Gerber Scientific Products, Inc.

Gerber Optical, Inc.

Gulf & Western Corporation

The Gerber Scientific Instrument Company

Gerber Coburn Optical, Inc.

Metromedia, Inc.

Gerber Scientific, Inc.

Other

Koh-i-noor Rapidograph, Inc.

Metromedia Company

Gerber Scientific International, Inc.

David J Logan

Kenneth O Wood

Leonard G Rich

Heinz J Gerber

Wolfgang M Strobel

David J Gerber

Alexander Flavio Incera

Verner Anderson

Ronald B Webster

William A Loos

John E Ladue

William Hernandez

Charles M Hevenor

Jeffrey J Murray

Robert J Pavone

Joseph W Stempien

Russell F Croft

Mark E Guckin

Daniel J Sullivan

Peter R Baker, Jr

Jonathan M Dooley

Thomas Andrew Gordon

Charles M Hevenor, Jr

Michael J Goulet

Robert I Sinclair

Richard L Edwards

Jay T Niland

Clifford A Scorso, Jr

Charles Hevenor, Jr

Jean P Leuenberger

An apparatus for digitally generating an image includes a printer for generating a desired image either on a final substrate or a carrier sheet with the image then being transferred from the carrier sheet onto the final substrate. The generated image is 'built up' on the carrier sheet or substrate to form a sign, thereby eliminating the need for the weeding process. According to one aspect of the present invention, the apparatus includes a printer that allows the digital application of adhesive onto an image, substantially placing an adhesive in register with the image, for subsequent application of the image with adhesive placed thereon. According to a further aspect of the present invention, a layer of adhesive is applied over a substrate. An image is built atop of the adhesive. A consumable sheet is then brought in contact with the substrate to remove excess adhesive, which is still disposed on the substrate, such that once the consumable sheet is separated from the substrate, the image remains on the substrate with the adhesive disposed therebetween. According to another embodiment of the present invention, liquid film or structural ink is used to generate structure for the image.

Method and apparatus for making signs

In a die board for cutting and/or creasing sheet-type work material, a base is provided that includes a first upper surface and a second lower surface. At least one slot extends along the first upper surface and includes a first slot section extending from said first upper surface at least part-way through the die board base. The at least one slot also includes a second slot section extending from said second lower surface at least part-way through the die board base. The first and second slot sections each have a width with at least one of the slot section widths being adapted to grip and retain at least one die-board rule.

Method for making die boards, and materials and apparatus for practicing the method

An apparatus for digitally generating an image comprises a photoconductor assembly, a corona assembly, and a light source assembly to generate a latent image on the photoconductor. The apparatus also includes a developer assembly that includes a developer, such as powder paint, to generate an image. The apparatus may include a fuser for generating a film image. The apparatus of the present invention may include a cartridge for storing and digitally applying adhesive to the image. Furthermore, the apparatus of the present invention includes a controller for selectively controlling voltages to control thickness of the image. Additionally, apparatus may include a consumable sheet to remove excess adhesive from the substrate.

Method for making die boards and materials and apparatus for practicing the method

In a conformable lap and related method for finishing ophthalmic lens surfaces, a rigid base surface of the lap defines a nominal ophthalmic lens curvature corresponding to a predetermined range of curvatures. A work surface of the lap is defined by a thin, hard, polymeric material extending adjacent to the base surface for contacting a selected ophthalmic lens surface and conforming to the curvature of the selected surface. A selectively conformable substance consisting of a mixture of thermoplastic and metallic particles forms a layer extending between the rigid base surface and the work surface, and is selectively changeable between solid and non-solid forms. In its non-solid form the conformable substance permits movement of the work surface relative to the base surface to conform to the curvatures of any one of a plurality of ophthalmic lens curvatures within the predetermined range of curvatures, and in its solid form the substance fixes the work surface in a position conforming to the curvature of a selected lens surface and retains the conforming position during finishing of the lens surface.

Lap having a layer conformable to curvatures of optical surfaces on lenses and a method for finishing optical surfaces

An apparatus for simultaneously machining a plurality of lens blanks to provide a lens surface on each blank corresponding to a selected lens prescription includes a tool support assembly and a lens blank assembly. The tool support assembly movably supports at least one tool. The lens blank support assembly includes a plurality of lens blank retainers for supporting a plurality of lens blanks. The tool support assembly and the lens support assembly move relative to each other such that the tool alternatingly engages each of the plurality of lens blanks for machining an individual lens prescription in a raster-like manner on each of the plurality of lens blanks.

Apparatus for generating lens surfaces

An apparatus is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer (20) is laminated to a back lens wafer (22) with a layer of adhesive (24) disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens (18). An upper flexible, transparent sheet (12) is located on the top side of the composite lens (18), a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet (14) is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and an approximately air-tight enclosure (16) is formed between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump (36) draws the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the composite lens to press the wafers together. A UV lamp (38) transmits radiation through the upper flexible sheet (12) and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens (18).

Apparatus for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination

A method is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer (20) is laminated to a back lens wafer (22) with a layer of adhesive (24) disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens (18). An upper flexible, transparent sheet (12) is located on the top side of the composite lens (18), a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet (14) is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and an approximately air-tight enclosure (16) is formed between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump (36) draws the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the composite lens to press the wafers together. A UV lamp (38) transmits radiation through the upper flexible sheet (12) and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens (18).

Method for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination

An apparatus is provided for making ophthalmic lenses by vacuum lamination wherein a front lens wafer is laminated to a back lens wafer with a layer of adhesive disposed within the interface between the two wafers forming a composite lens. An upper flexible, transparent sheet is located on the top side of the composite lens, a lower flexible, opaque or transparent sheet is located on the bottom side of the composite lens, and a seam is formed between the upper and lower flexible sheets which defines an evacuation chamber between the sheets for receiving the composite lens. A vacuum pump is connected in fluid communication with the evacuation chamber for evacuating air from the chamber and in turn drawing the upper and lower flexible sheets into engagement with the top and bottom sides of the composite lens, respectively, to press the lens wafers together and spread the adhesive throughout the wafer interface. A UV lamp is mounted above the composite lens for transmitting UV radiation through the upper flexible sheet and into the adhesive layer to cure the adhesive and form the composite lens.

Ophthalmic lens wafers for forming a composite lens are provided wherein each front lens wafer has a front registration pattern formed on its peripheral edge, and each back lens wafer has a back registration pattern formed on its peripheral edge which is different than the front registration pattern. If the ophthalmic lens wafers include optical axes, such as horizontal axes for multi-focal segments or astigmatism axes, each registration pattern is oriented at a predetermined angle relative to the respective optical axis for facilitating alignment of the optical axes relative to each other when forming a composite lens in accordance with a particular prescription. Each lens registration pattern may be formed by a pair of notches on the peripheral edge of the wafers, or by a pair of lobes on the peripheral edge of the wafers. A receiver is also provided for holding and registering the ophthalmic lens wafers when laminating or otherwise forming a composite lens. The receiver defines a stepped recess formed by a plurality of circular-shaped steps, and each step includes at least one registration pattern which matches the registration pattern of either a front or back lens wafer, but not both. The registration patterns of the receiver may be formed by key pairs which are shaped and positioned relative to each other to mesh with a respective lens registration pattern. The key pairs may likewise be retractable for generating different registration patterns to receive different wafer types on the same step of the receiver. Alternatively, the registration pattern of the receiver may be formed by recessed surface areas for receiving corresponding lobes on the lens wafers. The recessed surface areas may likewise be formed by retractable surface sections for generating different registration patterns to receive different wafer types on the same step of the receiver.

Ophthalmic lens wafers and receiver for registering such wafers

A lens or lap blank surfacing machine, for use in making eyeglass lenses, and related surfacing method and rotary cutting tool, is one wherein the rotary cutting tool is moved point by point over the entire extent of a face of the blank to form a new face surface on the blank with the movements of the tool and blank relative to one another being controlled in three coordinate directions by a computer controller to give the formed surface a shape related to a given eyeglass prescription or similar specification. The rotary cutting tool has a number of peripheral zones surrounding its rotation axis with at least one of the zones having a fine cutting characteristic and with at least one other of the zones having a coarse cutting characteristic. In the movement of the tool and blank relative to one another, the tool is held so that its fine peripheral zone engages and cuts away blank material immediately adjacent the desired surface and so that the coarse peripheral zone engages and cuts away blank material to a depth not quite reaching the desired surface thereby leaving a thin layer of residual unwanted blank material which is cut away by the fine peripheral zone of the tool at a later time, this permitting the creation of a face surface of desired shape and fine surface finish.

Optical lens or lap blank surfacing machine, related method and cutting

A printing apparatus for printing designs, halftones, alphanumeric and other printed matter on sheet material utilizes a thermal printhead that is pressed against sheet material on a roller platen during a printing operation. A donor web bearing an ink material is interposed between the printhead and the sheet material on the roller platen. In order to improve the print quality, the printer includes a pressure regulating mechanism which not only controls the pressure between the printing head and roller platen at different pressure levels but also allows the printing head and platen to be separated and moved away from one another.

Printing apparatus with pressure regulation

A method and apparatus for preparing graphic products utilizes a printer to print on sheet material and a cutter to cut the sheet material with the printed material within the periphery of the cut edges. Both the printer and the cutter are controlled by machine readable data having a common data base so that the printed material and the cut material correspond positionally in the final graphic product. The printer is a thermal printer that places the printed material on a strip of sheet material generally before the sheet material is cut. The thermal printer utilizes a donor web bearing a transfer ink to create enhanced printed images on the sheet material with half tones, color and other attractive features. The printer is controlled to regulate a number of printing parameters through coding on a cassette in which the donor web is supported.

Apparatus for making a graphic product

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Monterey, MA, United States of America

David J Logan