Patent ID: 6270699
Filing Date: 2001-08-07
Classification: B29C,B29D,B29L,C03B

Abstract:
A process of forming an optical element from optical material, said process comprising the following steps:(a) calculating the volume of said optical element;(b) heating said optical material so as to be a viscous fluid;(c) dropping a predetermined volume of the heated optical material from a nozzle to form a nearly spherical mass, said predetermined volume being the precise volume of optical material that is required to form said optical element, said precise volume being identical to the volume calculated in said step (a) above;(d) pressing said nearly spherical mass between first and second press surfaces to form an optical disc preform, the volume of said spherical mass, the volume of said optical disc preform, and said calculated volume of said optical element being identical; and(e) pressing said optical disc preform using a molding unit having a pair of molds to form said optical element.