Vacuum Lens Blocking Piece With Elastic Contact for Low-Stress Fixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vacuum blocking methods for spectacle lenses face issues such as environmental impact from metallic alloys, economic inefficiencies with polymeric adhesives, and undesired deformations with vacuum adapters, leading to increased manufacturing costs and potential lens damage.
Innovation Solution
A vacuum blocking piece with a fluid-permeable and elastic blank contacting element, integrated with a support element, uses suction to securely hold the lens blank without the need for protective coatings, reducing mechanical stress and waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a metallic alloy is used for blocking lens blanks, then the lens blank can be securely fixed to the blocking piece, but environmental disadvantages arise due to the need for heating, melting, and recycling processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the thermal-mechanical metallic alloy blocking system with a vacuum-based mechanical holding system. The vacuum blocking piece uses atmospheric pressure to hold the lens blank securely without requiring heating, melting, or recycling processes, thereby eliminating the environmental harm associated with metallic alloy processing while maintaining reliable fixation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs vacuum (pneumatic principle) to create holding force between the blocking piece and lens blank. By creating a pressure difference between the atmospheric pressure on the outer side and the reduced pressure inside the vacuum chamber, the system achieves secure fixation without metallic alloys, resolving the contradiction between reliable fixing and environmental protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a polymeric adhesive or thermoplastic material is used for blocking, then environmental advantages are achieved by avoiding metallic alloys, but the blocking material cannot be economically reused due to contaminations and material alterations
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum blocking piece is designed to be reusable and self-cleaning in principle. The smooth, non-porous surface of the vacuum blocking piece does not absorb adhesives or contaminants like polymeric materials do. The vacuum holding mechanism can be easily released and cleaned, allowing the blocking piece to be reused multiple times without degradation, thus achieving both environmental advantages and economic efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding contaminated polymeric blocking materials, the patent enables recovery and reuse of the vacuum blocking piece. The design allows for easy release of the lens blank and cleaning of the blocking surface, making the blocking piece a durable, reusable tool rather than a single-use consumable, thereby improving productivity while maintaining environmental benefits.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If a vacuum adapter with ring-shaped recesses is used to fix the lens blank, then metallic alloys and polymeric adhesives are avoided, but undesired deformations of the lens blank occur due to the recesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a smooth, deformation-free contact surface between the vacuum blocking piece and the lens blank. Unlike vacuum adapters with ring-shaped recesses that concentrate force and cause deformation, this design distributes the vacuum holding force evenly across the contact area, maintaining the optical quality and shape of the lens blank while still avoiding metallic alloys and polymeric adhesives.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using recesses to create vacuum holding (which causes deformation), the patent inverts the approach by using a smooth convex or flat surface that maintains contact with the lens blank. The vacuum is applied through peripheral sealing rather than through recesses, thereby achieving secure holding without deforming the lens blank, thus resolving the contradiction between avoiding harmful materials and maintaining manufacturing precision.
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 minimizes lens damage, eliminates the need for protective coatings, reduces manufacturing costs, and enhances environmental sustainability by minimizing waste, while maintaining the integrity of the lens during processing.
Implementation Method 1
The blocking device (10) is designed to hold the lens blank (12) by means of a vacuum
Implementation Method 2
at least an upper surface of the blank contacting element (20), which is adapted to contact the lens blank (12), is made of an elastic material
Implementation Method 3
the blank contacting element (20) is fluid-permeable
Data Source
AI summary
A vacuum blocking piece for vacuum blocking a lens blank has a support element with an upper part and a lower part. The lower part can engage with a clamping device for clamping the vacuum blocking piece. The vacuum blocking piece further includes a fluid-permeable blank contacting element. An upper surface of the blank contacting element, which is configured to hold the lens blank, is made of an elastic material. The lower surface contacts the upper part of the support element. The vacuum blocking piece fixes the lens blank to the upper surface of the blank contacting element by applying a vacuum within the blocking piece to provide suction through essentially the entire upper surface of the blank contacting element to fix the lens blank to the upper surface of the blank contacting element and to fix the blank contacting element to the upper part of the support element.