US4844143A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Mold for fixing a metal block on one of the faces of an ophthalmic lens
Assignee: EssilorLuxottica SA
•
Filing: 1988-03-25
•
Granted: 1989-07-04
•
Expires: 2008-03-25
Abstract
Abstract The cylindrical side wall of the mold cavity (8) has an inside diameter (D) which is greater than the largest existing ophthalmic lens diameter, and a generally cylindrical membrane (25) of elastomer material is disposed concentrically inside the mold cavity so that in conjunction with the cylindrical side wall of the cavity it defines a variable volume annular chamber (31), the membrane being expansible and retractable radially under the action of a fluid which is alternatively removed from and admitted to the annular chamber.
Inventors
- 👤 Patrick Herbin
- 👤 Jean-Claude Lacrois
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 22:26
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29C; B29C70/00; B29C70/68; B29C70/78; B24; B24B; B24B13/00; B24B13/005; B24B13/0052; B29C33/00; B29C33/0038; B29C33/0044; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/808; Y10T; Y10T279/00; Y10T279/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
172 words
A mold for fixing a metal block on one of the faces of an ophthalmic lens, the mold comprising: an open mold cavity having a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall and, opposite to said bottom wall, an opening through which an ophthalmic lens can be introduced into said mold cavity, the cylindrical side wall of the mold cavity having an inside diameter which is greater than a first ophthalmic lens diameter, said bottom wall having first passage means for admitting therethrough a molten metal into the mold cavity; a generally cylindrical membrane of elastomer material which is concentrically disposed inside the mold cavity and which, together with the cylindrical side wall of said cavity, defines a variable volume annular chamber, second passage means being provided in the cylindrical wall of the mold cavity for removing and admitting therethrough a fluid from and to the annular chamber, whereby said membrane is radially expansible and retractable under the action of the fluid which is alternatively removed from and admitted to said annular chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
172 words
A mold for fixing a metal block on one of the faces of an ophthalmic lens, the mold comprising: an open mold cavity having a bottom wall, a cylindrical side wall and, opposite to said bottom wall, an opening through which an ophthalmic lens can be introduced into said mold cavity, the cylindrical side wall of the mold cavity having an inside diameter which is greater than a first ophthalmic lens diameter, said bottom wall having first passage means for admitting therethrough a molten metal into the mold cavity; a generally cylindrical membrane of elastomer material which is concentrically disposed inside the mold cavity and which, together with the cylindrical side wall of said cavity, defines a variable volume annular chamber, second passage means being provided in the cylindrical wall of the mold cavity for removing and admitting therethrough a fluid from and to the annular chamber, whereby said membrane is radially expansible and retractable under the action of the fluid which is alternatively removed from and admitted to said annular chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A mold according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical membrane is made of latex and is between 0.5 mm and 1 mm thick.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mold according to claim 1, wherein the cylindrical membrane has an inside diameter when at rest which is smaller than a second ophthalmic lens diameter, said second diameter being smaller than said first diameter.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
65 words
A mold according to claim 3, wherein the cylindrical membrane includes a cylindrical portion and, at each end of the cylindrical portion, a plane annular portion extending radially outwardly towards the cylindrical side wall of the mold cavity, the two plane annular portions of the membrane being fixed to the mold respectively close to the bottom and close to the opening of the mold cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
24 words
A mold according to claim 4, wherein an inner face of the cylindrical portion of the membrane includes a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mold according to claim 4, wherein the membrane further includes two flared portions interconnecting the cylindrical portion with respective ones of said plane annular portions, said flared portions flaring away from the cylindrical portion.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
182 words
A mold according to claim 4, comprising: a first part forming a portion of the bottom wall of the mold cavity; a second part in the form of a hollow cylinder which is detachably fixed to said first part; a generally cylindrical third part which is detachably fixed to the second part and which includes a cylindrical portion which is closely engaged in the second part and whose inside diameter is greater than said first diameter, said cylindrical portion forming the cylindrical side wall of the mold cavity, a lip annular portion extending radially inwardly from that end of the cylindrical portion of the third part which is closer to the bottom of the mold cavity, and a flange annular portion extending radially outwardly from the other end of said cylindrical portion close to the opening of the mold cavity; and first and second washers detachably fixed to said lip and flange annular portions of the third part, with each of said annular portions of the membrane being clamped between one of said washers and the corresponding portion of the third part.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
101 words
A mold according to claim 7, wherein the membrane further includes two flared portions interconnecting the cylindrical portion with respective ones of said lip and flange annular portions, said flared portions flaring away from the cylindrical portion, and wherein said first part has a projecting portion which is closely engaged in a central hole of the lip annular portion of said third part, said projecting portion and said central hole being frustoconical in shape having the same taper as that one of the two flared portions of the membrane which is sandwiched between said projecting portion and said lip annular portion.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
31 words
A mold according to claim 3, wherein said second passage means has one end opening out into said variable volume annular chamber and its other end connected to a vacuum source.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
67 words
A mold according to claim 7, said second passage means has one end opening out into said variable volume annular chamber and its other end connected to a vacuum source, and wherein said passage comprises: a first radial bore through the cylindrical portion of the third part; an annular chamber provided between the second and third parts; and a second radial bore extending through the second part.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
FR1014564A
Cited
US3221378A
Cited
US3330331A
Cited
US3353307A
Cited
US3865178A
Cited
US3886696A
Cited
FR2204990A5
Cited
US3951203A
Cited
FR2409849A1
Cited
FR2465562A1
Cited
US4372368A
Cited
JPS57103799A
Cited
EP0169932A1
Cited
US4669226A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-07-03 | 1993-01-02 | 1993-07-04 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-07-03 | 1997-01-02 | 1997-07-04 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-07-03 | 2001-01-02 | 2001-07-04 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |