Device and a method for measuring a camber geometrical characteristic of an ophthalmic lens

1. A device for measuring at least one camber geometrical characteristic of an ophthalmic lens provided on at least one face with at least one position-identifying mark, the device comprising:

a support for said ophthalmic lens, and

on opposite sides of said support, firstly lighting means for lighting said ophthalmic lens along at least two different incident lighting directions, and secondly acquisition and analysis means for acquiring and analyzing the light transmitted by said ophthalmic lens, said analysis means being adapted to identify shadows of said mark when lighted in said at least two incident lighting directions, and to deduce from the positions of said shadows of said mark a measured value for said camber geometrical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens.

2. The device according to claim 1 , including a projection screen and in which said acquisition and analysis means are adapted to identify shadows of said at least one mark projected on said projection screen and to deduce from the positions of said shadows the measured value of said camber geometrical characteristic.

3. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said lighting means include at least two point light sources.

4. The device according to claim 3 , wherein each of said point light sources is collimated to form a light beam oriented along one of said lighting directions.

5. The device according to claim 1 , wherein said lighting means comprise a single light source with a characteristic dimension greater than 5 millimeters.

6. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition and analysis means are adapted to calculate the measured value of the camber geometrical characteristic as a function of the refractive power of the ophthalmic lens along a meridian of said ophthalmic lens passing via said mark.

7. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the acquisition and analysis means are adapted to compare said measured value of the camber geometrical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens with a predetermined value.

8. The device according to claim 7 , including warning means that are activated when said comparison shows a difference between said measured and predetermined values that exceeds a predetermined threshold.

9. A method of measuring at least one camber geometrical characteristic of an ophthalmic lens, the method comprising the following steps:

providing said ophthalmic lens with at least one position-identifying mark;

lighting said ophthalmic lens along at least two different incident lighting directions;

acquiring shadows of the marks on said at least two incident lighting directions; and

deducing from the positions of said shadow of said mark a measured value for said camber geometrical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens.

10. The method according to claim 9 , wherein the shadows of said at least one mark are formed on a projection screen, and wherein the measured value of said camber geometrical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens is deduced from the positions of said shadows.

11. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said ophthalmic lens is provided with at least one mark situated at the top of said ophthalmic lens or at the center of its outline.

12. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said ophthalmic lens is provided with three marks in alignment on a meridian thereof.

13. The method according to claim 9 , wherein said ophthalmic lens is provided with at least four marks in arbitrary positions.

14. The method according to claim 9 , including the following steps:

comparing the measured value for said camber geometrical characteristic with a predetermined value; and

issuing a warning signal when said comparison reveals a difference between the measured and predetermined values that is greater than a predetermined threshold.

15. A device for measuring at least one camber geometrical characteristic of an ophthalmic lens provided on at least one face with at least one position-identifying mark, the device comprising:

a support for said ophthalmic lens, and

on opposite sides of said support, firstly at least one light source for lighting said ophthalmic lens along at least two different incident lighting directions, and secondly a camera associated with a computer configured for acquiring and analyzing the light transmitted by said ophthalmic lens, said camera associated with the computer being adapted to identify shadows of said mark when lighted in said at least two incident lighting directions, and to deduce from the positions of said shadow of said mark a measured value for said camber geometrical characteristic of the ophthalmic lens.

16. The device according to claim 15 , including a projection screen and in which said camera associated with the computer are adapted to identify shadows of said at least one mark projected on said projection screen and to deduce from the positions of said shadows the measured value of said camber geometrical characteristic.

17. The device according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one light source includes at least two point light sources.

18. The device according to claim 17 , wherein each of said point light sources is collimated to form a light beam oriented along one of said lighting directions.

19. The device according to claim 15 , wherein said at least one light source comprises a single light source with a characteristic dimension greater than 5 millimeters.

20. The device according to claim 15 , wherein the camera associated with the computer are adapted to calculate the measured value of the camber geometrical characteristic as a function of the refractive power of the ophthalmic lens along a meridian of said ophthalmic lens passing via said mark.