Polishing Tool Elastic Substructure for Curved Lens Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing polishing devices for optical lenses struggle to effectively process curved surfaces with superimpositions of spherical, toric, and progressive effects without polishing out existing geometries, leading to inefficient and costly processes.
Innovation Solution
A polishing device with a workpiece holder and a polishing tool featuring a carrier element with an elastic substructure, allowing adjustable rotation and tilting to maintain constant contact pressure and prevent spherical polishing, enabling precise processing of complex lens surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the polishing tool is moved beyond the peripheral edge of the lens surface, then the coverage area increases, but the contact pressure drops sharply and the tool tips over
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of the angle of attack between the polishing tool axis and the lens surface normal. By actively tilting the polishing tool around a fourth axis during operation, the system maintains optimal contact pressure distribution across the lens surface including peripheral regions, preventing tool tipping while extending effective polishing coverage beyond what fixed-angle tools can achieve
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the operational parameters by introducing active angle adjustment capability. The angle of attack is varied dynamically during polishing to compensate for pressure loss at extended positions, allowing the tool to maintain effective contact pressure even when positioned to cover larger lens areas including regions beyond the traditional peripheral edge limit
2Productivity
If large contact pressures are applied to polish tighter radii, then the polishing speed increases, but the polishing tendency towards a sphere is reinforced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a strip-shaped contact surface rather than uniform circular contact. This concentrated strip contact allows high local pressure in specific zones to achieve tighter radii polishing while the overall pressure distribution can be controlled to prevent spherical polishing tendency. The elastic substructure enables localized deformation to maintain this strip contact pattern
Solution Approach 2:
By dynamically adjusting the angle of attack and using the elastic substructure to adapt to surface variations, the system can maintain optimal contact conditions that favor precise geometry preservation. The dynamic control allows the polishing parameters to be optimized locally and temporally, preventing the reinforcement of spherical tendencies even at higher polishing speeds
3Area of stationary object
If the polishing surface curvature corresponds to the lens surface curvature, then the contact area increases, but the ability to maintain constant contact pressure over the surface decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the contact configuration by using an angled attack rather than perpendicular contact. This parameter change allows the polishing surface to maintain a different curvature relationship with the lens surface, creating a strip-shaped contact zone where pressure can be more uniformly distributed across the contact area through the elastic substructure's deformation characteristics
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 achieves up to ten times higher polishing performance, maintains a constant removal profile across varying radii, and prevents distortion of existing geometries, allowing for efficient and cost-effective manufacturing of complex spectacle lenses.
Implementation Method 1
the elastic substructure of the polishing tool and the angle of attack to compensate for deviations caused by a progressive proportion of the lens surface
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a polishing device (1) for polishing curved lens surfaces (101) of optical lenses (100), wherein the polishing device (1) comprises a workpiece holder (10) for receiving an optical lens (100) and a polishing tool (20), wherein the polishing tool (20) comprises a support element (21), an elastic base (22) and a curved polishing surface (23) on the elastic base (22), wherein the polishing tool (20) is driven with the polishing surface (23) rotating about an axis of rotation (R), wherein the workpiece holder (10) is driven rotating about a first axis (A1) to rotate the optical lens (100), wherein a distance (z) between the workpiece holder (10) and the polishing tool (20) is adjustable along a second axis (A2), and wherein an offset (x) between the workpiece holder (10) and the polishing tool (20) is adjustable along a third axis (A3) transverse to the first axis (A1) is aligned, is adjustable,and wherein an angle of attack (W) between the axis of rotation (R) and the first axis (A1) is adjustable by tilting about a fourth axis (A4). The invention also relates to a method for operating it.