Handling center for optical lenses

Abstract

The invention relates to a handling center (1) for optical lenses (10), in particular for eyeglasses, wherein the lenses (10) are deposited on a block piece (11) in order to be handled and processed, and a transport system (12) is set up via which the lenses (10), in conjunction with the block piece (11), can be advanced to a deblocking device (13). According to the invention, the deblocking device (13) has a first rotary indexing unit (14) which comprises a block gripper (15) for gripping the block pieces (11), and the deblocking device (13) has a second rotary indexing unit (16) which has a lens gripper (17) for gripping the lenses (10), the block gripper (15) and the lens gripper (17) mutually interacting in a respective separating station (1-2, 2-1) of the two rotary indexing units (14, 16), whereby the lens (10) can be separated from the block piece (11).

Description

[0001] OPTICAL LENS HANDLING CENTER

[0002] The invention relates to a handling center for optical lenses, in particular for spectacles, wherein the lenses are mounted on a block for handling and processing, and wherein a transport system is provided by which the lenses, in conjunction with the block, can be brought to a blocking device.

[0003] STATE OF THE ART

[0004] For example, DE 10 2017 001 679 A1 discloses a handling center for processing optical lenses to separate and clean the lenses from the block. The cleaning process involves, in particular, the removal of a block material containing mostly harmful components, as well as a film applied to the lens's contact surface to prevent direct contact between the lens and the block material. The decoupling device used for this purpose enables the simultaneous separation of the lens from the block and the removal of the block material and / or the film from the lens surface. This is achieved using multiple high-pressure water jets directed at the surface to be cleaned. This process takes place in a shared workspace, and after separation, the lens and block must be removed from the workspace separately.The lens and the block are then subjected to further processing, cleaning, and drying operations outside the known handling center. When processing lenses with attached blocks, the goal of handling centers is usually to achieve the highest possible throughput while minimizing the technical complexity of the equipment. To date, the technical complexity remains high, particularly due to the multiple independently movable systems for handling the lenses and blocks, such as grippers attached to dedicated motion systems. Frequent repositioning of the lens, for example, between two different motion systems, is additionally time-consuming and requires sophisticated control systems.

[0005] Another example of a blocking device as part of a handling center is shown in DE 10 2017 012 200 A1. In this system, the primary function is that the lens, separated from the block, is placed by the blocking device itself or by a manipulation device into a transport carrier, in order to convey the lens to a subsequent station for further processing. This handling center, as a standalone system, also only enables the separation of the lens from the block.

[0006] German patent DE 10 2017 001 680 A1 clearly illustrates the peripherals of such a handling center for separating the lens from the block using a blocking device, thus clarifying the operating environment of a handling center for blocking the lens. Between individual processing operations, the lens must be picked up again for transport; in particular, the lens must be removed from the transport system and returned to it. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0007] The object of the invention is to further improve a handling center for optical lenses for separating the lens from the block piece by means of a blocking device that is simple in design, enables a high throughput and offers an extended range of functions.

[0008] This problem is solved starting from a handling center according to the preamble of claim 1 with the characterizing features. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

[0009] The invention includes the technical teaching that the blocking device has a first rotary indexing unit comprising several, at least two, block grippers for gripping the block pieces, and that the blocking device has a second rotary indexing unit comprising several, at least two, lens grippers for gripping the lenses, wherein in a respective separation station of the two rotary indexing units the block gripper and the lens gripper are designed for mutual interaction, via which the separation of the lens from the block piece can be carried out.

[0010] In this context, a rotary indexing unit is understood to be a motion system comprising several grippers, i.e., at least two, arranged together on a motion system, usually a rotary table or a rotary block. This rotary table or rotary block is surrounded by several stations, and as the rotary table or rotary block rotates a certain angular amount, the multiple grippers can simultaneously transfer a component they have picked up, such as the block segment or the lens, to the next station.

[0011] According to the invention, the blocking device utilizes two rotary indexing units. The first rotary indexing unit initially picks up and advances the block with the lens attached to it. After the lens is separated from the block, the first rotary indexing unit advances only the block, while the second rotary indexing unit simultaneously advances the lens to subsequent stations for further processing. The rotary indexing units can rotate on axes that are stationary relative to each other, allowing the lens-block connection, the separated block, and the separated lens to be processed separately but simultaneously before being picked up and advanced by the transport system.

[0012] This arrangement allows the blocking device to perform both the separation of the lens from the block and simultaneous further processing operations, particularly the separate cleaning, purification, and drying of the block and the lens, with short cycle times. As a result, a high throughput of lenses with additional processing steps is achieved with a comparatively low system cost and only two motion systems. The motion systems are aligned and interact in such a way that the blocking is enabled by the interaction between the two rotary indexing units in the respective separation station.The advantage lies particularly in the fact that not only can the handling of the individual lens and the individual block piece take place simultaneously, but also that several treatment steps can take place simultaneously, each being carried out on the block piece and on the lens, as explained in more detail below.

[0013] The lens can be attached to the block by means of a block material, which may contain substances that are hazardous to health and the environment. The surface of the lens can be coated with a film, so that the block material is applied between the film and the surface of the block, while the film adheres to the surface of the lens. A heated fluid, for example heated water, is used to heat the block material, and the heat then separates the lens from the block, or initiates the separation process.With regard to the separation station of the respective rotary indexing units, a fluid supply system can be installed to deliver heated fluid, such as hot water, to the unit consisting of the lens and the block. This delivery within the separation station facilitates the interaction of the block gripper and the lens gripper. Within each separation station, the lens and the block are held by their respective grippers. As the rotary indexing units continue to rotate, the block is spatially separated from the lens after the block material between the block and the lens has been heated. The heat is introduced by the heated fluid flowing around the unit consisting of the lens and the block.

[0014] Since the block material can contain substances that are hazardous to health and the environment, and is also expensive to purchase, it is desirable to remove it completely from the film, possibly with additional cleaning agents, in order to recycle it and avoid or at least minimize costly disposal. Refilling with new block material is also avoided or minimized. Due to the hazardous properties of the block material, i.e., the adhesive, it must also be handled as hazardous waste during disposal, which in turn incurs high costs.

[0015] The block gripper for grasping the block and the lens gripper for grasping the lens can be mechanical grippers, for example with appropriate hydraulics, pneumatics, or other actuators to grip the block or lens accordingly. In the present context, however, the block gripper and / or the lens gripper can also be vacuum grippers, or the lens and / or the block can be gripped by the gripper of any design in some other way.

[0016] The first rotary indexing unit has a loading and unloading station where the unit consisting of the lens and the block can be transferred from the transport system to the block gripper of the first rotary indexing unit. This loading and unloading station is located upstream of the separation station. Thus, the removal of the individual block and the feeding of a new unit consisting of the block and lens to the block gripper can take place in the loading and unloading station, while, for example, warm water is already being supplied to the unit consisting of the block and lens in the separation station. Additionally, a block cleaning station can be integrated into the first rotary indexing unit, located downstream of the separation station.In the block cleaning station, for example, one or more fluid nozzles are installed to apply a cleaning fluid to the block, from which the lens has already been separated in the preceding separation station. This fluid is used, for example, to clean the block material, such as water. Applying the cleaning fluid to the block and the corresponding cleaning process can therefore occur simultaneously with separating the block from the lens and with loading and unloading the rotary indexing unit in the loading and unloading station.

[0017] Similarly, a lens cleaning station can be set up in the second rotary indexing unit, following the separation station. This station has at least one or more fluid nozzles with which the lens can be treated with a cleaning fluid and, in particular, cleaned of the block material, for example, also with water. The cleaning fluid can also consist solely of water, and optionally a solvent can be added to the cleaning fluid. It is conceivable, for example, that the cleaning fluid in the lens cleaning station is formed from process water, enabling a kind of pre-cleaning of the lenses. In particular, cleaning the block material does not initially require a highly purified fluid, so in this station, the focus should be on ensuring that the block material is completely cleaned, for which dilute water can be used.

[0018] The second rotary indexing unit can also include a further lens cleaning and / or drying station, which follows the lens cleaning station for pre-cleaning and has at least one gas and / or liquid nozzle through which the lens can be exposed to a gas and / or liquid jet for cleaning and drying. In the lens cleaning and / or drying station, the lens can be cleaned to a higher degree of purity than in the upstream lens cleaning station. The gas and / or liquid nozzle can provide both a clear liquid, particularly for rinsing (using diluted water to prevent water spots), and a gas jet, so that the lens can be cleaned particularly thoroughly, i.e., rinsed, and consequently dried.

[0019] Finally, an unloading station can be installed in the second rotary indexing unit, through which the lens is transferred to the transport system or can be removed from the lens gripper by the transport system. The unloading station of the second rotary indexing unit can point in the same direction as the loading and unloading station of the first rotary indexing unit, so that the individual block pieces and individual lenses, as well as the unit consisting of a block piece and lens, can be added to and removed from the transport system from the same feed and removal direction. A delamination station, also integrated as part of the handling center, can follow the blocking device, and the lens can be transferred to it via the transport system. The lens can be coated with a film, which is separated from the lens by the delamination station.For this purpose, the delamination station can be equipped with a spray nozzle from which the film can be removed from the lens surface using a fluid jet. The pressure of the fluid jet can be varied, as there are lenses with increased sensitivity, such as photochromatic lenses, requiring lower fluid pressure for cleaning. The temperature of the fluid in the jet can also be varied, depending on the type of lens being processed by the delamination station.

[0020] It can also be provided that a heating station is located upstream of the delamination station, wherein the heating station has a receiving means for holding the at least one lens and a heating medium with which the film on the lens can be heated and / or softened. This allows the film to be removed more easily from the lens in the subsequent delamination station. Alternatively, the medium for rinsing the film from the lens would have to be used at a higher temperature, which is not advantageous in all cases.

[0021] It is particularly advantageous that in the blocking device the lens with the film has already been completely freed from the blocking material, so that the fluid used in the delamiation station is not still contaminated with blocking material, thus simplifying the handling of the fluid circulation of the delamiation station.

[0022] Finally, a drying and inspection unit can be installed, which is also part of the handling center. The lens is transferred to this unit via the transport system, and in this unit, the lens is dried and its surface is inspected for residues. For this purpose, the drying and inspection unit can include a drying air nozzle and an inspection unit, such as a light source and a camera, so that the lens is inspected for residues on its surface using transmitted light. In particular, the drying air from the nozzle can be controlled in a closed-loop system with the inspection unit, so that the flow of drying air to the lens is adjusted based on the presence of any remaining residues until these are removed.

[0023] The handling center is designed such that the aforementioned facilities, devices, and stations are housed in a common enclosure, making the handling center a stand-alone unit. Only the transport system, through which the lenses are delivered along with the block components, and from which the block components (especially those stored in magazines) and the lenses in corresponding receptacles can be transported, passes through this unit.

[0024] The advantage of the standardized design of the handling center's components lies particularly in the fact that at least some or all of the fluids can consist of water or be exclusively water and can be connected to a common water system, which significantly simplifies the overall design. The water system can include one or more pumps that draw water from a collection tank. This water is then cleaned, filtered, and / or temperature-controlled as needed and supplied to the rotary indexing units, where it is used as a cleaning fluid. After application to the block or lens, the water can preferably flow back into the collection tank by gravity.

[0025] The first and second rotary transfer units each have axes of rotation that can be advantageously aligned with each other. For example, the axes of rotation can be parallel to each other, and the rotary transfer units, on which the block grippers and lens grippers are mounted, can rotate in a common plane. The rotation of the rotary transfer units is specifically in opposite directions. It is also conceivable that, in addition to a parallel alignment of the two axes of rotation, they could be inclined relative to each other or, for example, perpendicular to each other. In this case, it is only necessary to ensure that the lens grippers and the block grippers are opposite each other in the respective separation station to allow the block piece to be separated from the lens.However, it is advantageous if the loading and unloading of the unit consisting of the block and lens, as well as the isolated block and lens, are carried out from a common direction, so that the transport system can be designed in a correspondingly simplified manner.

[0026] The rotary indexing units can each have four or, arranged in front of each other in respective planes, two sets of four block grippers or two sets of four lens grippers. If one or both rotary indexing units have two or more than four grippers, these can also be arranged in pairs in front of each other to always process two lenses or two blocks in pairs during the lens or block machining process.

[0027] Finally, a block drying unit can be included as part of the handling center. This unit allows the blocks to be inserted and dried by the transport system after being removed from the loading and unloading station of the first rotary indexing unit. The block drying unit can, for example, be a centrifuge, which also allows for drying the blocks. Finally, the blocks can be stored in a magazine, which is also part of the handling center.

[0028] The rotary indexing units can be designed so that each station of the first and second rotary indexing units can be loaded and unloaded with two lenses. This can be achieved, for example, by arranging two rotary indexing tables one in front of the other, in the direction of rotation of the rotary indexing units. The first rotary indexing unit has two sets of four block grippers, and the second rotary indexing unit has two sets of four lens grippers. Thus, the first rotary indexing unit can be loaded with two blocks, each containing two lenses. In the respective separation station, two blocks with two lenses can be separated in parallel. Subsequently, in the further stations, two blocks can be separated, and two lenses can be cleaned and / or dried individually. The delamination station can also accommodate two lenses simultaneously, and finally, the drying and inspection unit can dry and inspect two lenses simultaneously.

[0029] The transport system features, for example, suction grippers that grasp and place two lenses in pairs, allowing both the blocking device and other equipment to process two lenses simultaneously. If the lenses are moved along the conveyor belt or temporarily set down, box-like job trays can be used for this purpose.

[0030] The rotary indexing units can alternatively be configured with only 2, 3, or more than 4 grippers instead of the four grippers positioned at a 90° offset, so that the indexing is achieved based on the angular spacing of the grippers relative to each other. PREFERRED IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Further measures improving the invention are described in more detail below, together with a description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, with reference to the figures. The figures show:

[0032] Figure 1 shows an overall view of a handling center with the devices according to the invention.

[0033] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the blocking device.

[0034] Figure 3 shows a detailed view of a delamination station and

[0035] Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the drying and control unit.

[0036] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a handling center 1 with a blocking device designed according to the invention, as well as the other components of the handling center 1 that also belong to the invention. A transport system 12 is shown, with or on which the lenses 10 can be moved, comprising a conveyor belt and several grippers, which together form the transport system 12 in the present arrangement. The lenses 10 can be transferred from the conveyor belt to the blocking device 13 using the grippers, for example, suction grippers, of the transport system 12, and individual lenses 10 and individual block pieces 11 can also be moved between the various stations of the handling center 1 using the transport system 12.The essential component of the handling center 1 is the blocking device 13, which has a substantially enclosed housing box in which part of a water collection tank 35 is installed on the underside, storing a quantity of process water at least at the bottom. The housing of the blocking device 13 has openings on the upper side through which lenses 10 can be inserted and removed in pairs, either together with the block piece 11 or individually, by means of two parallel handling elements of the transport system 12.

[0037] Furthermore, the handling center 1 has a delamination station 27 in which films adhering to the surface of the lenses 10 can be removed, and finally, a drying and inspection unit 31 follows the delamination station 27.

[0038] A heating station 37 is also located upstream of the delamination station 27. This heating station has a receiving element 38 in the form of suction cups for holding two lenses 10, and a heating element 39 is provided with which the film 28 on the lens 10 can be heated and detached. For this purpose, the heating element 39 can be moved over the lenses 10 once they have been placed on the receiving elements 38.

[0039] Once the lenses 10 have been separated from the block 11, which takes place in the decoupling device 13, the lenses 10 are individually transferred by the transport system 12 to the heating station 37 and then to the delamination station 27, and finally to the drying and inspection unit 31. Next to the decoupling device 13, a block drying unit 34 is shown on the left, which is designed, for example, as a centrifuge, and into which the block 11 can be inserted and removed in pairs through openings on the top. To the left of the block drying unit 34 is a magazine containing a number of block 11 for further use. On the right are separated, cleaned, and dried lenses 10 on the conveyor belt of the transport system 12.

[0040] The handling center 1 shown has a housing, which has been removed in the figure to illustrate the components of the handling center 1, and which encloses the listed components of the handling center 1, so that only the conveyor belt of the transport system 12 runs into the housing and out of the housing.

[0041] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the blocking device 13 with its essential components. The core of the blocking device 13 consists of two rotary indexing units 14 and 16. A first rotary indexing unit 14 is located on the left and a second rotary indexing unit 16 on the right, each comprising rotary indexing tables that can be moved along a rotary axis, which runs parallel to each other and is perpendicular to the plane of the image.

[0042] The first rotary indexing unit 14 has four block grippers 15, which grip the block pieces 11. These block pieces, together with the lens 10, are transferred to the first rotary indexing unit 14 by the transport system 12 from above. For this purpose, the first rotary indexing unit 14 has a loading and unloading station 1-1, to which the unit consisting of the lens 10 and block piece 11 is transferred to the block gripper 15. The rotary indexing table then rotates 90° clockwise and, with the lens 10 and block piece 11, reaches a separation station 1-2. In separation station 1-2, the unit consisting of the lens 10 and block piece 11 faces a lens gripper 17 of the second rotary indexing unit 16. In this separation station 1-2, the lens 10 can be separated from the block piece 11.Upon a further clockwise rotation of 90°, the isolated block 11, still in the block gripper 15, reaches a block cleaning station 1-3. In this station, a cleaning fluid 21 is directed onto the block 11 at appropriate pressure via fluid nozzles 20, thus cleaning the block 11. Upon another 90° rotation of the rotary indexing table, the cleaned block 11 reaches an emptying station 1-4. Finally, upon yet another rotation, the isolated and cleaned block 11 can be removed from the transport system 12 at the loading and unloading station 1-1.

[0043] The separating station 2-1 of the second rotary indexing unit 16 is directly opposite the first rotary indexing unit 14, so that a lens gripper 17 can grasp or suction the lens 10 while the block 11 is still held in the block gripper 15 of the first rotary indexing unit 14. In this position, a fluid 19, preferably hot water, is supplied via a fluid supply device 18, which breaks the adhesive bond between the lens 10 and the block 11. With a further rotation of at least one of the two rotary indexing units 14 and 16, preferably both rotary indexing units 14 and 16, the lens 10 is then finally separated from the block 11. The rotation directions of the rotary indexing units 14 and 16 are opposite, so that the lens 10 in the lens gripper 17 can finally be rotated 90° counterclockwise from the separation station 2-1 and transferred to the underside lens cleaning station 2-2.The lens cleaning station 2-2 contains fluid nozzles 23 which can clean the lens 10 with a cleaning fluid 24.

[0044] In this position, a block material 22 is removed from the lens 10, which serves to bond the lens 10 to the block piece 11. The cleaning fluid 24 in this lens cleaning station 2-2 can consist of process water, which can be taken, for example, from the water collection tank 35. Pumps (not shown) are used for this purpose, and the pump pressure for cleaning the lens 10 with the cleaning fluid 24 can be regulated. Once the lens 10 has been cleaned in the lens cleaning station 2-2, the second rotary indexing unit 16 rotates counterclockwise by 90° into a lens cleaning and / or drying station 2-3.In this station, the lens 10 can be cleaned or dried via a gas and / or liquid nozzle 25 with a gas and / or liquid jet 26, the liquid being used in particular for rinsing the lens 10. This allows for pre-cleaning of the lens 10 in the lens cleaning station 2-2, and a final rinse of the lens 10 in the lens cleaning and / or drying station 2-3, specifically for residue-free cleaning of the lens 10's surfaces. Finally, with a further counterclockwise rotation of the second rotary indexing unit 16, the unloading station 2-4 is reached, where the lens 10 can be removed from the lens gripper 17, again by means of the transport system 12.

[0045] It should be noted that not only the block material 22 can be used to connect the lens 10 to the block 11, but the surface of the lens 10, via which it is bonded to the block 11, can be coated with a film so that the block material 22 does not come into direct contact with the surface of the lens 10. Thus, the lenses 10, which are arranged on the lens grippers 17 of the second rotary indexing unit 16, can still have a film that can be removed from the surface of the lens 10 in a subsequent delamination station 27, as described below in connection with Figure 3.

[0046] Figure 3 shows the delamination station 27, which has its own housing and into which two lenses 10 can be inserted via two openings on the top. Once the lenses 10 are positioned within the delamination station 27, each lens 10 can be cleaned with a separate fluid jet 30 from associated spray nozzles 29, so that the film 28 is rinsed from the surface of the lens 10. The fluid pressure, particularly when using water, can be adjusted by a pump 36 so that the film 28 can be safely removed from the surface of the lens 10 without damaging the lens surface. Especially with lenses 10 that have a photochromatic coating, the pressure of the fluid jet 30 should be reduced to avoid damaging the surface. The insertion and removal of the lenses 10 from the openings on the top of the delamination station housing 27 is also carried out by the transport system 12 shown in Figure 1.

[0047] Finally, Figure 4 shows a drying and inspection unit 31, also with two openings on the top through which the lenses 10 can be inserted into and removed from the unit 31. The lenses 10 can be dried via drying air nozzles 32. Simultaneously, an inspection unit 33 with underside illumination panels and a camera 40 is provided. This unit allows for the residue-free cleaning of the lens surfaces, particularly of the film 28, as shown in Figure 3, and enables monitoring of this process. For this purpose, the lenses 10 are illuminated from below by the illumination panels. The inspection unit 33 with the illumination panels, for example, has underside surface emitters that emit light which passes through the lenses 10 and is captured by the camera 40, allowing residues on the lens surfaces to be detected.

[0048] The handling center 1 described above, with its respective components, in particular the blocking device 13 according to Figure 2, the delamination station 27 according to Figure 3, and the drying and inspection unit 31 according to Figure 4, can be configured such that two lenses 10, initially also with the adhering block pieces 11, can be conveyed in pairs from station to station by the transport system 12. In particular, the rotary indexing units 14 and 16 can have block grippers 15 and lens grippers 17 in two stacked planes, positioned perpendicular to the plane of the image, and the individual stations can be processed in pairs, each with two lenses 10 and two block pieces 11. This further increases the throughput of lenses 10 through the handling center 1. The lenses 10 can then be conveyed in pairs to the delamination station 27 and finally to the drying and inspection unit 31.Furthermore, the lenses 10 can also be transferred in pairs to the block drying device 34 and dried in pairs in this device.

[0049] The key advantage of the handling center 1, as shown, is the shared water supply for the individual stations within a water circuit, which includes the water collection tank 35, at least for process water. Pumps (not shown) can, for example, generate pressures for the cleaning fluid 21 in the block cleaning station 1-3, which can reach up to 50 bar. The fluid can consist of water as its main component and also include additives such as solvents. Water can also be supplied from the fluid supply unit 18, for example at a temperature of 90°C and a corresponding pressure, to the joint between the lens 10 and the block 11. This allows the lens 10 to detach from the block 11 primarily by increasing the temperature of the block material 22, as this reduces its adhesive strength.Only the film 28 remains on the surface of the lens 10 and is conveyed along with the lens 10 via the second rotary indexing unit 16. Further cleaning of the lens 10 via the second rotary indexing unit 16 can also be carried out with water from the water collection tank 35. However, for the lens cleaning and / or drying station 2-3, water of particularly high purity can be used so that the lens can already be cleaned residue-free in this position. Final cleaning of the lens, however, takes place in the delamination station 27 as shown in Figure 3 via the fluid jets 30 from the...

[0050] Spray nozzles 29.

[0051] The invention is not limited in its implementation to the preferred embodiment described above. Rather, a number of variants are conceivable, which utilize the solution presented even in fundamentally different designs. All features and / or advantages arising from the claims, the description, or the drawings, including design details or spatial arrangements, can be essential to the invention, both individually and in various combinations.

[0052] Reference symbol list:

[0053] I Handling Center

[0054] 10 lenses

[0055] II Block piece

[0056] 12 T transport system

[0057] 13 Blocking device

[0058] 14 first rotary clock unit

[0059] 15 block grabs

[0060] 16 second rotary clock unit

[0061] 17 lens grippers

[0062] 18 Fluid supply device

[0063] 19 Fluid

[0064] 20 Fluid nozzle

[0065] 21 Cleaning fluid

[0066] 22 block material

[0067] 23 Fluid nozzle

[0068] 24 cleaning fluid

[0069] 25 Gas and / or liquid nozzle

[0070] 26 Gas and / or liquid jet

[0071] 27 Delamination station

[0072] Slide 28

[0073] 29 Spray nozzle

[0074] 30 Fluid jet

[0075] 31 Drying and control unit

[0076] 32 Drying air nozzle

[0077] 33 Inspection Unit

[0078] 34 Block drying unit

[0079] 35 Water collection tank

[0080] 36 Pump

[0081] 37 Heating station 8 Recording device 9 Heating device 0 Camera -1 Loading and unloading station -2 Separation station -3 Block cleaning station -4 Emptying station -1 Separation station -2 Lens cleaning station -3 Lens cleaning and / or drying station -4 Unloading station

Claims

Claims:

1. Handling center (1) for optical lenses (10), in particular for spectacles, wherein the lenses (10) are mounted on a block (11) for handling and processing, wherein a transport system (12) is provided by which the lenses (10) in conjunction with the block (11) can be brought to a blocking device (13), characterized in that the blocking device (13) has a first rotary indexing unit (14) comprising block grippers (15) for gripping the block (11), and that the blocking device (13) has a second rotary indexing unit (16) comprising lens grippers (17) for gripping the lenses (10), wherein in a respective separation station (1-2, 2-1) of the two rotary indexing units (14, 16) the block gripper (15) and the lens gripper (17) are configured for mutual interaction, by means of which the separation of the lens (10) from the block (11) can be carried out. is.

2. Handling center (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a fluid supply device (18) is provided, via which in particular heated fluid (19) can be supplied to the unit consisting of the lens (10) and the block piece (11), wherein the supply takes place in the separation station (1-2, 2-1) for the mutual interaction of the block gripper (15) and the lens gripper (17).

3. Handling center (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the first rotary indexing unit (14) has a loading and unloading station (1-1) at which the unit consisting of the lens (10) and the block piece (11) The transport system (12) can be transferred to the block gripper (15) of the first rotary indexing unit (14), with the loading and unloading station (1-1) being located upstream of the separation station (1-2).

4. Handling center (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a block cleaning station (1-3) is provided in the first rotary indexing unit (14), which is downstream of the separation station (1-2).

5. Handling center (1 ) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least one fluid nozzle (20) is provided in the block cleaning station (1-3) with which the block (11) can be supplied with a cleaning fluid (21) and in particular cleaned of a block material (22).

6. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lens cleaning station (2-2) is provided in the second rotary indexing unit (16), which follows the separation station (2-1) and which has at least one fluid nozzle (23) with which the lens (10) can be supplied with a cleaning fluid (24) and in particular cleaned of a block material (22).

7. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a lens cleaning and / or drying station (2-3) is provided in the second rotary indexing unit (16), which follows the lens cleaning station (2-2) and which has at least one gas and / or liquid nozzle (25) through which the lens (10) is cleaned with a gas- and / or liquid jet (26) can be applied and is used to clean and dry them.

8. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an unloading station (2-4) is provided in the second rotary indexing unit (16), via which the lens (10) can be transferred to the transport system (12) or removed from the transport system (12) by the lens gripper (17).

9. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a delamination station (27) is provided to which the lens (10) can be transferred by means of the transport system (12) and wherein the lens (10) is coated with a film (28) which can be separated from the lens (10) by means of the delamination station (27) and / or wherein the delamination station (27) has at least one spray nozzle (29) with which the film (28) can be removed from the surface of the lens (10) by means of a fluid jet (30).

10. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a heating station (37) is located upstream of the delamination station (27), wherein the heating station (37) has a receiving means (38) for receiving the at least one lens (10) and a heating means (39) with which the film (28) on the lens (10) can be heated and / or dissolved.

11. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a drying and inspection unit (31) is provided to which the lens (10) can be transferred by means of the transport system (12) and in the lens (10) is dryable and inspectable, comprising at least one drying air nozzle (32) and at least one inspection unit (33).

12. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the aforementioned facilities, devices and stations of the handling center (1) are housed in a common housing, and such that the handling center (1) is designed as a stand-alone unit.

13. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least some or all of the fluids (19, 21, 24, 30) comprise at least water and are connected to a common water system.

14. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first rotary indexing unit (14) and the second rotary indexing unit (16) each have axes of rotation which run parallel to each other and / or wherein the rotary indexing units (14, 16) each have several block grippers (15) or several lens grippers (17) in planes arranged in front of each other, so that two lenses (10) or two block pieces (11) can always be processed simultaneously in the stations.

15. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a block drying device (34) is provided with which the block pieces (11) are dried after removal from the loading and The unloading station (1-1 ) of the first rotary indexing unit (14) can be inserted and dried by means of the transport system (12).

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