Movable Support Plate for Ophthalmic Lens Edger
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Solution Overview
Problem
Ophthalmic lens processing equipment faces challenges in accessibility and maintenance, leading to inaccuracies and increased space requirements due to complex component positioning and large footprints, making it difficult to service and assemble efficiently.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a housing with a movable support structure and user access members, allowing non-linear movement of the support plate to improve accessibility to ophthalmic lens processing components, including a pivotally mounted plate and door for accessing the lens chuck and edging tool, enabling easier service and reduced footprint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the edger is mounted on a table or support with a large footprint, then the equipment is stable and components are accessible, but the space requirements increase and floor space costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is designed to tilt relative to the horizontal stationary plate, changing the spatial dimension from a fixed horizontal plane to an adjustable angled plane. This allows components mounted on the support plate to be positioned at an optimal angle for accessibility while maintaining a compact horizontal footprint when tilted down, resolving the contradiction between accessibility and space requirements.
2Ease of repair
If components are made accessible for servicing, then maintenance efficiency improves, but the positioning accuracy and repeatability of components may be adversely affected
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate is designed with dynamic tilting capability, allowing it to change angle between a horizontal operating position during lens processing and a tilted service position during maintenance. This dynamic adjustment enables the system to optimize for positioning accuracy during operation and for component accessibility during servicing, resolving the contradiction between precision and ease of repair.
3Manufacturing precision
If the support structure is fixed in position, then component positioning accuracy is maintained, but user accessibility to components for servicing is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The support plate transitions from a fixed horizontal position during operation to a dynamically tiltable position during servicing. This dynamic capability allows the structure to maintain fixed positioning accuracy when needed while providing improved user accessibility when tilted, resolving the contradiction between stability and accessibility.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the edger has a large footprint mounted on a table, then stability is improved, but space requirements increase and equipment density decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a tilting dimension to the support structure, allowing the support plate to angle upward from the horizontal stationary plate. This vertical/angular dimension enables the equipment to maintain stability through proper mounting while reducing the horizontal footprint, as components can be accessed from above or at an angle rather than requiring extensive horizontal space.
Data Source
AI summary
An ophthalmic lens processing apparatus is provided that includes a housing, a support structure, and ophthalmic lens processing components configured to perform an ophthalmic process on an ophthalmic lens. The housing includes a case and a user access member. The support structure includes a support plate received within and movably connected to the case. At least one of the ophthalmic lens processing components is mounted to and movable with the support plate. Also provided is a method of improving user accessibility to the at least one ophthalmic lens processing components of the ophthalmic lens processing apparatus.