JPH1036126A - Molding machine for optical part material - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To separate a molded product from an upper mold and correctly position a molded product on a lower mold side by wearing the molded product off from the upper mold by a relative movement of the upper mold and a drum mold even the molded product is fixed on the upper mold after molding and is pulled up together with the upper mold in taking out the upper mold. SOLUTION: This molding machine has flat or almost flat molding face sides of upper molds 23 of molding molds 22 and lenses are molded, then each of the molding face of the upper mold 23 is stopped at a wearing off position pulled up to a position just a little higher than an upper face of a drum mold in a state of clamping the upper mold 23 between an elevating and lowering base plate 31 in an upper inserting removing device 30 and a clamping member 32. A horizontal shearing force is applied to each molded lens product 28 fixed to the molding face of the upper mold 23 by moving a holder plate 21 and the molded lens product 28 is surely peeled off from the molding face of the upper mold 23, then the lens product 28 is separated from the upper mold 23 and correctly dropped on a molding face of a lower mold 24.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optical component molding apparatus for molding lenses and other precision optical components by pressing a glass material having a predetermined shape under heating.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, for example, in the production of lenses as optical components, a method of press-molding a glass material has been used in addition to a polishing method. As shown in FIG. 9, the molding device for this purpose is configured to include a molding die 1 and press means including an upper pressing member 2a and a lower pressing member 2b. The molding die 1 is roughly composed of an upper die 3 and a lower die 4 having molding surfaces 3a and 4a, whose opposing surfaces have a predetermined curved or planar shape, and a body die 5. Normally, the state where the lower mold 4 is assembled to the body mold 5
The upper mold 3 is guided by the body mold 5 and approaches the lower mold 4.
It is configured to be displaced in a direction to separate.

In performing lens molding, a glass material 6 is placed on a molding surface of the lower mold while the upper mold 3 is separated from the lower mold 4 and heated by a heating means 7. The material is softened, the upper mold 3 and the lower mold 4 are guided by the body mold 5, and the glass material is clamped between the molding surfaces 3a and 4a.
The upper die 3 and the lower die 4 are connected to the upper pressing member 2 of the pressing means.
a and the lower pressing member 2b presses the glass material 6 from above and below, thereby forming the glass material 6 into the upper mold 3 and the lower mold 4
The molding of the lens molded product 8 having a shape along the molding surfaces 3a and 4a is performed.

The lens forming apparatus is configured as described above. To automate the entire system for performing the lens forming, for example, as shown schematically in FIG. The molding chamber 10 provided, and the molding die 1 is carried into the molding chamber 10, and the molding die 1 after the lens molding is performed.
Loading / unloading section 11 for carrying out and out, an upper mold insertion / removal section 12 for inserting / removing the upper mold 3 with respect to the body mold 5, a glass material 6 placed on the lower mold 4, and a lens molded product And a load / unload unit 13 for taking out the data. Then, the molding die 1 is mounted on a transport jig, and is reciprocated in a horizontal direction between the above-described respective parts. First, in the loading / unloading section 13, the molding surface 4a of the lower die 4 is opened by removing the upper die 3 to form a lower die assembly in which the lower die 4 and the body die 5 are combined. Thereby, the glass material 6 is mounted on the molding surface 4a of the lower die 4. Glass material 6
Is mounted, the transfer jig is moved to the upper mold insertion / removal section 12, and the upper mold 3 is inserted into the body mold 5. When the mold 1 is fed into the molding chamber 10 via the carry-in / carry-out section 11, the glass material 6 is heated and softened by the heating mechanism 7 and the pressing means is operated, so that the press forming of the glass material 6 is performed. Done.

When the molding of the lens is completed in the molding chamber 10, the process moves to the loading / unloading section 11, and then the upper mold inserting / removing section 1 is moved.
2, the upper mold 3 is separated from the lower mold 4 and the body mold 5, and the lens mold 8 is held on the molding surface 4a of the lower mold 4 and moved to the loading / unloading section 13. hand,
The lens molded product 8 is taken out by handling means such as a robot. Then, a new glass material 6 is supplied to the lower mold 4 from which the lens molded product 8 is taken out. Hereinafter, by sequentially repeating this, the lens forming process is performed automatically and continuously.

[0006] The upper die insertion / removal section 12 is provided with an upper die insertion / removal mechanism. The upper die insertion / removal mechanism is used to remove or insert the upper die 3 from the body die 5. Conventionally, as the upper mold insertion / removal mechanism, a structure in which a vacuum suction means is attached to an elevating member is used. The vacuum suction means is brought into contact with the upper end surface of the upper mold 3 to be sucked, and the vacuum suction means is raised by the elevating means, whereby the upper mold 3 is lifted.
Is separated from the drum mold 5. Further, in the loading / unloading section 13, after the lens molded product is taken out and a new glass material is mounted, the upper mold insertion / removal section 12 is again mounted.
When the transfer jig is carried in to the position, the upper mold 3 held by the vacuum suction means is lowered and inserted into the body mold 5.

[0007]

By the way, since the lens molded product is taken out of the lower mold by the handling means, the lens molded product must always be located on the lower mold side. The separation of the upper mold raises the upper mold upward, and the lens molded product usually remains in the lower mold. The glass material is pressed between the upper mold and the lower mold while being softened by heating.However, due to the high accuracy of the transfer surface, the molded lens molded product has both molding surfaces in the lower mold and the upper mold. It is in a state of being tightly adhered to. In some cases, a stronger fixing force is acting on the side of the upper mold than on the side of the lower mold. In this case, when the upper mold is lifted, the lens molded product is separated from the lower mold and adhered to the upper mold. It will rise as it is. As described above, if the lens molded product remains fixed on the molding surface of the upper mold, it becomes impossible to perform lens molding on the lower mold unit that is conveyed next. Further, there is a possibility that the lens molded product fixed to the upper mold falls off on the way and falls on the transport path. Therefore, when the lens molded product is pulled up while the lens molded product is fixed to the upper mold, it is necessary to stop the apparatus urgently and peel the lens molded product from the upper mold manually.

From the above, when the upper mold separates after the lens molding is performed, it is necessary to perform so-called mold release, in which the lens molded product is peeled from the molding surface of the upper mold. In order to promote this mold separation, in the prior art, for example, a treatment for improving the releasability on the molding surface of the upper mold is performed, or when the upper mold is separated, the temperature of the upper mold and the temperature of the lower mold are reduced. Measures have been taken such as controlling the temperature differently, and furthermore, forming the upper mold and the lower mold with members having different thermal expansion coefficients. Of course, the above-mentioned countermeasures promote the mold release on the upper mold side to some extent,
It is undeniable that the lens molded product may adhere to the upper mold. Accordingly, there is an extremely strong demand for ensuring that the molded product is separated from the upper mold in order to completely automate a system for press-molding optical components.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and it is an object of the present invention to forcibly separate a molded product from an upper mold so that the mold can be reliably separated from the upper mold. To be able to do it.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention comprises an upper mold, a lower mold and a body mold, and presses a glass material between molding surfaces of the lower mold and the upper mold in a heated state. Lifting and lowering means for displacing an optical part by displacing it to a fraying position in which a distance between a molding surface of an upper die and an upper end surface of a barrel die is separated by a distance smaller than a thickness dimension of the molded optical part. In addition, at this abrasion position, abrasion drive means for relatively displacing the molding surface of the upper die and the upper end surface of the body die in directions in which respective axes are displaced is provided.

In short, when the upper mold is separated from the body mold, by performing a scraping operation, even if the molded article is fixed to the molding surface of the upper mold, the molded article is peeled from the molding surface of the upper mold. I do. This ensures that the mold is released. This abrasion causes the upper mold and the body mold to be relatively displaced, but the movement includes an axial movement between the upper mold and the body mold, and a movement in a direction to shift both axes. is there. Therefore, one or both of the upper die and the trunk die may be moved.

In the case where the optical component is automatically molded, after the molding is completed, the upper die is separated from the trunk die, and the lower die unit including the trunk die and the lower die is transported along a horizontal transport path. Take out the molded product and install a new glass material. Therefore, when the upper die is separated, if abrasion is performed, two operations of separating the upper die and separating the die can be performed simultaneously in one station. In order to separate the upper mold, holding the upper mold, inserting and removing means to be inserted and removed from the trunk by moving up and down, this insertion and removal means, at least at a predetermined position in the trunk Elevation drive means is provided for raising and lowering a lower position for holding the mold and a wear-off position separated from the upper end surface of the body mold by an interval smaller than the thickness dimension of the formed optical component of the upper mold. The insertion / removal means and the lifting / lowering drive means constitute a lifting / lowering means, and the lower mold unit is transported by a transport jig, so that the transport jig can function as a fraying drive means.

The insertion / removal means includes, for example, an elevating base plate and a clamp member which can be displaced in a direction approaching / separating from the elevating base plate. It can be configured to be arranged on both sides. The upper die is provided with a protruding portion on the outer peripheral side that is engaged with and disengaged from the clamp member. Thus, the upper die can be clamped by the operation of inserting the clamp member into the lower surface of the upper die and lifting the clamp member while being transported by the transport jig. Also, after the upper mold is separated from the lower mold and the body mold, it must be inserted into the body mold again. At this time, in order to reliably follow the upper die to the trunk die, a vacuum suction means is provided on the elevating base plate, and at least when the upper die is inserted into the trunk die, the clamp by the clamp member is released, and the vacuum is released. It is preferable to hold the upper die on the lifting base plate by suction.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, the molding die is shown to be configured to simultaneously mold four lenses, but the molding apparatus according to the present invention is not limited to the one that forms four lenses. Instead, the number of lenses formed at one time is arbitrary, and the present invention can be applied to the case where precision optical parts other than lenses are formed.

1 to 3, reference numeral 20 denotes a mold unit. The mold unit 20 has a holder plate 21 as a transfer jig.
1 is equipped with four molding dies 22. Mold 22
Is composed of an upper mold 23, a lower mold 24 and a body mold 25,
The lower mold 24 and the body mold 25 are always held in the holder plate 21 in an assembled state, and these constitute a lower mold assembly. In contrast, the upper mold 23
Can be inserted into and removed from the body mold 25. As described above, the molding die 22 composed of three members is provided with the holder plate 2.
It is arranged in a state where it is positioned by a positioning ring 26 inserted into four mounting openings 21a in two rows provided in 1.

The positioning ring 26 has a cylindrical inner surface 26a on the upper side, and the outer peripheral surface of the body mold 25 is fitted in a substantially tight fit, so that the body mold 25 and the lower mold 24 provided in the body mold 25 are formed. The holder plate 21 is positioned at a predetermined position. The lower side of the positioning ring 26 is a tapered surface 26b that expands. An annular ridge 25a is formed on the outer peripheral surface at the lower end of the body mold 25. Accordingly, the body die 25 can be raised to a height position where the annular ridge 25a contacts the tapered surface 26b of the positioning ring 26, and the holder plate 21
In this case, a function of bringing in the lower mold assembly including the lower mold 24 and the body mold 25 is exhibited.

As shown in FIG. 4, the upper die 23 and the lower die 2
4 are molding surfaces 23a, 24a. Of these molding surfaces 23a, 24a, molding surface 24a is formed.
a is a curved surface shape such as a convex surface, and the molding surface 23a of the upper die 23 is a flat surface or a shape close to a flat surface. The molding surface 23a of the upper die 23 may have a concave or convex curved shape to some extent as long as it does not have an extreme curvature. Then, the glass material is placed between the upper mold 23 and the lower mold 24, and lens molding is performed by applying pressure from above and below under heating. Even when the molding is completed, the flange portion 23b of the upper mold 23 is formed. Is held in a state separated from the upper end surface of the body mold 25 by a predetermined distance a. Further, the upper mold 23 is insertable into and removable from the body mold 25.
In order to facilitate the insertion and removal operation of the upper die 23 into the outer peripheral edge at the lower end of the upper die 23 and the inner peripheral edge at the upper end of the upper die 23, the attraction taper portion 23 is provided.
c, 25b are formed.

Four lenses are simultaneously molded by the four molds 22 constituting the mold unit 20, and in order to automate the entire lens molding process, a working unit similar to that shown in FIG. The working unit is provided to horizontally reciprocate the mold unit 20. That is, the description will be made with reference to FIG.
The upper die 23 is removed, and the holder plate 21 on which only the lower die unit is mounted is loaded and unloaded by the loader / unloader 13 into each lower die 2.
The glass material 27 is attached to the upper mold 4, the upper mold 23 is moved to the upper mold insertion / removal section 12, the upper mold 23 is inserted into the body mold 25, and is fed into the molding chamber 10 via the loading / unloading section 11. The glass material 27 is heated in the upper mold 23 and the lower mold 2.
By pressing with 4, a lens molded product 28 is formed as shown by a virtual line in FIG. When the lens molding is completed, the process moves from the loading / unloading section 11 to the upper mold insertion / removal section 12, where the upper mold 23 is detached, and the loading / unloading section 13 is mounted.
Then, the lens molded product 28 is taken out and a new glass material 27 is supplied. The above-described transition to each part of the molding die unit 20 is performed by the holder plate 21 that moves along the horizontal transport path.

As described above, in the upper die insertion / removal section 12, the upper die 2
An upper die insertion / removal device 30 is provided for lifting the upper die 3 to separate it from the trunk die 25 and pulling down the upper die 23 to insert it into the trunk die 25. The upper die insertion / removal device 30 includes a lifting base plate 31.
And clamp means 32L, 32C, 32R which can be displaced in a direction approaching / separating from the elevating base plate 31 (the reference numeral 32 is used when these clamp means are collectively referred to).
And

The clamping means 32 is formed by extending a thin clamp plate 32b at the lower end of a rectangular rod 32a having a predetermined thickness. Clamping means 3
Reference numeral 2 denotes a lower part of the lifting base plate 31,
Are provided in parallel with each other in the transport direction, the left clamp means 32L has a clamp plate 32b projecting rightward, and the right clamp means 32R has a clamp plate 32b projecting leftward. Central clamping means 32C
The clamp plate 32b extends in both left and right directions.
The thickness dimension of these clamp plates 32b is smaller than the distance a between the flange portion 23b of the upper die 23 after lens molding and the upper end surface of the trunk die 25. The interval between the square rods 32a of the adjacent clamping means 32 is
Is larger than the diameter of the flange portion 23b, and the interval between the tip surfaces of the adjacent clamp plates 32b is a dimension between the diameter of the upper die 23 and the diameter of the flange portion 23b. Further, the height from the upper end surface of the clamp plate 32b to the upper end surface of the square rod 32a is at least the flange portion 23b.
It is smaller than the thickness dimension.

Slide guides 33 are provided at six positions on the lift base plate 31.
, A drive rod 34 is inserted. The drive rods 34 constitute drive means for clamping and unclamping the upper die 23. The lower ends of the drive rods 34 are located near both ends of each of the three clamp means 32 provided. Fixed. Also,
The upper end of the drive rod 34 is connected and fixed to a drive plate 35, and the lift base plate 31 is provided with an air cylinder 36 for vertically moving the drive plate 35. Accordingly, the six drive rods 34 are simultaneously driven up and down by the air cylinder 36, and the three clamp means 32 connected to these drive rods 34 are simultaneously operated.

On the elevating base plate 31, two connecting rods 37 are erected on the left and right. These connecting rods 37 are inserted into bearing members 38, and the bearing members 38 are fixed to an elevating block 40 that moves up and down along a slide guide 39 provided in a vertical direction. And the lifting block 4
The ball screw feed means 41 composed of a motor 41a and a screw shaft 41b is connected to 0 so that the lifting base plate 31 is driven up and down. A stopper 42 having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of the connecting rod 37 is fixedly provided at the distal end of the connecting rod 37. In normal times, the weight of the elevating base plate 31 and the members mounted thereon is reduced. By the action, the bearing member 38 comes into contact with the stopper 42 and is held in a predetermined positional relationship with the lifting block 40. However, when a force in the direction of pushing up is applied to the lift base plate 31, the connecting rod 37 slides with respect to the bearing member 38, and the lift base plate 31 rises with the lift block 40 held at a predetermined position. It has become.

The elevating base plate 31 is further provided with four vacuum suction passages 43, and these vacuum suction passages 43 are opened on the lower surface of the elevating base plate 31. A pipe 44 is connected to the upper end side of the vacuum suction passage 43. Therefore, when the vacuum suction passage 43 is brought into a negative pressure state by the pipe 44 in a state where the upper die 23 is in contact with the elevating base plate 31, the upper die 23 is sucked to the elevating base plate 31. The suction force of the upper mold 23 is obtained by the negative pressure in the vacuum suction passage 43 by the pipe 44. To adjust this suction force, although not shown, the pressure between the pipe 44 and the negative pressure source is not shown. What is necessary is just to comprise so that an adjustment valve may be interposed.

The upper die insertion / removal device 30 is configured as described above. The upper die insertion / removal device 30 is configured such that the three clamping means 32 face in a direction parallel to the direction in which the holder plate 21 is conveyed. Be placed. In the holder plate 21, four molding dies 22 are conveyed in a state of being arranged two by two on the left and right.
Reference numeral 2 denotes a portion between the clamp means 32L and 32C, and two right molds 22 pass through a portion between the clamp means 32C and 32R. Thereby, the holder plate 21 constituting the molding die unit 20 is formed.
During the transfer along the predetermined transfer path, each mold 22
Can be simultaneously inserted into and removed from the body mold 25.

Here, the upper mold 23 is removed from the body mold 25 after the lens molding is completed. The upper mold 23 is inserted into the body mold 25 after a new glass material is placed on the lower mold 24. Then, after the lens molding is completed, the flange portion 23b of the upper mold 23 is formed.
Is in a state separated from the upper end surface 25c of the body mold 25 by a distance a. 5 to 8,
The clamping means has a clamping plate 32 only in the opposite direction.
Although it is shown that a is provided, this is for the sake of simplicity of illustration, and in actuality, one clamp means is formed by protruding clamp plates on both sides.

The elevating block 40 constituting the upper mold inserting / removing device 30 is lowered, and the driving plate 35 is lowered. Thus, the clamp plate 32b of the clamp means 32 connected to the lower end of the drive rod 34 is
At a height position corresponding to a gap between the upper die 23 and the flange portion 23b of the upper die 23, the lower die 23 is held at a lower position where the upper die 23 can be clamped. In this state, the molding unit 20 is conveyed in the horizontal direction along the conveyance path, and two molding dies 22 of the four molding dies 22 mounted on the molding unit 20 are respectively clamped by the clamping means 32, 32. Stop at a predetermined position so as to enter the intermediate position. As a result, as shown in FIG. 5, each clamp plate 32b is
5 and the upper die 23 are inserted.

Then, first, the air cylinder 36 is operated and the drive plate 35 is pushed up, so that the clamp means 32 is lifted as shown by an arrow in FIG. As a result, the flange portion 23b of the upper die 23 is clamped between the clamp plate 32b of the clamp means 32 and the lift base plate 31. At this time, the upper die 23 is slightly displaced upward. Further, by operating the ball screw feed means 41 to raise the elevating block 40 and displacing the elevating base plate 31 upward, as shown in FIG. Pull away from mold assembly. Here, the lifting base plate 31 by the lifting block 40
When the entire forming die 22 is pushed up, the annular ridge 25a of the body die 25
Abut the inner surface of the, so as not to go beyond the position where it can no longer be raised. At this time, the vacuum suction passage 4
3 is not necessarily required to be a negative pressure.

From the state described above, the ball screw feed means 4
1 is operated in the opposite direction to lower the lifting block 40. Here, since the elevating base plate 31 is connected to the elevating block 40 such that the connecting rod 37 is inserted into the bearing member 38, the elevating base plate 31 abuts on the upper end surface of the upper die 23. In this state, when the upper die 23 descends to a predetermined position, it does not descend any more. However, even if the elevating block 40 is lowered to a lower position, the connecting rod 37 slides with respect to the bearing member 38, and the bearing member 38 is separated from the stopper 42, so that the lens molded article 28 No excessive force acts on.

Then, the upper die 23 is sucked and held on the lower surface of the elevating base plate 31 by setting the vacuum suction passage 43 to a negative pressure. At the same time, the clamping of the upper die 23 by the clamping means 32 is once released. Next, the lifting block 40
Is raised to raise the elevating base plate 31, thereby pulling up the upper die 23 with a vacuum suction force. in this way,
Once the upper mold 23 is clamped and pulled up and then pulled up by the vacuum suction force, even if the upper mold 23 is stuck to the body mold 25, it is for releasing the sticking during that time. Further, when the upper die 23 is pulled up by the vacuum suction force, when the upper die 23 is substantially inseparable from the body die 25, the resistance is increased and the upper die 23 is separated from the elevating base plate 31. This is to prevent the mold 23, the body mold 25, and the clamp plate 32b from being damaged or deformed due to excessive force. However, when the upper mold 23 does not have a strong fixed relationship with the body mold 25, the upper mold 23 may be pulled up to a predetermined height position in a clamped state.

Here, the lens molding is performed by pressing the glass material 27 in a heated state. When the upper mold 23 is pulled up after molding, the lens molded article 28 becomes the lower mold 24.
Is fixed to either the molding surface 24a of the upper mold 23 or the molding surface 23a of the upper die 23. If the upper mold 23 is fixed to the molding surface 23a of the upper mold 23, the lens molded article 28 is taken out together with the upper mold 23 when the upper mold 23 is completely lifted up to a state separated from the body mold 25. Then, upper mold 2
Mold unit 20 with 3 removed
When the process proceeds to the unloading section, a new glass material 27 is mounted on the lower mold 24, and the process proceeds to the upper mold insertion / removal section, the upper mold 23 with the lens molded product 28 fixed thereto is incorporated. However, lens molding cannot be performed. Also,
If the lens molded product 28 comes off from the upper mold 23 and is damaged after the lens molded product 28 is fixed and fixed to the upper mold 23, the conveyance of the molding die unit 20 may be hindered. Therefore, when removing the upper mold 23, the lens molded product 28 must be securely separated from the upper mold 23.

From the above, the mold release from the upper mold 23 of the lens molded product 28 is performed. Here, since the lens to be molded has a flat surface or a curved surface shape close to a flat surface on one side, the molding surface 23a side of the upper mold 23 is formed into a flat or substantially flat shape, and the mold is separated by abrasion. The mold release due to this scraping is performed by the upper mold
And at the same time as the operation of separating. In order to perform abrasion, relative movement is performed between the upper die 23 and the trunk die 25. As this movement, the distance between the molding surface 23a of the upper die 23 and the upper end surface 25c of the trunk die 25 is determined by the lens molded product 28
An operation of moving the upper mold or the body mold 25 up and down so as to be a scraping position equal to or less than the thickness dimension of the above, and an operation of driving the upper mold 23 or the body mold 25 so as to relatively shift the axis at the scraping position. Consists of Therefore, as the elevating means for performing the operation to the scuffing position, an upper mold inserting / removing device 30 for separating the upper mold 23 is provided.
The holder plate 21 that transports the molding unit 20 in the horizontal direction along the transport path exhibits its function.

With the upper die 23 held by the vacuum suction force, the lifting block 4 is moved by the ball screw feed means 41.
0 is raised to a predetermined height position, but this upper die 23 is not immediately pulled up to a position where it is completely separated from the trunk die 25, but as shown in FIG. It is stopped in a state where it is pulled up to a position slightly higher than the upper end surface 25c of the body mold 25. This position is the scraping position. The molded lens has a certain thickness. Therefore, the gap between the molding surface 23a of the upper mold 23 and the upper end surface of the body mold 25 is at least equal to or less than the thickness dimension of the lens molded product 28. At this position, the clamp means 32 is operated to clamp the upper die 23 between the clamp plate 32b of the clamp means 32 and the lift base plate 31.

While holding the upper die insertion / removal device 30 at the scraping position, the holder plate 21 is transported as shown in FIG. Thereby, even if the lens molded product 28 is fixed to the molding surface 23a of the upper mold 23, the barrel mold 25 moves in the horizontal direction, and the axis of the upper mold 23 and the axis of the barrel mold 25 are shifted. Then, a horizontal shearing force acts on the lens molded product 28 fixed to the molding surface 23a of the upper mold 23, and the lens molded product 28 is reliably separated from the molding surface 23a of the upper mold 23. As a result, the lens molded product 28 separates from the upper mold 23 and falls on the molding surface 24a of the lower mold 24 without fail. Therefore,
There is no possibility that the problem of the mold separation failure in the upper mold 23 may occur, and it is possible to prevent an emergency stop of the entire apparatus. Further, since the fixing force between the upper mold 23 and the lens molded product 28 is relatively weak, even if the forcible cutting is performed, no excessive stress acts on the lens molded product 28. Of course, when the lens molded product 28 is located on the lower mold 24 side, there is no need to perform abrasion, but it is not detected on which side the lens molded product 28 is located. It is preferable to perform abrasion.

Then, a lens molded product 28 by abrasion is used.
After the mold release, the lifting block 40 is further raised, whereby the upper die 23 clamped between the lifting base plate 31 and the clamping means 32 is completely separated from the body die 25. Thereby, the movement of the holder plate 21 is performed smoothly, so that the upper die 23 does not interfere with the body die 25 provided on the holder plate 21 and the like. For example, load
After moving to the unloading section, the lens molded product is taken out and a new glass material is placed. At this time, the height of the body mold 25 moving up and down and projecting from the holder plate 21 of the body mold 25 Even if the position is changed, there is no fear that the upper die 23 collides with the trunk die 25 or the like.

The lower plate unit alone is mounted on the holder plate 21 carried into the loading / unloading section.
Since the upper part of 4 is opened, the holder plate 21 can be transported to the loading / unloading section, and the lens molded product 28 can be taken out by handling means such as a robot. After taking out the lens molded product 28, a new glass material 28 is placed on the lower mold 24, moved to the upper mold insertion / removal section, and the upper mold insertion / removal device holding the upper mold 24 by clamping. 30 is operated to be mounted on the holder plate 21 and the upper die 23 is inserted into the body die 25 incorporated in the lower die 24. Hereinafter, by repeating this operation sequentially, the lens can be formed automatically and continuously.

[0036]

According to the present invention, the molded product is fixed to the upper mold when the upper mold is taken out after molding.
Even if the molded product is lifted together with the upper mold, the molded product will be scraped off by the relative movement of the upper mold and the body mold, so that the molded product will be surely positioned on the lower mold side. In order to automate the entire molding mechanism, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of an emergency stop state of the apparatus due to a poor mold separation from the upper mold.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an upper die insertion / removal device showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of the upper mold insertion / removal device.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line XX of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a molding die.

FIG. 5 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the upper die is clamped by the upper die insertion / removal device.

FIG. 6 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the fixation between the upper mold and the body mold is released.

FIG. 7 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the upper mold is arranged at a scraping position.

FIG. 8 is an operation explanatory view showing a state in which the lens molded product is being frayed.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a lens forming apparatus according to the related art.

FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing a configuration of an automatic lens forming apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 molding unit 21 holder plate 22 molding die 23 upper die 24 lower die 23a, 24a molding surface 25 trunk die 27 glass material 28 lens molded product 30 upper die insertion / removal device 31 elevating base plate 32, 32L, 32C, 32R clamping means 34 Drive rod 35 Drive plate 36 Air cylinder 40 Lift block 41 Ball screw feed means 43 Vacuum suction passage 44 Suction pad

Claims (5)

[Claims] An optical component is formed by pressing a glass material between molding surfaces of a lower mold and an upper mold while heating a glass material, wherein the molding surface of the upper mold is formed. Lifting and lowering means for displacing to a cut-off position in which the distance between the upper mold and the upper end surface of the barrel mold is smaller than the thickness dimension of the molded optical component; and at this cut-off position, the upper mold surface and the upper end surface of the barrel mold And a scraping drive means for relatively displacing the respective axes in directions to shift their respective axes. 2. The lifting means holds the upper mold,
An insertion / removal means for inserting / removing from the body die by moving up and down, a lowering position for holding the upper mold incorporated at least in a predetermined position in the body die, and a molding surface of the upper mold Lifting and lowering drive means for driving up and down to a fraying position separated from the upper end surface of the body die by an interval smaller than the thickness dimension of the molded optical component, and the fraying drive means comprises the lower die and the body die. 2. The optical component molding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a transport unit configured to transport the optical component along a horizontal transport path. 3. The optical component molding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the molding surface of the upper mold has a substantially planar shape. 4. The holding means comprises an elevating base plate and a clamp member which is displaceable in a direction approaching / separating from the elevating base plate, and an outer peripheral side which can be disengaged from the clamp member by the upper die. The optical component molding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a projecting portion is continuously provided, and a clamp member is arranged on both right and left sides in the transport direction of the transport jig. 5. The optical component molding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein said lifting base plate is provided with vacuum suction means for suctioning said upper die.