Eyewear Frame Machining With Breakable Plastic Seam

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for subtractive milling of eyewear frames are either expensive due to the need for specialized pucks or labor-intensive due to tab removal, and lack traceability and design flexibility, making them unsuitable for custom manufacturing and automation.

Innovation Solution

A method involving cutting a plastic seam around the perimeter of an eyewear frame from both the rear and front portions of a coupon, allowing for easy separation and enabling traceability and customization without the need for hard tooling, while using a machining system to create a breakable seam for efficient frame removal.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If expanding pucks are used to secure plastic from the inside, then mass-manufacturing of identical frames is achieved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemass-manufacturing capabilityVSAvoidcomplexity of expanding pucks and material transport mechanisms

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the complex expanding puck mechanism from the manufacturing system. Instead of using pucks to secure the plastic from the inside, the method cuts the coupon in a single continuous operation from the outside, removing the need for internal securing mechanisms and their associated complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting process is segmented into two directional passes: a first cut from the rear surface to a first depth, and a second cut from the front surface to a second depth. This segmentation allows the cutting operation to be performed from the outside only, eliminating the need for internal pucks while maintaining manufacturing efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If tabs are used to hold plastic coupon from the outside, then external holding is achieved, but additional operations are required to remove tabs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of external holdingVSAvoidproduction efficiency due to additional tab removal operations

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and eliminates the tabs from the process. Instead of holding the coupon with tabs that require subsequent removal, the method uses external clamping to hold the coupon during a single continuous cutting operation, removing the need for tab removal operations entirely.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cutting operation is performed in a single continuous action without interruption for tab removal. The method cuts through the coupon in one continuous path, maintaining productive action throughout the operation and eliminating idle time associated with tab removal.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Adaptability or versatility

If tabs are placed on curved surfaces or non-perpendicular angles, then holding on complex geometries is achieved, but tab placement becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to hold on curved surfaces and angled geometriesVSAvoidease of tab placement

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts tabs from the process entirely and replaces them with external clamping mechanisms. This eliminates the problem of placing tabs on curved or angled surfaces, as the clamping system can accommodate any geometry without requiring tabs to be positioned on difficult surfaces.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Speed

If frame is removed immediately after cutting, then quick removal is achieved, but traceability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespeed of frame removalVSAvoidloss of traceability information

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies preliminary action by marking the coupon with traceability information before the cutting operation. This ensures that traceability data is captured and preserved before the frame is removed, allowing for quick removal without sacrificing information retention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The coupon serves as an intermediary carrier that holds both the frame and traceability information. By marking the coupon rather than the frame directly, the system preserves traceability through the intermediary medium, enabling quick frame removal while maintaining information integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS11701849B2Systems and methods for manufacturing eyewear and providing downstream information transfer

Publication Date: 2023.07.18 BESPOKE INC D B A TOPOLOGY EYEWEAR

AI summary

Systems and methods are disclosed for machining an eyewear frame. One method includes receiving a coupon of material for making the eyewear frame, the frame comprising a perimeter, a front portion and a rear portion; cutting the coupon along the perimeter of the eyewear frame, the cut being from the rear portion of the frame to a predetermined depth from the front portion of the frame; and creating a plastic seam around the frame by further cutting the coupon from the front portion of the eyewear frame.