Automatic blocking and lens blank measuring apparatus and method

1. An apparatus for automatically blocking a lens blank to a block and measuring the lens blank, comprising:

a support base;

an alignment station disposed on the support base for aligning the block with the lens blank; and

a blocking station also disposed on the support base; and

a lens blank measurement system that, during a bonding operation or blocking process of the lens blank and block, automatically senses data regarding the lens blank that includes the existence and amount of sag and tilt of the lens blank.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement system is part of the blocking station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement system is part of the alignment station.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the measurement system is independent of the blocking station and alignment station.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data sensed is measurement data of the lens blank.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the measurement data includes sag and tilt data of the lens blank relative to center point of the lens blank.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the data sensed is alignment information about the lens blank.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blocking station further includes a lens blank support.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blocking station further includes a block reservoir.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the blocking station further includes means for injecting heated liquid bonding material between the lens blank and the block which solidifies on cooling to join the lens blank and the block.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lens blank measurement system has at least one sensor that generates a beam to sense the presence of the lens blank and signal a controller to initiate desired measurements.

12. An apparatus for automatically blocking a lens blank to a block and measuring the lens blank, comprising:

a support base;

an alignment station disposed on the support base for supporting and aligning a lens blank for blocking with a block;

a blocking station also disposed on the support base for bonding a block to the lens blank in a given orientation relative to the base, the blocking station having a lens blank measurement system, which during a bonding operation or blocking process of the lens blank and block, automatically identifies and determines measurement and alignment information about the lens blank that includes the existence and amount of sag and tilt of the lens blank; and

a blocking ring having at least one beam yoke positioned around the periphery of the blocking ring for detecting when the lens blank is being placed at the blocking station, the beam yoke generating a beam that senses the presence of the lens blank and signals a controller to initiate desired measurements, such as sag and tilt, when the beam is interrupted by the presence of the lens blank, the beam being substantially aligned with a projected path of the center point of the lens blank as the lens blank is lowered into position on the blocking ring.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , further including a transport means adjacent to the alignment and blocking stations for moving the lens blank from the alignment station to the blocking station while maintaining a desired lens blank orientation established at the alignment station.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the transport means includes a transport arm.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further including a rotary encoder associated with the transport arm and working in conjunction with the beam yoke for measuring the pivot of the transport arm and providing data to a controller.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further including a movement measuring apparatus to measure linear distance between a first position of the lens blank when the beam is interrupted, and a second position of the lens blank when the lens blank comes into contact with a planar surface of the blocking ring.

17. An apparatus for automatically blocking a lens blank to a block and measuring the lens blank, comprising:

a support base;

an alignment station disposed on the support base for supporting and aligning a lens blank for blocking with a block;

a blocking station also disposed on the support base for bonding a block to the lens blank in a given orientation relative to the base; and

an alignment support ring having at least one beam yoke to measure movement of the lens blank onto or off of the alignment support ring to determine desired measurements of the lens blank including sag and tilt.

18. A method of automatically blocking a lens blank to a block and measuring the lens blank, comprising:

lowering a lens blank onto a blocking ring having the lens blank interrupt a beam of at least one beam yoke disposed about the blocking ring;

signaling a controller in communication with the beam yoke to take a first reading of a rotary encoder on a transport arm associated with pivot position of the transport arm;

signaling the controller to take a second reading of the rotary encoder associated with an end pivot position of the transport arm once downward movement of the transport arm ceases and the lens blank is positioned on the blocking ring; and

calculating with the first and second reading to determine sag of the lens blank.

19. The method of claim 18 further includes factoring into the sag calculation an offset distance if the beam of the beam yoke is positioned above an upwardly directed planar surface of the blocking ring.

20. The method of claim 18 further includes determining tilt in the lens blank as the lens blank is positioned in the blocking ring.