Title of Invention

"COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MILLING MACHINE FOR PRODUCING LENSES FOR CLIP-ON ACCESSORY OR EYEGLASSES"

Abstract

A milling machine for shaping blanks to create optical lenses to be attached to eyeglass frames and to create filter lenses for a clip on accessory whose pair of filter lenses register with a pair of optical lenses in prescription eyeglasses when the accessory is hitched onto the frame of the eyeglasses. The frame of the eyeglasses is composed of two like half sections having a predetermined geometry, an optical lens being mounted in each half section. The filter lenses in the accessor) which are joined by a bridge piece have a geometry matching that of the half sections of the frame whereby the appearance of the clip on accessory is compatible with that of the eyeglasses.

Full Text

A milling machine for shaping blanks to create optical lenses to be attached to eyeglass frames and to create filter lenses for a clip on accessory whose pair of filter lenses register with a pair of optical lenses in prescription eyeglasses when the accessory is hitched onto the frame of the eyeglasses. The frame of the eyeglasses is composed of two like half sections having a predetermined geometry, an optical lens being mounted in each half section. The filter lenses in the accessor) which are joined by a bridge piece have a geometry matching that of the half sections of the frame whereby the appearance of the clip on accessory is compatible with that of the eyeglasses. WE CLAIM: 1. A computer controlled milling machine for producing lenses for clip-on accessory or eyeglasses, wherein machine for milling blanks to create filter lenses for a clip-on accessory, having a pair of filter lenses, when the accessory is hitched onto a pair of eyeglasses (10), having two half sections (10R. 10L), then lie in registration with these half sections: said eyeglasses having a predetermined geometry that is matched by the geometry of the filter lenses; said machine characterized by a) a pair of worktables (18), each to support one of the blanks to be shaped, and each having a first motor (22) for driving worktable; b) a drill bit unit (26) provided with a rotatable drill bit (29); c) an elevator (28) supporting said drill bit unit and shiftable along a vertical axis to raise or lower the drill bit with respect to the blank on each worktable, and a second motor (33) for driving the elevator; d) a carriage (38) carrying said elevator and shiftable along a horizontal axis to move the drill bit back and forth with respect to said blank, said carriage being driven by a third motor (39); and e) a processor (c) to coordinate the operation of the first, second and third motors to cause said drill bit to shape the blank to form a filter lens of the desired geometry. 2. A machine as claimed in claim 1. wherein said first, second and third motors arc stepping motors each powered by a train of de pulses the polarity of which determines the extent and direction of movement. 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said computer controls the stepping motors by varying the number of pulses in the train and their polarity. 4. A machine as claimed in claim I, wherein the drill bit drills holes in said blank to receive plugs of a chip for anchoring the clip on the filter lens so that the accessory can be hitched onto the eyeglasses. 5. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drill bit unit is driven to rotate continuously by a motor. 6. A machine as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drill bit unit is self-sufficient and can be decoupled for its drive motor. 7. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein digitally stored in a database of the computer is digital data regarding the predetermined geometry of the frame, from which data the computer controls the motors to produce a filter lens having a matching geometry. 8. A machine as claimed in claim 7, wherein the frame of the eyeglasses are scanned by an electronic scanner to which the clip on is to be hitched, the scanner supplying the computer with a digital image of the frame from which the data stored in the database is obtained. 9. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein each worktable is driven by its own said first motor through a shaft having means to tension the said shaft to maintain the worktable at a set position. 10. A machine as claimed in claim 9, wherein the tension means are provided by a spiral spring surrounded to the said shaft one end of the spring being attached to the shaft the other end to a fixed body. 1 1. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the machine is adapted to perform drilling, milling, cutting, matching and engraving operations by means of the same drill bit. 12. A machine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lenses are to be included in a clip-on accessory having a said lenses which, when the accessory is hitched onto a pair of eyeglasses, having two half sections, the lenses lie in registration with these half sections. 13. A machine for shaping blanks to create filter lenses substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

1838-delnp-2004-abstract.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-claims.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-complete specification(as files).pdf

1838-delnp-2004-complete specification(granted).pdf

1838-delnp-2004-correspondence-others.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-correspondence-po.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-description (complete).pdf

1838-delnp-2004-drawings.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-1.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-13.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-19.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-2.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-3.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-form-5.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-gpa.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-pct-210.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-pct-409.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-pct-416.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-petition-137.pdf

1838-delnp-2004-petition-138.pdf