Lens Coating Apparatus with Radiant Drying and Robotic Arm
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for coating ophthalmic lenses are labor-intensive and prone to contamination due to the use of compressed gases for drying, which can introduce particles and static charges, limiting production efficiency and quality.
Innovation Solution
A coating apparatus featuring a mechanical arm that moves along a linear track to automate the lens coating and drying process using radiant energy, eliminating the need for air or gas drying and minimizing operator intervention within an enclosed system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If compressed gas is used for drying lenses, then drying efficiency is improved, but particle contamination increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the gas drying function from the system entirely, extracting only the necessary drying effect while eliminating the harmful gas flow that carries particles. This is achieved by using radiant energy (infrared heaters) to provide drying heat without any gas flow, thus eliminating particle contamination while maintaining drying efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical gas flow drying system with a radiant energy heating system. Instead of using compressed gas to physically remove moisture, the system uses infrared radiation to heat and evaporate moisture from the lens surface, substituting a mechanical process with a thermal/radiant process that avoids particle contamination.
2Manufacturing precision
If operator manually positions and repositions lenses, then coating coverage is improved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic automation through a robotic arm that can automatically position, rotate, and reposition lenses during the coating process. This dynamic positioning system maintains precise coating coverage while eliminating manual intervention, thereby reducing production time without sacrificing coating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables self-service through automated lens positioning and rotation mechanisms that operate without human intervention. The robotic arm and automated rotation system perform all positioning tasks independently, allowing continuous operation and eliminating the time loss associated with manual repositioning while maintaining proper coating coverage.
3Speed
If gas is directed toward lens for drying, then drying speed is improved, but static charge generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the gas flow drying mechanism with a radiant energy heating system. Infrared heaters provide drying heat through radiation rather than convection, eliminating the need for gas flow entirely. This substitution maintains drying speed through efficient radiant heating while completely avoiding static charge generation that occurs with gas flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameter of the drying process from gas flow-based convection to radiant energy-based heating. By changing the drying mechanism from mechanical gas flow to thermal radiation, the system achieves rapid drying through direct energy transfer to the lens and coating, while eliminating the friction-induced static charge that occurs with gas flow.
4Manufacturing precision
If multiple drying cycles are performed, then coating quality is improved, but production efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements continuous drying through a single, well-controlled radiant heating cycle rather than multiple intermittent gas drying cycles. The infrared heaters provide continuous, uniform heating that thoroughly dries the coating in one operation, eliminating the need for repeated drying cycles and thereby maintaining production efficiency while ensuring coating quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The replacement of gas drying with radiant energy heating enables more effective and efficient drying in a single cycle. The radiant energy penetrates and heats the coating uniformly, achieving complete drying in one continuous operation rather than requiring multiple gas flow cycles, thus improving both coating quality and production efficiency simultaneously.
Data Source
AI summary
The present design includes a coating apparatus having a mechanical arm configured to receive and maintain a lens in a desired orientation, a coating station configured to coat the lens, a drying/curing station configured to dry the lens using radiant energy, and a programmable controller configured to control the mechanical arm to move along a linear track between the coating station and drying/curing station and expose the lens to the coating station for a coating procedure and the drying/curing station for a drying procedure for a predetermined amount of time. Other stations, such as a washing station and a loading station, may be provided.