Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a device for machining, especially polishing, of an optical lens and to a method for machining, especially polishing, of an optical lens.
Description of Related Art
An optical lens, for example, for eyeglasses, should have certain optical properties. The associated desired optical data of the lens are determined for example, by an optician. The lenses are then machined or fabricated depending on the respectively desired optical data, the lens being provided especially with so-called free-form surfaces (for example, progressive lenses, etc). The following description and this invention relate especially to these lenses and lens blanks which are machined according to the desired individualized optical data and are provided in particular with so-called free-form surfaces.
This invention relates especially preferably to the machining or polishing of an optical lens. In general this also applies to the machining or polishing of some other optical component, such as a mirror or the like. Accordingly the term “optical lens” should also be understood preferably in a wide sense such that it comprises other optical components. But in the following only the machining and polishing of an optical lens are the focus. Statements and explanations in this respect therefore also apply preferably accordingly to the machining or polishing of some other optical component.
German Patent Application DE 10 2007 042 667 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 8,460,062 B2 show a polishing device for optical lenses. The polishing device has two fixtures for holding blocked lenses which are to be polished and assigned motors for rotating the lenses in the machining. The lenses with their surface to be polished during machining point at least essentially down and are located in a working space. The fixtures and the assigned motor are each located on a U-shaped swivel arm which is mounted outside the working space and which can be pivoted around a horizontal pivoting axis to a very limited degree. The motors are located on the swivel arms outside the working space. The polishing device has polishing tools which are located under the lenses and which can be turned respectively by an assigned rotary drive. The axes of rotation run vertically. The polishing tools can be fed axially, therefore in the vertical direction. The swivel arms are located in a slide and can be moved in the horizontal direction so that transverse adjustment of the lenses relative to the polishing tools is enabled.
International Patent Application Publication WO 2005/105372 A1 and corresponding U.S. Pat. No. 7,422,510 B2 show a similar polishing device for optical lenses. The polishing device has two fixtures for holding blocked lenses which are to be polished and assigned motors for rotating the lenses in the machining. The lenses with their surface to be polished during machining point at least essentially down and are located in a working space. The fixtures and the assigned motor are each located on a swivel arm which can be pivoted around a horizontal pivoting axis to a very limited degree. The polishing device has polishing tools which are located under the lenses and which can be turned respectively by an assigned rotary drive. The axes of rotation run vertically.
German Patent Application DE 197 51 750 A1 discloses a polishing device for optical lenses. The polishing device has one fixture for holding a blocked lens which is to be polished, with an assigned motor for rotating the lens in the machining. The fixture or lens points up. The axis of rotation runs at least essentially vertically during machining. The motor for rotating the lens and the fixture with the lens can be pivoted around a horizontal pivoting axis to a very limited degree. The polishing device has polishing tools which are located above the lens and which can be turned respectively by an assigned rotary drive. The axes of rotation run vertically.
European Patent Application EP 2 308 644 A2 and corresponding U.S. Patent Application Publication 2011/0084433 A1 disclose a device for precision machining of lenses. The device has tool spindles with horizontal axes of rotation for rotating the lenses which are to be machined. The workpiece spindles cannot be swiveled.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,587 A discloses a device for machining of lenses, the device having a workpiece spindle with a horizontal axis of rotation for a lens to be machined and a rotary drive for a tool with a horizontal axis of rotation, the workpiece spindle and the rotary drive each being pivotable around a vertical pivoting axis.