Handling center for optical lenses
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-08-13
Smart Images
Figure EP2026052726_13082026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] OPTICAL LENS HANDLING CENTER
[0002] The invention relates to a handling center for optical lenses, in particular for spectacles, wherein a block piece is provided for each lens, to which the lenses are arranged for handling and processing, wherein a block material is used for the adhesive arrangement of the lenses on the block pieces, which is inserted between the lens and the block piece and which is designed in such a way that it can be released by heating in order to separate the lens from the block piece after processing.
[0003] STATE OF THE ART
[0004] For example, German patent DE 102017 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 allows for 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 block are then subjected to further processing, cleaning and drying operations outside the known handling center.
[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.
[0007] The block material used to adhere the lenses to the block pieces is formulated to withstand heating by exposure to hot water. This process heats the lens, the block piece, and the block material itself. The block material softens and liquefies at temperatures below 100°C, thus losing its adhesive effect on the lens. The lens can then be separated from the block, and the block material can be removed along with the hot water and collected in a water collection tank. It is known that processed lenses are detached from the block piece, to which the lens is attached by the block material and a protective film, using high-pressure, heated water jets exiting nozzles. Subsequently, both the block piece and the lens are further cleaned of the block material using high-pressure jets, and the protective film is finally removed from the lens.
[0008] Unfortunately, this process leaves a certain amount of the block material stuck to the foil, which then has to be disposed of as hazardous waste at considerable expense. Furthermore, the lost block material must be replaced, which also incurs costs.
[0009] The removed block material is collected along with the hot water in a collection container, settles at the bottom, is skimmed off, and can be reused in the block material cycle. The collected water remains in the water cycle, which nevertheless needs to be changed regularly and, depending on the level of dissolved block material, disposed of as hazardous waste.
[0010] REVELATION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The object of the invention is to further improve the block material cycle in a handling center for optical lenses. In particular, the object of the invention is to essentially completely prevent the loss of block material.
[0012] This problem is solved starting from a handling center according to the preamble of claim 1 and according to the preamble of the method according to claim 12, each with the characterizing features. Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.
[0013] The invention includes the technical teaching that a lens cleaning station and / or a block cleaning station is provided, which has at least one mechanically acting cleaning element that can be brought into contact with the lens and / or with the block in order to remove the block material from the lens or the block.
[0014] The advantage is the essentially residue-free cleaning of the lens and / or block piece from the block material compared to the use of water jets, the advantage also and preferably resulting from the fact that the cleaning process can be carried out wet with the cleaning element, i.e. with the simultaneous use of hot water, which further enhances the cleaning effect.
[0015] The cleaning of the block material can be carried out directly from the surface of the lens, or at least a portion of the lens surface that can be brought into contact with the block is coated with a film. This allows the cleaning element to be brought into contact with the film to clean the block material. In particular, when the block material is cleaned directly from the film with as few residues as possible using the inventive method, not only is the loss of the block material minimized or even prevented, but the film, which is subsequently separated from the lens, can also be disposed of easily without requiring special disposal.
[0016] The film described here can also be applied to the lens surface in the form of a spray lacquer or a UV adhesive, so that the term "film" in this context refers to a surface coating that can be applied, supplied, and / or have various properties. Of course, the block material can also be cleaned directly from the lens surface, especially if no film is used at all.
[0017] The lens cleaning station and / or the block cleaning station can have at least one fluid nozzle with which a cleaning fluid can be applied to the lens or block, so that the mechanical cleaning of the lens with the cleaning element can be carried out simultaneously with the action of the cleaning fluid. In particular, it is possible to apply the cleaning fluid, for example hot water, as a pressure jet to the contact area of the cleaning element with the lens or block, so that the combination of the pressure jet and the mechanical cleaning achieves a mutual enhancement of the cleaning effect. At the same time, the block material can be removed from the lens or the film on the lens, as well as from or away from the cleaning element, by the pressure jet. The same applies to the cleaning of the block.
[0018] The mechanical cleaning element can comprise at least one brush, an elastic body, or a sponge. It is also conceivable to provide several mechanical cleaning elements that are brought into contact with the lens or block simultaneously or, more importantly, sequentially, and / or that can be of different designs. For example, a brush could be used first, followed by a sponge.
[0019] Furthermore, a rotary drive can be incorporated to rotate the mechanically acting cleaning element when it is in contact with the lens or block. In this context, the lens or block can also be rotatably mounted on the lens cleaning station, rotating along its central axis, either actively by a drive or through contact with the rotating cleaning element.
[0020] Therefore, the cleaning element can be rotatable in a rotational axis, whereby the rotational axis is aligned, for example, perpendicular or nested within itself, or angled to a central axis of the lens.
[0021] At least some or all of the fluids can contain water and be connected to a common water system, which includes a water collection tank. This allows the block material removed from the lens to be carried away from the lens cleaning station via the water circuit, collected centrally, and separated.
[0022] The blocking device can have a first rotary indexing unit comprising several, at least two, block grippers for gripping the block pieces, and 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 configured for mutual interaction, enabling the separation of the lens from the block piece. The lens cleaning station and / or the block piece cleaning station can form part of, or a station of, the first or second rotary indexing unit, respectively, in which the lenses are handled, while the block pieces are handled in the first rotary indexing unit.
[0023] 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.
[0024] 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.
[0025] This arrangement allows the blocking device to perform both the separation of the lens from the block and simultaneous further processing operations with short cycle times, in particular the separate cleaning, purification, and drying of the block and the lens. As a result, a high throughput of lenses with additional processing steps is achieved with a comparatively low system cost using 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 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.
[0026] The lens, which is attached to the block by means of the block material, can be separated from the block by means of a heated fluid, for example, heated water, by causing the block material to lose its adhesive effect. Therefore, with regard to the separation station of the respective rotary indexing units, a fluid supply device can be provided through which heated fluid, e.g., hot water, can be supplied to the unit consisting of the lens and the block. This supply, within the separation station, facilitates the interaction of the block gripper and the lens gripper. Within the respective separation station, the lens and the block are gripped by their respective grippers, so that, as the rotary indexing units continue to rotate, the block is ultimately 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 piece.
[0027] 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.
[0028] 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.
[0029] Similarly, in the second rotary indexing unit, the lens cleaning station designed according to the invention can be configured with the cleaning element, which follows the separation station and, in addition to the cleaning element, can have several fluid nozzles with which the lens can be treated with a cleaning fluid and cleaned from the block material together with the cleaning element, 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, thus 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 DL water can be used.
[0030] 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 cleanliness 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.
[0031] Within the scope of the invention, the cleaning element or a further cleaning element can also be used in conjunction with the further lens cleaning and / or drying station. Thus, according to a further advantage, it is conceivable that the cleaning element, in conjunction with the upstream lens cleaning station, is designed as a rotating brush, in particular, and, in conjunction with the downstream lens cleaning and / or drying station, the cleaning element is designed as a rotating sponge, in particular, wherein the lens cleaning and / or drying station can also have a water jet that is used simultaneously with the cleaning of the lens with the cleaning element.
[0032] 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 the individual lenses, as well as the unit consisting of a block piece and a lens, can be added to and removed from the transport system from the same feed and removal direction.
[0033] The blocking device can be followed by a delamination station, which is also part of the handling center and to which the lens can be transferred via the transport system. The lens may be coated with a film, which is separated from the lens by the delamination station. For this purpose, the delamination station can have a spray nozzle from which the film is removed from the lens surface by means of a fluid jet. The pressure of the fluid jet can be varied, as there are lenses with increased sensitivity, such as photochromatic lenses, which require lower fluid pressure for cleaning. The temperature of the fluid in the jet can also be varied, depending on the type of lens currently being processed by the delamination station.
[0034] It can further 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 dissolved. This allows the film to be removed more effectively 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. It is particularly advantageous that the lens and film have already been completely freed from the blocking material in the blocking device, so that the fluid used in the delamination station is not still contaminated with blocking material, thus simplifying the fluid circulation of the delamination station.
[0035] 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.
[0036] 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.
[0037] 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.
[0038] 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 positioned opposite each other at 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.
[0039] 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.
[0040] 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.
[0041] 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.
[0042] 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.
[0043] As an alternative to the four grippers with an offset of 90°, the rotary indexing units can also be provided with only 2, three or more than four grippers, so that indexing is achieved based on the angular division of the grippers to each other.
[0044] The lens cleaning station according to the invention, which has at least one mechanically acting cleaning element, can be designed as a single unit and thus already form the handling center, or the lens cleaning station according to the invention is embedded in a multi-functional handling center, as shown in more detail in the following exemplary embodiment.
[0045] PREFERRED EXAMPLE OF THE INVENTION
[0046] 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:
[0047] Figure 1 shows an overall view of a handling center with the devices according to the invention.
[0048] Figure 2 shows a detailed view of the blocking device and
[0049] Figure 3 shows a detailed view of the lens cleaning station with a mechanically acting cleaning element designed as a brush, and Figure 4 shows a detailed view of the lens cleaning station with a mechanically acting cleaning element designed as a sponge.
[0050] 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.
[0051] 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 arranged 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.
[0052] 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.
[0053] 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.
[0054] 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.
[0055] The handling center 1 shown has a housing, which has been removed in the figure to illustrate the components of the handling center 1. This housing encloses the listed components of the handling center 1, so that only the conveyor belt of the transport system 12 runs into and out of the housing. 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 unit comprises 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 figure.
[0056] 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 reaches a separation station 1-2 with the lens 10 and the block piece 11. In separation station 1-2, the unit consisting of the lens 10 and the 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.
[0057] Upon a further clockwise rotation of 90°, the isolated block piece 11, which remains in the block gripper 15, reaches a block cleaning station 1-3, in which a cleaning fluid 21 is directed at the block piece 11 via fluid nozzles 20 at a corresponding pressure, thereby cleaning the block piece 11.
[0058] According to the invention, the block cleaning station 1-3 is further equipped with a mechanically actuated cleaning element 29, which is designed to clean the block 11, thereby removing residues of the block material 22 from the block 11. The cleaning of the block 11 with the mechanically actuated cleaning element 29 can be carried out while simultaneously applying water from the fluid nozzles 20, thus preventing the adhesion of block material to the cleaning element 29. The dashed line drawing of the cleaning element 29 is for illustrative purposes only, as it does not depict the other elements.
[0059] With a further rotation of the rotary indexing table by 90°, the cleaned block piece 11 reaches an empty station 1-4, whereby with yet another further rotation the isolated and cleaned block piece 11 can finally be removed again from the transport system 12 in the loading and unloading station 1-1.
[0060] 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.
[0061] The lens cleaning station 2-2 contains fluid nozzles 23 which, with a cleaning fluid 24, can clean the lens 10. According to the invention, the lens cleaning station 2-2 is further equipped with a mechanically actuated cleaning element 29, which is designed to clean the lens 10, thereby removing residues of the block material 22 from the lens 10. The cleaning of the lens 10 with the mechanically actuated cleaning element 29 can be carried out while simultaneously applying water from the fluid nozzles 23, so that adhesion of block material to the cleaning element 29 can also be avoided.
[0062] 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.
[0063] The water collection tank 35 has a drain device 40 at its lower point, through which the block material 22, previously discharged from the cleaning station(s) 2-2 or 2-3 via the hot water, can be drained. Due to its density, which is greater than that of water, the block material 22 collects at the lower point of the water collection tank 35. The water collection tank 35 may, in a manner not shown in detail, include a heating device to maintain the water, and thus also the block material 22, at a temperature at which the block material 22 remains liquid.
[0064] 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.
[0065] Figures 3 and 4 each show a schematic view of the lens cleaning station 2-2 with a lens 10 held in a lens gripper 17. A film 28 is applied to the surface of the lens 10 opposite the gripper 17, and residues of the block material 22 are adhered to this film. Fluid nozzles 23 are shown laterally, from which a cleaning fluid 24 emerges and is sprayed at high pressure onto the surface of the lens 10 or the film 28. A cleaning element 29 is arranged below the lens 10 and is in contact with the lens 10 or the film 28. The cleaning elements 29 for the block cleaning stations can be constructed and arranged in the same way. According to the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the cleaning element 29 can be designed as a rotating brush 30 that rotates about an axis of rotation 33, wherein the axis of rotation 33 is oriented perpendicular to the central axis 36 of the lens 10.The lens 10 can be actively rotated by the gripper 17 in a manner not shown in detail, or the lens 10 can be rotatably mounted on the gripper 17 and can perform a rotational movement through contact with the brush 30. Furthermore, the cleaning element 29 can be mounted so as to be laterally movable, as indicated by the double arrow. This allows the cleaning element 29 to reach any point on the free surface of the lens 10.
[0066] According to the embodiment shown in Figure 4, the cleaning element 29 can be designed as a rotating sponge or other flexible material that rotates about an axis of rotation 33, wherein the axis of rotation 33 is aligned with the central axis 36 of the lens 10, i.e., coincides with it. However, in order to reach the entire lens surface, the sponge can have a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the lens 10. It is also conceivable that the sponge is driven in rotation by the rotary drive 32, while the latter also performs a pendulum motion, so that the sponge follows the convex surface of the lens 10 and can clean it at any point on the free surface.
[0067] 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. List of reference numerals:
[0068] I Handling Center
[0069] 10 lenses
[0070] II Block piece
[0071] 12 Transport system
[0072] 13 Blocking device
[0073] 14 first rotary clock unit
[0074] 15 block grabs
[0075] 16 second rotary clock unit
[0076] 17 lens grippers
[0077] 18 Fluid supply device
[0078] 19 Fluid
[0079] 20 Fluid nozzle
[0080] 21 Cleaning fluid
[0081] 22 blocks of material
[0082] 23 Fluid nozzle
[0083] 24 cleaning fluid
[0084] 25 Gas and / or liquid nozzle 26 Gas and / or liquid jet 27 Delamination station
[0085] Slide 28
[0086] 29 Cleaning element
[0087] 30 brushes
[0088] 31 Drying and control unit 32 Rotary drive
[0089] 33 Rotation axis
[0090] 34 Block drying unit 35 Water collection tank
[0091] 36 Center axis
[0092] 37 Heating station 8 Recording device
[0093] 9 Heating fuel
[0094] 0 Drainage device
[0095] -1 Charging and unloading station
[0096] -2 Separation station
[0097] -3 Block cleaning station
[0098] -4 Empty station
[0099] -1 Separation station
[0100] -2 Lens cleaning station
[0101] -3 Lens cleaning and / or drying station -4 Unloading station
Claims
25 Claims:
1. Handling center (1) for optical lenses (10), in particular for spectacles, wherein a block (11) is provided for each lens (10) to which the lenses (10) are arranged for handling and processing, wherein a block material (22) is used for the adhesive arrangement of the lenses (10) on the block (11), which is inserted between the lens (10) and the block (11) and which is designed to be detachable by heating in order to separate the lens (10) from the block (11) after processing, characterized by that a lens cleaning station (2-2) and / or a block cleaning station (1-3) is provided, which has at least one mechanically acting cleaning element (29) that can be brought into contact with the lens (10) and / or with the block (11) in order to remove the block material (12) from the lens (10) or from the block (11).
2. Handling center (1) according to claim 1 , characterized by that at least part of the surface of the lens (10) that can be brought into contact with the block piece (11) is coated with a film (28) so that the cleaning element (29) can be brought into contact with the film (28) in order to clean the block material (12).
3. Handling center (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the lens cleaning station (2-2) has at least one fluid nozzle (23) with which a cleaning fluid (24) can be applied to the lens (10) so that the mechanical cleaning of the lens with the cleaning element (29) can be carried out under the simultaneous action of the cleaning fluid (24).
4. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the mechanically acting cleaning element (29) comprises at least a brush (30) or an elastic body or a sponge.
5. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that a rotary drive (32) is provided with which the mechanically acting cleaning element (29) can be set into rotation when the cleaning element (29) is in contact with the lens (10).
6. Handling center (1) according to claim 5, characterized by that the cleaning element (29) is rotatable in a rotation axis (33), wherein the rotation axis (33) is aligned perpendicular or intersecting or angled to a central axis (36) of the lens (10).
7. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, 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, the water system having a water collection tank (35).
8. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water collection tank (35) has a draining device (40) via which block material (22) that can be settled in the water collection tank (35) can be drained and thus separated.
9. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, 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) and / or to the fluid nozzle (23).
10. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that a lens cleaning and / or drying station (2-3) is provided, 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) can be supplied with a gas and / or liquid jet (26) in order to clean and dry it.
11. Handling center (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that a delamination station (27) is set up 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).
12. Method for operating a handling center (1) for optical lenses (10), in particular for spectacles, wherein a block (11) is provided for each lens (10) to which the lenses (10) are arranged for handling and processing, wherein a block material (22) is used for the adhesive arrangement of the lenses (10) to the block pieces (11), which is located between the lens (10) and the block piece. (11 ) is introduced and is designed so that it is released by heating in order to separate the lens (10) from the block (11 ) after processing, characterized by that a lens cleaning station (2-2) and / or a block cleaning station (1-3) is set up with at least one mechanically acting cleaning element (29), wherein the cleaning element (29) is brought into contact with the lens (10) or with the block (11) and the block material (12) is removed from the lens (10) or from the block (11).
13. Method according to claim 12, characterized by that the lens cleaning station (2-2) and / or the block cleaning station (1-3) has at least one fluid nozzle (20, 23) with which a cleaning fluid (24) is applied to the lens (10), while the mechanical cleaning of the lens or with the block (11) is carried out with the cleaning element (29).
14. Method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized by that a delamination station (27) is set up to which the lens (10) is transferred from the lens cleaning station (2-2) or from the lens cleaning and / or drying station (2-3) and with which the film (28) is separated from the lens (10).