Plastic Lens Sublimation Dyeing With Integrated Vacuum Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for dyeing plastic lenses with sublimation dyes are cumbersome due to complex loading and unloading processes and require mechanisms for adjusting the interval between the lens and dyeing substrates, leading to inefficiencies in the dyeing process.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus where a sublimation dye is applied to a dyeing substrate, held on a holding member, and a plastic lens is positioned above it in a vacuum vessel, allowing for vertical movement of the holding member and heating device to bring the lens close to the substrate for heating, enabling easy loading/unloading and efficient dyeing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the lens and dyeing substrate are separately arranged in the vacuum device, then the dyeing process can be performed, but the loading and unloading of lens and substrate become cumbersome and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the lens holding member and substrate holding member into a single integrated holding member that can simultaneously hold both the lens and the substrate. This merging eliminates the need for separate loading and unloading operations, allowing both components to be processed together as a single unit, thereby significantly reducing the time and complexity of loading/unloading operations while maintaining dyeing effectiveness
2Device complexity
If the lens and dyeing substrate are separately arranged, then the dyeing process can be performed, but a mechanism for adjusting the interval between lens and substrate is required
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating the lens and substrate holding functions into a single holding member structure, the patent eliminates the need for separate adjustment mechanisms that would be required if the components were separately arranged. The integrated design provides a fixed, predetermined interval between the lens and substrate, simplifying the overall device structure while ensuring proper positioning for effective dyeing
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
This approach simplifies the loading and unloading of substrates, reduces the need for complex adjustment mechanisms, and enhances heating efficiency, resulting in even dye application and improved productivity.
Implementation Method 1
dyeing a target surface of the plastic lens with the sublimation dye by sublimating the sublimation dye by heating the dyeing substrate using the heating device
Data Source
AI summary
A method of dyeing a plastic lens including applying a sublimation dye to a dyeing substrate, holding the dyeing substrate on a holding member, holding a plastic lens on the holding member at a position above the dyeing substrate, evacuating a vacuum vessel which accommodates the holding member, transferring the dyeing substrate from the holding member to a heating device provided in the vacuum vessel, so that the dyeing substrate is held to be heatable by the heating device, by vertically moving at least one of the holding member and the heating device, bringing the plastic lens in close proximity to the dyeing substrate by vertically moving at least one of the holding member and the heating device which holds the dyeing substrate, and dyeing the target surface of the plastic lens with the sublimation dye by sublimating the sublimation dye by heating the dyeing substrate using the heating device.