Abstract: A mold for molding a product in a cavity formed by closing the mold is provided. The mold includes a first half; a second half; and a plurality of aligning members which contact respective outer circumferential surfaces of a first die of the first half and a second die of the second half, at least in three directions, when the mold is closed. At least one of the aligning members is moved toward the outer circumferential surfaces of the first die and the second die, and then each of the aligning members sandwiches the first die and the second die, which enables a center axis alignment between the first die and the second die.

Abstract: In a mold, at least a first half includes an insert member forming a cavity surface on one end side; a body member having an insertion part into which the insert member is inserted; and an insert member fixer interposed between the insert member and the insertion part, for holding the insert member. The insert member fixer is made of a shape memory alloy, and presses and holds the insert member when the insert member fixer restores its memorized shape, to make a center axis alignment of the insert member with respect to the body member.

Abstract: A method for producing an optical member from a nanocomposite material which includes a thermoplastic resin containing inorganic fine particles is provided. The method includes: a first step of preparing in a solution the thermoplastic resin containing the inorganic fine particles; a second step of drying and solidifying the solution containing the prepared thermoplastic resin to produce the nanocomposite material having a specific surface area (surface area/volume) of 15 mm?1 or more; and a third step of heat-compressing the produced nanocomposite material to form the optical member in a desired shape.

Abstract: A method for molding an optical member from a material of a nanocomposite resin which includes a thermoplastic resin containing inorganic fine particles is provided. The method includes: charging a solution containing a solvent and the nanocomposite resin into a vessel providing at least an optical surface shape and an opening to an atmosphere, and evaporating the solvent from the opening to solidify and form an optical surface of the optical member into a finished shape.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a preform from a nano composite resin that includes a thermoplastic resin containing inorganic fine particles, the preform being a pre-finish product of an optical member having an optical surface formed by press molding, is provided. The method includes: supplying a solution including the nano composite resin and a solvent into a mold which has an approximate optical surface closely resembling the optical surface and an opening to an atmosphere; and evaporating the solvent while a shape of the approximate optical surface is kept, to solidify the solution.

Abstract: A plastic lens molding method includes: preparing a lens preform having the temperature equal to or higher than a glass transition point temperature; and molding a lens by compressing the lens preform having the temperature equal to or higher than the glass transition point temperature, the compressing of the lens preform being performed by a mold providing a finished lens dimension at a constant temperature equal to or lower than the glass transition point temperature.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical member from a powdery nano composite material, which includes a thermoplastic resin containing inorganic fine particles, is provided. The method includes: preparing an aggregated intermediate body by heating the powdery nano composite material; and forming the optical member having a finished shape by heat-press molding the intermediate body.

Abstract: A resin material measuring method which obtains a prescribed amount of a resin material by measuring liquid resin material, the resin material measuring method including: charging the resin material having a fluidity into an internal space of a cylinder using a cylinder-piston mechanism which includes: the cylinder having a discharge aperture at one end and the internal space being constant in cross-sectional area; and a piston which is inserted in the internal space; determining a necessary movement stroke length of the piston corresponding to the resin material of a prescribed volume according to a relationship between the volume of the resin material and the cross-sectional area and the movement stroke length; discharging the resin material from the cylinder through the discharge aperture by moving the piston by the determined movement stroke length; and cutting the discharged resin material from the resin material located inside the cylinder.

Abstract: There are provided plastic optical components which, in addition to their superior characteristics such as lightweightness, low cost and suitability for mass production, exhibit superior moisture barrier properties while experiencing extremely small changes in refractive index or other optical performance even if they are subjected to the effect of water in the environment; and an optical unit using such plastic optical components. The plastic optical component includes an optical component's body and an inorganic moisture-proof coating which is directly or indirectly formed by a plasma CVD process at least on surfaces of the optical component's body that contact outside air, and the plastic optical component is kept at a temperature of 80° C. or lower when the inorganic moisture-proof coating is formed by the plasma CVD process.

Abstract: A mold for molding a product in a cavity formed by closing the mold includes a first half; a second half; and a plurality of aligning members which come in contact with each side circumferential surface of the first half 100 and the second half at least in three directions, when the mold is closed. After the mold is closed, at least one of the aligning members is moved to contact the aligning member with the each side circumferential surface of the first half and the second half, which enables a center axis alignment between the first half and the second half.

Abstract: The present invention provides an optical unit for high-resolution applications all lenses in which are made of plastics. The optical unit includes lens (1) and (2). The lens (1) is a plastic lens having an Abbe number of 45-60. The lens (2) is a lens injection molded from a polycarbonate material comprising a structure derived from spirobiindan and having a glass transition temperature of 120-150° C.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plastic optical component. The plastic optical component has superior characteristics including lightweightness, low cost and suitability for mass production. The plastic optical component exhibits superior moisture barrier quality while experiencing no uneven refractive index profile in their interior even if they are subjected to the effect of water in the environment. An organic-inorganic hybrid layer obtained by a sol-gel process is formed as a moisture-proof coating at least on the surfaces of the plastic optical component's body which are in contact with the outside air.

Abstract: A mold capable of preventing deterioration of the mold even when a material for spherical members is harder than that for the mold, and capable of aligning the center axis between an insert member and a body member thereof with high accuracy even when a pressure of resin filling is applied. The mold has an insert member with a cavity surface, and a body member for supporting the insert member from outside via a plurality of spherical members. Tubular liners harder than the spherical members are provided between the body member and the spherical members and between the insert member and the spherical members.

Abstract: In a mold, at least a first half includes an insert member forming a cavity surface on one end side; a body member having an insertion part into which the insert member is inserted; and an insert member fixer interposed between the insert member and the insertion part, for holding the insert member. The insert member fixer is made of a shape memory alloy, and presses and holds the insert member when the insert member fixer restores its memorized shape, to make a center axis alignment of the insert member with respect to the body member.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plastic optical component. The plastic optical component has superior characteristics including lightweightness, low cost and suitability for mass production. The plastic optical component exhibits superior moisture barrier quality while experiencing no uneven refractive index profile in their interior even if they are subjected to the effect of water in the environment. The plastic optical component has an optical component's body. A moisture-proof coating is directly or indirectly formed at least on surfaces of the optical component's body in contact with outside air. The moisture-proof coating is a multi-layered film including a lower inorganic layer and an upper organic layer. Sherwood number describing a water transfer process of the plastic optical component is in a range of 0.1 to 10, both inclusive.

Abstract: A mold for molding a product in a cavity formed by closing the mold includes a first half; a second half; and a plurality of aligning members which come in contact with each side circumferential surface of the first half 100 and the second half at least in three directions, when the mold is closed. After the mold is closed, at least one of the aligning members is moved to contact the aligning member with the each side circumferential surface of the first half and the second half, which enables a center axis alignment between the first half and the second half.

Abstract: A mold for molding a product in a cavity formed by closing the mold is provided. The mold includes a first half; a second half; and a plurality of aligning members which contact respective outer circumferential surfaces of a first die of the first half and a second die of the second half, at least in three directions, when the mold is closed. At least one of the aligning members is moved toward the outer circumferential surfaces of the first die and the second die, and then each of the aligning members sandwiches the first die and the second die, which enables a center axis alignment between the first die and the second die.

Abstract: The present invention provides a plastic optical component. The plastic optical component has superior characteristics including lightweightness, low cost and suitability for mass production. The plastic optical component exhibits superior moisture barrier quality while experiencing no uneven refractive index profile in their interior even if they are subjected to the effect of water in the environment. The plastic optical component has a moisture-proof coating formed at least on the surfaces in contact with the outside air. During the transient period from the time when the water absorbencies of the surface and central portions of the component began to change on account of an environmental change until the time when they reach the saturated water absorbencies, the difference between the refractive indices of the surface and central portions of the component is no more than 0.0002.

Abstract: A mold capable of preventing deterioration of the mold even when a material for spherical members is harder than that for the mold, and capable of aligning the center axis between an insert member and a body member thereof with high accuracy even when a pressure of resin filling is applied. The mold has an insert member with a cavity surface, and a body member for supporting the insert member from outside via a plurality of spherical members. Tubular liners harder than the spherical members are provided between the body member and the spherical members and between the insert member and the spherical members.

Abstract: There are provided plastic optical components which, in addition to their superior characteristics such as lightweightness, low cost and suitability for mass production, exhibit superior moisture barrier properties while experiencing extremely small changes in refractive index or other optical performance even if they are subjected to the effect of water in the environment; and an optical unit using such plastic optical components. The plastic optical component includes an optical component's body and an inorganic moisture-proof coating which is directly or indirectly formed by a plasma CVD process at least on surfaces of the optical component's body that contact outside air, and the plastic optical component is kept at a temperature of 80° C. or lower when the inorganic moisture-proof coating is formed by the plasma CVD process.