Optical surface generating apparatus

Claim 2

Optical surface generating apparatus for generating a desired contour on the surface of an optical blank comprising blank support means for supporting an optical blank, surface modifying means for altering relative elevations on the work surface of an optical blank supported by said blank support means, drive means for moving said surface modifying means along the work surface in a path including in sequence a plurality of discrete areas thereon, guide means for retaining information regarding the initial contour of the work surface and elevational errors between the initial contour of said work surface and said desired contour, sensor means movable relative to said guide means by said drive means for sensing said information, synchronizing means for synchronizing movements of said sensor means and said surface modifying means, and control means for controlling the relative elevational changes produced in said discrete areas by said surface modifying means in response to the position of said sensor means with respect to said guide means.

Claim 3

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means is adapted to produce first and second components of relative movement between said surface modifying means and the work surface and first and second components of relative movement between the sensor means and guide means.

Claim 4

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said drive means produces said first components of relative movement by synchronously moving said guide and the work surface and produces said second components of relative movement by synchronously moving said surface modifying means and said sensor means.

Claim 5

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said sensor means and surface modifying means are joined by connector means so as to be moved in unison by said drivE means.

Claim 6

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said drive means is adapted to produce rotation of the optical blank and guide means and reciprocating movement of said surface modifying means and said sensor means.

Claim 7

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 5 including rotary movement compensation means adapted to provide said surface modifying means with a surface modification rate proportional to its radial position with respect to the work surface.

Claim 8

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said guide means comprises a contour map of the work surface, said drive means is adapted to produce transverse movement of said sensor means over the surface of said contour map, and said control means controls said surface modifying means in response to the position of said sensor means with respect to the contour lines on said contour map.

Claim 9

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said control means is adapted to activate and de-activate surface modifying action of said surface modifying means in response to the position of said sensor means with respect to said contour lines.

Claim 10

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 8 wherein surface portions between certain contour lines on said contour map are sensitized, and said control means is adapted to produce either said activating or said de-activating action in response to passage of said sensor means over said sensitized surface portions.

Claim 11

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said sensor means comprises spaced electrodes adapted for movement on the surface of said contour map, and said sensitized surface portions are electrically conductive.

Claim 12

Optical surface generating apparatus for generating a desired contour on the surface of an optical blank comprising blank support means for supporting an optical blank, surface modifying means for altering relative elevations on the work surface of an optical blank supported by said blank support means, drive means for moving said surface modifying means along the work surface in a predetermined path, a plurality of guides for retaining information regarding the initial contour of said work surface, each of said plurality of guides retaining information regarding elevational errors in one of a plurality of discrete areas on said work surface, sensor means movable relative to said guides for sequentially sensing the contour information on each of said plurality of guides, synchronizing means for synchronizing movements of said sensor means and said surface modifying means, and control means for controlling the relative elevational changes produced in each of said discrete areas by said surface modifying means in response to the position of said sensor means with respect to each of said plurality of guides.

Claim 13

Optical surface generating apparatus for generating a desired contour on the surface of an optical blank comprising blank support means for supporting an optical blank, surface modifying means for altering relative elevations on the work surface of an optical blank supported by said blank support means, drive means for moving said surface modifying means along the work surface in a predetermined path, a plurality of guides for retaining information regarding the initial contour of said work surface, each of said plurality of guides retaining information regarding elevational errors in one of a plurality of discrete areas on said work surface, sensor means movable relative to said guides for sequentially sensing the contour information on each of said plurality of guides, synchronizing means for synchronizing movements of said sensor means and said surface modifying means, and control means for controlling the relative elevational changes produced in each of said discrete areas by said surface modifying means in response to the position of said sensor means with respect to each of said plurality of guides.

Claim 14

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 11 wherein each of said guides retains information regarding a predetermined range of elevational error relative to a reference elevation, and wherein said sensor means sequentially moves relative to said plurality of guides from the guide retaining information of largest elevational error relative to said reference to the guide retaining information of least elevational error relative to said reference.

Claim 15

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said guides comprise a plurality of contour maps, the contour lines of each map representing points of constant elevational error relative to said reference.

Claim 16

Optical surface generating apparatus according to claim 13 wherein each of said plurality of contour maps have the areas between different contour lines sensitized for the production of activating or deactivating surface modifying action by said surface modifying means in response to passage of said sensor means over said sensitized portions.