Removable Lens Support for Free-Floating Ophthalmic Lens Inspection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical inspection systems for contact lenses face challenges in distinguishing lens defects from imperfections on the test trough surface, due to dirt, air bubbles, or scratches, which are difficult to avoid in industrial settings.
Innovation Solution
A cuvette design where the lens support is removable, allowing the contact lens to float freely during inspection, eliminating the impact of surface imperfections and ensuring that only the lens surface is in the field of focus, using a removable iris diaphragm or wire-type support that is mechanically, magnetically, or foldably detached.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a lens support is used to hold the contact lens during inspection, then the lens can be positioned and supported, but surface imperfections (dirt, air bubbles, scratches) on the support surface can interfere with optical inspection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lens support entirely from the inspection field of view. The support is extracted or taken out of the optical path, allowing inspection of the freely floating lens without any support surface interfering. This directly resolves the contradiction by eliminating the source of surface imperfections while the lens remains positionable in the liquid medium.
2Measurement precision
If a fixed lens support is used, then inspection can be performed, but the support surface imperfections cannot be distinguished from lens defects
Solution Approach 1:
The lens support is extracted from the inspection field, eliminating the confounding factor of support surface imperfections. This allows the optical inspection system to measure and detect only lens defects without the complexity of distinguishing them from support defects, directly improving measurement precision.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a removable lens support is used, then surface imperfections are eliminated during inspection, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lens support is extracted from the optical path during inspection. The support can be removed or retracted so that only the freely floating lens remains in the field of view, eliminating surface imperfections while keeping the removal mechanism relatively simple.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens support is made dynamic rather than static. It can be positioned to support the lens during handling and then removed or retracted during inspection. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt to different operational phases, eliminating surface imperfections during inspection while maintaining support functionality during lens placement.
4Ease of operation
If the lens support surface is in the field of focus, then the lens can be supported, but optical quality is degraded by dirt, air bubbles, or scratches
Solution Approach 1:
The lens support is extracted from the field of focus during optical inspection. By removing the support from the optical path or positioning it outside the focal plane, the system achieves high optical quality for inspection while the support function remains available when needed for lens handling.
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 ensures high-quality optical inspection by keeping the lens surface isolated from potential distortions, allowing precise imaging and defect identification with minimal disturbance, maintaining inspection accuracy and clarity.
Implementation Method 1
The wire-type support member is disposed to interact with the lens through surface tension effects of the liquid to immobilize the lens on the surface of the liquid whereon the lens is floated just out of contact with the support member.
Implementation Method 2
contact lenses typically have a density at least slightly higher than water, therefore once completely immersed they are slowly sinking to the bottom of a water-filled cuvette
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a cuvette for an ophthalmic lens, for testing the latter using an optical inspection system, said cuvette comprising a hollow space (11) to be filled with a liquid and has an axis (12) coinciding, in the test position of the cuvette, with the optical axis of an inspection system and, between a first viewing glass (13) at the top and a second viewing glass (15) at the bottom, a removable lens support (16) is arranged in the lower area of the hollow space (11), so as to allow a free floating inspection of the lens (14) at a defined inspection position when the lens support (16) is removed.