Mold management system, mold management method, lens manufacturing method, and mold management system program

Abstract

Provided is a mold management system for use in manufacturing a lens which has a first main surface and a second main surface by curing a lens material between a first mold 2 comprising a first transfer surface 2a to serve as a transfer source for the shape of the first main surface and a second mold 3 comprising a second transfer surface 3a to serve as a transfer source for the shape of the second main surface, the mold management system comprising an accessing unit for accessing a database including the correspondence relationship between quality-related information pertaining to the quality of the lens onto which a mold identification mark marked on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 as a transfer mark has been transferred, and the first mold 2 identified by mold identification information obtained from the mold identification mark, on the basis of at least one of the following marks. Also provided are technologies related to the mold management system. (1) Mold identification mark after being transferred onto the first main surface 2a of the lens. (2) Mold identification mark on the first mold 2.

Description

Mold management system, mold management method, lens manufacturing method, and program for mold management system

[0001] The present invention relates to a mold management system, a mold management method, a lens manufacturing method, and a program for the mold management system, particularly to a mold management system, a mold management method, a lens manufacturing method, and a program for the mold management system when the lens is a lens for glasses.

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a method for manufacturing eyeglass lenses from lens material, which includes a marking step in which an identification information mark for identifying the eyeglass lens and a processing information mark used when processing the lens material are marked on the convex surface of the lens material by forming a hole or groove with a laser, and a concave surface cutting step in which the processing information mark is read and the concave surface of the lens material is cut based on the read processing information mark.

[0003] Patent document 2 describes a method for permanently storing information for individualizing a spectacle lens on a glass or plastic body of a spectacle lens, without the need to exceed the number of permanent marks specified in the DIN EN ISO 8980-2:2004 standard.

[0004] The information for individualizing spectacle lenses described in Patent Document 2 is said to provide the following advantages: It makes it possible to prevent mix-ups between spectacle lenses or spectacle lens blanks in a manufacturing process in which tens of thousands of spectacle lens blanks typically pass through per day. The individualized information for spectacle lenses also makes it easier to detect errors during the manufacturing process. The manufacturing of spectacle lenses can also be more easily automated by individualizing the spectacle lenses and storing the information in the spectacle lenses, since each individual glass or plastic body can be uniquely identified before, during, or after each step in the manufacturing process, making so-called batch tracking possible. Furthermore, the information for individualizing each spectacle lens makes it possible to simplify and improve the quality control of spectacle lenses throughout the manufacturing process.

[0005] WO2019 / 003343 Pamphlet WO2013 / 092987 Pamphlet

[0006] Lenses having a first main surface and a second main surface (e.g., lenses for glasses) are mostly manufactured using molds due to the need for mass production. Specifically, lenses can be manufactured by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first main surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second main surface is transferred. Hereinafter, the first mold and / or the second mold will be simply referred to as molds. The mold reference numerals will be used to represent the first mold.

[0007] In both Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, marking is performed on the lens blank after the lens material has hardened. On the other hand, when manufacturing lenses using the manufacturing method described in the above paragraph, neither Patent Document 1 nor Patent Document 2 describes anything about managing the mold used when hardening the lens material.

[0008] As an example of mold management, when lenses are manufactured using the manufacturing method described in the above paragraph, if a defect exists in the mold (e.g., the transfer surface), the defect will naturally be transferred to the lens. If the defect is not noticed, lenses with the defect, i.e., defective products, will continue to be produced. However, by managing the mold, it is possible to prevent such an occurrence.

[0009] An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a technique for improving the quality control and productivity of lenses by managing molds in lens production using molds.

[0010] A first aspect of the present invention is a mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the mold management system comprising an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information relating to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens, or (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold.

[0011] A second aspect is the mold management system according to the first aspect, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by irradiating the first transfer surface of the first mold with a laser.

[0012] A third aspect is the mold management system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

[0013] A fourth aspect is the mold management system according to any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising a determination unit that determines whether the first mold is usable or not based on the database.

[0014] A fifth aspect is a mold management system described in any one of the first to fourth aspects, wherein the access unit further includes a first reading unit that reads the post-transfer mold specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

[0015] A sixth aspect is a mold management system according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, wherein the access unit further comprises an input unit that adds to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading unit and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

[0016] A seventh aspect is the mold management system according to any one of the first to sixth aspects, wherein the access unit further includes a second reading unit that reads the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

[0017] An eighth aspect is a mold management system according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the access unit further includes a query unit that queries quality-related information related to the quality of the lens associated with the first mold read and identified by the second reading unit, and the quality-related information related to the quality of the lens is quality-related information related to the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold identification mark, and is information input into a database upon reading the post-transfer mold identification mark.

[0018] A ninth aspect is the mold management system according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, further comprising a recording unit that records the database.

[0019] A tenth aspect is a mold management method used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the mold management method comprising an access step of accessing, based on at least one of the following marks, a database containing correspondence between quality-related information relating to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark: (1) a transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens, or (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold.

[0020] An eleventh aspect is the mold management method according to the tenth aspect, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by irradiating the first transfer surface of the first mold with a laser.

[0021] A twelfth aspect is the mold management method according to the tenth or eleventh aspect, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

[0022] A thirteenth aspect is a mold management method according to any one of the tenth to twelfth aspects, wherein the access step further includes a first reading step of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

[0023] A fourteenth aspect is the mold management method according to any one of the tenth to thirteenth aspects, wherein the accessing step further includes an input step of adding to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading step and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

[0024] A fifteenth aspect is the mold management method according to any one of the tenth to fourteenth aspects, wherein the access step further includes a second reading step of reading the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

[0025] A sixteenth aspect is the mold management method according to any one of the tenth to fifteenth aspects, wherein the access step further includes a query step of querying quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens, which is related to the first mold read and identified by the second reading step, and the quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens is quality-related information relating to the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark, and is information input into a database when the post-transfer mold-specific mark is read.

[0026] A seventeenth aspect is the mold management method according to any one of the tenth to sixteenth aspects, further comprising a determination step of determining whether or not to remove the first mold from the lens production process based on quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

[0027] An eighteenth aspect is a method for manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface, the method comprising: manufacturing the lens by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred; and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred; the method comprising: an accessing step of accessing a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks; (1) the mold-identifying mark after transfer on the first principal surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold, based on the information obtained in the accessing step; and a lens manufacturing step of manufacturing the lens by hardening the lens material between the first mold determined not to be removed from the lens production process and the second mold.

[0028] A nineteenth aspect is the method for manufacturing a lens according to the eighteenth aspect, wherein the mold-specific mark is formed by irradiating the first transfer surface of the first mold with a laser.

[0029] A twentieth aspect is the method of manufacturing a lens according to the eighteenth or nineteenth aspect, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

[0030] A 21st aspect is the method for manufacturing a lens according to any one of the 18th to 20th aspects, wherein the access step further includes a first reading step of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

[0031] A 22nd aspect is the method of manufacturing a lens according to any one of the 18th to 21st aspects, wherein the accessing step further includes an input step of adding to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified in the first reading step and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

[0032] A twenty-third aspect is the method of manufacturing a lens according to any one of the eighteenth to twenty-second aspects, wherein the accessing step further includes a second reading step of reading the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

[0033] A 24th aspect is the method for manufacturing a lens according to any one of aspects 18 to 23, wherein the access step further includes an inquiry step of inquiring about quality-related information related to the quality of the lens, which is related to the first mold read and identified by the second reading step, and the quality-related information related to the quality of the lens is quality-related information about the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark, and is information input into a database when the post-transfer mold-specific mark is read.

[0034] A twenty-fifth aspect is a program for a mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the program causing a computer to function as an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens, or (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold.

[0035] A twenty-sixth aspect is the program for a mold management system according to the twenty-fifth aspect, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by irradiating the first transfer surface of the first mold with a laser.

[0036] A twenty-seventh aspect is the mold management system according to the first or second aspect, wherein the access unit comprises: a first reading unit that reads the post-transfer mold-specifying mark on the first main surface of the lens; an input unit that adds to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading unit and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens; a second reading unit that reads the mold-specifying mark on the first mold; a query unit that queries quality-related information related to the quality of the lens, related to the first mold read and identified by the second reading unit; and a determination unit that determines whether the first mold is usable based on the database. This configuration can also be applied to other related technologies (mold management methods, lens manufacturing methods, mold management programs, etc.).

[0037] The specific content of the program for a mold management system can be applied to the content described so far. The technical idea of ​​the present invention can also be applied to a method for identifying a mold from a lens. The technical idea of ​​the present invention can also be applied to a system (or apparatus) for identifying a mold from a lens. The content of "system" in this specification can also be applied to "apparatus." The lens may be a lens for glasses. The first mold may be for forming the object-side surface of a glasses lens, or for forming the eyeball-side surface. The aspects described so far can be combined with each other in any way.

[0038] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in lens production using molds, a technique can be provided for improving lens quality control and productivity by managing molds.

[0039] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an assembly in which a first mold serving as an upper mold and a second mold serving as a lower mold are combined with respect to a gasket in a method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the first transfer surface of the first mold. FIG. 3 is a schematic enlarged view of the vicinity of the two-dimensional code in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a schematic enlarged view of the two-dimensional code in FIG. 2. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the second transfer surface of the second mold. FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of an eyeglass lens manufactured using the assembly of FIG. 1. FIG. 7 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 4. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the trajectory of a laser scanning line as an example of engraving the two-dimensional code of FIG. 2 into the first transfer surface of the first mold. FIG. 9 is an enlarged photograph showing the two-dimensional code of FIG. 4 actually engraved into the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. FIG. 10 is an image acquired by a 3D shape measuring device (manufactured by ZYGO) of a portion actually carved into a quadrangular pyramid shape on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 in a method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a mold-specific mark formed as a linear carving on the first transfer surface of the first mold. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the trajectory of a laser scanning line when the carving process of FIG. 11 is performed on the first transfer surface of the first mold. FIG. 13 is an enlarged photograph showing the carving process of FIG. 11 , in which the carving on the first transfer surface of the first mold is tapered so that the sides of the carving approach each other toward the bottom. FIG. 14 is a schematic block diagram of a mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 15 is a schematic flow diagram of a mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described. The following description based on the drawings is an example, and the present invention is not limited to the exemplified embodiments. In this specification, the symbol "to" indicates a value greater than or equal to a predetermined value and less than or equal to a predetermined value.

[0041] Below, a mold management system will be described. However, in order to explain this management system, it is preferable to explain a lens manufacturing method. Therefore, the lens manufacturing method will be explained first, and then the mold management system will be explained. Then, the application of the contents of this explanation to the mold management method, lens manufacturing method, and program for the mold management system will be explained. Note that the specific examples of lens manufacturing methods given here are merely examples, and the present invention is not limited to these specific examples. Specifically, each content will be explained in the following order. 1-1. (Outline of lens manufacturing method) 1-2. (Lens) 1-3. (Mold 2) 1-4. (Mold-specific mark) 1-5. (Specific means for forming mold-specific mark) 2-1. (Outline of mold management system) 2-2. (Database) 2-3. (Specific and preferred examples of mold management system) 3. (Mold management method, lens manufacturing method, and program for mold management system) 4. (Effects brought about by one aspect of the present invention) 5. (Other)

[0042] In this specification, the left-right direction in the direction facing the object-side surface of a spectacle lens (hereinafter referred to as plan view) is defined as the X direction, the up-down direction as the Y direction, and the thickness direction of the spectacle lens, which is perpendicular to the X and Y directions, as the Z direction. The Z direction is also the optical axis direction of the spectacle lens. The origin is the lens center. The lens center refers to the optical center or geometric center of the spectacle lens. This specification illustrates a case where the optical center and the geometric center approximately coincide. The right (3 o'clock direction) is defined as the +X direction, the left (9 o'clock direction) as the -X direction, the up (0 o'clock direction) as the +Y direction, the down (6 o'clock direction) as the -Y direction, the object side direction as the +Z direction, and the opposite direction (towards the back) as the -Z direction.

[0043] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an assembly 1 in which a first mold 2 serving as an upper mold and a second mold 3 serving as a lower mold are combined with a gasket 4 in a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens that is one aspect of the present invention.

[0044] An outline of a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to one aspect of the present invention is as follows. First, a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface is manufactured by hardening a lens material between a first mold 2 having a first transfer surface 2a from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold 3 having a second transfer surface 3a from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred.

[0045] 1-2. (Lens) The term "lens" used in this specification is not limited as long as it has a first main surface and a second main surface, one of which serves as a light entrance surface and the other as a light exit surface.

[0046] The lens may be a lens for glasses. In this case, one of the first and second principal surfaces is the object-side surface where light enters, and the other is the eye-side surface where light exits.

[0047] In this case, first mold 2, which serves as the upper mold for a cylindrical container called gasket 4, is selected according to the order details for the object-side surface of the eyeglass lens to be manufactured (for example, a refractive surface of a specified shape) (S1a in FIG. 15). Whether manufacturing a semi-finished lens whose eye-side surface will be machined later or molding the optical surface on the eye-side, an appropriate second mold 3, which serves as the lower mold, can be selected (S1b in FIG. 15).

[0048] In the example described in the above paragraph, after selection of first mold 2, a second reading step is performed in which the mold-specifying mark on first mold 2 is read (S10 in FIG. 15). Then, a database is referenced from the read mold-specifying mark to obtain information on the presence and content of lens quality-related information (described later in "Overview of Mold Management System") stored for first mold 2. This information is then used to confirm whether or not the first mold is suitable for use in lens production (determination step) (S11 in FIG. 15). If the operator determines from the database that the first mold should be removed from the lens production process, the first mold is removed from the lens production process (S12 in FIG. 15).

[0049] After first mold 2 has been confirmed to be suitable for use in lens production, first mold 2, which serves as the upper mold, is combined with second mold 3, which serves as the lower mold, to obtain assembled body 1 (S2 in FIG. 15). This forms an internal space. A monomer that will become the lens material is injected into this internal space through an injection port (not shown) provided on the cylindrical side of gasket 4 (S3 in FIG. 15). This internal space is also called cavity CA.

[0050] This monomer is, for example, a thermosetting resin. In this case, the monomer is hardened by heating the assembly 1 containing the monomer in its internal space (S4 in FIG. 15). The hardened material is released from the assembly 1 to obtain a lens (S5 and S7 in FIG. 15).

[0051] When a photocurable resin is used as the monomer, gasket 4, first mold 2 and / or second mold 3 of assembly 1 may be made transparent, and light may be irradiated onto the monomer through this transparent member.

[0052] The lens material may also be a pellet-shaped resin material called a preform. When a preform is used, the gasket 4 is not used, and the preform may be placed between the first mold 2 and the second mold 3, and the preform may be pressed and molded by both molds 2. There are no particular restrictions on the use of the lens thus obtained, and it may be an optical lens used in an imaging device or display (HMD, etc.) including a smartphone, in addition to a lens for glasses. Alternatively, molding may be applied in which, after the relative positions of the first mold 2 and the second mold are determined, a cavity is formed by wrapping tape around the lens instead of a gasket.

[0053] In this specification, the term "lens" refers to a lens for eyeglasses.

[0054] The term "lens for spectacles" as used herein includes lenses with a hard coating and an anti-reflection coating on a lens substrate, intermediate lenses with only some of the various coatings on the lens substrate, and the lens substrate itself. Furthermore, the lens may have optical surfaces on both the object-side and spectacles-side surfaces, or may have an optical surface on only one surface (for example, the object-side surface) and no optical surface on the eyeball-side surface (a semi-finished lens, as described below). Furthermore, the term "lens for spectacles" as used herein includes both pre-edging lenses before cutting into the shape of the frame, and edging lenses after the cutting.

[0055] However, in view of the fact that providing a mold-specific mark inside the frame rim affects the field of vision and the appearance of the eyeglass lens for the eyeglass wearer, this specification mainly assumes the case of an uncut lens before shaping as a lens for eyeglasses. In this specification, "lenses for eyeglasses" are also referred to as "eyeglass lenses."

[0056] The spectacle lenses described herein have an object-side surface and an eyeball-side surface. This description exemplifies a case in which the previously described first principal surface corresponds to the object-side surface and the second principal surface corresponds to the eyeball-side surface. That is, in the first mold 2, the first transfer surface 2a corresponds to the object-side surface, and in the second mold 3, the second transfer surface 3a corresponds to the eyeball-side surface. Of course, the first principal surface may be interchanged with the eyeball-side surface and the second principal surface may be interchanged with the object-side surface.

[0057] The "object-side surface" of a spectacle lens is the surface that faces the object when a wearer wears eyeglasses equipped with the spectacle lens, and the "eyeball-side surface" is the opposite, i.e., the surface that faces the eye when a wearer wears eyeglasses equipped with the spectacle lens. This relationship also applies to the lens substrate (a molded lens material) that forms the basis of the spectacle lens. In other words, the lens substrate also has an object-side surface and an eyeball-side surface. A meniscus shape may be adopted for the spectacle lens, with the object-side surface being convex and the eyeball-side surface being concave, and a first mold 2 and a second mold 3 having shapes corresponding to this meniscus-shaped spectacle lens may be used. In this specification, examples of meniscus-shaped spectacle lenses will be mainly given.

[0058] 1-3. (Mold 2) There are no limitations on the material of the mold 2, as long as it is possible to form transfer marks, including mold-specific marks, on the first transfer surface 2a. Since the transfer surface of the mold 2 in this embodiment is formed with transfer marks to be transferred to the lens substrate when the lens substrate is molded, it is desirable that the material of the mold 2 be one that can form a precise three-dimensional pattern by processing using laser irradiation, as described below. Hereinafter, the formation of three-dimensional transfer marks on the mold transfer surface will be referred to as "engraving" for convenience.

[0059] On the other hand, it is preferable to reuse the mold 2 after cleaning and drying it after manufacturing the lens (curing and demolding the lens material), as this eliminates the need to remake the mold 2 every time. For this reason, it is preferable to use glass, which is a highly durable material, as the material for the mold 2. A metal material may also be used as the material for the mold 2. For example, when a thermoplastic resin is used as the lens material, a metal material is preferred as the material for the mold 2.

[0060] There is no limitation on the type of glass, and there is no limitation on the refractive index of the glass, but for example, crown glass is preferably used.

[0061] 1-4. (Mold Identification Marks) Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. Dotted lines are used to highlight specific locations. The dashed-dotted lines in Figures 2, 5, and 6 indicate the left-right direction (X direction) and the up-down direction (Y direction). Figure 3 is a schematic enlarged view of the vicinity of the two-dimensional code in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a schematic enlarged view of the two-dimensional code in Figure 2. Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the second transfer surface 3a of the second mold 3. The dotted lines are used for emphasis and do not represent the actual physical configuration. Figure 6 is a schematic plan view of an eyeglass lens manufactured using the assembly 1 of Figure 1. Figure 7 is a partial enlarged view of Figure 4.

[0062] In a method for manufacturing an eyeglass lens according to one aspect of the present invention, a mold-specific mark that identifies at least the first mold 2 of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 is determined in advance, and the mold-specific mark is marked on at least the first transfer surface 2a of the first transfer surface 2a and the second transfer surface 3a. Then, when the lens material is cured between the first mold 2 and the second mold 3, the lens is manufactured in which the mold-specific mark is transferred to the lens material that is in close contact with the first mold 2.

[0063] In this specification, a "T" is added to the end of the symbol for a mark transferred to the main surface of a lens, such as a transferred mold-specific mark, to distinguish between marks formed on the mold and marks transferred to the main surface of the lens. Examples are given below: First mold-specific mark (two-dimensional code) 51T transferred to the object-side surface of the eyeglass lens; Second mold-specific mark (two-dimensional code) 52T transferred to the eyeball-side surface of the eyeglass lens. The following marks are unrelated or only vaguely related to direct mold identification, and are referred to as "lens characteristic marks" in this specification. These lens characteristic marks are usually formed as hidden marks, and are therefore also referred to as hidden marks. This does not exclude mold-specific marks that are difficult to see, similar to lens characteristic marks. However, preferably, a reading operation using a reading unit (described below) is performed, and the mold-specific mark is therefore provided outside the frame. For this reason, it is preferable that the mold-specific mark be a non-hidden mark. In this specification, "transfer mark" may include not only mold-specific marks but also the following lens characteristic marks. Lens type mark 60T Alignment reference mark 31aT Alignment reference mark 32aT Addition power indication mark 31bT Addition power indication mark 32bT Identification mark 35T Identification number 35AT Arc portion 35BT

[0064] The mold-specific mark is formed as a transfer mark on at least the first mold 2 out of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3. For example, it can be a three-dimensional mark with irregularities formed on the mold surface, and preferably is a mark made by engraving with laser irradiation, as described below.

[0065] Information for identifying the mold (hereinafter also referred to as mold identification information) can be obtained directly or indirectly from the mold identification mark. There are no limitations on the content of the mold identification information. For example, in the case of marking the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2, the information may include at least one of the following pieces of information. The mold identification information may be information that can at least identify and identify the individual mold: - Information for identifying the individual mold (serial number, etc.); - Mold production location (country and / or region); - Lot number; Date and time of mold production; Parameters related to the shape of the transfer surface (base curve, mean sphere, whether spherical or aspherical, information related to use, etc.); - Mold storage location; - Mold manufacturer. The term "directly" refers to the mold identification information being included in the mold identification mark. The term "indirectly" refers to the mold identification information not being included in the mold identification mark itself, but being obtained by reading the mold identification mark (e.g., displayed on a screen).

[0066] Mold-related information such as mold use history linked to the individual identification information may be stored in a recording medium (such as a server) and updated for information management. Examples of information stored in a recording medium linked to mold-specific information include the information described in the above paragraph as well as the following. Mold-related information may include at least one of the following: Number of times the mold has been used (or usage history) Information on other molds, gaskets, and molding equipment used at the same time as the mold; History of defects or spurious results, and defect correction history; Other points to note when using the mold.

[0067] The above can be briefly summarized as follows: The transfer marks provided on the mold include mold-specific marks and may also include lens characteristic marks as hidden marks. Mold-specific information can be obtained directly or indirectly from the transferred mold-specific marks on the lens that are formed by transferring the mold-specific marks on the mold. Of course, mold-specific information can also be obtained directly or indirectly from the mold-specific marks on the mold. Mold-related information linked to this mold-specific information may also be obtained.

[0068] The mold-specific mark may be a letter, a symbol, and / or a number, which will hereinafter be simply referred to as a character string.

[0069] The mold-identifying mark may be readable by the naked eye, if necessary, even under magnification. However, a large amount of information may be required to identify the specific mold 2 (first mold 2 in this case) used in manufacturing the lens. Therefore, it is preferable that the mold-identifying mark is an information record that can be read using an optical recognition device. This optical recognition device corresponds to the first reading unit 101 and / or the second reading unit 201 in Figure 14, which will be described later.

[0070] An example of an "information record readable using an optical recognition device" is a code that is not a character string. An example of such an optical recognition device is a scanner (e.g., a QR Code (registered trademark) reader). An optical recognition device may be one that has the function of automatically recognizing the information record (e.g., a QR Code (registered trademark)) in an image captured by an imaging element.

[0071] The code may be a one-dimensional code or a two-dimensional code. One-dimensional codes include barcodes. Two-dimensional codes are codes that record information using an arrangement of cells D (hereinafter, symbols omitted) arranged in two directions, vertically and horizontally, and include QR Code (registered trademark) and data matrix. Two-dimensional codes are preferred as they can store a large amount of information in a small area. Of course, character strings and non-character strings (e.g., codes) may be combined, but if the mold-identifying mark is a two-dimensional code, the mold 2 can be identified simply by reading the two-dimensional code. In other words, it is preferable that the mold-identifying mark (e.g., code) correspond one-to-one with the mold 2 actually used.

[0072] When a two-dimensional code is employed, the portions that make up the two-dimensional code (the multiple black square portions in a plan view in FIG. 4 , hereinafter referred to as cells) are engraved into the first transfer surface 2 a in a predetermined arrangement. Each cell of the two-dimensional code is recessed relative to the unrecessed base portion of the first transfer surface 2 a. Lens material fills these recesses, and by transferring these recesses, corresponding convex portions (protrusions) are formed on at least the first main surface of the lens substrate of the manufactured lens. These convex portions constitute each cell of the two-dimensional code. As a result, the lens substrate (e.g., an eyeglass lens) is provided with a mold-specific mark. In the two-dimensional code illustrated in FIG. 4 , specific information is recorded by an arrangement of 12 cells in both the vertical and horizontal directions.

[0073] There are no limitations on the dimensions of the engravings in the first transfer surface 2a in a plan view. In the case of a one-dimensional code, the short side may be, for example, 1 to 10 mm, and in the case of a two-dimensional code, the shape may be, for example, a square with a side ranging from 1 to 10 mm or a rectangle with a short side ranging from 1 to 10 mm, and preferably, a square with a side ranging from 1 to 5 mm or a rectangle with a short side ranging from 1 to 10 mm. Furthermore, when engraving a character string, it is preferable that the height of each character be approximately 1 to 10 mm.

[0074] It is preferable to determine the depth of the recesses (or irregularities) so that the lens substrate is sufficiently filled into the recesses during lens molding and a reverse image of the recesses is accurately formed on the lens substrate. For example, the dimension in the depth direction can be 100 μm or less. For example, the depth of the recesses can be in the range of 10 to 100 μm, more specifically, 10 to 80 μm.

[0075] Furthermore, the shape of the depth of the recess preferably encompasses the shape of the recess entrance relative to the non-recessed base portion of the first transfer surface 2a in a plan view. In other words, it is preferable that the recess sides approach each other toward the bottom. For example, the recesses can be formed in a tapered shape with inclined sides. To form the above-described two-dimensional code, each cell can be formed with a recess whose depth increases toward the center. Examples include polygonal pyramids such as square pyramids, hemispherical recesses, and mortar-shaped (conical) recesses. The shapes of each cell may be different, or multiple cells may be formed by combining the shapes listed above. A flat bottom may be formed near the center of the recess.

[0076] Alternatively, when forming linear recesses for forming character strings, the recesses may be shaped so as to become deeper as they approach the center in the line width direction.

[0077] The above-described excavation ensures excellent releasability when the lens substrate is released from the first mold 2. Furthermore, as will be described later, when excavating by laser irradiation, the side surface shape can be precisely controlled in forming the excavated shape described above, which has the advantage of providing particularly good releasability.

[0078] The mold identification mark may be formed by regularly engraved cells, like Braille. Two-dimensional codes are also included in this example. Ultimately, it is sufficient that the regularity of the cell arrangement differs for each mold 2 actually used. Specifically, if the regularity of the engraved cell arrangement (i.e., the arrangement pattern) can be linked to the mold 2 actually used in a one-to-one relationship, it is possible to identify the mold 2 actually used from the convex portions present in the resulting lens (e.g., originating from the concave cells of the mold 2). On the other hand, a code (especially a two-dimensional code) is preferable because it requires only a scanner to read the convex portions present in the lens or multiple cells of the mold 2, greatly simplifying the work involved.

[0079] Incidentally, there is a reason why the method for manufacturing a spectacle lens according to one aspect of the present invention states, "a mold-identifying mark that identifies 'at least the first mold 2 of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3'."

[0080] For example, when manufacturing a so-called semi-finished eyeglass lens, the object-side surface obtained by the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 typically constitutes an optical surface based on a desired design. Furthermore, if any surface processing is performed on this surface, it is the formation of a hard coat film or the like, and no surface processing such as cutting is performed. Therefore, if a mold-specific mark is engraved into the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 by carving, the mold-specific mark transferred to the object-side surface of the eyeglass lens will remain on the object-side surface, whether the object-side surface of the lens substrate is exposed or a film is formed on the object-side surface.

[0081] On the other hand, the eyeball-side surface obtained by second transfer surface 3a of second mold 3 is subjected to cutting (e.g., NC machining) and polishing in subsequent processes to achieve the desired prescription value, astigmatism distribution, refractive power error distribution, etc., and therefore may not be molded as an optical surface based on the design. Even if a mold-specific mark is engraved into second transfer surface 3a of second mold 3, in the case described in the above paragraph, no mold-specific mark will ultimately remain on the eyeball-side surface of the eyeglass lens. In that case, the mold-specific mark of first mold 2 may be engraved and marked only into first transfer surface 2a of first mold 2.

[0082] On the other hand, if it is still desired to leave a mold-specific mark on the eyeglass lens indicating that the second mold 3 was used for the eyeglass lens (semi-finished lens), the mold-specific marks of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 can be engraved and marked on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2.

[0083] In the above-mentioned semi-finished lenses, the surface facing the object is usually not subjected to surface treatment such as cutting, but this relationship can be reversed. In other words, the surface of the lens substrate facing the eyeball may not be subjected to surface treatment such as cutting.

[0084] On the other hand, in the case of eyeglass lenses (so-called cast lenses) in which no surface processing such as cutting is performed on either the object-side surface obtained by the first transfer surface 2 a of the first mold 2 or the eyeball-side surface obtained by the second transfer surface 3 a of the second mold 3, mold-specific marks remain on both the object-side surface and the eyeball-side surface. Therefore, a mold-specific mark for the first mold 2 (first mold-specific mark 51) is engraved into the first transfer surface 2 a of the first mold 2, and a mold-specific mark for the second mold 3 (second mold-specific mark 52) is engraved into the second transfer surface 3 a of the second mold 3. In other words, the technical concept of the present invention may be applied to either the first mold 2 or the second mold 3.

[0085] When the technical concept of the present invention is applied to the second mold 3, for example, after the selection of the second mold S1b in FIG. 15, the second reading S10 and confirmation (determination step) S11 of whether the first mold is suitable for use in lens production are performed on the selected second mold 3, just as with the first mold.

[0086] In order to encompass each of the above examples, the expression "a mold-specific mark identifying at least the first mold 2 of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 is engraved on at least the first transfer surface 2a of the first transfer surface 2a and the second transfer surface 3a" is used. In other words, it is preferable that a mark for identifying a specific mold is provided on a specific mold. This ensures a one-to-one correspondence between the mold and the mold-specific mark (and thus the mold-specific information), making the correspondence clear. It is preferable that at least a mold-specific mark for the first mold 2 (first mold-specific mark 51) is provided on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. To reiterate, the first mold 2 may be used to form the object-side surface of the spectacle lens, or the eyeball-side surface.

[0087] 1-5. (Specific Means for Forming Mold-Specific Marks) There are no limitations on the specific means for forming the mold-specific marks. It is sufficient that the mold-specific marks formed on the transfer surface of the first or second mold as transfer marks can be precisely transferred to the lens material and become readable. The means may be etching or mechanical processing, or spraying or adhering a specific material, so long as a three-dimensional, durable three-dimensional pattern is formed. However, dry, non-contact engraving using a laser, rather than wet, contact engraving using hydrofluoric acid, is preferred because it eliminates the complexity of wet processing and allows for the formation of fine, precise transfer marks.

[0088] On the spectacle lens surface to which the mold-specific mark has been transferred, a convex portion is formed by transferring the concave portion of the mold, i.e., a mark composed of convex portions. Conversely, a transfer mark having convex portions may be formed on the mold, and a mold-specific mark having concave portions may be formed on the spectacle lens surface. However, it is more preferable to form convex portions on the spectacle lens by transferring the concave portion of the mold using an advantageous method described below.

[0089] In this specification, "composed of convex portions" refers to a combination of convex portions and non-convex portions (base portions). For example, consider a case where a lens is provided with a two-dimensional code, and multiple cells formed within a 3 mm square are composed of a combination of convex portions and base portions. The dimensions of each convex portion are preferably a square with a side length of 0.3 mm or less. The dimensions of each convex portion are preferably 0.2 mm or less. 0.2 mm is exemplified in the figures of this application. The same numerical specifications apply to cells carved into the mold 2. Furthermore, "composed of carved portions" in the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 refers to a combination of carved portions and non-carved portions (base portions of the first transfer surface 2a), similar to "composed of convex portions." Of course, the size of the cells is not limited to 3 mm square. The content of this paragraph can also be applied to recesses that constitute mold-specific marks.

[0090] As a dry and non-contact type engraving processing means for the mold material, for example, a so-called solid-state laser (YAG, NdYAG, YVO ４ , NdYVO ４ In one embodiment of the present invention, suitable conditions are as follows.

[0091] For example, a pulsed laser may be applied, the pulse width of which may be from femtoseconds to nanoseconds.

[0092] The applicable wavelength of the laser can be 266 nm to 1064 nm, specifically, 266 nm, 355 nm, 532 nm, or 1064 nm.

[0093] The laser output can be set to 1 to 300 W. The energy per pulse can be set to, for example, about 0.5 to 10 mJ.

[0094] The laser marking conditions for engraving the mold-specific mark are not limited to those described above, and may be set appropriately depending on the type of lens material and the dimensions and depth of the mold-specific mark engraving.

[0095] On the other hand, when carving a mold-specific mark into the mold 2, it is preferable to narrow the laser scanning interval (drawing interval) from the outer edge toward the center of one carved surface (or line width), whether the mold-specific mark is a character string, a combination of rectangular cells and a base portion in a code (two-dimensional code), or a line (one-dimensional code). With this configuration, even if the output is constant, the center of the carved mark, such as a character or a dot, is carved deeply. In other words, it is possible to form the carved mark such that the sides of the carved mark approach each other toward the bottom (for example, tapered sides), as in the preferred example described above. Setting such a scanning interval is possible using a galvanometer scanner in the laser processing device.

[0096] Figure 8 is an explanatory diagram showing the trajectory of the laser scanning line SL when the two-dimensional code of Figure 2 is engraved into the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. The dotted circle indicates the pulse laser diameter P. The arrow indicates the scanning direction of the scanning line SL. Figure 9 is an enlarged photograph showing the two-dimensional code of Figure 4 actually engraved into the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2.

[0097] When the mold-specific mark is a two-dimensional code, it is preferable to scan each cell of the two-dimensional code from the outer edge along the rectangle toward the center in a spiral pattern with a laser. In this case, it is preferable to scan the laser toward the center in a spiral pattern while narrowing the spacing between parallel scanning lines SL in one direction. In FIG. 8 , when scanning toward the center in a spiral pattern, it is preferable to narrow the spacing between the scanning lines SL in the left-right direction (X direction) as follows: x1 > x2 > x3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the left side in the figure) and x'1 > x'2 > x'3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the right side in the figure), and to narrow the spacing between the scanning lines SL in the up-down direction (Y direction) as follows: y1 > y2 > y3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the lower side in the figure) and y'1 > y'2 > y'3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the upper side in the figure).

[0098] With this configuration, the central portion of each cell is dug more deeply. In other words, the mold-specific mark is dug into the mold 2 in a quadrangular pyramid shape, and therefore, in the lens obtained from the mold 2, a mold-specific mark consisting of a quadrangular pyramid-shaped convex portion is provided on at least the outermost surface of the lens substrate on at least either the first main surface or the second main surface. Of course, by controlling the laser irradiation of the mold, it is possible to ultimately form convex portions of any desired shape, such as a polygonal pyramid, hemisphere, or mortar shape, on the lens substrate.

[0099] 10 is an image obtained with a 3D shape measuring device (manufactured by ZYGO) of a portion actually carved into a quadrangular pyramid shape on first transfer surface 2a of first mold 2 in a method for manufacturing a spectacle lens that is one embodiment of the present invention. It was confirmed that excellent releasability can be obtained when molding a lens material using a mold with such a recess formed therein.

[0100] In this specification, the term "polygonal pyramid shape (such as a square pyramid)" includes not only a strict polygonal pyramid but also a shape with a rounded or chamfered apex. In this specification, at least in the majority of shapes of the recesses in the mold 2, a recess is considered to be polygonal pyramid shape if the four side surfaces of the recess are concave and approach each other toward the bottom.

[0101] The mold-specific mark is unnecessary information for the end user (e.g., the eyeglass wearer). Therefore, it is preferable that the mold-specific mark be marked on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 outside the area to be used as the eyeglass lens. This is because the eyeglass wearer will only use the area inside the area to be used as the eyeglass lens, and the area outside this area will be scraped off before the eyeglass wearer receives it. It is sufficient for the mold-specific mark to be visible to the lens manufacturer or eyeglass store before the eyeglass wearer receives it. Therefore, adopting this preferred embodiment does not cause any inconvenience and is actually preferable because it ensures that the wearer's visual field is comfortable.

[0102] Based on the same technical idea as in the above paragraph, it is preferable that the mold-specific mark is formed on the edge of the first transfer surface 2a so that it is marked on the edge of the lens substrate. If it is on the edge of the lens substrate, it will almost certainly be scraped off during edging to process it into a frame shape, and the inconvenience of blocking the wearer's field of vision can be avoided.

[0103] In this specification, the "edge of the lens substrate" refers to an annular portion, for example, within 10 mm (or within 5 mm, or within 3 mm) from the outermost edge toward the center. The "edge of the lens substrate" may also be an area separated from the outer edge of the lens substrate by a distance of 0.5 to 2 mm.

[0104] Similarly, "the vicinity of the outer edge of the mold" refers to an annular portion, for example, within 10 mm (or within 5 mm, or within 3 mm) from the outermost edge toward the center of the transfer surface of the mold. The "vicinity of the outer edge of the mold" may be a region separated from the outer edge of at least one of the first transfer surface and the second transfer surface by a distance of 0.5 to 2 mm.

[0105] It should be noted that the shape of the frame may not be determined at the time of the mold specific mark engraving process. However, in many cases, the vertical dimension of the frame shape is smaller than the horizontal dimension. Therefore, it is desirable to form the mold specific mark at a position corresponding to the upper or lower end of the uncut lens before edging. This is because it is more likely to be outside the frame than if it were formed at the left or right end.

[0106] Furthermore, with regard to the positions of the mold-specific marks, it is preferable that the first mold-specific marks 51T (arrangement of transfer marks on the object-side surface) and the second mold-specific marks 52T (arrangement of transfer marks on the eyeball-side surface) do not overlap when the resulting lens is viewed in plan. This eliminates the need to read the first mold-specific marks 51T and then turn the lens over to read the second mold-specific marks 52T. In other words, the two mold-specific marks can be read without turning the lens over.

[0107] Furthermore, if the relative positions of first mold-specific mark 51T and second mold-specific mark 52T when the lens is viewed in a plan view are determined in advance, it will be easy to determine whether the surface is formed by the upper or lower mold when reading the mold-specific marks from the formed lens material. For example, first mold-specific mark 51 may be carved into first mold 2 and second mold-specific mark 52 may be carved into second mold 3 so that first mold-specific mark 51T is located on the right side and second mold-specific mark 52T is located on the left side when the lens is viewed in a plan view (as shown in FIG. 6 ).

[0108] Furthermore, a lens information mark may be engraved into first mold 2 (or second mold 3) so that it is sandwiched between first mold identification mark 51T and second mold identification mark 52T in a plan view of the lens. The lens information mark is a mark for identifying the lens before edging. The content of the lens information mark may be the same as identification number 35A, or may be a simplified version of the content of identification number 35A.

[0109] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of a mold-specific mark formed as a linear indentation on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing the trajectory of the laser scanning line SL when the indentation process of FIG. 11 is performed on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2. In FIG. 12, it is preferable that the spacing between the scanning lines SL in the left-right direction (X direction) narrow toward the center as follows: d1 > d2 > d3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the left side in the figure), and d'1 > d'2 > d'3 (the spacing between the scanning lines SL on the right side in the figure). FIG. 13 is an enlarged photograph showing the indentation of FIG. 11 in the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2, where the sides of the indentation are tapered so that they approach each other toward the bottom.

[0110] In addition to the mold-specific marks, a mold 2 may be used in which what is referred to in this specification as a lens characteristic mark (so-called hidden mark) for a lens (especially an eyeglass lens) is engraved. When the hidden mark is engraved and formed, the conditions may be different from those when the mold-specific marks are formed. When the hidden mark is engraved and formed, the depth is preferably 0.01 to 0.1 μm.

[0111] The progressive power information marks include alignment reference marks 31 a, 32 a of the progressive power lens and addition power indication marks 31 b, 32 b, which indicate the addition power or its abbreviation. These alignment reference marks 31 a, 32 a and addition power indication marks 31 b, 32 b are required to be displayed on progressive power eyeglass lenses, for example, according to JIS 7315 and the like.

[0112] The identification mark 35 indicating the lens identification information has a horizontally written identification number 35A and a pair of arcuate portions 35B displayed on both sides of the horizontally written identification number 35A. When the identification number 35A and the arcuate portions 35B are combined, they appear to the naked eye as a combination of the letters V and approximately H (for example, V(-)). On the other hand, the identification number 35A, which is the horizontal bar of the (-), may also represent a unique number assigned to each eyeglass lens, which may correspond to the lens identification information.

[0113] By engraving the hidden marks into the mold 2 with a laser, the work can be done in a dry process. This non-contact processing can improve yield and also stably improve the quality of the hidden marks. Furthermore, the safety of the work is improved because chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid are not required, and there is no need to prepare equipment for wet processing, which reduces the number of work steps.

[0114] On the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2, the mold-specific mark is marked outside the area to be used as the spectacle lens, while the hidden mark is marked inside that area. That is, the hidden mark formed by the convex portion in the resulting lens substrate remains inside the area to be used as the spectacle lens and on the first main surface of the lens substrate. A low visibility of this hidden mark is preferable in terms of ensuring a comfortable field of vision for the spectacle wearer.

[0115] As mentioned above, the mold-specific mark and the lens characteristic mark (hidden mark) differ in processing depth and position, but when laser processing is applied, it is possible to form them in one device and one process by determining only the respective condition settings in advance, which is extremely advantageous in terms of production efficiency.

[0116] After the marking step, the lens material is cured between the first mold 2 and the second mold 3. The specific method for the curing step may be any known method for manufacturing lenses using the mold 2. As one example, a lens material that is a monomer is injected into the cavity between the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 (S3 in FIG. 15), and then cured by heating (S4 in FIG. 15).

[0117] After the hardening step, the lens to which the mold-specific mark has been transferred is released from the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 (S5 in FIG. 15). As for the specific technique for the mold releasing step, a hardening step in a known technique for manufacturing a lens using the mold 2 may be adopted.

[0118] If the recess on first transfer surface 2a of first mold 2 is tapered so that the sides of the recess approach each other toward the bottom, the releasability of the lens substrate from first mold 2 is improved.

[0119] Of the lenses to be manufactured, at least a first main surface (object-side surface) of the lens substrate is formed with a convex portion corresponding to this concave portion.

[0120] Various films such as a hard coat film, an anti-reflection film, an antifouling film, and a water-repellent film may be formed on the molded lens substrate. Various films may also be formed on the mold-specific mark formed of a convex portion on the object-side surface of the lens substrate. This is because the various films do not significantly reduce the ease of recognition of the mold-specific mark, for example, the ability to read the code using an optical recognition device.

[0121] The coated lens substrate is edged to the shape of the frame. If mold-specific marks are provided on the outside of the frame shape, the outside of the frame shape is scraped off along with the mold-specific marks. The edged eyeglass lens is then fitted into the frame to complete the eyeglasses.

[0122] 2-1. (Outline of Mold Management System) Fig. 14 is a block diagram of the mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 15 is a flow diagram of the mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0123] One aspect of the present invention provides a mold management system having the following configuration: "A mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the mold management system comprising: an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark, which is engraved by engraving on the first transfer surface of the first mold, is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) the transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens; or (2) the mold-identifying mark on the first mold." The "access" in both (1) and (2) above refers to connection to a database (DB). In the case of (1) above, lens quality-related information (described below) is input upon connection. Therefore, the first input unit 103 can be a part of the access unit. In the case of (2) above, lens quality-related information is queried upon connection (this refers to retrieving lens quality-related information from the database DB; one specific example is "display"). Therefore, the display unit 202 described below can be a part of the access unit.

[0124] In the process of molding a lens using a mold, first, a first and a second mold are selected and assembled (S2 in FIG. 15).

[0125] When assembling the first mold to the gasket, if a mold-specific mark is engraved into the first mold, the worker reads the mold-specific mark (e.g., a two-dimensional code) (above (2)) on the first mold during the assembling process (i.e., before the assembling is completed) and queries a database for information about this first mold. For example, if quality-related information on lenses previously molded using this mold has been stored, this lens quality-related information can be queried. This lens quality-related information is, for example, information that has been obtained by reading the transferred mold-specific mark on the lens (above (1)) and inputting and storing the information into a database DB in response to the reading.

[0126] If, as a result of this inquiry, the worker determines from the database that the first mold should be removed from the lens production process, the first mold is removed from the lens production process. For example, this may be the case if the database is consulted for quality information, such as a defect having been discovered in a lens previously molded using this first mold. This series of steps allows the defective first mold to be replaced with a replacement mold, thereby preventing the unintended production of defective lenses.

[0127] Depending on the severity of the defect, the identified first mold can be removed from the lens production process, which refers to the lens manufacturing line (production line). On the other hand, if the defect is minor, the first mold does not need to be removed from the production process. Instead, the defect information can be recorded in the database.

[0128] "Defect information" may be significant information related to the mold, such as quality information about the lens itself or information about defects in the mold that caused the defect. Furthermore, although it is somewhat different from a defect, significant information related to the mold, such as whether the combination of molds to be assembled is correct (whether a mold other than the planned mold has been assembled, etc.), may be used instead of the defect information. If the mold assembly is irregular, an irregular lens will ultimately be manufactured. Therefore, the correctness of mold assembly is also related to lens quality. Therefore, this information and defect information may be collectively referred to as "quality-related information related to lens quality (or "lens quality-related information")."

[0129] To summarize briefly, the database DB described below includes mold-specific information and lens quality-related information. The lens quality-related information may include at least a portion of the mold-related information (information that is somewhat related to the quality of the lens itself).

[0130] When the number of times recorded exceeds a certain number, the first mold may be removed from use. Preferably, the database records the usage history of the first mold (a type of mold-related information) as lens quality-related information, and also includes the number of times recorded.

[0131] If, as a result of this inquiry, the worker determines from the database that the first mold should be removed from the lens production process, the first mold is removed from the lens production process (S12 in FIG. 15).

[0132] If a defect exists in the mold (e.g., on the transfer surface), the defect will naturally be transferred to the lens. If the mold defect goes unnoticed, lenses with the defect, i.e., defective products, will continue to be produced. On the other hand, by using the lens quality-related information obtained by reading and inputting in (1) above, and by reading in (2) above and referencing that lens quality-related information, it is possible to remove first molds that are inappropriate for production from the lens production process. This allows for the management of lens essence and improved productivity.

[0133] After a specific first mold is removed from the lens production process as described above, a replacement first mold may be prepared separately. However, normally, a plurality of first molds are prepared and the production process is carried out so that a plurality of lenses can be obtained at the same time, and even if one of the first molds is removed from the production process, there is no significant disruption to the production process.

[0134] This series of operations allows a defective first mold to be replaced with a replacement mold, thereby preventing the unintended production of defective products (lenses).

[0135] Therefore, it is desirable to query the mold-related information (and thus lens quality-related information) stored and accumulated in the database, for example, during the preparation stage before lens molding, particularly before assembling the mold. By reading the mold-specific mark recorded as a transfer mark on the molding surface of the mold, information about the mold can be queried in the database and the recorded information can be referenced. This makes it possible to query whether or not a defect has been detected in the past, or points to note when using the mold, such as the number of times it has been used and its repair history.

[0136] 2-2. (Database) The database in one aspect of the present invention is a so-called database DB that includes correspondence between lens quality-related information and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from a mold-identifying mark. The database DB may be so-called big data.

[0137] When the lens quality-related information in the database is defect information, it includes the presence or absence of a defect, its location, the degree or condition of the defect, whether or not repair is possible, the repair history, and the method. This lens quality-related information includes information on lens defects discovered in the past during visual inspection (S8) of molded lenses. When the "lens quality-related information" is not defect information, it may also be mold attributes (such as the optical surface shape of the mold), and by referencing such information, it is possible to obtain information such as whether the combination of molds to be assembled is correct, i.e., whether a mold other than the intended mold has been assembled, as described above.

[0138] The database includes a correspondence between the lens quality-related information and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark. In other words, there is a one-to-one association between a first mold and quality-related information related to the quality of lenses manufactured from that first mold. As a result, it is possible to manage the first mold that manufactured the lens from the lens that is manufactured.

[0139] In addition to the correspondence, the database preferably includes a history of the number of times the first mold has been used, etc. As mentioned above, first molds are generally reused. The more times a first mold is used, the more it deteriorates and becomes more susceptible to defects. Therefore, when the number of uses exceeds a certain number, that information can be obtained by querying the database, and the lens can be removed from the production process regardless of whether or not the lens will have defects (S12 in FIG. 15).

[0140] Regarding the specific operation method of the content described in the above paragraph, when assembling the cleaned first mold to the gasket, the worker reads the mold identification mark (e.g., a two-dimensional code) formed as a transfer mark on the mold and queries a database for the identified mold. As a result of this query, defect information and number of uses (mold-related information) of the first mold are displayed on the display unit. If defect information is found or the first mold has been used a certain number of times or more, the worker removes the first mold in hand from the lens production process. Note that this judgment may be made by judgment unit 301, described below.

[0141] 2-3. (Specific and Preferred Examples of Mold Management System) Specific and preferred examples of a mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below. When implementing the above (1), it is preferable that factory A, which handles molded lenses, is equipped with a factory A computer 100 including at least a first reading unit 101 and a first input unit 103. When implementing the above (2), it is preferable that factory B, which handles molds, is equipped with a factory B computer 200 including at least a second reading unit 201 and a display unit 202 (which is also one specific configuration of an inquiry unit that inquires about lens quality-related information). When the factory B computer 200 controls the mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the factory B computer 200 include a determination unit 301, a recording unit 302, and a control computer unit 303. When an entity other than factory B (e.g., a control center) controls the mold management system according to one embodiment of the present invention, it is preferable that the control center computer include the determination unit 301, the recording unit 302, and the control computer unit 303.

[0142] The access unit includes the first reading unit 101 and the first input unit 103 , and also includes the second reading unit 201 and the display unit 202 .

[0143] The molded lens is inspected visually or the like, and if a defect is found on the main surface of the lens (S8 in FIG. 15), the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the main surface of the lens is read by first reading unit 101 (S9 in FIG. 15). Note that if the tablet terminal is equipped with a two-dimensional code scanner, the tablet terminal may serve as both first reading unit 101 and first input unit 103.

[0144] When using the tablet terminal, the worker holds the tablet terminal's camera over the transferred two-dimensional code on a lens where a defect is found during visual inspection. Then, the first input unit 103 preferably adds to the database DB the correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading unit 101 and lens quality-related information (the arrow pointing from first reading S9 to database DB in FIG. 15 ). This configuration accumulates the correspondence between the first mold and quality-related information related to lens quality in the database DB. As a result, the database DB is further enriched, enabling appropriate mold management. One benefit of this management is that it becomes possible to determine whether or not a first mold should be removed from the lens production process when assembling the mold during lens molding.

[0145] For example, when a defective product is input by the first input unit 103 at factory A (when the two-dimensional code is read), a notification may be sent to factory B to remove the first mold from the lens production process.

[0146] Preferably, the access unit further includes a second reading unit 201 that reads the mold-specific mark on the first mold (corresponding to (2) above). There are no limitations on the configuration of second reading unit 201 as long as it is capable of reading the mold-specific mark on the first mold. As an example, if the mold-specific mark is a two-dimensional code, second reading unit 201 may be a two-dimensional code scanner.

[0147] The mold identification mark is read by second reading unit 201. This reading identifies the first mold, and a database DB containing correspondence between lens quality-related information and the first mold is queried (the arrow pointing from database DB to second reading S10 in FIG. 15). This query causes at least a portion of the database DB to be displayed on display unit 202 (S10 in FIG. 15).

[0148] Display unit 202 may be the display screen of a tablet terminal or a monitor screen. As one example, second reading unit 201 may be composed of a fixed-point imaging element (camera) and an image reading unit. With this configuration, the first mold is automatically imaged and the two-dimensional code is read by the image reading unit, and data related to the first mold in database DB is displayed on display unit 202 located next to the worker in factory B.

[0149] If the data stored and accumulated about the first mold suggests the presence of a defect, and a message is displayed on display unit 202 indicating that the first mold should be removed from the lens production process, the worker will remove the first mold from the lens production process before assembly. This configuration reduces the risk of using a defective first mold in lens production.

[0150] The device may further include a determination unit 301 that determines whether the first mold can be used based on the database DB. As described above, if the result of querying the DB shows that the number of uses has reached a certain number or more, determination unit 301 may determine that the first mold should be removed from the lens production process, and the data related to the first mold in the database DB may be displayed in a different color or a warning message may be issued.

[0151] The determining step may be performed by a computer (a determining unit thereof), or an operator may make the determination by consulting the database DB on a screen. Regarding the timing of the determining step, while Figure 15 illustrates an example in which the determining step is performed after the second reading of the selected first mold 2, the timing is not limited to this. The determining step may be performed at any timing after reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens and / or after reading the mold-specific mark on the first mold 2, and before obtaining an assembled body 1 of the first mold 2 and the second mold 3.

[0152] If the determination step is performed in advance for all of the mold options after mold cleaning S6 and before first mold selection S1a, the second reading S10 and determination step S11 after first mold selection S1a during lens manufacturing can be omitted, and the selected first mold can proceed directly to assembly step S2. The present invention can also encompass such cases.

[0153] It is preferable to further include a recording unit 302 for recording the database DB. The recording unit 302 may or may not be included in the configuration of the mold management system. For example, the recording unit 302 may be provided in the factory B computer 200 as a device such as an HDD (hard disk drive), or may be provided in the control computer 300, or may reside in a server on a network.

[0154] The control computer unit 303 has the function of a computer device that performs information processing instructed by a predetermined program, and specifically is configured by a combination of a CPU (Central Processing Unit), HDD, ROM (Read Only Memory), RAM (Random Access Memory), an external interface (I / F), etc.

[0155] 3. (Mold management method, lens manufacturing method, and program for mold management system) The technical idea of ​​the mold management system according to one aspect of the present invention can also be applied to a mold management method, a lens manufacturing method, and a program for a mold management system. The specific configurations of each invention are as follows:

[0156] "A mold management method used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the mold management method comprising: an access step of accessing a database containing correspondence between quality-related information relating to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark, which is marked by engraving on the first transfer surface of the first mold, is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens; or (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold."

[0157] "A method for manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface, the method comprising: curing a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred; and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred; the method comprising: an accessing step of accessing a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark, which is marked by engraving on the first transfer surface of the first mold, is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks; (1) the transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold, based on the information obtained in the accessing step; and a lens manufacturing step of manufacturing a lens by curing the lens material between the first mold determined not to be removed from the lens production process and the second mold."

[0158] "A program for a mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the program causing a computer to function as an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark, which is marked by engraving on the first transfer surface of the first mold, is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-identifying mark on the first principal surface of the lens; or (2) the mold-identifying mark on the first mold."

[0159] 4. (Effects of One Aspect of the Present Invention) The effects of one aspect of the present invention described above will be described below.

[0160] According to one aspect of the present invention, the mold 2 can be identified from the lenses produced using the mold 2.

[0161] An advantage of identifying the mold 2 used is that information about the lens as a product can be fed back to the mold 2. One specific example of this advantage is that it is possible to identify the mold 2 that produced the defect from a lens that has a defect caused by the mold 2.

[0162] Specifically, the work involves recognizing a two-dimensional code, which is a mold-specific mark engraved into the mold 2, with a reading device that combines an imaging element and an automatic two-dimensional code recognition device, and then inputting information about these defects into a database for the mold 2 using a computer, or tracking the information stored in the database.

[0163] In addition to inputting information about defects, the following specific work contents and effects can be mentioned. That is, when assembling the first mold 2 and the second mold 3, for example, a mold-specific mark (two-dimensional code) engraved on the first transfer surface 2a of the first mold 2 is recognized by a reading device. During this recognition, if there is data in the database indicating that the first mold 2 has already been reported to have a defect multiple times, the first mold 2 is removed from the lens production process. The first mold 2 is then repaired or rejected. In other words, before the first mold 2 and the second mold 3 are assembled to actually manufacture a lens, the defective mold 2 can be removed from the lens production process. This avoids the needless continued production of defective lenses.

[0164] Moreover, this effect is achieved without relying on the operator's eyes. Therefore, the accuracy of determining whether or not there is a defect is high. Visual inspection of glass molds is difficult because the non-transferred surface is opaque or has dirt or scratches. Therefore, complete inspection cannot be expected due to oversights. On the other hand, inspection of the optical surface of the lens after transfer is performed precisely, and quality information such as defects is always detected. Therefore, according to one aspect of the present invention, defect detection can be performed using a different approach from the conventional one, in which a defective mold is identified from the transferred lens. From another perspective, visual inspection of the mold is no longer essential.

[0165] Another specific example of the effect brought about by identifying the mold 2 that has been used is that it becomes possible to manage information such as the use history of the mold 2. For example, it becomes possible to manage information such that the use history is accumulated in a database, and molds 2 that have been used more than a certain number of times are removed from the lens production process. Furthermore, it becomes possible to manage information such that, for a mold 2 that has developed a defect that is not serious enough to cause the lens to be discarded, if the occurrence of such a defect is reported multiple times, the mold 2 is repaired or removed.

[0166] In lens production, there are often multiple molds of the same type, and in large-scale production environments where these are used at each manufacturing site, it is extremely significant to be able to closely manage each individual mold.

[0167] 5. (Others) While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above disclosure shows exemplary embodiments of the present invention. In other words, the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0168] The present invention achieves its advantageous effects by including an access unit that accesses the database DB based on any one of the following marks: (1) a post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens, or (2) the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

[0169] For example, even if only the configuration related to (1) (e.g., the first reading unit and input unit) is provided as an access unit, it is at least possible to identify the mold involved in the manufacture of a lens when there is an abnormality in the lens. Then, when that mold is used later, it becomes possible to remove that mold from the production line. In other words, by managing the molds in lens production that use molds, it is possible to control the quality of the lenses and improve productivity.

[0170] For example, even if only the configuration related to (2) (e.g., second reading unit, query unit) is provided as the access unit, as long as lens quality-related information is stored in the database DB, it is possible to remove a mold that is causing an abnormality in a lens from the production line by querying the lens quality-related information. That is, in lens production using molds, managing the molds can improve lens quality control and productivity. The lens quality-related information in this case is, for example, quality-related information related to a lens whose post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens is read by the first reading unit. Then, as the lens quality-related information is read, the input unit adds the lens quality-related information to the database DB together with its correspondence with the mold.

[0171] A computer in another factory C may be connected to the mold management system in parallel with factory A. Alternatively, instead of or in parallel with factory A, a computer at an eyeglass shop may be connected to the mold management system. Alternatively, instead of factory A, multiple computers may be provided within factory B, each connected to the mold management system. Even within the same factory B, the department may be divided into a department that molds lenses, a department that cleans the lenses after molding, and a department that stores the cleaned lenses in a designated location. For example, even if a defect in a lens is discovered in the storage department, it is not easy to identify the mold that molded the lens, even if it was manufactured within the same factory. However, by utilizing a mold management system according to one aspect of the present invention, the mold used to manufacture the lens can be quickly identified. In the above example, the connection mode of each computer to the mold management system may be the same as that of factory A computer 100. The system according to the present invention may be provided in factory A. Alternatively, the system according to the present invention may be provided in other factories, such as factories B and C.

[0172] Up to this point, the mold-specifying mark for specifying the mold is marked by engraving the transfer surface by irradiating it with a laser, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment.

[0173] For example, marking may be performed by forming projections and depressions by dry or wet etching instead of laser irradiation.

[0174] For example, when a mold is formed using a casting mold (e.g., a master) like a lens, if a mold-specific mark is engraved on the master by engraving, the mold obtained from the master will automatically have the mold-specific mark marked on it without having to be engraved by laser irradiation. The following expression includes this case: "A mold-specific mark that identifies at least one of the first mold and the second mold is marked as a transfer mark on at least one of the first transfer surface and the second transfer surface." While the examples up to this point have mainly used engraving by laser irradiation, the previous description "a marking engraved on the first transfer surface by laser irradiation" can be read as "marked on the first transfer surface as a transfer mark."

[0175] The technical concept of the present invention can also be applied to a method for identifying a mold from a lens. A specific configuration thereof is as follows: "A method for identifying a mold used in manufacturing an eyeglass lens having a first main surface and a second main surface by curing a lens material between a first mold 2 having a first transfer surface 2a from which the shape of the first main surface is transferred, and a second mold 3 having a second transfer surface 3a from which the shape of the second main surface is transferred, the method comprising: marking a mold-identifying mark for identifying the first mold 2 on the first transfer surface 2a as a transfer mark (preferably by engraving the transfer surface 2a by irradiating a laser onto the transfer surface 2a); and identifying the first mold 2 from a post-transfer mold-identifying mark (reference symbol 51T) formed by transferring the mold-identifying mark of the first mold 2 to the first main surface of the lens." A preferred specific example is as follows. - Reading the mold-identifying mark transferred to the first main surface of the lens (for example, by a reading unit described later), accessing a database related to first mold 2 (for example, by an access unit described later), and identifying first mold 2 (and / or second mold 3) from the mold-identifying information related to first mold 2 (for example, by checking the result displayed on a display unit). - Includes a step of acquiring mold-related information recorded in the database in association with the mold-identifying information.

[0176] The technical concept of the present invention can also be applied to a system (or apparatus) that identifies a mold from a lens. In this specification, the term "system" can also be applied to an "apparatus."

[0177] A specific example of "identifying the first mold 2 from the transferred mold-identifying mark (reference symbol 51T) on the lens" is as follows: The transferred mold-identifying mark transferred to the first main surface of the lens is read by a first reading unit, a database related to the first mold 2 is accessed, and the first mold 2 (and / or the second mold 3) is identified from the mold-identifying information related to the first mold 2. Furthermore, mold-related information recorded in the database in association with the mold-identifying information is obtained.

[0178] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Assembly 2 First mold 2a First transfer surface 3 Second mold 3a Second transfer surface 4 Gasket 10 Cast lens 31a Alignment reference mark 32a Alignment reference mark 31b Addition power indication mark 32b Addition power indication mark 35 Identification mark 35A Identification number 35B Arc portion 51 First mold identification mark (two-dimensional code) 52 Second mold identification mark (two-dimensional code) 60 Lens type mark 100 Factory A computer 101 First reading unit 103 Input unit 200 Factory B computer 201 Second reading unit 202 Display unit 300 Control computer 301 Determination unit 302 Recording unit 303 Control computer unit CA Cavity D Cell (carved into the first transfer surface of the first mold) P Pulse laser diameter SL Scan line DB Database X Network S1a Selection of first mold S1b Selection of second mold S2 Assembly S3 Injection of lens material S4 Hardening of lens material S5 Demolding S6 Mold cleaning S7 Lens S8 Visual inspection of lens S9 First reading S10 Second reading S11 Confirmation of whether the first mold is suitable for use in lens production (judgment process) S12 Remove the first mold from the lens production process

Claims

1. A mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the mold management system comprising an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

2. A mold management system according to claim 1, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by engraving the first transfer surface of the first mold using laser irradiation.

3. The mold management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

4. The mold management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a determination unit that determines whether the first mold is usable or not based on the database.

5. A mold management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the access unit further comprises a first reading unit that reads the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

6. A mold management system as described in claim 5, wherein the access unit further comprises an input unit that adds to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading unit and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

7. A mold management system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the access unit further comprises a second reading unit that reads the mold-specific mark on the first mold.

8. A mold management system as described in claim 7, wherein the access unit further comprises a query unit that queries quality-related information related to the quality of the lens associated with the first mold read and identified by the second reading unit, and the quality-related information related to the quality of the lens is quality-related information related to the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold identification mark, and is information entered into a database upon reading the post-transfer mold identification mark.

9. The mold management system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a recording unit for recording the database.

10. A method for managing molds used in manufacturing lenses having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the method comprising an access step of accessing, based on at least one of the following marks, a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of lenses onto which mold-identifying marks marked as transfer marks on the first transfer surface of the first mold are transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying marks: (1) a transferred mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

11. A mold management method according to claim 10, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by engraving the first transfer surface of the first mold using laser irradiation.

12. The mold management method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

13. A mold management method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the accessing step further comprises a first reading step of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

14. A mold management method according to claim 13, wherein the accessing step further comprises an inputting step of adding to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified in the first reading step and quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens.

15. A mold management method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the accessing step further comprises a second reading step of reading the mold-specific mark on the first mold.

16. A mold management method as described in claim 15, wherein the access step further includes a query step of querying quality-related information related to the quality of the lens associated with the first mold read and identified by the second reading step, and the quality-related information related to the quality of the lens is quality-related information related to the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark, and is information entered into a database upon reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark.

17. A mold management method according to claim 10 or 11, further comprising a determination step of determining whether or not to remove the first mold from the lens production process based on quality-related information related to the quality of the lens.

18. A method for manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface, the method comprising: a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred; and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred; the method comprising: an accessing step of accessing a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks; (1) the mold-identifying mark after transfer on the first principal surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-identifying mark of the first mold, based on the information obtained in the accessing step, a determination step of determining whether or not to remove the first mold from the lens production process; and a lens manufacturing step of manufacturing the lens by curing the lens material between the first mold determined not to be removed from the lens production process and the second mold.

19. The method for manufacturing a lens according to claim 18, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by engraving the first transfer surface of the first mold using laser irradiation.

20. The method for manufacturing a lens according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the database includes the number of times the first mold has been used in addition to the correspondence relationship.

21. A method for manufacturing a lens according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the accessing step further comprises a first reading step of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens.

22. The method for manufacturing a lens according to claim 21, wherein the accessing step further comprises an inputting step of adding to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified in the first reading step and quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens.

23. The method for manufacturing a lens according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the accessing step further comprises a second reading step of reading the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

24. A method for manufacturing a lens as described in claim 23, wherein the accessing step further includes a querying step for querying quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens, which information is related to the first mold read and identified by the second reading step, and the quality-related information relating to the quality of the lens is quality-related information relating to the lens that was the subject of reading the post-transfer mold-specific mark, and is information entered into a database when the post-transfer mold-specific mark is read.

25. A program for a mold management system used in manufacturing a lens having a first principal surface and a second principal surface by hardening a lens material between a first mold having a first transfer surface from which the shape of the first principal surface is transferred, and a second mold having a second transfer surface from which the shape of the second principal surface is transferred, the program causing a computer to function as an access unit that accesses a database containing correspondence between quality-related information related to the quality of a lens onto which a mold-identifying mark marked as a transfer mark on the first transfer surface of the first mold is transferred, and the first mold identified by mold-identifying information obtained from the mold-identifying mark, based on at least one of the following marks: (1) a transferred mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens; and (2) the mold-specific mark of the first mold.

26. A program for a mold management system according to claim 25, wherein the mold-specific mark is marked by engraving the first transfer surface of the first mold using laser irradiation.

27. A mold management system as described in claim 1 or 2, wherein the access unit comprises: a first reading unit that reads the post-transfer mold-specific mark on the first main surface of the lens; an input unit that adds to the database a correspondence between the first mold read and identified by the first reading unit and quality-related information related to the quality of the lens; a second reading unit that reads the mold-specific mark on the first mold; a query unit that queries quality-related information related to the quality of the lens, relating to the first mold read and identified by the second reading unit; and a judgment unit that judges whether the first mold can be used based on the database.

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