Polishing jig air injection apparatus and method

Abstract

This invention discloses a polishing jig air injection apparatus including a polishing jig installation base including a surface on which a spectacle lens polishing jig is placed, an injection member which is inserted into an air injection port of the spectacle lens polishing jig, and an air supply device which supplies the air into a balloon member of the spectacle lens polishing jig via the injection member and the air injection port. The injection member includes a main body formed in a pillar shape, and a seal member. The main body includes an air passage, and an annular groove formed in the outer circumferential portion of the main body. The seal member is inserted into the annular groove, is formed in an annular shape, and uses an elastic body. The seal member has an outer diameter larger than the inner diameter of the air injection port.

1 . A polishing jig air injection apparatus comprising:
 a polishing jig installation base including an installation surface on which a spectacle lens polishing jig including an air injection port and a balloon member which inflates by a pressure of air supplied from the air injection port is placed;   an injection member which is supported on said installation surface of said polishing jig installation base while projecting from said installation surface, and inserted into the air injection port of the spectacle lens polishing jig; and   an air supply device which is connected to said injection member and supplies the air into the balloon member via said injection member and the air injection port,   said injection member including   a main body formed in a pillar shape, said main body including an air passage extending through two ends of said main body, and an annular groove formed in an outer circumferential portion of said main body, and   a seal member which is inserted into said annular groove, is formed in an annular shape that extends over an entire circumference along said annular groove, and uses an elastic body, said seal member having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the air injection port.   
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said seal member is formed from an O-ring.   
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the air injection port opens on an attachment surface of the spectacle lens polishing jig, which is opposed to said installation surface of said polishing jig installation base, and has a circular shape defined in the attachment surface,   said main body of said injection member has a columnar shape, and   said seal member of said injection member has an annular shape.   
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a gap to be sealed by said seal member elastically deformed upon inserting said injection member into the air injection port is present between said seal member and said annular groove.   
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 said annular groove includes a circumferential wall parallel to an outer circumferential surface of said main body, and a pair of side walls extending outwards in a radial direction from said circumferential wall, and   the gap is present between said seal member and at least one of said pair of side walls.   
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein
 said annular groove includes a circumferential wall parallel to an outer circumferential surface of said main body, and a pair of side walls extending outwards in a radial direction from said circumferential wall, and   the gap is present between said seal member and said circumferential wall.   
     
     
         7 . A polishing jig air injection method comprising the steps of:
 inserting an injection member into an air injection port of a spectacle lens polishing jig; and   discharging air from the injection member into the air injection port to inflate a balloon member connected to the air injection port,   the injection member including   a main body formed in a pillar shape, the main body including an air passage extending through two ends of the main body, and an annular groove formed in an outer circumferential portion of the main body, and   a seal member which is inserted into the annular groove, is formed in an annular shape that extends over an entire circumferential region along the annular groove, and uses an elastic body, the seal member ( 34 ) having an outer diameter larger than an inner diameter of the air injection port.   
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the annular groove includes a circumferential wall parallel to an outer circumferential surface of the main body, and a pair of side walls extending outwards in a radial direction from the circumferential wall,   the inserting step includes the step of forming a gap between the seal member and the circumferential wall, forming a gap between the seal member and one side wall inserted into the air injection port first of the pair of side walls, and bringing the seal member into contact with the other side wall of the pair of side walls, and   the discharging step includes the step of biasing the seal member outwards in a radial direction by a pressure of air to press an outer circumferential portion of the seal member against a wall surface of the air injection port.   
     
     
         9 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the seal member is formed in a shape, in which the seal member comes into contact with the circumferential wall defining the annular groove, and the gap is formed between the seal member and at least one of the pair of side walls defining the annular groove, and   the inserting step includes the steps of   pressing the seal member toward said other side wall by friction between the seal member and the wall surface of the air injection port, and   elastically deforming the seal member so that the gap is formed between the seal member and the circumferential wall by friction between the seal member and the wall surface of the air injection port.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the seal member is formed in a shape, in which the seal member comes into contact with both the pair of side walls defining the annular groove, and the gap is formed between the seal member and the circumferential wall defining the annular groove, and   the inserting step includes the step of elastically deforming the seal member so that the gap is formed between the seal member and said one side wall by friction between the seal member and the wall surface of the air injection port.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the seal member is formed in a shape in which the gaps are formed between the seal member and at least one of the pair of side walls defining the annular groove, and between the seal member and the circumferential wall defining the annular groove, and   the inserting step includes the step of pressing the seal member toward said other side wall by friction between the seal member and the wall surface of the air injection port.