Abstract: A lens coating system, which includes a gripper assembly for transferring and loading lenses, further includes one or more features to facilitate improved lens handling within the system. The one or more features includes a sensor assembly that is adapted to detect whether a single blocked lens or a pair of blocked lenses is being loaded by the gripper assembly into a spindle assembly of the system, and/or a sensor assembly that is adapted to detect a displacement of a lens holding element, from which lenses are transferred, by the gripper assembly, when impinged upon by the gripper assembly.

Abstract: A system and method for coating lenses includes loading at least one lens into a spindle assembly, which transfers the lens into a coating station. The at least one lens may include a pair of lenses, which are simultaneously loaded into the spindle assembly for transfer into the coating station. The system may further include a washing and drying station and a curing station to receive lens assemblies before and after coating and the spindle assembly may include a plurality of spindle assemblies for sequential transfer of a plurality of lenses, or lens pairs, into and out from each station of the system.

Abstract: A shaft assembly of a lens coating system includes a first portion reversibly engagable with a second portion. A reciprocating drive disengages and subsequently re-engages the shaft first and second portions. A lens holder is coupled to an arm, which is coupled to the shaft first portion. Another drive, coupled to the shaft second portion, rotates the arm about an axis of the shaft assembly, when the first and second portions are engaged, such that the lens holder travels along a pathway surrounding the assembly. The system includes a plurality of stations, each station having an opening along the pathway, so that the rotating drive may transfer the lens holder into proximity with each station, when the shaft first and second portions are engaged, and the reciprocating drive may transfer a lens, held by the lens holder, into and out from each station through the opening thereof.