Ophthalmic lens blocker

Abstract

An ophthalmic lens blocker for blocking a lens blank onto a support block without touching the block. The lens blocker has a lens blank imaging station for displaying a target image of a prescribed lens and a planar coordinate system associated with this target image. The imaging station has a stand for supporting the lens blank for orienting the lens blank according to references in the planar coordinate system. There is also provided a probing station for measuring a position and curvature of a surface of the lens blank and a lens/block moulding station having a cavity for receiving the support block in a known position and a bonding material dispenser for bonding the lens blank to the support block. The lens blocker further has a lens blank manipulator for moving the lens blank from the imaging station to the probing station and from the probing station to the lens/block moulding station. A central processor unit is also provided for controlling the operation of the lens blocker and for registering the spacial orientation of the lens blank, the spacial position and curvature of the surface of the lens blank, and for associating these coordinates to the known position of the support block in the cavity of the lens/block moulding station. The lens blank manipulator has a vacuum pickup device for holding the lens blank and a plurality of prop stems disposed about the pickup device for stabilizing the lens blank when the lens blank is manipulated by the pickup device.