FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to methods for glass molding, and more particularly to a method for molding glass material to make products such as glass lenses.
BACKGROUND
Currently, digital camera modules are included as a feature in a wide variety of portable electronic devices. Most portable electronic devices are becoming progressively more miniaturized over time, and digital camera modules are correspondingly becoming smaller and smaller. Nevertheless, in spite of the small size of a contemporary digital camera module, consumers still demand excellent imaging. The image quality of a digital camera is mainly dependent upon the optical elements of the digital camera module.
Aspheric lenses are very important elements in the digital camera module. An aspheric lens can easily focus an image on an imaging point, because the aspheric lens can attain different reflective refractive indexes by means of selected different materials and profiles. Therefore an aspheric lens can avoid many of the image-forming problems of spherical lenses. In addition, with a single aspheric lens, the number of lens pieces in the camera is minimized. Thus the camera can have a reduced size. Two or more aspheric lenses may be used in some cameras for high quality image forming. Contemporary aspheric lenses are made of plastic or glass. Plastic aspheric lenses are generally manufactured by way of injection molding. Though the cost of plastic aspheric lenses is relatively low, plastic aspheric lens generally provide low image-forming quality compared to glass aspheric lenses. This is because the transparency of the plastic used is lower than that of glass.
Glass aspheric lenses are generally manufactured by way of glass molding. However, such glass aspheric lenses often have a high degree of surface roughness, because the glass molding process is difficult to control. A molded glass aspheric lens should be polished smooth. Nevertheless, the polishing process is difficult to perform because the glass aspheric lens has at least one aspheric surface. Therefore, the overall cost of molding glass aspheric lenses is escalated.
What is needed is a process for glass molding which can overcome the above-described problems.
SUMMARY
A process for molding glass material using a mold, comprising the steps of: gradually increasing a working temperature to a formation temperature T1 while maintaining a normal pressure and an initial mold position, the formation temperature T1 being 25-45° C. higher than a glass transition temperature Tg of the glass material; maintaining the formation temperature T1 for about 60 seconds, and during this period; increasing the normal pressure to a first pressure P3, the first pressure P3 being in the range of 200-400 newtons, and maintaining the first pressure P3 for about 5 seconds while gradually compacting the mold position; increasing the first pressure P3 to a second pressure P2, the second pressure P2 being in the range of 500-700 newtons, and maintaining the second pressure P2 for about 10 seconds while gradually compacting the mold position; and increasing the second pressure P2 to a formation pressure P1, the formation pressure being in the range of 700-900 newtons, and maintaining the formation pressure P1 for about 45 seconds while holding the mold in a most compacting position; decreasing the formation pressure P1 to a cooling pressure P4, the cooling pressure being in the range of 300-500 newtons; and gradually decreasing the formation temperature T1 to a slow-cooling temperature T3 while maintaining the cooling pressure P4 and gradually de-compacting the mold position, the cooling temperature being 5-25° C. lower than the glass transition temperature Tg.
An apparatus for glass molding includes an upper mold, a lower mold, a heating feedback system, a cooling system, a pressurizing system, a main controlling system. The heating feedback system is for controlling a glass molding temperature. The cooling system is for cooling a glass molding under a controlled pressure. The pressurizing system is for controlling the glass molding pressure. The heating feedback system, the cooling system, and the pressure system are connected to the main controlling system.
Other advantages and novel features will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph of physical parameters (φ) versus temperature (T) for glass material applicable to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a graph of temperature (T) variation versus time (t), in accordance with a preferred process embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a graph of pressure (P) variation versus time (t), in accordance with the preferred process embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a graph of mold position (Z) variation versus time (t), in accordance with the preferred process embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a schematic, cut-away view of an apparatus for glass molding in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a flow chart relating to operation of a heating system of the apparatus of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a flow chart relating to operation of a cooling system of the apparatus of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 8 is a flow chart relating to operation of a pressure system of the apparatus of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PERFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, the y axis φ (α, Cp, μ) thereof represents physical parameters of a glass material for glass molding. The physical parameters include thermal expansion coefficient (α), heat capacitance (Cp), and viscosity (μ). The physical parameters are each a function of temperature. In the graph, T1, T2, Tg, and T3 are a formation temperature, switching temperature, glass transition temperature, and slow-cooling temperature respectively. Various glass materials have different glass transition temperatures (Tg). When a particular glass material is chosen for molding, the corresponding glass transition temperature (Tg) is ascertained. The formation temperature (T1) is 25-45° C. higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg), the switching temperature (T2) is 5-15° C. higher than the glass transition temperature (Tg), and the slow-cooling temperature (T3) is 5-25° C. lower than the glass transition temperature (Tg).
Referring to FIG. 2, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the preferred glass transition temperature Tg is 506° C. The formation temperature T1 is preferred to be 30-35° C. higher than the glass transition temperature Tg. In the illustrated embodiment, a predetermined formation temperature T1 is 540° C. The graph shows the changes of temperature during the glass molding process. In the process of glass molding: first, a preform made of glass material is slowly and steadily heated to the formation temperature T1, which is reached at time t1; from time t1 to time t2 (generally about 10-15 seconds), the formation temperature T1 is maintained; from time t2 to time t5 (generally about 60 seconds), the preform is extruded at the formation temperature T1; from time t5 to time t6 (generally about 15 seconds), the preform is slowly and steadily cooled to decrease the formation temperature T1 to the switching temperature T2, and thereafter the preform continues to slowly and steadily cool from the switching temperature T2 to the slow-cooling temperature T3, which is reached at time t6. The preferred switching temperature T2 is 10-15° C. higher than the glass transition temperature Tg. The preferred slow-cooling temperature T3 is 10-20° C. lower than the glass transition temperature Tg. The optimal slow-cooling temperature T3 is 490° C.
Referring to FIG. 3, this graph shows pressure variation during the extruding process of the glass molding process. The time intervals t1 through t6 in FIG. 3 corresponds to the time intervals t1 through t6 in FIG. 2. In the extruding process: from time t1 to time t2, a normal pressure is maintained on the glass material by the mold; at time t2, the normal pressure is increased to a first pressure P3; from time t2 to time t3 (generally about 5 seconds), the first pressure P3 is maintained; at time t3, the first pressure P3 is increased to a second pressure P2; from time t3 to time t4 (generally about 10 seconds), the second pressure P2 is maintained; at time t4, the second pressure P2 is increased to a formation pressure P1; from time t4 to time t5 (generally about 45 seconds), the formation pressure P1 is maintained; at time t5, the formation pressure P1 is decreased to a cooling pressure P4; from time t5 to time t6 (generally about 15 seconds), the cooling pressure P4 is maintained; and at time t6, the cooling pressure P4 is decreased to the normal room pressure. The preferred first pressure P3 is in the range of 200-400 newtons, and the optimal first pressure P3 is 300 newtons. The preferred second pressure P2 is in the range of 500-700 newtons, and the optimal second pressure P2 is 600 newtons. The preferred formation pressure P1 is 800 newtons. The preferred cooling pressure P4 is in the range of 300-500 newtons, and the optimal cooling pressure P4 is 400 newtons.
Referring to FIG. 4, this graph shows mold position variation during the glass molding process. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mold is a two-part mold (see FIG. 5), and either or both parts of the mold are movable toward and away from the other part along a common Z axis. The time intervals t1 through t6 in FIG. 4 correspond to the time intervals t1 through t6 in FIGS. 2 and 3. During the glass molding process, the position of the mold varies with variations of the temperature and pressure. In the glass molding process: from time t1 to time t2, the molds is held at an initial position Z0; from time t2 to time t4 (generally about 15 seconds), the mold is slowly and steadily moved from the position Z0 to a most compacting position Z1 during the above-described heating and extruding processes; from time t4 to time t5 (generally about 45 seconds), the mold is held at position Z1; and from time t5 to time t6, the mold is slowly and steadily moved from position Z1 back to position Z0.
Referring to FIG. 5, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for glass molding includes an upper mold 10 and a lower mold 20. A glass preform 30 is disposed between the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 20. The apparatus also includes a main controlling system, a heating feedback system, a cooling system, and a pressurizing system. The heating feedback system, the cooling system, and the pressurizing system are connected to the main controlling system. During the glass molding process, the heating feedback system is used for controlling the heating temperature, the cooling system is used for controlling the cooling temperature, and the pressurizing system is used for controlling changes in applied pressure.
The heating feedback system includes a plurality of infrared heaters 40. The infrared heaters 40 are disposed around the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 20. Preferably, the infrared heaters 40 can be symmetrically disposed at two opposite sides of a region surrounding a bottom portion of the upper mold 10 and a top portion of the lower mold 20, for heating these operative portions of the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 20 uniformly. The infrared heaters 40 have sufficient power to rapidly heat the glass preform 30 to a predetermined temperature. The heating feedback system also includes a thermocouple 50, for detecting the temperature of the glass preform 30. The thermocouple 50 is made of an alloy of iron and copper, which is sensitive to changes in temperature. The thermocouple 50 can transfer the detected temperature to the main controlling system.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the heating feedback system is a loop control system, and is mainly for controlling the formation temperature T1. The working process of the heating feedback system includes the steps of: detecting the temperature of the glass preform 30 by using the thermocouple 50; if the temperature of the glass preform 30 is lower than the predetermined formation temperature T1, heating the glass preform 30 with the infrared heater 40 until the temperature of the glass preform 30 reaches the predetermined formation temperature T1; and if and when the temperature of the glass preform 30 has reached the predetermined formation temperature T1, starting the glass molding process.
Referring to FIG. 5, the cooling system mainly includes a gas cooling apparatus 60. The gas cooling apparatus 60 can be disposed one side of the region surrounding the bottom portion of the upper mold 10 and the top portion of the lower mold 20. The gas cooling apparatus 60 includes a mass flow controller 64, and utilizes a cooling gas 62. The cooling gas 62 can be a nitride gas or an inert gas. The inert gas can be argon gas, helium gas, or krypton gas. The mass flow controller 64 is for controlling the flow rate of the cooling gas 62. In high temperature and high pressure glass molding processes, the preferred cooling gas 62 is nitride gas. The cooling gas 62 can prevent surfaces of the mold from being oxidized. Therefore, the mold can provide a long service lifetime.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 7, the working process of the cooling system includes the steps of: detecting the temperature of the glass preform 30 by using the thermocouple 50; if the detected temperature is higher than the predetermined cooling temperature T3, adjusting the mass flow controller 64 to change the mass flow rate of cooling gas, and continuing to cool the glass preform 30 until the temperature of the glass preform 30 has reached the predetermined cooling temperature T3; and if and when the detected temperature has reached the predetermined cooling temperature T3, stopping the cooling system.
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 8, the pressurizing system includes a pressing machine 70. The pressing machine 70 can press the upper mold 10 by means of gas pressure, oil pressure, electric pressure, or spring pressure. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the pressing machine 70 presses the upper mold 10 by means of gas pressure. The pressure system also includes a position measurer for measuring the position of the mold during the glass molding process. The position measurer can convey the measured mold position to the main controlling system, for automatically adjusting the positions of the upper mold 10 and the lower mold 20.
It is believed that the present embodiments and their advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the examples hereinbefore described merely being preferred or exemplary embodiments of the invention.
Patent Application
20060107695
