Method for shaping a lens by cutting out

1. A method of shaping an optical lens ( 100 ), comprising:

generating topographical data of the lens around a desired outline by tracing at least one face of the lens around the desired outline; and

edging by cutting through the material of the lens by means of a cutting-out tool ( 637 ), via a plurality of cutting passes, each cutting pass performed along the desired outline as a pass that is being axially shallow, wherein during at least one cutting pass, the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) is controlled axially as a function of the topographical data obtained in the tracing.

2. The shaping method according to claim 1 , applied to lenses having at least one surface provided with a slippery coating, the lens being held while being cut out at least via said surface.

3. The shaping method according to claim 1 , applied to lenses constituted of material containing smelly substances that will be released during machining.

4. The shaping method according to claim 1 , in which the diameter of the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) for cutting through the material of the lens ( 100 ) is substantially smaller than the radius of the lens ( 100 ).

5. The shaping method according to claim 1 , in which, for the lens ( 100 ) being turned relative to the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) about an axis of the lens, the turning direction is reversed between two cutting passes.

6. The shaping method according to claim 1 , in which, for the lens ( 100 ) being turned relative to the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) about an axis of the lens ( 100 ), at least a portion of a cutting pass is performed while turning in a first direction, and the remaining portion of said pass is performed while turning in a second direction opposite to the first.

7. The shaping method according to claim 1 , in which shaping the lens ( 100 ) comprises, in addition to cutting the lens around the desired outline, cutting along radial sector lines that separate a plurality of peripheral sectors ( 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 ).

8. The shaping method according to claim 7 , in which the radial lines are cut out prior to cutting along the desired outline.

9. The shaping method according to claim 8 , in which, prior to cutting out, at least one face of the lens is traced along the radial sector lines, and in which, during cutting, the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) is controlled axially as a function of the tracer data as obtained thereby.

10. The shaping method according to claim 7 , in which, prior to cutting out, at least one face of the lens is traced along the radial sector lines, and in which, during cutting, the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) is controlled axially as a function of the tracer data as obtained thereby.

11. The shaping method according to claim 1 , in which shaping the lens ( 100 ) comprises, in addition to cutting the lens around the desired outline, cutting along radial sector lines that separate a plurality of peripheral sectors ( 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 ).

12. A shaping method according to claim 11 , in which the radial lines are cut out prior to cutting along the desired outline.

13. A method of shaping an optical lens ( 100 ), comprising:

cutting through the material of the lens along a desired outline by means of a cutting-out tool via a plurality of cutting passes, each cutting pass being axially shallow,

in which, for the lens ( 100 ) being turned relative to the cutting-out tool ( 637 ) about an axis of the lens, the turning direction is reversed between two cutting passes.

14. A method of shaping an optical lens ( 100 ), comprising:

cutting through the material of the lens along a desired outline by means of a cutting-out tool via a plurality of cutting passes, each cutting pass being axially shallow,

in which, for the lens being turned relative to the cutting-out tool about an axis of the lens, at least a portion of a cutting pass is performed while turning in a first direction, and the remaining portion of said pass is performed while turning in a second direction opposite to the first.