Cleaning Head Precession Motion for Ophthalmic Lens Mold Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for cleaning deposited material from ophthalmic lens molds, particularly contact lens molds, are inadequate as they either fail to completely remove residues or risk damaging the molding surface, leading to defective lenses due to accumulated deposits.
Innovation Solution
A method and device utilizing a cleaning head with a rotational axis that moves in a precession motion with an inclination angle, pressed against the molding surface with a controlled force, and optionally using a cleaning liquid, to effectively remove deposits without damaging the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If abrasive cleaning methods are used to remove deposits from the molding surface, then the deposits are removed, but the molding surface gets damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces abrasive mechanical cleaning with a non-contact ultrasonic cleaning system. Ultrasonic waves are generated in a cleaning liquid, creating cavitation bubbles that implode to remove deposits without mechanical contact, thus eliminating surface damage while maintaining effective deposit removal
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a jet of cleaning liquid under pressure to pre-loosen deposits on the molding surface before ultrasonic cleaning. This hydraulic pre-treatment reduces the energy required for ultrasonic cleaning and improves overall cleaning effectiveness without requiring direct mechanical contact
2Manufacturing precision
If cleaning is performed frequently to prevent deposit accumulation, then lens quality is maintained, but production time is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is designed to be integrated into the production line, allowing continuous or near-continuous cleaning operation. The automated ultrasonic cleaning can be performed quickly and repeatedly without significant interruption to production flow, maintaining lens quality while minimizing impact on productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs a preliminary jet cleaning step before ultrasonic cleaning, which loosens and removes loose deposits. This pre-treatment reduces the time required for the main ultrasonic cleaning phase, making the overall cleaning process faster and less intrusive to production timing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method reliably removes deposits from the molding surface, preventing the production of defective lenses by maintaining the optical quality and longevity of the mold, allowing for continuous production within specifications.
Implementation Method 1
bringing a cleaning head (2) having a rotational axis (22) into contact with the molding surface (10)... while maintaining the contact between the cleaning head (2) and the molding surface (10)
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
A method of cleaning deposited material from a molding surface (10) of a mold (1) for forming ophthalmic lenses comprises the steps of: - bringing a cleaning head (20) into contact with the molding surface (10), the rotational axis (22) of the cleaning head (20) being arranged normal to the molding surface (10), - rotating (220) the cleaning head (20) around the rotational axis (22) while maintaining the contact between the cleaning head (20) and the molding surface (10), - moving the cleaning head (20) to perform a precession motion (110) around a central normal (11) on the molding surface (10), while rotating (220) the cleaning head (20) around the rotational axis (22) and while maintaining the contact between the cleaning head (20) and the molding surface (10). During the precession motion (110) the rotational axis (22) includes an inclination angle (α1,α2) with the central normal (11) on the molding surface (10).