Lens Coating Apparatus with Air Suction Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing methods for mass-producing photochromic lenses face challenges such as lens distortion during handling, increased operator burden, temperature control issues due to UV irradiation, and contamination from mist and dust, which affect the quality and efficiency of the coating process.
Innovation Solution
A coating apparatus with a lens-measuring portion, primer-coating portion, photochromic-coating portion, and UV irradiation portion, utilizing air suction for lens support and temporary lens-placing pins to prevent distortion, and integrated temperature and humidity control, along with exhaust systems to manage mist and maintain cleanliness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a U-shaped lens-support portion with adsorption holes is used to support the lens, then the lens can be stably supported during handling, but the lens may be distorted when the lens has small thickness due to large moment exertion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses air suction through adsorption holes in the lens-support portion to hold the lens in place during handling and coating operations. This pneumatic gripping method provides stable support without mechanical contact that could cause distortion, especially for thin lenses.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent provides multiple adsorption holes distributed across the lens-support portion rather than a single support point. This distributes the holding force across multiple locations, reducing localized stress and moment on thin lenses while maintaining overall stability.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple coating operations (primer coating and photochromic coating) are performed sequentially, then the coating quality is improved, but the production time and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a continuous coating process where the lens is automatically transferred between primer coating and photochromic coating stations without interruption. The lens remains on the rotating shaft throughout, enabling sequential coating operations to proceed continuously without removal or repositioning, thus maintaining high coating quality while maximizing production efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the coating process into distinct functional zones (primer coating zone, drying zone, photochromic coating zone, UV irradiation zone) along the rotating lens shaft. Each zone performs a specific function, allowing multiple coating operations to be executed in sequence without interfering with each other, thereby improving both coating quality and production throughput.
3Manufacturing precision
If the lens is rotated on a spin shaft during coating, then the coating uniformity is improved, but the lens position may deviate from the center axis during handover
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the lens-support portion with a U-shaped cradle that conforms to the lens curvature, creating a stable equilibrium position. Combined with air suction, this ensures the lens remains centered on the spin shaft axis during rotation and handover, preventing positional deviation while maintaining rotation for uniform coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses air suction through adsorption holes to firmly secure the lens to the support portion during handover and transfer operations. This pneumatic fixation prevents the lens from deviating from the center axis even during dynamic operations, ensuring both position accuracy and subsequent coating uniformity.
4Reliability
If UV irradiation is used to cure the photochromic coating, then the coating curing is effective, but temperature control becomes difficult due to heat generation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the photochromic coating application zone from the UV irradiation curing zone along the lens rotation path. This spatial segmentation allows UV irradiation to be applied in a dedicated zone where heat can be managed, while the coating application occurs in a cooler zone, enabling effective curing without compromising temperature control during coating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses intermittent or pulsed UV irradiation as the lens rotates through the curing zone, rather than continuous irradiation. This periodic action allows cooling periods between irradiation pulses, preventing excessive temperature buildup while still achieving effective curing of the photochromic coating.
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 apparatus enables efficient, high-quality mass production of photochromic lenses by preventing distortion, reducing operator burden, and ensuring consistent temperature and humidity conditions, thereby improving coating efficiency and reducing contamination.
Implementation Method 1
a support shaft for supporting the central bottom surface portion of the lens by air suction means
Implementation Method 2
a UV irradiation portion (8) for irradiating the third intermediate product lens with UV to cure the uncured photochromic coating
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
[Problem] To provide a coating apparatus capable of automatically executing a series of steps of measuring the shape of a lens and applying a primer solution thereon, drying the primer solution and applying a photochromic coating solution thereon, and curing the coated solutions by the UV irradiation, liberating the operator from the work of setting the lenses piece by piece. [Means for Solution] A lens-feeding portion 2 is arranged upstream of the series of steps, the lens-feeding portion 2 having lens-holding units 22 in which a plurality of lenses are arranged straight in the horizontal direction and/or in the up-and-down direction, and a first lens sub-carrier means 31 for carrying the lenses held therein to the lens-measuring portion 3. The lens-holding unit 22 has, formed therein, a plurality of stepped lens-placing portions in concentric having diameters increasing upward, and an open portion is formed in the central portions of the plurality of lens-placing portions and in a portion of the lens-placing portion on the side of the lens sub-carrier means enabling the lens-support portion of the carrier means to pass through.