Method of grooving and drilling an ophthalmic lens blank, machine programmed therefor, and computer program

1. A method of controlling an edger device, comprising the steps of:

providing a lens blank having first and second opposite major surfaces and a peripheral edge there between;

providing an edger device for forming a groove in the peripheral edge, and for forming at least one hole extending from the first major surface to the second major surface;

providing a central processing unit operably associated with the edger device for controlling operation of the edger device; and

transmitting processing instructions from the central processing unit to the edger device, wherein the processing instructions comprise:

a) forming a groove in a peripheral edge of a lens blank; and

b) forming at least one hole in the lens blank extending from the first major surface to the second major surface, wherein said steps of forming a groove and forming at least one hole are transmitted in a single cycle.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein multiple holes are formed during said step of forming at least one hole, wherein a position of each successive one of said multiple holes is determined by and relative to a position of a previously formed hole.

3. The method of claim 1 , including the further step of selecting a position of the groove prior to said transmitting step.

4. The method of claim 1 , including the further step of selecting a position of the at least one hole prior to said transmitting step.

5. The method of claim 1 , including the further step of selecting a depth of the groove prior to said transmitting step.

6. The method of claim 1 , including the further step of selecting a width of the at least one hole prior to said transmitting step.

7. The method of claim 1 , including the further steps of:

recalling trace data about the lens to be processed prior to said transmitting step; and

selecting a position in the peripheral edge for forming the groove, wherein the groove is formed at the selected position which is relative to and determined by the recalled trace data.

8. The method of claim 1 , including the further steps of:

recalling trace data about the lens to be processed prior to said transmitting step; and

selecting a position spaced from the peripheral edge for forming the at least one hole, wherein the at least one hole is formed at the selected position which is relative to and determined by the recalled trace data.

9. A machine programmed to edge a lens blank, comprising:

an edger device for forming a groove in the peripheral edge of a lens blank, and for drilling through the lens blank;

a central processing unit operably associated with the edger device for controlling operation of the edger device; and

a computer program stored on a medium in communication with said central processing unit, said computer program comprising:

a) a first instruction set operably causing said edger device to form a groove in a peripheral edge of a lens blank; and

b) a second instruction set operably causing said edger device to drill a hole in the lens blank, wherein said first and second instruction sets cause said edger device to form the groove and to drill the hole in a single cycle.

10. The machine of claim 9 , wherein said edger device includes a router tool having a grooving wheel having a cutting edge for forming the groove and a drill blade for drilling the hole.

11. The machine of claim 9 , wherein said edger device includes a first router tool having a grooving blade for forming the groove, and a second router tool having a drill blade for drilling the hole.

12. The machine of claim 9 , wherein said edger device includes a grooving wheel having a cutting edge for forming the groove, and said edger device having a drill having a blade for drilling the hole.

13. The machine of claim 9 , further comprising trace data stored on the medium and in communication with said central processing unit, said trace data defining a shape of the peripheral edge of the lens blank, said second instruction set operably causing said edger device to drill the hole at a selected position defined by and relative to the trace data.

14. The machine of claim 13 , further comprising an input device operably associated with said central processing unit, wherein said selected position is input via said input device.

15. The machine of claim 13 , wherein said second instruction set operably causes said edger device to drill multiple holes based on said selected position, wherein a position of each successive one of said multiple holes is determined by and relative to a position of a previously formed hole.

16. The machine of claim 9 , further comprising trace data stored on the medium and in communication with said central processing unit, said trace data defining a shape of the peripheral edge of the lens blank, said first instruction set operably causing said edger device to form the groove at a selected position defined by and relative to the trace data.

17. The machine of claim 16 , further comprising an input device operably associated with said central processing unit, wherein said selected position is input via said input device.

18. A computer program stored on a medium for use in an edging process employing a lens blank and an edger device, the computer program comprising:

a first set of computer instructions operably recalling trace data about a lens blank to be processed;

a second set of computer instructions operably causing an edger device to form a groove in a peripheral edge of the lens blank at a selected position defined by and relative to the trace data;

a third set of computer instructions operably causing the edger device to drill a first hole through the lens blank; and

a fourth set of computer instructions operably causing the edger device to drill a second hole through the lens blank, wherein a position of the second hole is determined by and relative to a position of the previously formed first hole.

19. The computer program of claim 18 , wherein the selected position is variable.

20. The computer program of claim 18 , wherein said third set of computer instructions operably causes said edger device to drill the hole at a selected position defined by and relative to the trace data.