Container for and use of the latter in a production center for manufacturing individual spectacle lenses on prescription

Abstract

A container ( 10 ) for a production center for manufacturing individual spectacle lenses (L) on prescription, known as a prescription workshop, is disclosed, which prescription workshop has a number of workstations between which the spectacle lenses can be transported by means of transport boxes (K) which are each designed to receive one right and one left spectacle lens and possibly associated processing tools. According to the invention, the container is designed to receive a number of transport boxes in order to transport the latter between at least two workstations of the prescription workshop, the container having an insertion and output device ( 14 ) for the transport boxes, by means of which the transport boxes can be inserted into the container and a specific transport box can be output from the container when selected. The invention also comprises the use of the container according to the invention in a prescription workshop. As a result, a logistic system for a prescription workshop is provided by means of which an optimized material flow of the transport boxes can be ensured in a flexible manner and largely independent of the size of the prescription workshop and the structural conditions thereof.

I claim:  
     
         1 . Container ( 10 ) for a production center ( 12 ) for manufacturing individual spectacle lenses (L) on prescription,  claim 22  for which production center has a number of workstations (A-H) between which the spectacle lenses (L) can be transported by means of transport boxes (K) which are each designed to receive one right and one left spectacle lens (L) and possibly associated processing tools, characterized in that the container ( 10 ) is designed to receive a number of transport boxes (K) in order to transport the latter between at least two workstations (A-H) of the production center ( 12 ), the container ( 10 ) having an insertion and output device ( 14 ) for the transport boxes (K), by means of which the transport boxes (K) can be inserted into the container ( 10 ) and a specific transport box (K) can be output from the container ( 10 ) when selected.  
     
     
         2 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the insertion and output device ( 14 ) has a store ( 38 ) for the transport boxes (K).  
     
     
         3 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the store ( 38 ) is formed by a tray conveyor, by means of which a number of receiving trays ( 42 ) for in each case at least one transport box (K) are circulated in a paternoster-like manner.  
     
     
         4 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 3 , characterized in that the insertion and output device ( 14 ) has a conveying device ( 40 ) by means of which a transport box (K) can be moved from an outer position on the container ( 10 ) to an inner end position in the store ( 38 ) of the container ( 10 ) and vice versa.  
     
     
         5 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 4 , characterized in that the conveying device ( 40 ) has a longitudinal conveyor ( 62 ) by means of which a transport box (K) can be moved from the outer position on the container ( 10 ) to an inner intermediate position in the container ( 10 ) and vice versa, and has a gripper device ( 64 ) by means of which the transport boxes (K) can be moved from the inner intermediate position in the container ( 10 ) to the inner end position in the store ( 38 ) of the container ( 10 ) and vice versa.  
     
     
         6 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 5 , characterized in that the insertion and output device ( 14 ) has a recognition device ( 76 ) by means of which a marking ( 78 ) that is provided on each transport box (K) and identifies the respective transport box (K) can be detected.  
     
     
         7 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized in that the recognition device ( 76 ) is a reader by means of which a barcode ( 78 ) fitted on each transport box (K) can be detected.  
     
     
         8 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 6 , characterized by a control device ( 74 ) which is effectively connected to the store ( 38 ) and the conveying device ( 40 ) and which in turn is effectively connected to the recognition device ( 76 ) and in which information regarding the marking ( 78 ) of the transport boxes (K) that is detected by the recognition device ( 76 ) can be stored, the store ( 38 ) and the conveying device ( 40 ) being controllable by the control device ( 74 ) in order to output a specific transport box (K) from the container ( 10 ) upon a corresponding request, taking into account the information regarding the marking ( 78 ) of the transport boxes (K) that is stored in the control device ( 74 ).  
     
     
         9 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 8 , characterized by a transmitting and receiving device ( 88 ), which is effectively connected to the control device ( 74 ), for communication between the container ( 10 ) on the one hand and a workstation (A-H) and/or a host control system ( 92 ) of the production center ( 12 ) on the other hand.  
     
     
         10 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized by a signaling device ( 82 ) for the filling level of the container ( 10 ) and/or the processing status of the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         11 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized by a cooling unit ( 98 ) for cooling the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         12 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized by a drying unit ( 100 ) for drying the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         13 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized by a power supply unit ( 52 ) for the power consumers that are present in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         14 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 9 , characterized in that the container ( 10 ) can be rolled, for which purpose the container ( 10 ) is equipped with a number of wheels or rollers ( 34 ).  
     
     
         15 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the insertion and output device ( 14 ) has a conveying device ( 40 ) by means of which a transport box (K) can be moved from an outer position on the container ( 10 ) to an inner end position in the store ( 38 ) of the container ( 10 ) and vice versa.  
     
     
         16 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 15 , characterized in that the conveying device ( 40 ) has a longitudinal conveyor ( 62 ) by means of which a transport box (K) can be moved from the outer position on the container ( 10 ) to an inner intermediate position in the container ( 10 ) and vice versa, and has a gripper device ( 64 ) by means of which the transport boxes (K) can be moved from the inner intermediate position in the container ( 10 ) to the inner end position in the store ( 38 ) of the container ( 10 ) and vice versa.  
     
     
         17 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by a signaling device ( 82 ) for the filling level of the container ( 10 ) and/or the processing status of the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         18 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by a cooling unit ( 98 ) for cooling the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         19 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by a drying unit ( 100 ) for drying the spectacle lenses (L) contained in the transport boxes (K) accommodated in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         20 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized by a power supply unit ( 52 ) for the power consumers that are present in the container ( 10 ).  
     
     
         21 . Container ( 10 ) according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the container ( 10 ) can be rolled, for which purpose the container ( 10 ) is equipped with a number of wheels or rollers ( 34 ).  
     
     
         22 . Method of manufacturing individual spectacle lenses (L) on prescription in a production center ( 12 ) having a number of workstations (A-H), in which the spectacle lenses (L), possibly together with associated processing tools, are transported between the workstations (A-H) by means of transport boxes (K) which are each designed to receive one right and one left spectacle lens (L) and possibly the associated processing tools, characterized in that the transport boxes (K) are transported between at least two workstations (A-H) of the production center ( 12 ) by means of a container ( 10 ) having a number of workstations (A-H) between which the spectacle lenses (L) can be transported by means of transport boxes (K) which are each designed to receive one right and one left spectacle lens (L) and possibly associated processing tools, characterized in that the container ( 10 ) is designed to receive a number of transport boxes (K) in order to transport the latter between at least two workstations (A-H) of the production center ( 12 ), the container ( 10 ) having an insertion and output device ( 14 ) for the transport boxes (K), by means of which the transport boxes (K) can be inserted into the container ( 10 ) and a specific transport box (K) can be output from the container ( 10 ) when selected.