Molding method for producing optical glass element

Claim 2

In a method for producing an optical glass element which comprises subjecting optical glass in a mold to heat and pressure, the improvement wherein the mold is one obtained by coating a compound material of metal and ceramic with a thin film of a platinum group metal alloy.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).

Claim 4

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preparing a mold by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of a platinum group metal alloy; and molding optical glass into the firm of an optical glass element by using said mold while applying heat and pressure to said optical glass, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 5

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preparing a mold by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of a platinum group metal alloy; and molding optical glass into the firm of an optical glass element by using said mold while applying heat and pressure to said optical glass, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 6

A method according to claim 3, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).

Claim 7

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preheating a block of optical glass to soften it; hot-pressing said softened optical glass block using a mold obtained by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy to thereby mold said optical glass block into the form of an optical glass element having a desired shape; cooling said optical glass element at a temperature not higher than the annealing temperature of said optical glass under the condition that said optical glass element is held in said mold; and removing said optical glass element from said mold.

Claim 8

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preheating a block of optical glass to soften it; hot-pressing said softened optical glass block using a mold obtained by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy to thereby mold said optical glass block into the form of an optical glass element having a desired shape; cooling said optical glass element at a temperature not higher than the annealing temperature of said optical glass under the condition that said optical glass element is held in said mold; and removing said optical glass element from said mold.

Claim 9

A method according to claim 5, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).

Claim 10

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preheating a block of optical glass to soften it; hot-pressing said softened optical glass block using a mold obtained by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy to thereby mold said optical glass block into a form of an optical glass element having a desired shape; cooling said optical glass element at a temperature not higher than the annealing temperature of said optical glass under the condition that said optical glass element is held in said mold; and removing said optical glass element from said mold, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 11

A molding method for producing an optical glass element comprising the steps of: preheating a block of optical glass to soften it; hot-pressing said softened optical glass block using a mold obtained by coating a compound material of metal and ceramics with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy to thereby mold said optical glass block into a form of an optical glass element having a desired shape; cooling said optical glass element at a temperature not higher than the annealing temperature of said optical glass under the condition that said optical glass element is held in said mold; and removing said optical glass element from said mold, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 12

A method according to claim 7, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).

Claim 13

A mold for producing an optical glass element which comprises a compound material of metal and ceramics coated with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy.

Claim 14

A mold for producing an optical glass element which comprises a compound material of metal and ceramics coated with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy.

Claim 15

A mold according to claim 9, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).

Claim 16

A mold for producing an optical glass element which comprises a compound material of metal and ceramics coated with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 17

A mold for producing an optical glass element which comprises a compound material of metal and ceramics coated with a thin film of platinum group metal alloy, wherein said compound material of metal and ceramics is a hard metal containing wolfram carbide (WC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium carbide (TiC) as its principal component, a cermet containing titanium nitride (TiN) as its principal component, a cermet containing alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) as its principal component, or a cermet containing chromium carbide (Cr 3 C 2 ) as its principal component.

Claim 18

A mold according to claim 11, wherein said platinum group metal alloy is an alloy containing 99-30 weight % of platinum and the remainder containing at least one element selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), osmium (Os), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh), and ruthenium (Ru).