Abstract: An apparatus and a related method are for unpacking optical elements disposed in a package box which is closed. The apparatus includes a package identification unit equipped with a reader for identifying the package box, a first interface to exchange data with a package database containing information related to the dimensions and identity of package boxes, to the orientation of an optical element within a package box, to the presence or not of a plastic cup within a package box, a laser cutting unit to cut a package box according to a dedicated cutting pattern, an opening and take-out unit for opening a package box which has been cut according to the dedicated cutting pattern, and for taking the optical element out of the opened package, and a waste management unit to sort out the empty package box and separately, when present, a plastic cup.

Abstract: A hydraulic arrangement (HA) for an apparatus (AV) for deblocking optical workpieces (L), from associated block pieces (B), includes a nozzle arrangement (DA) for delivery of high pressure jets of pressure means for deblocking the workpiece from the associated block piece at a first pressure and for cleaning the blocked workpiece and/or block piece at least one second pressure which is different from the first pressure. Furthermore, there is a pump device (PE) which applies pressure in a defined manner to the pressure means and conveys it under pressure to the nozzle arrangement. The pump device has at least one high pressure pump (HP1, HP2) which is drivable by an associated rotary drive (SM1, SM2), the speed of which is modifiable in order to adjust the first pressure or the second pressure.

Abstract: A manufacturing facility for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription includes a first station configured for surfacing and polishing a second face of a lens blank and pre-cleaning the second face of the lens blank including a finishing drying which allows the lens blank to be put on hold, a second station configured for deep cleaning the second face of the lens blank and hard coating the second face of the lens blank, a tunnel oven configured to degas the lens blank, a vacuum box coater configured to apply an antireflection (AR)-coating, and a third station configured to deblock the processed lens blank from the block piece.

Abstract: There is provided a surfacing station for processing of surfaces of optical elements as workpieces, including a processing unit configured to process surfaces of optical elements; a controller unit configured to communicate with a database containing processing protocols, which can be carried out by the surfacing station, and to control operation of the processing unit in accordance with the processing protocols; and an identification tag base configured to communicate with the controller unit and configured to determine identification tags of consumable items used by the surfacing station, the controller unit being configured to enable a surfacing protocol for processing of the optical elements as workpieces in function of an identified consumable item.

Abstract: There is provided a surfacing station for processing of surfaces of optical elements as workpieces, including a processing unit configured to process surfaces of optical elements; a controller unit configured to communicate with a database containing processing protocols, which can be carried out by the surfacing station, and to control operation of the processing unit in accordance with the processing protocols; and an identification tag base configured to communicate with the controller unit and configured to determine identification tags of consumable items used by the surfacing station, the controller unit being configured to enable a surfacing protocol for processing of the optical elements as workpieces in function of an identified consumable item.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (12) for mixing/dosing liquid coating materials, in particular for use in a coating system (10) for spectacle lenses, said device having at least a first and a second storage container (14-24) for liquid starting materials, a conveying device (26) for sucking in and expelling liquids, a mixing container (28), and a liquid outlet (30) for mixed/dosed liquid coating materials. In between there is a multi-way valve (32), which can be switched into different valve positions and is constructed to produce one of the following connections (a, b, c, d) and in the process to disconnect the other connections: (a) connection between the first storage container and the conveying device, (b) connection between the second storage container and the conveying device, (c) connection between the conveying device and the mixing container, and (d) connection between the conveying device and the liquid outlet.

Abstract: The present invention refers to an optical elements holder device (11) for a coating station (5) comprising at least one sheet carrier (21) having individual openings (23), said opening (23) having in its inner face at least one shoulder (25) configured to hold an optical element (3) such as lenses during a coating procedure, said sheet carrier (21) presenting the shape of a dome or a part of a dome which is mounted above a vaporization source (9) so that the optical elements (3) are oriented towards said vaporization source (9), wherein it also comprises at least one adapter ring (31b) comprising an outer portion (33) configured to be supported by the at least one shoulder (25) of the opening (23) of the sheet carrier (21).

Abstract: A transportation carrier is provided for automated lens manufacturing in a lens manufacturing facility, including: at least one block piece or one block piece receiving section; and an electronic paper display configured to display at least an up-to-date status information of the manufacturing process of the optical elements carried by the transportation carrier that is intelligible for a human operator without use of a reading device, the electronic paper display including a wireless communication module and a memory configured to exchange and to memorize job information and to process information for lenses to be manufactured, in which the electronic paper display is further configured to function as a passive RFID tag with the wireless communication module.

Abstract: A device for processing spectacle lenses has a work chamber, which is accessible by way of an opening and in which a workpiece mount and at least one tool mount are opposite one another and movable relative to one another so that a processing region of a tool held at the tool mount can be brought into processing engagement with a workpiece held at the workpiece mount and in processing engagement can be guided over the workpiece. For recognition of wear at the tool, a sensor equipment with at least one contactlessly operating sensor arrangement is provided and is movable outside the work chamber between a protected rest position and a detecting position. In the detecting position the sensor equipment is constructed to detect at the processing region of the tool held at the tool mount an unacceptable deviation beyond a predetermined amount from a desired geometry.

Abstract: A cleaning station for an optical element is providing, including: an optical element holder configured to hold the optical element; a first drive configured to rotate the optical element holder around a rotation axis coinciding with an optical axis of the optical element when held by the optical element holder; a cleaning nozzle configured to project a cleaning jet of a cleaning liquid towards the optical element; and a separate drying nozzle configured to project a drying jet towards the optical element, the cleaning nozzle and the drying nozzle being configured to move in order to direct the cleaning jet and the drying jet, respectively, successively to different locations on the optical element.

Abstract: A manufacturing facility for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription includes a first station configured for surfacing and polishing a second face of a lens blank and pre-cleaning the second face of the lens blank including a finishing drying which allows the lens blank to be put on hold, a second station configured for deep cleaning the second face of the lens blank and hard coating the second face of the lens blank, a tunnel oven configured to degas the lens blank, a vacuum box coater configured to apply an antireflection (AR)-coating, and a third station configured to deblock the processed lens blank from the block piece.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical element according to a prescription is provided, including providing a combination of a block piece and a lens blank having a first face and a second face opposite to the first face, the lens blank being blocked with the first face on the block piece, surfacing and polishing the second face of the lens blank, cleaning the lens blank, hard coating the second face of the lens blank, degassing the lens blank, applying an AR-coating in a vacuum box coater, and deblocking the processed lens blank from the block piece, wherein the cleaning step includes a pre-cleaning step including a finishing drying step allowing the lens blank to be put on hold, and a deep cleaning step prior to the hard coating step.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: An optical elements holder device for a coating station is provided, including: a sheet carrier having holes and presenting a shape of a dome or a part of a dome; and elastic blocking means fixed to the sheet carrier associated with each hole and including at least three elastic contact portions distributed on a circumference of each hole and configured to block a block piece carrying a lens blank to hold the lens blank in a predetermined position for coating. A coating station for optical elements and a method for coating an optical element in a coating station are also provided.

Abstract: A compensating pad for applying to an ophthalmic lens blank to be blocked, or for interposing between an ophthalmic lens blank and a block piece. The compensating pad comprises a main body that is designed to be elastic having a maximum thickness corresponding to a maximum layer thickness difference of the ophthalmic lens blank, in order to locally compensate for the layer thickness difference of the blocked ophthalmic lens blank.

Abstract: A box coating apparatus for vacuum coating of substrates comprises a vacuum chamber which contains an evaporation source for evaporating coating material and a substrate holder disposed vis-à-vis to the evaporation source so that coating material evaporated by the evaporation source can impinge on substrates held by the substrate holder. An electric heating device is centrally arranged in the vacuum chamber, which is constructed to heat up the vacuum chamber during vacuum check and cleaning routines. So as to be removable from the vacuum chamber prior to the deposition processes, the heating device is provided with a stand having a plurality of leg portions mounted to a base plate, which are sized and constructed at the base plate so that the heating device can be placed over and above the evaporation source.

Abstract: A cleaning station for an optical element is providing, including: an optical element holder configured to hold the optical element; a first drive configured to rotate the optical element holder around a rotation axis coinciding with an optical axis of the optical element when held by the optical element holder; a cleaning nozzle configured to project a cleaning jet of a cleaning liquid towards the optical element; and a separate drying nozzle configured to project a drying jet towards the optical element, the cleaning nozzle and the drying nozzle being configured to move in order to direct the cleaning jet and the drying jet, respectively, successively to different locations on the optical element.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical article having a substrate coated with a coating that is a precursor of an antifog coating, the surface of which has a static contact angle with water larger than 90° and a polar surface energy component higher than 1.5 mJ/m2. The precursor of the antifog coating, which furthermore possesses antifouling properties, is converted into an actual antifog coating by applying a surfactant film to its surface.

Abstract: A cooling lubricant supply device for supply of a cooling lubricant to a grinding wheel is rotatably mounted as a tool on a grinding spindle of a processing unit in a grinding machine. The device has a feed shoe, which is mounted at least indirectly on a grinding spindle housing and seated on a circumferential surface of the grinding wheel and which has a seating surface facing the grinding wheel. The seating surface has a shape substantially complementary with the circumferential surface of the grinding wheel and is provided centrally with a pocket-like recess into which the cooling lubricant can be fed under pressure. A spring mechanism is provided, by which the feed shoe is biased with the seating surface thereof against the circumferential surface of the grinding wheel.

Abstract: A device for blocking workpieces has an aligning station that includes a workpiece support for aligning a workpiece. A blocking station comprises a block piece mount and serves to block the aligned workpiece by use of a block material on a block piece, which can be mounted in the block piece mount in a centered manner in relation to a substantially vertically extending blocker axis. A workpiece carriage carries a holding head for the workpiece and is suitably guided and driven to transport the workpiece from the aligning station to the blocking station to position the workpiece along the blocker axis in a defined manner relative to the block piece held in the block piece mount, and to hold the workpiece during blocking in the defined relative position to the block piece with a gap between workpiece and body piece.