US3874124A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for machining and/or polishing molded elastomer materials
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-03-21
•
Granted: 1975-04-01
•
Expires: 1994-03-21
Abstract
Abstract A method of and apparatus for machining and/or polishing contact lenses of the type produced in a semifinished form by molding of silicon rubber elastomer materials such as hydrocarbon substituted polysiloxane rubber. After selecting a semifinished lens, a layer of liquid, e.g. water, is applied to the lens and/or a holder. The lens support surface on the holder is preferably flat but may be either convex or concave. When the holder has a flat surface, pressure is applied to the lens to flatten it and expel entrapped air. The lens is then centered on the holder. A stream of coolant is preferably directed onto the holder to reduce the temperature of the lens material. This cooling freezes the liquid layer thereby affixing the lens to the holder. The cooling also hardens the elastomer material of the lens. At a reduced temperature of -90*F or less, the lens material becomes sufficiently hardened so that polishing and/or machining of a selected surface can be effected by contact with a tooling member having a liquid interface on the tooling surface. The preferred composition of the liquid interface is oil of orange and ethanol with the further addition of stannic oxide as a polishing agent. The lens is rotated by the holder or alternatively the tooling member is rotated during machining and/or polishing. Following this, the lens is allowed to return to ambient temperature. The present invention further provides improved apparatus including different forms of support members with flat, convex or concave lens support surfaces. The support members include improved provision for centering of the lens on the support member. A spring-biased plunger is used to hold the lens onto the support member after centering. Additionally, machining tools for the lens are provided with segments of either a convex or concave tooling surface.
Inventors
- 👤 Harry C Morgan
- 👤 Jr Walter W Weis
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 04:54
CPC Classifications
B; B23; B23Q; B23Q3/00; B23Q3/02; B23Q3/06; B23Q3/08; B23Q3/086; B24; B24B; B24B13/00; B24B13/005
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 54
Claim 1
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of machining and/or polishing an article, such as a contact lens or the like, of a molded elastomer to modify a surface of the article, said method including the steps of: positioning said article upon the support surface of a carrier member; reducing the temperature of said article in such a way so as to essentially increase the hardness of the molded elastomer forming said article; establishing a liquid interface between a tooling surface and a selected surface of said article to undergo modification in such a manner so as to include forming a wetted liquid surface upon the article after the hardness thereof has been essentially increased by said reducing the temperature; the liquid interface being in a liquid state at normal atmospheric pressure and constituting a liquid having a freezing point below the reduced temperature of the article; modifying the selected surface of said article by the contact with a tooling surface while the selected surface remains wet with and in the presence of said liquid interface while maintaining said molded elastomer at a state of increased hardness by the continued reduced temperature thereof; and allowing the temperature of said article to return to an ambient room temperature.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
202 words
A method of machining and/or polishing an article, such as a contact lens or the like, of a molded elastomer to modify a surface of the article, said method including the steps of: positioning said article upon the support surface of a carrier member; reducing the temperature of said article in such a way so as to essentially increase the hardness of the molded elastomer forming said article; establishing a liquid interface between a tooling surface and a selected surface of said article to undergo modification in such a manner so as to include forming a wetted liquid surface upon the article after the hardness thereof has been essentially increased by said reducing the temperature; the liquid interface being in a liquid state at normal atmospheric pressure and constituting a liquid having a freezing point below the reduced temperature of the article; modifying the selected surface of said article by the contact with a tooling surface while the selected surface remains wet with and in the presence of said liquid interface while maintaining said molded elastomer at a state of increased hardness by the continued reduced temperature thereof; and allowing the temperature of said article to return to an ambient room temperature.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the established liquid interface has a vapor pressure at any given temperature which is essentially less than the vapor pressure of the coolant medium at the same temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 1.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 1 including the further step of: producing relative rotation between said article and said tooling surface after said reducing the temperature of said article.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
99 words
The method according to claim 1 including the further steps of: establishing a layer of liquid between a surface of said article and said support surface of a carrier member, the liquid forming said layer being such that it remains essentially in a fluid state at an ambient room temperature; and thereafter locating said article into a desired position during said positioning said article upon the support surface of a carrier member, said reducing the temperature of said article being further eSsential to the freezing of said layer of liquid to thereby affix said article onto said carrier member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said reducing the temperature of said article is further defined to include the step of: directing a stream of coolant essentially onto said carrier member to reduce the temperature of said article by conductive heat transfer while the article is supported by the carrier member.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
68 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein following said reducing the temperature of said article, said method includes the further steps of: rotating said carrier member with said article affixed thereto, and concurrently therewith, directing a stream of coolant essentially onto said carrier member to maintain the reduced temperature of said article by conductive heat transfer as an incident to said modifying the selected surface of said article.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 7.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein said directing a stream of coolant is further defined to include maintaining said article at a reduced temperature of at least -90*F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 9 wherein said rotating said carrier member with said article affixed thereto is further defined to include rotating said carrier member at a speed in excess of 1,000 RPM.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 10 wherein said article is further defined as a semifinished contact lens of a molded elastomer including a silica filler.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein following said step of reducing the temperature of said article, said method includes the further steps of: rotating a tooling member defining said tooling surface at a speed greater than 1,000 RPM, directing a stream of coolant essentially onto said carrier member to maintain the reduced temperature of said article by conductive cooling as an incident to modifying the selected surface of said article while maintaining said liquid interface between the selected surface and said tooling surface.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 12.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein said article is further defined as a semifinished contact lens of a molded elastomer including a silica filler.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 14.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 5 wherein said layer of liquid established between a surface of said article and the support surface of a carrier member is further defined to include using water to establish said layer of liquid.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method according to claim 7 wherein said article is defined as a contact lens and wherein said step of locating said article into a desired position is further defined to include centering said contact lens upon a contoured surface of the carrier member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
108 words
The method according to claim 1 for modifying a contact lens wherein said method additionally includes the initial steps of: establishing a layer of liquid between a surface of said contact lens and a flat support surface of a carrier member, the liquid forming said layer having a freezing point essentially above a subsequently reduced temperature of the lens; and thereafter, applying pressure on said contact lens in a direction toward said flat support surface to elastically flatten said lens, said reducing the temperature of said article being further essential to freezing said layer of liquid to thereby affix said lens while elastically flattened onto said carrier member.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 18 wherein said applying pressure on said contact lens is carried out in such a way so as to expel entrapped air between the lens and the support surface.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 19.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
99 words
The method according to claim 1 for modifying a contact lens wherein said method additionally includes the initial steps of: filling a hollowed area in a carrier member with a liquid having a freezing point essentially above a subseQuently lowered temperature of the lens, and thereafter, locating said contact lens to float upon said liquid and thereby establish a layer of liquid between said lens and a lens support surface of said carrier member, said reducing the temperature of said article being further essential to freezing said layer of liquid to thereby affix said lens onto said carrier member.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 21.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the liquid interface includes ethyl alcohol.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 23.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 23 wherein said liquid interface is a mixture of one part by volume of oil of orange and one part by volume of ethyl alcohol.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein said liquid interface is established by using a liquid suspension of stannic oxide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 23 wherein said mixture for the liquid interface further includes stannic oxide.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method according to claim 27 wherein said stannic oxide has a particle size of 400 mesh size or smaller.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method according to claim 28 wherein between one to ten grams of stannic oxide are added to each liter of liquid mixture of oil of orange and ethyl alcohol.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 29.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method according to claim 1 wherein the temperature of said article is elevated to an ambient room temperature following said step of modifying the selected surface thereof by directing a stream of heated air onto said article.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method according to claim 6 wherein the temperature of said article is returned to an ambient room temperature following said step of modifying the selected surface thereof by directing a stream of heated air onto said carrier member for conductively heating the article to an ambient room temperature.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of machining and/or polishing an article, such as a contact lens or the like, of a molded elastomer to modify a surface of the article, said method including the steps of: establishing a layer of liquid between a surface of said article and a support surface of a carrier member, the liquid forming said layer having a freezing point at a temperature essentially above a subsequently reduced temperature of said article; and thereafter locating said article into a desired position upon the support surface of the carrier member; reducing the temperature of said article to essentially freeze said layer of liquid to thereby affix said article onto said carrier member, said reducing the temperature of said article being further essential to increasing the hardness of the molded elastomer forming said article; rotating the carrier member while said article is affixed thereto; modifying the selected surface of said article by the contact with a tooling surface while maintaining said molded elastomer at a state of increased hardness by said reducing the temperature thereof; and thereafter, allowing the temperature of said article to return to an ambient room temperature.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
189 words
A method of machining and/or polishing an article, such as a contact lens or the like, of a molded elastomer to modify a surface of the article, said method including the steps of: establishing a layer of liquid between a surface of said article and a support surface of a carrier member, the liquid forming said layer having a freezing point at a temperature essentially above a subsequently reduced temperature of said article; and thereafter locating said article into a desired position upon the support surface of the carrier member; reducing the temperature of said article to essentially freeze said layer of liquid to thereby affix said article onto said carrier member, said reducing the temperature of said article being further essential to increasing the hardness of the molded elastomer forming said article; rotating the carrier member while said article is affixed thereto; modifying the selected surface of said article by the contact with a tooling surface while maintaining said molded elastomer at a state of increased hardness by said reducing the temperature thereof; and thereafter, allowing the temperature of said article to return to an ambient room temperature.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 33.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 33 wherein said layer of liquid established between a surface of said article and the support surface of a carrier member is further defined to include using water to establish said layer of liquid.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 33 wherein said article is defined as a contact lens and wherein said step of reducing the temperature of said article includes directing a stream of coolant onto said carrier member to conductively cool the contact lens.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method according to claim 33 for modifying a contact lens wherein said layer of liquid is established upon a flat lens support surface, said method additionally includes the steps of: arranging said lens upon the established layer of liquid, and thereafter applying pressure on said contact lens in a direction toward said flat supporT surface to elastically flatten said lens as an essential incident to freezing said layer of liquid to thereby affix said lens while elastically flattened onto said carrier member.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 37.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method according to claim 37 wherein said applying pressure on said contact lens is carried out in such a way so as to expel entrapped air between the lens and the support surface.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
106 words
The method according to claim 33 for modifying a contact lens wherein said method additionally includes the initial steps of: filling a hollowed area in a carrier member with a liquid to form said layer of liquid, and thereafter, locating said contact lens to float upon said liquid to thereby establish a layer of liquid between said lens and a lens support surface of said carrier member, and thereafter centering said contact lens by buoyant floating upon the layer of liquid, said reducing the temperature of said article being further essential to freezing said layer of liquid to thereby affix said lens onto said carrier member.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
9 words
The product formed by the method of claim 40.
Claim 44
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for machining and/or polishing a molded elastomer article, said apparatus comprising: carrier means including a face surface for supporting said article in a manner to expose a surface thereof during modification, said carrier means further including a heat exchange surface remote to said face surface to essentially reduce the temperature of said article while supported by said carrier means through the agency of conductive heat transfer; said carrier means further includes a layer of liquid on said face surface for affixing said contact lens thereto upon freezing thereof; means to direct a cooling medium onto said heat exchange surface for hardening said article by reducing the temperature thereof; tooling means including a liquid interface for modifying the exposed surface of said article; and means for producing relative rotation between said tooling means and said article while supported by said carrier means.
Claim 45
Independent Claim
143 words
An apparatus for machining and/or polishing a molded elastomer article, said apparatus comprising: carrier means including a face surface for supporting said article in a manner to expose a surface thereof during modification, said carrier means further including a heat exchange surface remote to said face surface to essentially reduce the temperature of said article while supported by said carrier means through the agency of conductive heat transfer; said carrier means further includes a layer of liquid on said face surface for affixing said contact lens thereto upon freezing thereof; means to direct a cooling medium onto said heat exchange surface for hardening said article by reducing the temperature thereof; tooling means including a liquid interface for modifying the exposed surface of said article; and means for producing relative rotation between said tooling means and said article while supported by said carrier means.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said carrier means further includes an elongated tubular support member having openings in the wall thereof for conducting said coolant medium from within said tubular support member onto said heat exchange surface.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 further comprising a centering ring including a contoured surface for displacement into engagement with said contact lens to center the lens relative to said carrier means.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
50 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 further comprising: a plunger having a surface at one end for contact with said article when supported by said carrier means, resilient means for urging said plunger into holding contact with said article, and means for supporting said plunger relative to said carrier means.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said liquid interface is further defined as a mixture of oil of orange and ethyl alcohol.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said liquid interface includes ethyl alcohol at 200 proof.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said liquid interface is further defined to include a liquid suspension of stannic oxide having a particle with a mesh size of 400 or smaller.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said article is a contact lens and wherein said carrier means is further defined to include a flat surface for supporting said contact lens in an elastically flattened state.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said carrier means is further defined to include a tubular wall with an inclined lens support surface at the upper end thereof, said tubular wall defining the sides of pocket, a floor wall in said carrier means lying below said lens support surface for supporting a volume of liquid in said pocket.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
33 words
The apparatus according to claim 42 wherein said carrier means is further defined to include a Cup-shaped liquid container having a tubular wall defining a lens support surface at the upper end thereof.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |