Integrated Vacuum Coating Machine for Spectacle Lens Recoating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for recoating spectacle lenses with anti-soiling coatings are complex, inconsistent, and not economically viable for opticians, as they require separate equipment and processes for plasma treatment and evaporation, which are incompatible due to gas flow requirements.
Innovation Solution
A compact machine with a vacuum chamber, plasma generator, evaporation device, and control unit that performs vacuum plasma treatment to remove the initial anti-soiling coating and subsequent vacuum evaporation treatment to apply a new coating, allowing both processes to be conducted in the same chamber with controlled gas flow to enhance treatment quality and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate plasma treatment equipment and evaporation equipment are used, then each treatment can be performed with optimized conditions, but the device complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the plasma generator and evaporation device into a single integrated machine with a common vacuum chamber. The plasma generator (with electrodes) and evaporation device (with heating element) share the same vacuum chamber and control system, allowing both treatments to be performed sequentially in one device rather than requiring separate machines.
Solution Approach 2:
The vacuum chamber is designed to serve multiple functions: it can accommodate plasma treatment mode and evaporation treatment mode. The control unit switches between different operational modes, and the vacuum pump serves both plasma generation and evaporation processes, making the device universal and multi-functional.
2Reliability
If vacuum pump operates continuously, then vacuum is maintained for plasma treatment, but gas flow interferes with evaporation treatment quality
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum pump operates periodically rather than continuously. It runs during plasma treatment to maintain vacuum and remove gases, then stops during evaporation treatment to prevent gas flow interference with coating quality. The control unit manages this periodic operation, creating distinct operational phases for each treatment type.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma treatment is performed first as a preliminary step to remove the initial anti-soiling coating and activate the lens surface. Only after plasma treatment completes and the chamber is prepared does the evaporation treatment begin, ensuring optimal conditions for coating deposition without gas flow interference.
3Reliability
If multiple separate machines are used for recoating, then each machine can be optimized for its specific function, but operational efficiency decreases and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges plasma treatment and evaporation coating functions into one integrated machine, allowing opticians to perform complete recoating operations (plasma activation followed by coating deposition) in a single device without transferring articles between machines, thereby improving operational efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated design enables continuous processing where plasma treatment transitions directly into evaporation treatment within the same vacuum chamber without breaking vacuum or moving the article, maintaining continuous useful action and improving productivity.
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 machine simplifies and economizes the recoating process by integrating both treatments in one unit, ensuring high-quality recoating of spectacle lenses, making it convenient and fast for opticians to maintain lenses without the need for multiple machines, thus improving operational efficiency and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
a plasma generator configured to carry out a vacuum plasma treatment of the optical article in the vacuum chamber; the control unit controlling the plasma generator for removing an initial outermost anti-soiling coating of the optical article
Implementation Method 2
an evaporation device configured to carry out a vacuum evaporation treatment of the anti-soiling coating composition for depositing it on the optical article in the vacuum chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A machine for coating an optical article with an anti-soiling coating composition, includes a vacuum chamber (8) configured to receive the optical article, a vacuum pump (20) connected to the vacuum chamber (8), a plasma generator (11) configured to carry out a vacuum plasma treatment of the optical article, an evaporation device (10) configured to carry out a vacuum evaporation treatment of the composition for depositing it on the optical article, a control unit (2) controlling the plasma generator for removing an initial outermost anti-soiling coating of the article, controlling the evaporation device for recoating the article with the anti-soiling coating composition, being configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum plasma treatment and being further configured to causes the vacuum pump (20) not to suck gases from the chamber (8) during vacuum evaporation treatment.