Method and apparatus for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same

Abstract

An apparatus and method for holding a mold assembly and molding an optical lens using the same. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for holding a mold assembly, wherein the mold assembly includes a front mold, a back mold and a strip wrapping around the edges of the front mold and back mold to form a sleeve. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The second portion has a top part, a bottom part, and a middle part connecting the top part and the bottom part, the middle part including a base and a holder coupled to the base. The first portion and the second portion are pivotally coupled together at the bottom parts so that the top part of the first portion and the top part of the second portion can be closed to define a housing for receiving the mold assembly therein, wherein the top part of the first portion and the top part of the second portion can also be opened for receiving the mold assembly in the housing.

1 - 47 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         48 . An apparatus for holding a mold, wherein the mold has and optical surface and a second surface opposite the optical surface and is characterized by a radius R m , comprising: 
 a. a first ring defining an opening, the first ring comprising: 
 i. a ring had a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface, and an outer surface and an interior surface, wherein the outer surface is characterized by a first radius, R 1 , and the interior surface is characterized by a second radius, R 2 : and  
 ii. a plurality of teeth formed on the first surface in a circle and protruding away from the ring body along the longitudinal axis, wherein the circle has a radius, R c , complementary to the radius of the mold R to allow the plurality of teeth to receive and hold the mold.  
   
     
     
         49 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the radii of the mold and the circle satisfy the following relationship: R c ≧R m .  
     
     
         50 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the radii of the outer surface and the interior surface of the ring body, mold and the circle satisfy the following relationship: R 1 ≧R c ≧R m ≧R 2 .  
     
     
         51 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the first ring further has a step formed on the first surface adjacent to the plurality of teeth and extending inwardly form the plurality of teeth for receiving the mold.  
     
     
         52 . The apparatus of  claim 51 , wherein the step has a substantially ring-like structure and characterized by a radius R s  that satisfies the following relationship: R c ≧R s ≧R 2    
     
     
         53 . The apparatus of  claim 52 , wherein the first ring further has an edge formed on the ring body between the interior surface of the ring body and the step.  
     
     
         54 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , wherein the plurality of teeth are formed with a material comprising an elastic material.  
     
     
         55 . The apparatus of  claim 54 , wherein the elastic material includes plastics.  
     
     
         56 . The apparatus of  claim 48 , further comprising: 
 b. a base having a first surface and an opposite second surface; 
 i. a ring body formed on the first surface of the base, the ring body having a longitudinal axis (A 2 ), a top surface, an outer surface and an interior surface, wherein the outer surface is characterized by a first radius, R′ 1 , and the interior surface is characterized by a second radius, R′2; and  
 iii. a plurality of teeth formed on the top surface in a circle and protruding away from the ring body along the longitudinal axis, wherein the circle has a radius, R′ c , complementary to the radius of the mold R m  to allow the plurality of teeth to receive and hold the mold.  
   
     
     
         57 . The apparatus of  claim 56 , wherein each of the teeth had a bottom, a tip, and a body portion formed therebetween, and a step formed on the body portion inwardly toward the longitudinal axis to partially receive and support the mold.  
     
     
         58 . The apparatus of  claim 56 , further comprising a sleeve, wherein the sleeve has an interior surface and an opposed outer surface, a first end and a second end, a longitudinal axis and a diameter complementary to the ring body of the second ring to allow the sleeve to be received on the first surface of the base such that the sleeve and the ring body are co-axial.  
     
     
         59 . The apparatus of  claim 58 , wherein the sleeve is rotatably coupled to the ring body.  
     
     
         60 . The apparatus of  claim 59 , wherein the ring body has a groove formed on the outer surface around the longitudinal axis, and the sleeve has at least one hole formed between the outer surface and the interior surface, further comprising at least one locking pin that is received in the hole of the sleeve and the groove of the ring body to couple the ring body and the sleeve together.  
     
     
         61 . The apparatus of  claim 60 , wherein the sleeve further has marks indicating angular position positioned on the first end of the sleeve.  
     
     
         62 . An apparatus for holding a mold, wherein the mold has an optical surface and a second surface opposite the optical surface and is characterized by a radius R m , comprising: 
 a. a first ring defining an opening, the first ring comprising 
 i. a ring body has a longitudinal axis, a first surface and an opposite second surface, and an outer surface and an interior surface, wherein the outer surface is characterized by a first radius, R 1 , and the interior surface is characterized by a second radius, R 2 ; and  
 ii. a plurality of teeth formed on the first surface in a circle and protruding away from the ring body along the longitudinal axis, wherein the circle had a radius R c , complementary to the radius of the mold, R m , to allow the plurality of teeth to receive and hold the mold; and  
   b a second ring comprising 
 i. a base having a first surface  404  and an opposite second surface;  
 ii. a ring body formed on the first surface of the base, the ring body having a longitudinal axis (A 2 ), a top surface, an outer surface and in interior surface, wherein the outer surface is characterized by a first radius R′ 1 , and the interior surface is characterized by a second radius, R′ 2 ; and  
 iii. a plurality of teeth formed on the top surface in a circle and protruding away from the ring body along the longitudinal axis, wherein the circle has a radius, R′ c , complementary to the radius of the mold R m  to allow the plurality of teeth to receive and hold the mold.  
   
     
     
         63 - 65 . (Cancelled)  
     
     
         66 . An apparatus for holding a mold, wherein the mold has an optical surface and a second surface opposite the optical surface and is characterized by a radius R m , comprising: 
 a. a first ring that has a longitudinal axis and a plurality of teeth formed in a circle, wherein the circle has a radius, R c , complementary to the radius of the mold, R m ;    b. means for picking up the mold so that the optical surface of the mold is facing away from the first ring;    c. a second ring that has a longitudinal axis and a plurality of teeth formed in a circle, wherein the circle has a radius, R′ c , complementary to the radius of the mold, R m ;    d. means for directing the mold so that the optical surface of the mold is facing the second ring and the first ring and the second ring are co-axial;    e. means for pushing the first ring towards the second ring so that the second ring receives and holds the mold with the optical surface of the mold facing towards to the second ring; and    f. means for removing the first ring from the mold.    
     
     
         67 . The apparatus of  claim 66 , further comprising means for rotating the second ring so as to position the mold at a desired orientation.