Glass optical element and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

A manufacturing apparatus of the present invention has a pair of dies that form each cylindrical surface, and a plane member that forms side surfaces of an element. The upper die and the lower die has a cylindrical surface which is worked so as to have generatrix which connects intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section. The plane member is pressed against reference surfaces of the upper die and the lower die. In this state, a glass material is put between the upper die and the lower die, and a distance between the upper die and the lower die is decreased. As a result, the cylindrical surfaces of the upper die and the lower die and the plane of the plane member are transferred onto the glass material.

1 . A manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a glass optical element, said manufacturing apparatus comprising: 
 an upper die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have an upper die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, and an upper die reference surface worked so as that a distance from the upper die generatrix obtains a default;    a lower die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have a lower die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, and a lower die reference surface worked so that a distance from the lower die generatrix obtains a default; and    a side surface forming member which is pressed against the reference surfaces of the upper die and the lower die and forms side surfaces of the glass element to be molded between the upper die and the lower die.    
   
   
       2 . A manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said side surface forming member has a surface substantially parallel with a plane which is formed by connecting the upper die generatrix and the lower die generatrix.  
   
   
       3 . A manufacturing apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a plane vertical to the plane formed by connecting the non-arc axes or the arc center axes in the generatrix direction is formed adjacently to the upper die and/or the cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       4 . A glass optical element manufactured by a method using an upper die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have an upper die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, and a lower die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have a lower die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, said method comprising the steps of: 
 pressing a side surface forming member against an upper die reference surface worked so that a distance from the upper die generatrix obtains a default and a lower die reference surface worked so that a distance from the lower die generatrix obtains a default; and    moving any one of the upper and lower dies to a direction where a distance between the upper die and the lower die becomes short in a state that the upper die reference surface and the lower die reference surface are maintained in one plane, molding the glass material arranged between the upper die and the lower die, and transferring a surface plane of the side surface forming member is transferred onto the optical element.    
   
   
       5 . A glass optical element according to  claim 4 , further comprising a surface substantially parallel with a plane which is formed by connecting the generatrix of one cylindrical surface and the generatrix of the other cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       6 . A glass optical element according to  claim 4 , wherein the surface onto which the surface plane of the side surface forming member is transferred is parallel with a plane which is formed by connecting the generatrix of one cylindrical surface and the generatrix of the other cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       7 . A glass optical element according to  claim 6 , further comprising a surface parallel with the surface onto which the surface plane of the side surface forming member is transferred.  
   
   
       8 . A glass optical element according to  claim 4 , wherein a plane vertical to the plane formed by connecting the non-arc axes or the arc center axes in the generatrix direction is formed adjacently to the upper die and/or the cylindrical surface.  
   
   
       9 . A manufacturing apparatus that manufactures a glass beam shaping element for shaping a sectional shape of a beam emitted from a laser diode, said manufacturing apparatus comprising: 
 an upper die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have an upper die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, and an upper die reference surface worked so as that a distance from the upper die generatrix obtains a default;    a lower die having a cylindrical surface worked so as to have a lower die generatrix for connecting intersection points between a non-arc axis and a cylindrical section and between an arc center axis and the cylindrical section, and a lower die reference surface worked so that a distance from the lower die generatrix obtains a default; and    a side surface forming member which is pressed against the reference surfaces of the upper die and the lower die and forms side surfaces of the glass element to be molded between the upper die and the lower die.