold for press molding an optical element. The body mold 3 is a holding part for holding the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2. The molding die 10 is a mold in which the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3 are made of metal, for example, but the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3 may be made of a material other than metal in whole or in part.

[0017] The upper mold member 1 has a main body portion 11, 21 as the base material of the mold, each having a cylindrical bottom surface with a molding surface 1a for forming the optical functional surface of an optical element. The lower mold member 2 has a main body portion 11, 21 as the base material of the mold, each having a cylindrical bottom surface with molding surfaces 1a, 2a for forming the optical functional surface of an optical element. The molding surfaces 1a, 2a each have a shape corresponding to the optical functional surface of the optical element to be molded, and each has a shape corresponding to one and the other opposing faces of the optical element. For example, the molding surfaces 1a, 2a of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 can each have a convex shape so that the shape of the optical element becomes a biconcave lens.

[0018] One or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 have a dissimilar material portion 101 provided on the main body portion 11, 21. The dissimilar material portion 101 is a material portion made of a material having different physical properties from the main body portion 11 of the upper mold member 1 or the main body portion 21 of the lower mold member 2, which are the base materials of the mold to which the dissimilar material portion 101 is provided. In the following explanation, the case in which the dissimilar material portion 101 is provided on the main body portion 11 of the upper mold member 1 is described as an example, but the main body portion 21 of the lower mold member 2 may also be provided with a dissimilar material portion 101 in the same way as the upper mold member 1.

[0019] The dissimilar material portion 101 is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical main body portion 11, along the circumferential direction of the side surface of the main body portion 11, so as to be located on the outside of the main body portion 11. The dissimilar material portion 101 may be provided continuously or intermittently in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the main body portion 11, or it may be provided in part.

[0020] Specifically, the dissimilar material section 101 is composed of a material having an elastic modulus smaller than that of the main body section 11, which is the base material of the mold. The materials of the main body section 11, the main body section 21, and the dissimilar material section 101 are all, for example, cemented carbide. The elastic modulus of the main body section 11 is, for example, 600 GPa, and the elastic modulus of the dissimilar material section 101 is, for example, 400 GPa. It is preferable that the dissimilar material section 101 is located at a position sufficiently far from the molding surface 1a.

[0021] The main body portion 11 and the main body portion 21, as well as the dissimilar material portion 101, which are the base materials of the mold, are preferably high in strength and high in heat resistance from the viewpoint of durability. From this viewpoint, the materials that make up the main body portion 11 and the main body portion 21 and the dissimilar material portion 101 are, for example, tungsten (WC) cemented carbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, stainless steel, etc.

[0022] The body mold 3 is provided with a through hole that penetrates vertically. The upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 are inserted into the through hole of the body mold 3 so as to be slidable vertically. The upper mold member 1 is located above the lower mold member 2. The upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 are arranged so that their respective molding surfaces 1a and 2a face each other. The molding material 4 to be molded into an optical element is placed between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a.

[0023] The drive system 12 slides one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 in the vertical direction during the molding of the optical element. This causes the drive system 12 to bring the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 closer together in the vertical direction, bringing the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a closer together, and pressing the molding material 4 between the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a. Furthermore, the drive system 12 slides one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 in the vertical direction during demolding after the molding of the optical element. This causes the drive system 12 to separate the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 in the vertical direction, separating the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a, and performing mold opening. The operation of the drive system 12 is controlled by the controller 20.

[0024] The heater 14 is a heating unit for heating the molding die 10, which includes the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3, as well as the molding material 4, to a temperature suitable for press molding. The heater 14 is one of the temperature control units that controls the temperature of the molding die 10. The heater 14 is provided so as to contact, for example, the bottom surface of the upper mold member 1 opposite to the molding surface 1a and the bottom surface of the lower mold member 2 opposite to the molding surface 2a. The output of the heater 14 is controlled by the controller 20 so that the temperature of the molding die 10 reaches a desired temperature, based on the detection result of a temperature sensor (not shown).

[0025] The gas inlet pipe 16 is a cooling unit for cooling the mold 10 to a temperature at which the molded optical element can be removed after press molding. The gas inlet pipe 16 is one of the temperature control units that control the temperature of the mold 10. The gas inlet pipe 16 is configured to blow a cooling gas such as N2 gas onto the upper mold member 1, lower mold member 2, body mold 3, and heater 14, which are the objects to be cooled. The flow rate of the cooling gas in the gas inlet pipe 16 is controlled by the controller 20. Note that the cooling unit for cooling the mold 10 is not limited to the gas inlet pipe 16, and the mold 10 may be cooled by other cooling mechanisms.

[0026] The controller 20 is an information processing device that functions as a control unit for managing and controlling each part of the molding apparatus 100. The controller 20 has a processor (not shown) that performs various calculations, controls, and discriminations. The controller 20 also has storage (not shown) that stores various control programs executed by the processor, databases referenced by the processor, etc. The controller 20 also has memory (not shown) that temporarily stores data being processed by the processor, input data, etc. The controller 20 is not particularly limited, but it can be configured using a general-purpose computer device such as a personal computer, or it can be configured using a computer device dedicated to the molding apparatus 100. Furthermore, each function of the controller 20 can be realized by a single computer device, or it can be realized by multiple computer devices.

[0027] The controller 20 has, as a functional unit, a drive control unit 202 that controls the operation of the drive system 12, a heating control unit 204 that controls the output of the heater 14, and a flow control unit 206 that controls the flow rate of the cooling gas in the gas introduction pipe 16. The drive control unit 202 controls the vertical sliding of one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 by controlling the operation of the drive system 12. The heating control unit 204 controls the temperature of the molding mold 10 by controlling the output of the heater 14 based on the detection result of a temperature sensor (not shown). The flow control unit 206 controls the temperature of the molding mold 10 by controlling the flow rate of the cooling gas in the gas introduction pipe 16. During cooling, the controller 20 can cool the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3 at a desired cooling rate by controlling the output of the heater 14 and the flow rate of the cooling gas in the gas introduction pipe 16.

[0028] The molding material 4 is a material that can be molded into an optical element, such as a glass material or a thermoplastic resin. The glass material is optical glass such as optical glass for glass molds, for example, borosilicate glass, lanthanum glass, fluorine glass, etc. The thermoplastic resin is for example, cycloolefin resin, etc. Furthermore, if the optical element to be molded is a composite lens composed of glass and resin, a corresponding composite material of glass and resin can be used as the molding material 4.

[0029] The shape of the optical element formed in the molding apparatus 100 is not particularly limited and varies depending on the optical system designed, for example, it could be a concave lens, a convex lens, etc.

[0030] Next, a method for manufacturing an optical element using the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 1B to 1C. Figure 1B is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the molding mold 10 is open before the pressing operation in the molding apparatus 100. Figure 1C is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the molding mold 10 is closed and the molding material 4 is pressed during the pressing operation in the molding apparatus 100.

[0031] The method for manufacturing an optical element using the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment comprises a heating step, a molding step, a cooling step, and a demolding step, which are performed sequentially. It is preferable that the molding process, including these steps, be carried out in an atmosphere of an inert gas such as N2 gas to prevent oxidation of the molding mold 10 and the apparatus. Furthermore, the temperature and press load selected in the series of molding processes can be appropriately set depending on the type of molding material 4 used and the shape of the molded optical element.

[0032] Before the heating process begins, the mold 10 is in an open state, with a predetermined gap between the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2. First, in the heating process, the controller 20 controls the output of the heater 14 to heat the entire mold 10 with the heater 14, heating the mold 10 to a predetermined temperature. Once the mold 10 is heated to the predetermined temperature, as shown in Figure 1B, the molding material 4 is placed on the center of the molding surface 2a of the lower mold member 2, positioning the molding material 4 between the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 and the molding surface 2a of the lower mold member 2. In this way, the molding material 4 is placed in the mold 10. As the molding material 4, for example, optical glass for glass molding with a glass transition temperature of 510°C can be used.

[0033] Furthermore, during the heating process, the controller 20 controls the output of the heater 14 to heat the entire molding mold 10 with the heater 14, and heats and softens the molding material 4 placed in the molding mold 10.

[0034] Specifically, in the heating process, the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3 are heated to a first temperature (e.g., 460°C), and then the molding material 4 is placed in the center of the molding surface 2a of the lower mold member 2. Subsequently, the controller 20 heats the molding mold 10 to a second temperature (e.g., 570°C) higher than the first temperature, thereby reducing the viscosity of the molding material 4 and softening it to a state suitable for molding.

[0035] Next, the controller 20 proceeds to the molding process, which involves executing the press operation in the molding apparatus 100. In the molding process, as shown in Figure 1C, the controller 20 controls the operation of the drive system 12 to slide the upper mold member 1 downward toward the fixed lower mold member 2, thereby pressing the heated and softened molding material 4 with a press load. The press load can be set to, for example, 4000N. In this way, the controller 20 transfers the shapes of the molding surfaces 1a and 2a of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 to the molding material 4, thereby molding the molding material 4 to the desired center thickness. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the molding process with the molding material 4 heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the molding material 4 by the heater 14, from the viewpoint of softening the molding material 4 to a state suitable for molding. In this way, the controller 20 brings the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 closer together in the vertical direction, bringing the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a closer together, and heats and presses the molding material 4 between the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a to form the molding material 4 into an optical element 5.

[0036] Here, the elastic modulus of the dissimilar material portion 101 is smaller than that of the main body portion 11 of the upper mold member 1. Therefore, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1, where the dissimilar material portion 101 is provided, deforms more under load than the central part of the upper mold member 1, which is formed only by the main body portion 11. Consequently, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 deforms more than the central part due to the press load during the molding process. As a result, as shown in Figure 2, when a press load is applied, the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 has a larger radius of curvature than when no press load is applied. In this way, the dissimilar material portion 101 changes the curvature of the molding surface 1a in response to the change in load. The shape of the molding surface 1a with the larger radius of curvature is transferred to the molding material 4. In this way, the molding material 4 is molded, and an optical element 5 made from the molded molding material 4 is obtained.

[0037] After the molding of the molding material 4 is complete, the controller 20 controls the operation of the drive system 12 to maintain a certain level of press load on the molding material 4 and proceed to the next cooling process. Maintaining a certain level of press load at this stage prevents the molding material 4 from separating from the molding die 10 due to the difference in thermal contraction between the molding die 10 and the molding material 4.

[0038] In the cooling process, the controller 20 controls the flow rate of the cooling gas in the gas introduction pipe 16 and controls the cooling gas blown out from the gas introduction pipe 16, thereby cooling the molding mold 10 and the molded optical element 5 until they reach a desired temperature. Specifically, the controller 20 cools the molding mold 10 until it reaches a third temperature (for example, 460°C) that is lower than the second temperature.

[0039] When the molding mold 10 has cooled to the desired temperature, the controller 20 proceeds to the demolding process. The controller 20 can start the demolding process after the cooling process has started, and can also continue the cooling process after the demolding process has started.

[0040] In the demolding process, the controller 20 removes the press load applied to the upper mold member 1 by controlling the operation of the drive system 12. When the press load is removed, as shown in Figure 3, the deformation of the outer circumference of the upper mold member 1 returns to its original state, and the radius of curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 also returns to the radius of curvature when unloaded. The optical element 5, which was in close contact with the molding surface 1a under a large load with a large radius of curvature, is pulled upward toward the upper mold member 1 as the radius of curvature of the molding surface 1a changes due to the removal of the press load. As a result, a force is generated at the interface between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5 that separates the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5, causing demolding to occur between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the demolding process with the optical element 5 cooled to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the molding material 4, from the viewpoint of hardening the molded optical element 5 to a state suitable for demolding.

[0041] Furthermore, during the demolding process, the controller 20 controls the operation of the drive system 12 to slide the upper mold member 1 upward, as shown in Figure 1D. This causes the controller 20 to separate the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 in the vertical direction, thereby separating the molding surface 1a and the molding surface 2a. In this way, the controller 20 opens the molding mold 10, making the molded optical element 5 ready for removal from the molding mold 10. After this, the molded optical element 5 is removed from the molding mold 10 by a transport mechanism (not shown) or the like.

[0042] In this way, the optical element 5 is manufactured by press molding. The manufactured optical element 5 is a lens, such as a glass lens, although it is not particularly limited to such lenses, and is used as an optical element in interchangeable lenses, cameras, smartphone cameras, communication devices, etc.

[0043] As described above, in this embodiment, the upper mold member 1 is provided with a dissimilar material portion 101 having a smaller elastic modulus than that of the main body portion 11 on the outer circumference of the main body portion 11. As a result, in this embodiment, the curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 can be changed between the molding process and the demolding process depending on the change in load during molding, and the optical element 5 can be easily demolded from the molding die 10.

[0044] On the other hand, in the method of releasing an optical element by applying an external force to it, as described in Patent Document 1, if the adhesion between the optical element and the mold is strong, stress can concentrate at the point where the optical element and the release agent come into contact, potentially causing scratches or cracks in the optical element before it can be released from the mold. In particular, with small-diameter or thin-walled optical elements, the strength is low, making them prone to cracking due to stress concentration in the method described in Patent Document 1.

[0045] Furthermore, the method of demolding by deforming the thin, elastic portion of the outer periphery of the mold, as described in Patent Document 2, requires a pressing member to deform the elastic portion, and a separate drive system to drive this pressing member must be provided in the device. For this reason, the method described in Patent Document 2 complicates the molding apparatus, which may lead to increased costs for optical elements.

[0046] Thus, according to this embodiment, the curvature of the molding surface 1a is changed by a change in load, thereby releasing the optical element 5 from the molding mold 10. For this reason, according to this embodiment, even small-diameter or thin-walled optical elements 5 with low strength can be easily released from the molding mold 10 without causing scratches or cracks.

[0047] In the above explanation, for the sake of simplicity, we described the case in which the dissimilar material portion 101 is provided only on the upper mold member 1, but the explanation is not limited to this. The lower mold member 2 may also be provided with a dissimilar material portion 101 having an elastic modulus smaller than that of its main body portion 21. The same effect can be obtained in this case as well. Furthermore, the upper mold member 1 may be provided with a dissimilar material portion 101, and the lower mold member 2 may also be provided with a dissimilar material portion 101 having an elastic modulus smaller than that of its main body portion 21. In this case as well, the optical element 5 can be easily released from the molding die 10.

[0048] Furthermore, although the upper mold member 1 is moved up and down as described above, the molding material 4 can also be molded by moving the lower mold member 2 in the same manner. Specifically, the controller 20 can control the drive system 12 to slide the lower mold member 2 upward toward the upper mold member 1, which is fixed in position, or slide the upper mold member 1 downward while sliding the lower mold member 2 upward to press the molding material 4.

[0049] Furthermore, the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 are arranged so that their molding surfaces 1a and 2a face each other in the vertical direction, and are driven by the drive system 12 to move closer to or further apart from each other in the vertical direction, but are not limited to this arrangement. The upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 may be arranged so that their molding surfaces 1a and 2a face each other in directions other than the vertical direction, and may be driven by the drive system 12 to move closer to or further apart from each other in those other directions.

[0050] Furthermore, if the optical element 5 is molded using a different molding apparatus, which does not have a dissimilar material portion 101 on the upper mold member 1, in the same manner as in the first embodiment described above, it is difficult to release the optical element 5 from the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1.

[0051] [Second Embodiment] A method for manufacturing an optical element, an apparatus for manufacturing an optical element, and a mold according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 4. Components similar to those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0052] First, the configuration of the optical element manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 4. Figure 4 is a schematic diagram showing the optical element molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 4 shows the state of the molding die 10 during the press operation.

[0053] The molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an optical element manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing optical elements by press molding, and as shown in Figure 4, it has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the upper mold member 1 has a dissimilar material part 102 instead of a dissimilar material part 101. Other than this point, the configuration of the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0054] The dissimilar material section 102 is a material section composed of a material having different physical properties from the main body section 11 of the upper mold member 1, which is the base material of the mold. Specifically, the dissimilar material section 102 is composed of a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion greater than that of the main body section 11, which is the base material of the mold.

[0055] The dissimilar material portion 102, similar to the dissimilar material portion 101 in the first embodiment, is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical main body portion 11, along the circumferential direction of the side surface of the main body portion 11, so as to be located on the outside of the main body portion 11. The dissimilar material portion 102 may be provided continuously or intermittently in an annular shape on the outer periphery of the main body portion 11, or it may be provided in part.

[0056] The materials of the main body 11, the main body 21, and the dissimilar material part 102 are all, for example, cemented carbide. The thermal expansion coefficient of the main body 11 is, for example, 5.0 × 10⁻⁶. -6 / °C, the thermal expansion coefficient of the dissimilar material part 102 is, for example, 6.5 × 10 -6 The temperature is / ℃. It is preferable that the dissimilar material portion 102 is located at a position sufficiently far from the molded surface 1a.

[0057] Next, a method for manufacturing an optical element using the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing an optical element according to this embodiment also includes a heating step, a molding step, a cooling step, and a demolding step, similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0058] In the heating process, the controller 20 controls the output of the heater 14, similar to the first embodiment, to heat the entire mold 10 with the heater 14, thereby heating and softening the molding material 4 placed in the mold 10. As the molding material 4, for example, optical glass for glass molds with a glass transition point of 510°C can be used. The shape of the optical element to be molded can be a biconcave lens.

[0059] Specifically, in the heating process, the controller 20 heats the upper mold member 1, the lower mold member 2, and the body mold 3 to a first temperature (e.g., 460°C). Once these are heated to the first temperature, the controller 20 places the molding material 4 in the center of the lower mold member 2. Subsequently, the controller 20 heats the molding mold 10 to a second temperature higher than the first temperature (e.g., 570°C) to reduce the viscosity of the molding material 4 and soften it until it is suitable for molding.

[0060] Next, the controller 20 proceeds to the molding process, similar to the first embodiment, and controls the operation of the drive system 12 to slide the upper mold member 1 downward toward the fixed lower mold member 2, thereby pressing the heated and softened molding material 4 with a press load. The press load can be set to, for example, 4000N. In this way, the controller 20 transfers the molding surfaces 1a and 2a of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 to the molding material 4, thereby molding the molding material 4 to the desired center thickness. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the molding process with the molding material 4 heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the molding material 4 by the heater 14, similar to the first embodiment. In this way, the controller 20 brings the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 closer together in the vertical direction, bringing the molding surfaces 1a and 2a closer together, thereby heating and pressing the molding material 4 between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a to form the molding material 4 into an optical element 5.

[0061] Here, the thermal expansion coefficient of the dissimilar material portion 102 is greater than that of the main body portion 11, which is the base material of the upper mold member 1. Therefore, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1, where the dissimilar material portion 102 is provided, expands more thermally than the central part of the upper mold member 1 due to the heat generated during the heating and molding processes. As a result, similar to the first embodiment shown in Figure 2, the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1, when heated, has a larger radius of curvature than when not heated. In this way, the dissimilar material portion 102 changes the curvature of the molding surface 1a due to the change in temperature. The shape of the molding surface 1a with the larger radius of curvature is transferred to the molding material 4. In this way, the molding material 4 is molded, and an optical element 5 made from the molded molding material 4 is obtained.

[0062] After the molding of the molding material 4 is complete, the controller 20 proceeds to the cooling process, as in the first embodiment, and in the cooling process, the molding mold 10 and the optical element 5, which is the molded product, are cooled until they reach the desired temperature.

[0063] During the cooling process, when the molding die 10 is cooled, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 shrinks and deforms due to the presence of the dissimilar material portion 102, resulting in greater thermal expansion compared to the central part of the upper mold member 1. Due to this shrinkage, the radius of curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 becomes smaller compared to the molding process, similar to the first embodiment shown in Figure 3. The optical element 5, which was in close contact with the molding surface 1a during the molding process when the radius of curvature was large, is pulled upward toward the upper mold member 1 as the curvature of the molding surface 1a changes due to the shrinkage caused by thermal expansion. As a result, a force is generated at the interface between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5 that separates them, causing demolition between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5.

[0064] Once the molding mold 10 has cooled to the desired temperature, the controller 20 proceeds to the demolding process, as in the first embodiment, and in the demolding process, slides the upper mold member 1 upward to open the molding mold 10. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the demolding process with the optical element 5 cooled to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the molding material 4, as in the first embodiment. After this, the molded optical element 5 is removed from the molding mold 10 by a transport mechanism (not shown) or the like.

[0065] As described above, in this embodiment, the upper mold member 1 is provided with a dissimilar material portion 102 having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of the main body portion 11 on the outer circumference of the main body portion 11. As a result, in this embodiment, the curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 can be changed between the molding process and the cooling process due to the change in heat during molding, and the optical element 5 can be easily released from the molding die 10.

[0066] Thus, according to this embodiment, the curvature of the molding surface 1a is changed by the change in temperature, thereby releasing the optical element 5 from the molding mold 10. For this reason, according to this embodiment, even small-diameter or thin-walled optical elements 5 with low strength can be easily released from the molding mold 10 without causing scratches or cracks.

[0067] In the above explanation, for the sake of simplicity, we described the case where the dissimilar material portion 102 is provided only on the upper mold member 1, but this is not the only case. The lower mold member 2 may also be provided with a dissimilar material portion 102 having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of its main body portion 21. The same effect can be obtained in this case as well. Furthermore, the upper mold member 1 may be provided with a dissimilar material portion 102, and the lower mold member 2 may also be provided with a dissimilar material portion 102 having a thermal expansion coefficient greater than that of its main body portion 21. In this case as well, the optical element 5 can be easily released from the molding die 10.

[0068] Furthermore, the dissimilar material portion 102 of this embodiment can also be used in combination with the dissimilar material portion 101 of the first embodiment. That is, one of the dissimilar material portions 101 and 102 may be provided on the upper mold member 1, and the other of the dissimilar material portions 101 and 102 may be provided on the lower mold member 2. Alternatively, both of the dissimilar material portions 101 and 102 may be provided on one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2.

[0069] In this embodiment as well, the controller 20 can also press the molding material 4 by sliding the lower mold member 2 upward toward the upper mold member 1, which is fixed in position, using the drive system 12, or by sliding the upper mold member 1 downward while sliding the lower mold member 2 upward.

[0070] In this embodiment as well, the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 may be arranged so that their molding surfaces 1a and 2a face each other in directions other than the vertical direction, and may be driven by the drive system 12 to move closer to or further apart from each other in those other directions.

[0071] Furthermore, if the optical element 5 is molded using a different molding apparatus, which does not have a dissimilar material portion 102 on the upper mold member 1, in the same manner as the second embodiment described above, it is difficult to release the optical element 5 from the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1.

[0072] [Third Embodiment] A third embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an optical element, an apparatus for manufacturing an optical element, and a mold will be described with reference to Figure 5. Components similar to those in the first and second embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions will be omitted or simplified.

[0073] First, the configuration of the optical element manufacturing apparatus according to this embodiment will be explained using Figure 5. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram showing the optical element molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment. Note that Figure 5 shows the state of the molding die 10 during the press operation.

[0074] The molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an optical element manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing optical elements by press molding, and as shown in Figure 5, it has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the upper mold member 1 has a composite member 30 instead of a dissimilar material part 101. Other than this point, the configuration of the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0075] The composite member 30 is provided on the bottom surface of the upper mold member 1 opposite to the molding surface 1a of the main body portion 11. The composite member 30 is positioned, for example, between the bottom surface of the main body portion 11 of the upper mold member 1 and the heater 14 that heats the main body portion 11. In other words, the heater 14 is provided on the upper mold member 1 via the composite member 30.

[0076] The composite member 30 is a material part having a first member 301 which is a part with low thermal conductivity and a second member 302 which is a part with a higher thermal conductivity than the first member 301. The first member 301 is provided in the center of the composite member 30. The second member 302 is provided on the outer periphery of the composite member 30 and is located outside the first member 301.

[0077] The material of the main body 11 and the main body 21 is, for example, a cemented carbide, and the material of the composite member 30 is, for example, ceramic. In the composite member 30, the thermal conductivity of the first member 301 in the center, which has low thermal conductivity, is, for example, 20 W / (m·K), and the thermal conductivity of the second member 302 in the outer periphery, which has high thermal conductivity, is, for example, 170 W / (m·K).

[0078] Next, a method for manufacturing an optical element using the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing an optical element according to this embodiment also includes a heating step, a molding step, a cooling step, and a demolding step, similar to those of the first embodiment.

[0079] In the heating process, the controller 20 controls the output of the heater 14, similar to the first embodiment, to heat the entire mold 10 with the heater 14, thereby heating and softening the molding material 4 placed in the mold 10. As the molding material 4, for example, optical glass for glass molds with a glass transition point of 510°C can be used. The shape of the optical element to be molded can be a biconcave lens.

[0080] Specifically, in the heating process, the controller 20 heats the upper mold member 1, lower mold member 2, and body mold 3, which include the composite member 30, to a first temperature (e.g., 460°C). Once these are heated to the first temperature, the controller 20 places the molding material 4 in the center of the lower mold member 2. Subsequently, the controller 20 heats the molding mold 10 to a second temperature (e.g., 570°C), which is higher than the first temperature, to reduce the viscosity of the molding material 4 and soften it until it is suitable for molding.

[0081] Next, the controller 20 proceeds to the molding process, similar to the first embodiment, and controls the operation of the drive system 12 to slide the upper mold member 1 downward toward the fixed lower mold member 2, thereby pressing the heated and softened molding material 4 with a press load. The press load can be set to, for example, 4000N. In this way, the controller 20 transfers the molding surfaces 1a and 2a of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 to the molding material 4, thereby molding the molding material 4 to the desired center thickness. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the molding process with the molding material 4 heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the molding material 4 by the heater 14, similar to the first embodiment. In this way, the controller 20 brings the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 closer together in the vertical direction, bringing the molding surfaces 1a and 2a closer together, thereby heating and pressing the molding material 4 between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a to form the molding material 4 into an optical element 5.

[0082] In the composite member 30, the thermal conductivity of the second member 302 at the outer periphery is greater than that of the first member 301 at the center. Therefore, the amount of heat flowing from the heater 14 provided on the upper mold member 1 to the upper mold member 1 via the composite member 30 is greater at the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 compared to the center. As a result, a temperature distribution occurs in the upper mold member 1 where the center is at a lower temperature and the outer periphery is at a higher temperature than the center. Due to this temperature distribution, the thermal expansion of the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 is greater than that of the center of the upper mold member 1. As a result, as shown in Figure 6, when heat is applied, the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 has a larger radius of curvature than when no heat is applied. In this way, the composite member 30 changes the curvature of the molding surface 1a due to the change in temperature. The shape of the molding surface 1a with a larger radius of curvature is transferred to the molding material 4. In this way, the molding material 4 is molded, and an optical element 5 made of the molded molding material 4 is obtained.

[0083] After the molding of the molding material 4 is complete, the controller 20 proceeds to the cooling process, as in the first embodiment, and in the cooling process, the molding mold 10 and the optical element 5, which is the molded product, are cooled until they reach the desired temperature.

[0084] During the cooling process, when the molding die 10 is cooled, the difference in thermal conductivity between the first member 301 and the second member 302 in the composite member 30 causes the upper mold member 1 to cool more easily at its outer periphery than at its center. As a result, as cooling progresses, a temperature distribution occurs in the upper mold member 1 that is the opposite of the molding process, with the center being hotter and the outer periphery being colder. Due to this temperature distribution, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 undergoes greater thermal expansion and contraction compared to the center of the upper mold member 1, causing deformation. As a result of this contraction, as shown in Figure 7, the radius of curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 becomes smaller compared to the molding process. The optical element 5, which was in close contact with the molding surface 1a during the molding process when the radius of curvature was large, is pulled upward towards the upper mold member 1 as the curvature of the molding surface 1a changes due to the contraction caused by thermal expansion. As a result, a force is generated at the interface between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5 that separates them, causing demolition between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5.

[0085] Once the molding mold 10 has cooled to the desired temperature, the controller 20 proceeds to the demolding process, as in the first embodiment, and in the demolding process, slides the upper mold member 1 upward to open the molding mold 10. It is preferable that the controller 20 performs the demolding process with the optical element 5 cooled to a temperature lower than the glass transition point of the molding material 4, as in the first embodiment. After this, the molded optical element 5 is removed from the molding mold 10 by a transport mechanism (not shown) or the like.

[0086] As described above, in this embodiment, a composite member 30 having different thermal conductivity in its central and outer peripheral portions is provided at the bottom of the upper mold member 1. This allows the curvature of the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 to be changed between the molding process and the demolding process due to changes in heat during molding, making it possible to easily demold the optical element 5 from the molding die 10.

[0087] Thus, according to this embodiment, the curvature of the molding surface 1a is changed by the change in temperature, thereby releasing the optical element 5 from the molding mold 10. For this reason, according to this embodiment, even small-diameter or thin-walled optical elements 5 with low strength can be easily released from the molding mold 10 without causing scratches or cracks.

[0088] In the above explanation, for the sake of simplicity, we described the case where the composite member 30 is provided only on the upper mold member 1, but this is not the only case. The composite member 30 may also be provided only on the lower mold member 2. In this case as well, the same effect can be obtained. Furthermore, the composite member 30 may be provided on both the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2. In this case as well, the optical element 5 can be easily released from the molding die 10.

[0089] Furthermore, in a molding die 10 provided with one or both of the dissimilar material parts 101 and 102, as in the first or second embodiment or a combination thereof, a composite member 30 may be provided on one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2.

[0090] In this embodiment as well, the controller 20 can also press the molding material 4 by sliding the lower mold member 2 upward toward the upper mold member 1, which is fixed in position, using the drive system 12, or by sliding the upper mold member 1 downward while sliding the lower mold member 2 upward.

[0091] In this embodiment as well, the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 may be arranged so that their molding surfaces 1a and 2a face each other in directions other than the vertical direction, and may be driven by the drive system 12 to move closer to or further apart from each other in those other directions.

[0092] Furthermore, if the optical element 5 is molded using a different molding apparatus, which does not have a composite member 30 on the upper mold member 1, in the same manner as the third embodiment described above, it is difficult to release the optical element 5 from the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1.

[0093] [Fourth Embodiment] A method for manufacturing an optical element, an apparatus for manufacturing an optical element, and a mold according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 8. Components similar to those in the first to third embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified.

[0094] The molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is an optical element manufacturing apparatus that manufactures optical elements by press molding, and as shown in Figure 8, it has the same basic configuration as the first embodiment. This embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the upper mold member 1 has a slit 103 instead of a dissimilar material section 101. Other than this point, the configuration of the molding apparatus 100 according to this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment.

[0095] The slit 103 is a groove-shaped space provided on the side surface of the cylindrical main body 11 along the circumferential direction of the side surface of the main body 11. The slit 103 may be provided continuously or intermittently in an annular shape on the side surface of the upper mold member 1, or it may be provided in part.

[0096] The material of the main body 11 and the main body 21 is, for example, stainless steel. The elastic modulus of the main body 11 is, for example, 200 GPa. It is preferable that the slit 103 is located at a position sufficiently far from the molding surface 1a.

[0097] The outer periphery of the upper mold member 1, where the slit 103 is provided, has a lower elastic modulus compared to the central part. Therefore, similar to the case in the first embodiment where a dissimilar material portion 101 with a lower elastic modulus is provided, the outer periphery deforms when a press load is applied during the molding process, and the molding surface 1a is molded with a radius of curvature larger than that when no load is applied, forming the molding material 4.

[0098] Furthermore, when the press load is removed during the demolding process, the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1, where the slit 103 is provided, undergoes deformation similar to that of the first embodiment, where a dissimilar material portion 101 with a low modulus of elasticity is provided. As a result, the distortion of the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 returns to its original state, and the curvature of the molding surface 1a also returns to its shape when unloaded. The optical element 5, which was in close contact with the molding surface 1a under load with a large radius of curvature, is pulled upward toward the upper mold member 1 as the radius of curvature of the molding surface 1a changes due to the removal of the press load. As a result, a force is generated at the interface between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5 that separates them, causing demolding to occur between the molding surface 1a and the optical element 5.

[0099] As in the first and second embodiments, not only are dissimilar material sections 101 and 102 provided, but as in this embodiment, a slit 103, which is a space, can also be provided to reduce the apparent modulus of elasticity and deform the molded surface 1a. In this case as well, the optical element 5 can be easily released from the mold 10.

[0100] In the above explanation, for the sake of simplicity, we described the case where the slit 103 is provided only in the upper mold member 1, but this is not the only case. The slit 103 may also be provided only in the lower mold member 2. The same effect can be obtained in this case as well. Furthermore, the slit 103 may be provided in both the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2. In this case as well, the optical element 5 can be easily released from the molding mold 10.

[0101] Furthermore, in the molding die 10 in which some or all of the dissimilar material parts 101, 102 and the composite member 30 are provided by the first, second, or third embodiment or a combination thereof, a slit 103 may be provided in one or both of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2.

[0102] [Fifth Embodiment] A fifth embodiment of the present invention, a method for manufacturing an optical element, an apparatus for manufacturing an optical element, and a mold will be described with reference to Figure 9. Components similar to those in the first to fourth embodiments described above are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted or simplified.

[0103] In the first to fourth embodiments described above, the case in which optical elements are formed by press molding was explained. However, optical elements can also be formed by injection molding of thermoplastic resin or the like. In this embodiment, the case in which optical elements are formed by injection molding will be explained.

[0104] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a mold 10 used in this embodiment for molding an optical element by injection molding. As shown in the figure, the mold 10 has an upper mold member 1, a lower mold member 2, and a body mold 3. The upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 are positioned vertically so that the molding surfaces 1a and 2a of their respective main bodies 11 and 21 face each other in the vertical direction, and are held by the body mold 3. The upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 are configured so that a press load can be applied between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a during the injection molding process.

[0105] For example, stainless steel can be used as the material for the main body portion 11 and the main body portion 21. Also, similar to the fourth embodiment, slits 103 are provided on the side surfaces of the cylindrical main body portion 11 and the cylindrical main body portion 21.

[0106] The molding material can be introduced between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a of the molding die 10 by pouring it in through the opening 3a provided in the body mold 3. A thermoplastic resin such as cycloolefin resin can be used as the molding material. Furthermore, for example, the molding surface 1a of the upper mold member 1 can be made convex and the molding surface 2a of the lower mold member 2 can be made concave so that the shape of the molded optical element becomes a concave meniscus lens.

[0107] In injection molding, the presence of a slit 103 in the mold 10 causes the elastic modulus of the outer periphery of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 to be smaller than that of the center. Therefore, in the injection molding process, the molding material is formed with a larger radius of curvature of the molding surfaces 1a and 2a due to the press load during injection molding. Furthermore, when the press load is removed during the demolding process, the radius of curvature of the deformed molding surfaces 1a and 2a returns to its original state, causing demolding to occur at the interface between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a and the optical element. In the molding process, the thermoplastic resin can be injected between the molding surfaces 1a and 2a at a temperature of, for example, 250°C and the mold 10 at a temperature of, for example, 135°C to perform injection molding.

[0108] As in this embodiment, even in injection molding of thermoplastic resin, by forming a region with a lower elastic modulus on the outer circumference of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 using the slit 103, the curvature of the molded surfaces 1a and 2a can be changed by changes in the load during molding. This makes it possible to easily release the optical element from the mold 10.

[0109] In the above description, the case in which the slit 103 is provided in both the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2 was explained, but the slit 103 may be provided in only one of the upper mold member 1 and the lower mold member 2. Also, instead of the slit 103, or together with the slit 103, one or both of the dissimilar material portion 101 of the first embodiment and the dissimilar material portion 102 of the second embodiment may be provided.

[0110] In this embodiment, the description was given using an example of molding an optical element, but the molding mold and manufacturing apparatus according to this invention can also be applied to components other than optical elements. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the description was given using an example in which the curvature of the molded surface changes due to changes in heat or load in both the cooling process and the demolding process, but depending on the temperature range used, deformation of the curvature of the molded surface may occur in either one of them.

[0111] This embodiment includes the following methods and configurations. (Method 1) A molding process comprising using a mold having a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, and bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface close together, thereby heating and pressing the molding material between the first molding surface and the second molding surface to form the molding material into a member, After the molding process, a cooling process is performed to cool the mold, The process includes, after the molding step, a mold release step for releasing the member from the mold, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molded surface or the second molded surface, which is the molded surface, by changes in heat or load during the cooling step or the demolding step. A method for manufacturing a component characterized by the above. (Method 2) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The physical properties of the material portion differ from those of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to method 1, characterized by the following: (Method 3) The elastic modulus of the material portion is smaller than that of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to method 2, characterized by the following: (Method 4) The thermal expansion coefficient of the material portion is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to method 2, characterized by the following: (Method 5) The material portion is provided on the outside of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of methods 2 to 4. (Method 6) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The aforementioned space is provided on the outside of the main body. A method for manufacturing a component according to method 1, characterized by the following: (Method 7) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The material portion is positioned between the heating portion that heats the main body portion and the main body portion. The material portion comprises a first portion and a second portion having a greater thermal conductivity than the first portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to method 1, characterized by the following: (Method 8) The second part is provided on the outside of the first part. A method for manufacturing a member according to method 7, characterized by the following: (Method 9) The mold release step is initiated after the cooling step has started. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of methods 1 to 8. (Method 10) A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of methods 1 to 9, characterized in that the molding material is glass. (Method 11) The molding process is carried out while the molding material is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the molding material. The demolding step is performed when the member has been cooled to a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of methods 1 to 10. (Method 12) A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of methods 1 to 11, characterized in that the member is a glass lens. (Composition 1) A mold comprising a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, A drive system for bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface closer together or for separating the first molding surface and the second molding surface from each other, It has a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the aforementioned type, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, due to changes in heat or load. A manufacturing apparatus for components characterized by the following features. (Configuration 2) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The physical properties of the material portion differ from those of the main body portion. A manufacturing apparatus for the component described in configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 3) The elastic modulus of the material portion is smaller than that of the main body portion. A manufacturing apparatus for the component described in configuration 2, characterized by the above. (Composition 4) The thermal expansion coefficient of the material portion is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the main body portion. A manufacturing apparatus for the component described in configuration 2, characterized by the above. (Composition 5) The material portion is provided on the outside of the main body portion. A manufacturing apparatus for a component according to any one of configurations 2 to 4, characterized in that it is a component manufacturing apparatus. (Composition 6) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The aforementioned space is provided on the outside of the main body. A manufacturing apparatus for the component described in configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 7) The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The material portion is positioned between the heating portion that heats the main body portion and the main body portion. The material portion comprises a first portion and a second portion having a greater thermal conductivity than the first portion. A manufacturing apparatus for the component described in configuration 1, characterized by the above. (Composition 8) The second part is provided on the outside of the first part. A manufacturing apparatus for the component according to configuration 7, characterized by the features described above. (Composition 9) A first mold member having a first molding surface, It comprises a second mold member having a second molding surface, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, due to changes in heat or load. A type characterized by the following features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0112] 1 Upper mold member 1a Molding surface 2 Lower mold member 2a Molding surface 3 Body Shape 3a opening 4 Molding material 5 Optical elements 10 Molding mold 11 Main body 12 Drivetrain 14 Heater 16 Gas inlet pipe 20 Controllers 21 Main body 30 Composite Members 100 Molding equipment 101 Different materials department 102 Different materials department 103 Slit 301 First component 302 Second component

Claims

1. A molding process in which a mold is used having a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, and the molding material is heated and pressed between the first molding surface and the second molding surface by bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface close together, thereby molding the molding material into a member, After the molding process, a cooling process is performed to cool the mold, The process includes, after the molding step, a mold release step for releasing the member from the mold, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molded surface or the second molded surface, which is the molded surface, by changes in heat or load during the cooling step or the demolding step. A method for manufacturing a component characterized by the above.

2. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The physical properties of the material portion differ from those of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a method for manufacturing a component.

3. The elastic modulus of the material portion is smaller than that of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a method for manufacturing a component.

4. The thermal expansion coefficient of the material portion is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to claim 2, characterized in that it is a method for manufacturing a component.

5. The material portion is provided on the outside of the main body portion. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of claims 2 to 4.

6. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The aforementioned space is provided on the outside of the main body. A method for manufacturing a component according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a method for manufacturing a component.

7. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The material portion is positioned between the heating portion that heats the main body portion and the main body portion. The material portion has a first portion and a second portion having a greater thermal conductivity than the first portion. A method for manufacturing a component according to claim 1, characterized in that it is a method for manufacturing a component.

8. The second part is provided on the outside of the first part. A method for manufacturing a component according to feature 7.

9. The mold release step is initiated after the cooling step has started. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6 to 8.

10. The method for manufacturing a member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6 to 8, characterized in that the molding material is glass.

11. The molding process is carried out while the molding material is heated to a temperature higher than the glass transition point of the molding material. The demolding step is performed when the member has been cooled to a temperature lower than the glass transition temperature. A method for manufacturing a member according to any one of claims 1 to 4 and 6 to 8.

12. The method for manufacturing the member according to claim 1, characterized in that the member is a glass lens.

13. A mold comprising a first mold member having a first molding surface and a second mold member having a second molding surface, A drive system for bringing the first molding surface and the second molding surface closer together or for separating the first molding surface and the second molding surface from each other, It has a temperature control unit that controls the temperature of the aforementioned type, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, by changes in heat or load. A manufacturing apparatus for components characterized by the following features.

14. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The physical properties of the material portion differ from those of the main body portion. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 13.

15. The elastic modulus of the material portion is smaller than that of the main body portion. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 14.

16. The thermal expansion coefficient of the material portion is greater than the thermal expansion coefficient of the main body portion. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 14.

17. The material portion is provided on the outside of the main body portion. A manufacturing apparatus for a component according to any one of claims 14 to 16.

18. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The aforementioned space is provided on the outside of the main body. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 13.

19. The at least one of the mold members has a main body portion having the molding surface, The material portion is positioned between the heating portion that heats the main body portion and the main body portion. The material portion has a first portion and a second portion having a greater thermal conductivity than the first portion. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 13.

20. The second part is provided on the outside of the first part. The apparatus for manufacturing the component according to feature 19.

21. A first mold member having a first molding surface, It comprises a second mold member having a second molding surface, At least one of the first mold member and the second mold member has a material portion or space portion that changes the curvature of the first molding surface or the second molding surface, which is the molding surface, by changes in heat or load. A type characterized by the following features.

Images