US4068413A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adjustable lens grinding apparatus
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1975-10-02
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Granted: 1978-01-17
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Expires: 1995-10-02
Abstract
Abstract An adjustable lens grinding apparatus of the type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto, an abrading cup for sweeping through the lens blank during an abrading stroke, and further including an improvement in the apparatus for positioning the chuck with respect to the abrading cup and guiding the abrading cup during the abrading stroke. The improvement includes a first member for supporting the chuck and a second member for supporting the abrading cup spaced longitudinally from said chuck. The abrading cup includes an axis of rotation centered therethrough and an annular abrading surface at the distended circumference thereof. A positioning apparatus is coupled between the first and second members for regulating the relative motion therebetween in two degrees of linear freedom and one degree of rotational freedom, with the two degrees of linear freedom defining a base plane perpendicular to the plane of the lens blank and the one degree of rotational freedom defining a first axis parallel to the plane of the lens blank. The improvement further includes a guide having a cambered surface therein and an apparatus for following the guide. The guide and the guide following apparatus are interposed between the first and the second members for guiding the sweep of the abrading cup through the lens blank during the abrading stroke. The improvement also includes an apparatus for altering the camber of the guide, whereby the sweep of the abrading cup through the lens blank during the abrading stroke may be altered to provide a plurality of different lens surfaces.
Inventors
- 👤 Jack M. Suddarth
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 03:21
CPC Classifications
B; B24; B24B; B24B13/00; B24B13/04; B24B13/043
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim
268 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto, an abrading device for sweeping through a lens blank secured to said chuck during an abrading stroke, and means for guiding said abrading device during said abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for movably supporting said chuck with respect to said abrading device comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck; a second member for supporting said abrading device, said abrading device being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; and positioning means operably coupled between said first and second members for regulating the relative motion therebetween to free movement in two degrees of linear freedom and one degree of rotational freedom as said abrading device sweeps through said lens blank attached to said chuck, said tao degrees of linear freedom defining a base plane perpendicular to said plane of said lens blank, and with said one degree of rotational freedom defining a first axis parallel to said plane of said lens blank and perpendicular to said base plane, whereby said positioning means is freely and continuously movable in said base plane while guided during the abrading stroke by said guiding means; said positioning means having a first coupling rotatably attached to said first member about said axis and a second coupling rotatably attached to said second member, said second coupling defining a second axis parallel to said first axis and tangent to said abrading device; and first planar means coupled between said first and second couplings for limiting the relative motion therebetween to a plane parallel to said base plane.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
268 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto, an abrading device for sweeping through a lens blank secured to said chuck during an abrading stroke, and means for guiding said abrading device during said abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for movably supporting said chuck with respect to said abrading device comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck; a second member for supporting said abrading device, said abrading device being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; and positioning means operably coupled between said first and second members for regulating the relative motion therebetween to free movement in two degrees of linear freedom and one degree of rotational freedom as said abrading device sweeps through said lens blank attached to said chuck, said tao degrees of linear freedom defining a base plane perpendicular to said plane of said lens blank, and with said one degree of rotational freedom defining a first axis parallel to said plane of said lens blank and perpendicular to said base plane, whereby said positioning means is freely and continuously movable in said base plane while guided during the abrading stroke by said guiding means; said positioning means having a first coupling rotatably attached to said first member about said axis and a second coupling rotatably attached to said second member, said second coupling defining a second axis parallel to said first axis and tangent to said abrading device; and first planar means coupled between said first and second couplings for limiting the relative motion therebetween to a plane parallel to said base plane.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first axis is spaced from said second axis.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
57 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said first planar means comprises: a first frame element movably attached to said first coupling; a second frame element movably attached to said second coupling; second planar means for movably coupling said first and second frame elements, said movement therebetween being defined by a plane parallel to said base plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein said second planar means comprises: first linear guide means attached to said first frame element generally parallel to said base plane; second linear guide means coupled to said second frame element generally parallel to said base plane, with said second linear guide means being generally perpendicular to said first linear guide means and said first axis; linear coupling means for movably coupling between said first and second linear guide means, said relative motion between said first linear guide means and second linear guide means defining a plane parallel to said base plane.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus recited in claim 3 including means for adjustably restricting the relative rotation of said second member and said second frame element about said second coupling.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
214 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a lens blank thereto and an abrading cup having an annular abrading surface thereon for sweeping through said lens blank during said abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck and said lens blank secured thereto, said lens blank defining a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said chuck; a second member for movably supporting said abrading cup, said abrading cup having an axis of rotation centered therethrough and an annular abrading surface at the distended circumference thereof, with said abrading cup being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; a guide having a cambered surface thereon and guide following means movably coupled to said guide for following along said guide during relative motion therebetween, said guide and said guide following means being operably interposed between said first member and said second member for guiding the sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank during said abrading stroke; and first means for changing the effective camber of said cambered surface of said guide, whereby said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank may be altered to provide a plurality of different lens surfaces.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
214 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a lens blank thereto and an abrading cup having an annular abrading surface thereon for sweeping through said lens blank during said abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck and said lens blank secured thereto, said lens blank defining a plane generally perpendicular to an axis of said chuck; a second member for movably supporting said abrading cup, said abrading cup having an axis of rotation centered therethrough and an annular abrading surface at the distended circumference thereof, with said abrading cup being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; a guide having a cambered surface thereon and guide following means movably coupled to said guide for following along said guide during relative motion therebetween, said guide and said guide following means being operably interposed between said first member and said second member for guiding the sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank during said abrading stroke; and first means for changing the effective camber of said cambered surface of said guide, whereby said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank may be altered to provide a plurality of different lens surfaces.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
33 words
An improved guiding apparatus as described in claim 6 including independent adjusting means interposed between said first member and said second member for moving said chuck longitudinally with respect to said abrading cup.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein said first means includes means for rotating said guide relative to said guide following means for changing the effective camber thereof, thereby causing said abrading cup to sweep through said lens blank with a different abrading stroke producing a different lens surface.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus recited in claim 8 wherein said rotation of said guide exposes a different section of said guide to be followed by said guide following means, thereby causing said abrading cup to sweep through said lens blank with a different abrading stroke producing a different lens surface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus recited in claim 9 wherein said camber of said guide further includes means for generating both concave and convex abrading strokes as said abrading cup sweeps through said lens blank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
48 words
The apparatus recited in claim 7 wherein said guide comprises a cam and said guide following means comprises a cam follower for communicating with said cam, said cam being defined by a cam plane and a cam axis perpendicular thereto, said cam plane including said cambered surface therein.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said cam is rotatably secured to said second member at a known distance from said annular abrading surface of said abrading cup, and wherein said cam follower is secured to said first member at a known distance from said chuck, whereby said abrading cup sweeps through said lens blank responsive to said cam follower following said cam.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
64 words
The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said cam is rotatably secured to said first member at a known distance from said chuck and wherein said cam follower is secured to said second member at a known distance from said annular abrading surface of said abrading cup, whereby said abrading cup sweeps through said lens blank responsive to said cam follower following said cam.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
30 words
The apparatus recited in claim 13 wherein said means for rotating said cam includes angular means for rotating said cam about an axis of rotation perpendicular to said cam axis.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
17 words
The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein said axis of rotation is included within said cam plane.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus recited in claim 15 wherein said angular means includes means for varying the included angle between said cam and said cam follower, thereby exposing a different section of said cam to be followed by said cam follower.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
19 words
The apparatus recited in claim 14 wherein said cam comprises an arcuate rod, said rod having a circular cross-section.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said arcuate rod includes the arc of a circle.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus recited in claim 17 wherein said axis of rotation comprises a chord of said arcuate rod, said chord being parallel to said plane of said lens blank.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus recited in claim 11 further including means for biasing said cam follower into said cam, thereby achieving close communication therebetween.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus recited in claim 11 wherein said cam follower comprises a first element for communicating with said cambered surface of said cam, said first element having a first axis parallel to said plane of said lens blank.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
39 words
The apparatus recited in claim 21 wherein said cam follower further includes a second element for communicating with said cambered surface of said cam, said second element having a second axis parallel to but spaced from said first axis.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
256 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto and an abrading cup for sweeping through said lens blank during an abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for positioning said chuck with respect to said abrading cup and guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck; a second member for supporting said abrading cup, said abrading cup having an axis of rotation centered therethrough and an annular abrading surface at the distended circumference thereof, said abrading cup being longitudinally spaced from said chuck; positioning means operably coupled between said first member and said second member for enabling continuous relative motion therebetween in two degrees of linear freedom defining a base plane perpendicular to said plane of said lens blank, with said one degree of rotational freedom defining a first rotational axis parallel to said plane of said lens blank and perpendicular to said base plane; a guide having a cambered surface thereon; guide following means for following said cambered surface of said guide, said guide and said guide following means being operably interposed between said first member and said second member for guiding said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank during said abrading stroke responsive to the effective camber of said guide; and first means for altering said effective camber of said guide, whereby said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank may be altered to provide a plurality of different lens surfaces.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
256 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto and an abrading cup for sweeping through said lens blank during an abrading stroke, wherein an improvement in the apparatus for positioning said chuck with respect to said abrading cup and guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke comprises: a first member for supporting said chuck; a second member for supporting said abrading cup, said abrading cup having an axis of rotation centered therethrough and an annular abrading surface at the distended circumference thereof, said abrading cup being longitudinally spaced from said chuck; positioning means operably coupled between said first member and said second member for enabling continuous relative motion therebetween in two degrees of linear freedom defining a base plane perpendicular to said plane of said lens blank, with said one degree of rotational freedom defining a first rotational axis parallel to said plane of said lens blank and perpendicular to said base plane; a guide having a cambered surface thereon; guide following means for following said cambered surface of said guide, said guide and said guide following means being operably interposed between said first member and said second member for guiding said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank during said abrading stroke responsive to the effective camber of said guide; and first means for altering said effective camber of said guide, whereby said sweep of said abrading cup through said lens blank may be altered to provide a plurality of different lens surfaces.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
99 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 6 wherein: said guide comprises an arcuate rod defining said cambered surface thereon, said arcuate rod being movably coupled about a rotational axis thereof to said first member; and wherein said guide following means comprises first and second elements juxtaposed on opposing sides of said arcuate rod for movably communicating along said cambered surface thereof, with said first and second elements being operably coupled to said second member for guiding said abrading cup through said lens blank responsive to the effective camber of said arcuate rod being swept by said guide following means.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
66 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 24 wherein said first means comprises: pinion gear means operably coupled to said arcuate rod about said rotational axis thereof, with said rotational axis defining a cord of said arcuate rod; and rack gear means movably engaging said pinion gear means for rotating said arcuate rod about said rotational axis thereof for changing the effective camber of said cambered surface.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
268 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto, an abrading cup having an abrading circumference spinning about a rotational axis for sweeping through said lens blank during an abrading stroke, and guiding means for guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke, wherein the improvement in the apparatus for movably supporting said chuck with respect to said abrading cup comprises in combination: a first support for said chuck; a second support for said abrading cup, said abrading cup being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; third support means rotatably coupled to said first support about a first pivot having a rotational axis generally perpendicular to said rotational axis of said abrading cup; and fourth support means movably coupled between said third support means and said second support means for allowing free relative movement therebetween in a base plane generally perpendicular to said first pivot axis, whereby said abrading cup is freely movable in said base plane and about said first pivot axis for being guided during the abrading stroke by said guide means; and said second support comprising a base movably coupled to said fourth support, a deck for supporting said abrading cup, a second pivot for rotatably coupling said base to said deck, said second pivot being parallel to but spaced from said first pivot, said second pivot shaft defining an axis tangent to said abrading circumference of said abrading cup, whereby the angular position of said deck with respect to said base may be varied to provide an angular offset between said abrading cup and said lens blank.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
268 words
A lens grinding apparatus of a type having a chuck for securing a planar lens blank thereto, an abrading cup having an abrading circumference spinning about a rotational axis for sweeping through said lens blank during an abrading stroke, and guiding means for guiding said abrading cup during said abrading stroke, wherein the improvement in the apparatus for movably supporting said chuck with respect to said abrading cup comprises in combination: a first support for said chuck; a second support for said abrading cup, said abrading cup being spaced longitudinally from said chuck; third support means rotatably coupled to said first support about a first pivot having a rotational axis generally perpendicular to said rotational axis of said abrading cup; and fourth support means movably coupled between said third support means and said second support means for allowing free relative movement therebetween in a base plane generally perpendicular to said first pivot axis, whereby said abrading cup is freely movable in said base plane and about said first pivot axis for being guided during the abrading stroke by said guide means; and said second support comprising a base movably coupled to said fourth support, a deck for supporting said abrading cup, a second pivot for rotatably coupling said base to said deck, said second pivot being parallel to but spaced from said first pivot, said second pivot shaft defining an axis tangent to said abrading circumference of said abrading cup, whereby the angular position of said deck with respect to said base may be varied to provide an angular offset between said abrading cup and said lens blank.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
49 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 26 wherein: said third support means includes a first plurality of parallel beams defining a plane perpendicular to said first pivot axis; and wherein said fourth support means includes a plurality of bearing means for moving along said plurality of first parallel beams.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
76 words
The apparatus as recited in claim 27 wherein said fourth support means further includes a second plurality of parallel beams defining another plane generally perpendicular to said first pivot axis; and wherein said second support further includes a plurality of bearing means for moving along said second plurality of parallel beams, whereby said second support is freely movable in said base plane as said abrading cup is guided by said guide means through said abrading stroke.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus recited in claim 28 wherein said beams comprise cylindrical shafts and said bearing means comprise antifriction ball bearings.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus recited in claim 26 including locking means for maintaining the angular position of said deck with respect to said base.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-01-16 | 1981-07-18 | 1982-01-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-01-16 | 1985-07-18 | 1986-01-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-01-16 | 1989-07-18 | 1990-01-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |