APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MOLDING OPTICAL ELEMENT

• Main Author: YOSHIKUNI KEISUKE
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.07.2011
• Subjects: CHEMISTRY; GLASS; MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES; METALLURGY; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PHYSICS

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for molding an optical element which allows the production cost of an optical element to be suppressed, and a method for molding an optical element. SOLUTION: In the apparatus for molding an optical element, an optical element molding material 2 is mounted inside a molding die composed of an upper die 11 and a lower die 12, the optical element molding material 2 is heated to a temperature higher than its softening point, and then the optical element molding material 2 is press-molded into an optical element with a prescribed shape. The apparatus includes: a conveying means 41 mounting the optical element molding material 2 inside the molding die, and discharging the optical element press-molded into a prescribed shape from the inside of the molding die; a casing 30 storing the molding die; an evacuation means 50c of evacuating the inside 30 of the casing; an inert gas introduction means 60 introducing an inert gas inside the casing 30; and a controlling means 1C controlling the evacuation means and the inert gas introduction means. COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT