Molding Mold Linear Grooves Prevent Lens Array Welds
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing lens arrays with resin transfer layers face challenges in preventing weld formation and increasing mold work time, especially as lens sizes decrease and integration increases, due to the need for complex machining of buffer and overflow parts.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a molding mold with linear groove parts surrounding cavity parts, which prevents resin spread and weld formation by creating an anchor effect, allowing for efficient partitioning of the mold and reducing work time, even for smaller lenses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ring-shaped spacer part with buffer part or overflow part is provided to prevent resin spread, then resin containment is improved, but mold work time increases considerably
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the continuous ring-shaped spacer part into discrete linear groove parts that are spaced apart from each other. This segmentation allows the mold to be worked in sections rather than requiring extensive machining of a continuous ring structure, significantly reducing mold work time while still preventing resin spread through the distributed linear grooves.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the buffer part and overflow part from the traditional ring-shaped spacer structure. By removing these unnecessary components and retaining only the essential resin-containing function through linear groove parts, the mold complexity is reduced and work time is decreased while maintaining effective resin containment.
2Adaptability or versatility
If lens size is reduced for higher integration, then integration density is improved, but buffer part becomes smaller and work time increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the spacer structure into discrete linear groove parts, the invention enables effective resin containment even when lenses are small and closely spaced. The segmented structure can be adapted to high-density arrangements without requiring proportionally smaller buffer zones, as each linear groove independently manages resin flow for its adjacent lens.
Solution Approach 2:
The linear groove parts are positioned locally adjacent to each lens element, providing resin containment exactly where needed rather than relying on a continuous ring structure. This local approach allows for efficient space utilization in high-density lens arrays while maintaining effective resin management.
3Ease of manufacture
If resin flows to adjacent groove parts and contacts each other, then weld formation occurs, but air bubbles are trapped
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the buffer part that traditionally allowed resin to accumulate and form welds. By eliminating this intermediate zone and using only the linear groove parts as resin barriers, the design prevents resin from flowing far enough to contact and weld with resin from adjacent grooves, thereby preventing both welds and air bubble entrapment.
Solution Approach 2:
The linear groove parts act as intermediary barriers between adjacent lens cavities, controlling resin flow to prevent direct contact between resin from different cavities. These grooves serve as the mediating structure that manages resin containment without allowing the harmful weld formation that occurs when resin flows unchecked to adjacent areas.
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 effectively prevents resin from forming welds and air bubbles, reduces mold work time, and allows for precise and efficient production of lens arrays with smaller lenses by using connected linear groove parts that prevent resin overlap.
Implementation Method 1
resin hardly spreads to a corner part where the adjacent linear groove parts intersect each other
Data Source
AI summary
Method for producing a lens array, which can prevent a weld from being formed in the peripheral part of a lens part and suppress increase of a work time of a transfer mold, and a molding mold. Since a master mold 10 of a molding mold has a plurality of linear groove parts 14e surrounding a plurality of cavity parts 12, resin hardly spreads to a corner part 14p where the adjacent linear groove parts 14e and 14e intersect each other and it is possible to prevent portions of the resin which have run over toward the adjacent groove parts 14e and 14e from spreading so as to come close to each other and being brought into contact with each other to create a weld trapping air bubbles.