Ophthalmic Lens Separator With Rotating Balls for Anti-Adhesion Handling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lens holding devices, such as vacuum cups, fail to adequately address the suction effect between two ophthalmic lenses, leading to separation or translation issues.
Innovation Solution
A separator device with a housing comprising top and bottom plates and freely rotating balls between apertures, providing limited contact points to counteract surface adhesion, and a manipulating device with vacuum elements and holders for precise lens positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If vacuum cups are used to grip the lenses, then the lenses can be held and positioned, but the suction effect between the two lenses prevents separation and translation
Solution Approach 1:
A separator device is introduced as an intermediary element between the two ophthalmic lenses. This separator device includes a housing with multiple balls that contact the lens surfaces at discrete points, allowing the lenses to be manipulated without direct contact between them, thereby preventing the suction effect while enabling controlled movement and separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The contact between the separator device and the lens surfaces is segmented into multiple discrete contact points through the use of multiple balls (at least three balls). This segmentation distributes the contact forces and prevents the formation of a continuous suction seal between the lenses, allowing for easier separation and translation while maintaining reliable gripping capability.
2Stability of the object's composition
If multiple contact points are used between the separator device and lens faces, then stable positioning is achieved, but surface adhesion effect increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator device applies contact forces at specific localized points on the lens surfaces through the balls, rather than across the entire surface. This local quality approach maintains positioning stability at the contact points while leaving the majority of the lens surfaces free from adhesion, thereby reducing the overall surface adhesion effect between the lenses.
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 device effectively minimizes lens warpage and ensures precise alignment by distributing contact points and using vacuum elements for accurate translation and gripping.
Implementation Method 1
at least one holder of the plurality of holders being provided with a vacuum propagating element enabling the at least one holder to grip that face of one of the two ophthalmic lenses
Implementation Method 2
the presence of a limited number of contact points between the separator service and the faces of the ophthalmic lenses to position with respect to each other, the surface adhesion effect is cancelled
Data Source
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AI summary
This separator device (10) adapted to be positioned between two ophthalmic lenses comprises a housing having a top plate (12) and a bottom plate (14) parallel to the top plate (12). The top plate (12) has at least three circular apertures (16) and the bottom plate (14) has the same number of circular apertures (16) as the top plate (12) and at the same locations. The separator device (10) further comprises, at each of these locations, a ball (18) accommodated between the top and bottom plates (12, 14) in a pair of the apertures, the diameter of each aperture (16) being smaller than the diameter of each ball (18), each ball (18) protruding from the top and bottom plates (12, 14) through the apertures (16) and being able to rotate freely in the apertures (16) thanks to a predetermined clearance between each ball (18) and the edge of the apertures (16) accommodating the ball (18).