Abstract:
An apparatus, method and control system involve treating articles in one or more of a plurality of liquid treatment bath chambers. The apparatus includes one or more article raising and lowering devices and a plurality of treatment bath chambers, preferably having separate heaters, temperature and level monitors, filling and draining devices, and devices for keeping treatment bath components in suspension. The method preferably includes treating articles, preferably eyeglass lenses, by supporting the articles on an arm and dipping them into one or more of the plurality of treatment bath chambers, which may separately contain assorted coating liquids such as tint coatings, UV protection coatings, scratch resistance coatings, neutralizing liquids for removing tinting, and rinsing liquids. The control system preferably controls which bath chamber or bath chambers are to be used for each treatment liquid, the temperature of each bath liquid, the liquid level in each bath chamber, the duration of treatment in each bath, and the speed of withdrawal from each bath for providing the option of different gradient coatings on articles. The control system also preferably manages the power usage in the system, when necessary, by rotating which heaters receive power until all of the chambers are fully heated, at which time the control system only provides power to heat those chambers whose temperatures have dropped to a predetermined temperature.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to applying a liquid treatment composition to articles, and more particularly, to apparatus, methods and control systems that selectively apply treatment compositions, such as tints and the like, to articles, such as eyeglass lenses, by dipping the articles into liquid treatment baths containing the treatment compositions. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the conventional manner of tinting eyeglass lenses, the lenses are maintained in a vat of hot tinting solution for a period of time until the lenses are tinted to a desired degree. Most of the equipment used today to tint lenses is simply modified food warming equipment. Instead of water, however, a fluid heat transfer medium, such as polyethylene glycol, is heated by heating elements located in the bottom of an outer tank. The heat transfer medium, in turn, heats a number, generally eight to twelve, and often nine, of one quart stainless steel steam table pans, pots or chambers contained in the outer tank. Dyes are typically dispersed in water. The water is heated to 200° Fahrenheit, which is often the ideal temperature for tinting. 
     The heat transfer fluid heats all of the pans evenly. Because of this, it is difficult to heat one or more of the pans to a different temperature from other ones of the pans. If all of the pans are left uncovered, because of thermodynamic effects including water vapor loss, etc., the indirect heat provided to the pans by the heat transfer medium will be incapable of heating all of the pans to 200° F., assuming the modified food warming equipment is powered using standard power lines at110 VAC, which produces a practical limit of about 1800 Watts. 
     With all of the pans covered, the maximum temperature of the heat transfer medium may reach above 212° F., although the temperature will not rise significantly higher, since the pans will boil over. However, as soon as a lid is removed from a pan, the temperature will begin to drop. Also, when the lid is removed, the water level will usually tend to drop, and water will almost continuously have to be added. Restoring the water level will tend to further reduce the bath temperature. 
     Accordingly, despite the preferred temperature for dye baths of around 200° F., the actual temperature of most conventional dye baths may generally be expected to be between about 150° F. and 160° F. This often causes distortion in the color of lenses tinted and also tends to unbalance the colors in the dyes. As a result, tinted lenses often require that their tinting be readjusted, a process which requires substantial time and artistic effort on the part of the person adjusting the coloring. 
     In order to provide tint gradients on lenses, the lenses are conventionally raised and lowered repeatedly, the lenses preferably being lowered a shorter distance as the dipping progresses, such that the lowest part of the dipped lenses contacts the treatment solution the most. As it is often desirable to have the darkest tinting at the top of the lenses, the lenses are typically held upside down as they are dipped into the treatment solution. The earliest gradients were formed on lenses by hand. Manually dipping the lenses up and down was the only practical way to form gradients by hand. The commercial machines used today still use this same up and down “dipping” motion approach. 
     The conventional steam table pans are cleaned by lifting them out of the tinter machine, dumping the contained water and dye, and cleaning the pan. 
     An example of conventional lens dyeing methods and apparatus that give a continuous colored density gradient is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 5,096,457 to Nakagawa et al. U.S. Pat. No. 5,453,100 to Sieloff discloses a method for color dyeing polycarbonate in which a graded tint is provided by slowly withdrawing the immersed polycarbonate material from a dye or pigment-containing mixture. A preparation of differential thickness coatings by dip coating, where the substrate is pivoted, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,153,027 to Spagnoli. 
     An eyeglass tinting machine which utilizes a microprocessor-controlled stepping motor to control the vertical oscillations of a support structure is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,915,986 to Elias et al. In one mode, a gradient tint is achieved by lowering the top portions of the eyeglass lenses into a dye vat to the line at which the gradient starts, subsequent to which the machine will simultaneously reciprocate the lenses up and down and slowly withdraw them from the dye so that they are moving vertically at all times. An annular gradient optical lens tint system which may be used with the Elias et al. machine is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,201,955 to Chika et al. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,337 to Talcott et al. discloses a lens dyeing method and apparatus, including a heating element contacting a dyeing tank and a heat controller and sensor for dye solution temperature. The dye solution temperature is maintained and controlled within a preselected tolerance by a temperature controlling unit and its associated heater, which is connected to the dyeing tank. Talcott et al. also describes an automatic water fill apparatus associated with the dyeing tank to maintain the dye level without operator intervention. Additionally, the dyeing tank has associated with it a stirring device, preferably a magnetic stirrer. Talcott&#39;s method uses a dye solution having an elevated boiling point to dye the lens material at temperatures above 212° F. While Talcott et al. mentions the possible use of more tanks, the maximum possible to be heated at one time, due to power limitations, would be four tanks, assuming standard power lines, providing 110 VAC, is used. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A common limitation of the above-described devices and methods is the lack of an integrated and automated overall control system and apparatus for controlling and maintaining variables for different treatments including optimal temperatures, treatment duration, surface gradient treatments, etc. 
     This invention provides an apparatus, methods and control systems to dip treat articles in one or more of a plurality of liquid treatment bath chambers. 
     The apparatus includes one or more article raising and lowering devices and a plurality of treatment bath chambers. In one exemplary embodiment, each bath chamber has a separate heater, separate temperature and level monitors, separate filling and draining devices, and aerators to keep the treatment bath components in suspension. 
     One exemplary embodiment of the method includes treating articles, preferably eyeglass lenses, by supporting the articles on an arm and dipping them into one or more of a plurality of treatment bath chambers. In one exemplary embodiment, each treatment bath chamber separately contains assorted treating liquids such as tint coatings, UV protection coatings, scratch resistance coatings, neutralizing liquids for removing tinting, and rinsing liquids. 
     The control system can be provided with data identifying which bath chamber or bath chambers contain a particular type of treatment bath liquid. In one exemplary embodiment, the control system controls, for example, the temperature of each bath liquid, the liquid level in each bath chamber, the duration of treatment in each bath, and the speed of withdrawal from each bath to provide different gradient coatings on the articles. The control system can also generate an audible and/or visual signal of the end of the treatment duration in each bath. In another exemplary embodiment, the control system can also manage the power usage in the system, when necessary, by controlling which heaters receive power until all of the chambers are fully heated. Subsequently, the control system only provides power to heat those chambers whose temperatures have dropped to a predetermined temperature. 
     These and other features and advantages of this invention are described in or are apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Embodiments of this invention will be described in detail, with reference to the following drawing figures, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view from above of one exemplary embodiment of an article treating apparatus in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of one exemplary embodiment of an article treating apparatus in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 3 is a side view of one exemplary embodiment of a control input device which may be used as part of an article treating apparatus, all in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of one exemplary embodiment of a raising assembly including a stepper motor which may be used as part of an article treating apparatus in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 5 is a plan view of one exemplary embodiment of an element of the raising assembly which may be used as part of an article treating apparatus in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a plan view of one exemplary embodiment of an article treating apparatus in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a graphical representation of selected curves which may be used in one exemplary embodiment of the methods of this invention to produce an assortment of gradient coatings on objects treated in an article treating apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a flowchart outlining one exemplary embodiment of the methods for treating objects in accordance with this invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of an article treating system in accordance with this invention; and 
     FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram outlining one exemplary embodiment of a control system according to this invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     One exemplary embodiment of an apparatus of this invention includes a plurality of treatment bath chambers that can be filled with treatment compositions such as tint coatings, UV protective coatings, scratch preventive coatings, neutralizing liquids for removing other coatings, rinses and the like. Each of the treatment bath chambers preferably has its own associated heater located on the outside of the chamber for individually heating each bath. In one exemplary embodiment, each treatment bath chamber also has at least one temperature sensor to monitor the temperature inside that bath. Also, in one exemplary embodiment, each individual bath chamber has a drain to drain out spent treatment composition, and a liquid (e.g., water) filling device for initially filling that bath chamber and to provide replacement liquid to that bath. The apparatus of this exemplary embodiment also includes at least one integral raising and lowering device that lowers articles to be treated into one or more of the bath chambers and that lifts the articles back out of the one or more chamber(s). In an alternate exemplary embodiment, the raising and lowering device is also a transferring device that transfers the articles to a second bath chamber and that lowers and raises the articles in and out of the second chamber. The raising and lowering device may then be able to proceed to third and fourth chambers and so on. In one exemplary embodiment, the raising and lowering device raises and lowers the articles using a stepper motor, which turns a threaded screw or the like. This causes a correspondingly internally threaded and engaged piston or actuator block to move up or down under the power of the stepper motor. 
     One exemplary embodiment of an integral control system of this invention includes an input device, such as a keypad control panel, on a side of the apparatus. The control system controls multiple items, such as: turning on and off the apparatus; filling and draining each individual chamber; maintaining the levels of the liquids contained in each of the individual bath chambers; controllably heating or non-heating of treatment liquids contained in each individual bath chamber; maintaining the liquids at the selected temperatures based on signals received from temperature sensors associated with each of the bath chambers; tracking the time articles have been treated in each treatment bath; providing auditory and/or visual signals to indicate how long articles have been treated and when and where the desired duration of treatment has been completed; controlling the raising and lowering speeds of the articles to be treated into and out of the baths, including controllably forming gradients on the articles by changing the removal speed over the period removed; and/or controllably transferring the articles to be treated between a first bath and a second bath. In one exemplary embodiment, the control system is provided with information about the proper conditions of different types of treatment compositions, such that the control system will automatically set the treatment bath to such conditions. For example, different treatment compositions require different temperatures, and some compositions are not water-based. For example, many tints need to be heated to about 200° F. and are water soluble; hard coats generally need to be heated to about 205° F. and are not water soluble; neutralizers generally need to be heated to about 200° F. and are not water soluble; UV coats generally need to be heated to about 205° F. and are water soluble; and rinsing is preferably done at about 200° F. The control system can automatically heat the individual chambers to, and maintain, those temperatures, depending upon which treatment composition is present in each chamber. Also, the control system can prevent initially filling and refilling certain chambers with liquid as desired. For example, filling and refilling chambers containing compositions which are not water based is prevented when the only make-up liquid is water. Specific treatment liquids and their associated use temperatures are known and can be readily selected by those of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. 
     One exemplary embodiment of the methods for treating articles of this invention includes transporting the articles to one or more treatment baths, treating the articles for a period of time, and then removing the treating articles. Removing the article may include changing removal speed such that a gradient coating is formed on the treated article. The method may further include transferring the treated article to a second treatment bath and treating the treated article in that second treatment bath. 
     FIG. 1 illustrates one exemplary embodiment of a lens tinting machine  20  of this invention usable with the methods of this invention and which can include the control system of this invention. 
     The lens tinting machine  20  includes a plurality of treatment bath chambers or pots  21 . One or more lift assemblies  40 , lowers and raises the articles to be treated into the baths  21 . Each lift assembly  40  includes one or more support arms  50 . As shown in FIG. 1, the two support arms  50  are able to insert articles into the ten treatment bath chambers  21 . While the lift assemblies  40  are used to automatically treat articles in some of the treatment bath chambers  21 , manual treatments can be made in some, or all of the other treatment bath chambers  21 . 
     The lens tinting machine  20  also includes a lens tinting management system and a keypad  80 , as illustrated in FIG.  1 . The keypad  80  can be substituted or preferably supplemented with one or more data input/output ports, such as port  89 , to allow control software providing the same controlling functions to be used in an associated computer. 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a heater  30  may be bonded to the outside of each treatment bath chamber  21  to directly heat the outside of that treatment bath chamber  21 . Temperature sensors  35 ,  36  and  37  are preferably located below, at, and above, respectively, the intended surface of a treatment liquid  22  provided on each treatment bath chamber  21 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, a gas pumping device  56 , preferably an aerator, is provided to pump gas bubbles at least intermittently into, preferably, the bottom of each treatment bath chamber  21  to maintain dye or other coating or treatment materials suspended in solution and also to avoid temperature stratification. Any problem with oxidizing the treatment materials, such as dye, may be prevented by disposing of the dye after a period of usage, such as about a week. Additionally or alternatively, inert gas bubbles could be used. The pumping device  56  sends the gas through one or more supply lines  57  to exit sections  58 . Each exit section may include a plurality of bubble ports  59 . Using bubbles is more effective than the stirring methods used in the known products. Gases other than air may optionally be used by the gas pumping device  56 . Examples of other gases which may used include nitrogen and carbon dioxide, both of which would have the advantage of not oxidizing the treatment agents contained in the bath. Oxygen is another gas that may be used as appropriate. 
     A filling assembly  60  with an on/off valve  61  may be provided for each treatment bath chamber  21  in order both to initially fill the treatment bath chamber  21  prior to use, and to refill the treatment bath chamber  21  to replenish liquid lost due to evaporation or otherwise. 
     A draining assembly  70  with an open/close valve  71  is also provided for each treatment bath chamber  21 . Also, in one exemplary embodiment, the inside surfaces of each of the treatment bath chambers  21  are coated with glass or another ceramic material. The ceramic coating makes it easier to clean the chamber surfaces than would be possible using the uncoated surfaces generally used in known devices. In general, the heaters  30 , the filling assembly  60  and the drawing assembly  70  are used with treatment bath chambers  21  which are fixed into position. Thus, the ceramic coating makes cleaning substantially easier and also protects the underlying stainless steel surface of the treatment bath chamber  21  from the slightly corrosive effects of the tints. 
     A cover, such as a floating cover  90 , as shown in FIG. 2, may optionally be used with one or more of the treatment bath chambers  21  to reduce the amount of heat loss through the open top. The floating cover  90  has a handle  91 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the keypad  80  in greater detail. As shown in FIG. 3, each treatment bath chamber  21  has a corresponding indicator  81  that includes a light, such as an LED  82 . The lights  82  are continuously lit for each of the chambers  21 . When a select button  83  is pushed, one of the illuminated indicator lights  82  or one of indicator lights  95  flashes to indicate which one of the treatment bath chambers  21  that the displayed information refers to. Repeated actuation of the select button will preferably sequentially cause each of the treatment bath indicator lights  82  to flash and then sequentially cause the indicator lights  95  for the front (or back) and then the back (or front) of the two lifting assemblies to flash. When a bath indicator light  82  flashes, the desired treatment conditions of time and temperature can also be entered. When either of the two indicator lights  95  are flashing, the desired gradient or nongradient parameters of time, curve, depth, and start (just above the surface of the treatment liquid) location can be entered. Pushing select again will cause a different illuminated indicator light  82  to flash referring to another treatment bath chamber  21 . Preferably, the select button can be pushed to move the display to indicate information for each of the ten treatment bath chambers  21  and also to indicate the status for the two lift assemblies  40  with a corresponding flashing of one of the illuminated indicator lights  95 . The information is displayed on display  84 , and can include the temperature in the corresponding treatment bath chamber  21 , the time left in the treatment of an article being treated in that treatment bath chamber  21  and whether treatment has been completed. The indicator light  82  preferably uses one color, such as green, to indicate when a treatment bath is ready for use and another color, such as red, when the corresponding treatment bath chamber  21  is not ready, because, for example, it is not at the proper temperature. The display  84  preferably nominally displays the temperature. The display  84  can be changed from displaying the temperature to displaying the timer by pushing button  86 . The timer setting can then be changed as described below. Preferably, during a treatment period within a bath chamber  21 , the time remaining in the treatment period will be nominally displayed in display  84  and temperature button  87  can be pushed to switch back to displaying the temperature. An indicator light  96  will be illuminated to indicate when the timer function is being displayed. The symbol ° F. or alternatively ° C., as appropriate, will also display when the temperature is displayed. The control panel  80  also includes a set of indicator lights  85  that indicate what type of treatment is being conducted in a selected one of the treatment bath chambers  21 . 
     A timer can be associated with each treatment bath chamber  21  and can be used to measure the amount of treatment time and provide an auditory and/or visual signal when the treatment time is expired. That is, the auditory and/or visual signal will prompt an individual to manually remove the lenses from a bath in which the treatment period has expired. 
     The desired temperature in a selected treatment bath chamber  21  can be adjusted, for example, by holding the temperature button  87  for a period of time, after which the desired set temperature displayed for that treatment bath chamber  21  will begin to rise. Pushing and holding button  87  again, for example, will cause the desired set temperature for that treatment bath chamber  21  to decrease. Once a desired temperature is set, the control system will cause the temperature of that treatment bath chamber  21  to be adjusted to the desired temperature by activating and/or deactivating the appropriate heating element  30 . The timers can be set similarly. For example, pushing and holding the timer button  86  will cause the indicated set time period to rise, first slowly, then quickly. Pushing and holding the timer button  86  again will cause the indicated set time period to decrease in a similar manner. 
     The setup button  88  prepares the lens tinting machine  20  for operation by allowing for the entering of which treatment bath chambers contain which liquids and for the selecting for specific treatment temperatures and treatment times for each separate bath, such that each of the baths can be heated up to the necessary temperatures. The setup button  88  enables the entry of selected information about each of the baths. By pushing the select button  83 , the display and lights  85  will indicate information (temperature, ready for use, timer, treatment liquid type, etc.) about the selected treatment bath chamber. This information can be changed by entering the relevant information into the keypad. For example, information as to whether a tint or other treatment bath is entered. This system will then set a nominal temperature, treatment period (e.g., 10:00 minutes), and whether additional liquid can be added. These values can be adjusted to values other than the nominal values, if desired, using the keypad. After information for a first one of the baths is entered under the setup mode, pushing the select button switches the display to a read out for a second treatment bath chamber. The setup button can then be pushed for the second treatment bath chamber, which can be similarly adjusted, until the different desired treatment conditions for some or all of the individual treatment bath chambers have been entered into the control system. 
     When the lens tinting machine  20  is not being used, an “IDLE” message will appear in the display  84 , and those treatment bath chambers containing liquids will be kept at around 140° F. It is also possible for the on/off button to be an on/idle or on/off/idle button. Alternatively, turning the system off may place the system in IDLE mode. 
     Filling and draining buttons  92  and  91  are provided to automatically fill and drain, respectively, one of the treatment bath chambers  21  when necessary by controlling valves  61  associated with the filling assemblies  60  and valves  71  associated with the draining assemblies  70 . An indicator light  93  is included to indicate when the drain of a particular one of the treatment bath chambers  21  is open. 
     The start/stop button  94  can be used to start and stop timing of a treatment in one of the treatment bath chambers  21  in conjunction with its timer. By pushing select until one of the indicator lights  95  flashes to indicate that the display is displaying if either of the two lifting (either the front or back) assemblies  40  are currently being used in a gradient or nongradient forming treatment or are being set. Also, when a gradient or nongradient treatment is complete using either of the lifting assemblies  40 , the control system will preferably cause an audible signal to be made and also cause the indicator light  95  for that lifting assembly to flash. The up and down buttons  98  and  99  may be used to select between different gradient curves, and can also be used to raise and lower either of the two lifting assemblies  40 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, a stepper motor  42  having a threaded shaft  43  engages an internally threaded piston or actuator block  45  to provide a step gradient treatment to articles to be treated. Preferably, the actuator block  45 , to which an extended member  44  is attached, rides up and down stepwise under the motive force of the motor  42 . 
     As shown in FIG. 4, the support arm  50  is held in position by a block  53 . The block  53  has a fastener  54  to allow when the support arm  50  to be flipped over and to slide back and forth. When tightened, the fastener  54  locks the support arm  50  into place. The block  53  also has a second fastener  52  to allow, when untightened, the block  53  to be manually rotated to position the support arm  50  over one of the treatment bath chambers  21 . When fastener  52  is tightened, the support arm  50  is locked into position over one of the treatment bath chambers  21 . 
     As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the block  45  has a bearing  48  and a slot  49 . The block  45  is positioned over a pair of guide rods  46  and  47 . The guide rod  46  is inserted through the bearing  48 . The guide rod  47  is inserted into the slot  49 . As the motor  42  turns the threaded rod  43 , the block  45  slides along the guide rods  46  and  47 . As the motor  42  turns, the extended member  44  raises or lowers the support arm  50 . Of course, other suitable mechanisms for raising and lowering the support arms  50  could also be readily implemented by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. 
     FIG. 6 shows a top plan view of the lens tinting machine  20 . As shown in FIG. 6, each of the support arms  50  has one straight end and one bent end  51 . 
     At least one of the two support arms  50  should be able to effectively support a set of articles over any one of the treatment bath chambers  21 . 
     Preferably, the article to be treated is taken down to a selected depth a single time, and then incrementally raised by, for example, 0.001 inch increments with no repeated up and down motion. Due to the meniscus effect, this will tend to form a uniform gradient rather than lines of coating. Even if formed, the 0.001 inch lines are invisible to the naked eye. At the end of the treatment, when the article is just out of the treatment bath, a quick jump made up of a series of quick steps may be made in the raising of the article to break off any meniscus attached to the article. While 0.001 inch incremental steps are preferred, any effective size of incremental steps may be made. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the size of the steps should be less than or about 0.025 inches. By leaving the article in at the full depth for a duration of time and then quickly removing the article from the bath, a uniform coating or other treatment with no gradient is produced. 
     The articles are preferably placed in a dipping apparatus attached to one of the support arms  50  that has been positioned over a desired treatment bath chamber. The timer will preferably cause the motor  42  to raise the support arm  50  to automatically remove the lenses from the treatment bath chamber  21  at the expiration of the preselected treatment period. If a gradient treatment is selected, the timer will control the timed step removal of the articles from the treatment bath chamber  21 . 
     Alternatively, the articles may be manually placed into any one or more of the treatment bath chambers  21 . In this case, a timer associated with that treatment bath chamber  21  may be used to track the amount of treatment time and to provide visual and/or auditory alarms at the end of the treatment period to indicate that it is time to manually remove the articles from that particular treatment bath chamber  21 . Also, at the end of a treatment in a particular one of the baths  21 , the indicator light  82  for that particular treatment bath chamber will flash and the system will also preferably make an audible signal. Optionally, one or two sets of articles can be supported by each support arm  50  and treated in two different treatment bath chambers at the same time, while at the same time, up to six or eight, respectively, other sets of articles can be manually treated in the other treatment bath chambers. Additional support arms  50  and/or lifting assemblies  40  could be added as desired. 
     In a further exemplary embodiment, the control system also preferably provides the ability for the arms to automatically move from treatment bath chamber to treatment bath chamber, to provide different treatments to articles being treated, for example by a stepper motor configured to rotate one or more of the lift assemblies  40  and controlled by a treatment sequence input using the keypad  80  or through a data input port. 
     The control system preferably includes a visual representation of each bath and lens dipping apparatus as they exist in the apparatus allowing the user to know what treatments are currently being run in which treatment baths chambers. The control system also preferably provides a visual indication of how long a set of articles has been in a particular treatment bath chamber, and can provide a visual and/or audio signal when a treatment is complete in any one of the treatment bath chambers. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, an eye doctor may prescribe a patient with a prescription for glasses having certain characteristics such as, for example, power, gradient, height, darkness (grade), color, hard coat (scratch resistant coat), UV coat, etc. The lens manufacturer could enter the prescription into a computer. The computer could send the appropriate information to the tint control system to set the parameters for the selected pair of lenses. 
     The link between the computer and the control system of the article treating machine  20  can be implemented using any known or later developed device or system for connecting the computer to the control system, including a direct cable connection, a connection over a wide area network or a local area network, a connection over an intranet, a connection over the Internet, or a connection over any other distributed processing network or system. In general, the link can be any known or later developed connection system or structure usable to connect the computer to the control system of the article treating machine  20 . One possible connection is a RS232 port. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in FIG. 9, a color scanner  240  may be provided which contains a coordinated tint lookup table. An individual can walk into a shop, and have an item such as an article of clothing scanned to determine its color. The control system will automatically select and program a sequence of neutralization, and one or more tinting and rinsing steps to tint an article to match or complement that determined color. In this exemplary embodiment, a round treatment machine  220  is preferably utilized with a central arm  230  which moves the articles from a front vat  221  to a second vat  221  as required to tint the article to the determined color. Jewelry, eyewear, eyewear frames or lenses, etc. may be tinted in accordance to this exemplary embodiment, as well as in the earlier described exemplary embodiments of the invention. 
     Using this invention, a different gradient as desired can be programmed into the control system. The stepper motor can be controlled to change its time/step over time to customize the gradient according to input or predetermined instructions. For example, different “fadeaway” gradients can be provided. FIG. 7 provides a graphical representation of some of the possible gradient curves which may be provided by the control system of the invention. 
     To use an exemplary embodiment of the gradient, the control system is programmed such that simultaneously pressing the “UP” and “DOWN” buttons  98  and  99  causes the display to read a number between 0 and 10. Pushing either the “UP” or “DOWN” button  98  or  99  will allow the user to pick from 1 of 11 different gradient curves, six of which are illustrated in FIG.  7 . Six of the curves, N=0, N=0.2, N=0.4, N=0.6, N=0.8, and N=1.0, are shown. The other five curves, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9, are intermediate the other six curves. A pair of lenses, for example, is inserted into a lens holder, with the lenses usually positioned upside down. Pushing the “ENTER” button and then the “DOWN” button  99  will cause the edge of the lenses to be brought down to the tint bath surface. Pushing the “ENTER” button again will cause the display  84  to display a nominal gradient depth, for example 25.0 mm. Again, the “UP” or “DOWN” button  98  and  99  is pushed until the desired gradient depth is shown on the display  84 . Pushing the “ENTER” button will cause the control system to display on the display  84  a nominal treatment period, for example, ten minutes. Pushing the “TIME” button  86  will allow the treatment period to be adjusted to a desired time period. Pushing the “START/STOP” button  74  will cause the tinting treatment or other process to begin, with the lenses quickly immersed to the selected gradient depth and then slowly removed over the selected time period. The removal speed may change over the time period depending upon which of the gradient curves is selected. For example, if gradient curve  10  is selected, the removal speed will remain constant over the time period selected. If gradient curve  0  is selected, the removal speed from the bath will begin quickly and then continuously decrease over the time period selected. Gradient curves  1 - 9  will be intermediate between the two extremes represented by the gradient curves  0  and  10 . Using the stepper motor  42 , the articles are removed in incremental steps. The incremental steps are preferably less than about 0.025 inches and most preferably about 0.001 inches each. 
     In the Normalized Gradient Curves of FIG. 7, the “1” on the normalized period (Y-axis) represents the step speed (the total desired treatment time divided by the total number of steps). The “1” on the Normalized Steps (X-axis) represents the total number of steps. For example, if a treatment time of 6:00 (360 seconds) is selected, using a displacement (Disp.) of 0.001 inches per step and a 0.5 inch depth (which would require 500 steps for the article to exit the bath), the “1” on the X-axis would represent 500 steps. The “1” on the Y axis would represent a step period of 1.4 seconds/step (500 steps/360 seconds). If a gradient for curve N=1 is selected, each step of 0.001 inches out of the treatment bath would last 1.4 seconds. If the gradient curve for N=0 is selected, the early steps would occur very rapidly and the later steps would be much slower. Thus, for this example, the 50 th  step, which would correspond with 0.1 on the Y-axis, would have a duration of 0.28 seconds (0.2×1.4). The duration of the 450 th  step, which would correspond with 0.9 on the Y-axis, would be much longer at 2.5 seconds (1.8×1.4). 
     By selecting from among different gradients, different “fadeaway” gradient coatings can be formed on lenses. 
     The invention also includes a power management system. In the article tinting machine  20  if all ten treatment bath chambers  21  are covered, if each treatment bath chamber is to be heated to about 200° F., and the heaters  30  are 225 watt heaters, it may not be possible to continuously heat all ten treatment bath chambers  21  using standard line voltage, i.e., 110 VAC, since 1800 watts would be the practical limit on a 110 VAC line. However, the power management system of this invention turns on a maximum of only eight of the 225 watt heaters  30  at one time. Which treatment bath chambers are heated at any one time is periodically rotated until all ten treatment bath chambers  21  are at the desired temperatures. At that time the heaters  30  are only periodically automatically turned on by the control system when the temperature of the liquid in a given treatment bath chamber  21  falls below a minimum temperature given for the desired temperature for that treatment bath chamber with no more than eight of the 225 watt heaters  30  on at a time. Since some of the treatment bath chambers  21  will likely be covered, all treatment bath chambers  21  will be controlled to keep them within their desired temperature range, even with most of the covers removed. 
     Upon activation, the control system can also automatically turn on and off the article tinting machine  20 , automatically fill and empty the treatment bath chambers  21 , provide different temperatures as necessary for the different treatment bath chambers  21 , provide a timing mechanism for each treatment bath chamber  21  to indicate when or how long before the treatment is complete, and remove articles being treated after the treatment time has expired. 
     For example, a partially automatic management system may be programmed with various different parameters required for different treatment baths, such as tint coating, UV coating, scratch prevention coating, and neutralizer to remove color and the like in the different treatment bath chambers  21 . FIG. 8 is a flow chart outlining one exemplary method for tinting an article according to this invention. As shown in FIG. 8, the method begins in step S 100 , and continues to step S 110 . In step S 110 , the desired treatments are entered. Then in step S 120 , the entered treatments are checked to determine if neutralization has been selected. If, in step S 110 , neutralization is selected, control continues to step S 130 . Otherwise, control jumps to step S 160 . In step S 130  the article is transferred to be neutralized to a neutralization bath. Then, in step S 140  the article is neutralized. Next, in step S 150 , the article is removed from the neutralization bath. Control then continues to step S 160 . 
     In step S 160 , the entered treatments are checked to determine if tinting has been selected. If tinting is selected, control continues to step S 170 . Otherwise, control jumps to step S 200 . In step S 170 , the article is transferred to a tinting bath. Next, in step S 180 , the article is tinted. Then, in step S 190 , the article is removed from the tint bath. The article can be removed rapidly or slowly, depending on the lifting time selected. Control then continues to step S 200 . 
     In step S 200 , the entered treatments are checked to determine if UV coating has been selected. If UV coating is selected, control continues to step S 210 . Otherwise, control jumps to step S 240 . In step S 210  the article is transferred to the UV coating bath. Then, in step S 220 , the article is U coated. Next, in step S 230 , the article is removed from the UV coating bath. Control then continues to step S 240 . 
     In step S 240 , the entered treatments are checked to determine if scratch-resistant coating has been selected. If scratch resistant coating is selected, control continues to step S 250 . Otherwise control jumps to step S 280 . In step S 250 , the article is transferred to the scratch resistant coating bath. Next, in step S 260 , the article is scratch resistant coated. Then, in step S 270 , the article is removed from the scratch resistant coating bath. Control then continues to step S 280 . In step S 280 , the method ends. 
     FIG. 10 is a functional block diagram outlining one exemplary embodiment of the control system described above. As shown in FIG. 10, the control system  100  includes a controller  110 , an input output interface  120 , a memory  130 , a timer circuit  140 , a raising/lowering control circuit  150 , a temperature control circuit  160 , a filling control circuit  170 , a drain control circuit  180 , a pumping control circuit  190 , and a data and/or control bus  195  interconnecting all of the blocks  110 - 190 . In addition, as shown in FIG. 10, the heaters  30 , the thermometers  35 - 37 , the draining assemblies  60  and the filling assemblies  70  for each of the treatment bath chambers  21  are connected to the input output interface  120 . Similarly, each of the motors  42 , the gas forming device  56  and the keypad  80  are also connected to the input output interface  120 . Specifically, each of these elements  30 - 80  are connected to the input output interface using signal lines from the corresponding element of the article tinting machine  20 . Finally, a computer  200  is connected over a link  210  to the input output interface. The link  210  can be the link previously discussed above with respect to the lens manufacturer. 
     The memory  130  stores any data input from the computer  200  over the link  210  and the control parameters entered using the keypad  80  under control of the controller  110 . The memory  130  preferably has at least an alterable portion and may include a fixed portion. The alterable portion of a memory  130  can be implemented using static or dynamic RAM, a floppy disk drive, a hard disk and disk drive, flash memory or any other known or later developed alterable volatile or nonvolatile memory device. If the memory  130  includes a fixed portion, the fixed portion have been implemented using an ROM, a PROM, and EPROM, and an EEPROM, a CD-ROM and disk drive, a writable optical disk and disk drive, or any other known or later developed fixed or non-volatile memory device. The memory  130  stores any control routines or programs used by the control system  100  to implement any of the functions described herein. The memory  130  also stores any data values from the thermometers  35 - 37  after they are received and input through the input output interface  120  and before they are used by the temperature control circuit  160 . 
     The timing circuit  140  receives timing data input through the keypad  180  for each of the treatment bath chambers  21 . In particular, the timing circuit  140  has at least one timer and at least one timing register for each of the treatment bath chambers  21  of the article tinting machine  20 . Alternatively, the timing circuit  140  has one timer for each treatment bath chamber  21  of the article tinting machine  20 . In either case, when an article to be treated is submerged into one of the treatment bath chambers  21 , the timer or timing register corresponding to that treatment bath chamber  21  is set to a treatment time input through the keypad  80  or from the computer  200  and stored in the memory  130 . The timing circuit then causes the timer value in the corresponding timer or timing register to be decremented down to zero. When one of the timers or timing registers of the timing circuit  140  reaches 0, the controller  110  outputs a signal through the input output interface  120  to the keypad  80  to generate the audio or visual alarm signal and also indicates in which treatment bath the timer circuit has reached 0. The raising/lowering circuit  150  inputs the control parameters from the memory  130  and generates the proper driving signals for the motors  42  to raise and lower the articles to be treated into and out of the desired treatment bath chambers  21 . The temperature control circuit  160 , under control of the controller  110 , inputs desired temperature levels from the keypad  80  or the memory  130  for particular ones of the treatment bath chambers  21 . The temperature control circuit, also under control of the controller  110 , inputs temperature signals from the thermometers  35 - 37  corresponding to those treatment bath chambers  21 . Based on the desired temperature and the temperature signals from the thermometers for a particular treatment bath chamber  21 , the temperature control circuit  160  outputs control signals to the corresponding heater  30  to either heat the treatment liquid stored in that treatment bath chamber  21 , or to remove power from the corresponding heater  32  to stop heating the treatment liquid in that treatment bath chamber  21 . 
     The filling control circuit  170 , under control of the controller  110 , based on the treatment bath parameters entered through the keypad  80  inserted in the memory  130 , controls a filling assemblies  70  associated with each of the treatment bath chambers  21  to insure that the treatment bath chambers  21  that can be refilled, as described above, are periodically refilled. The draining control circuit  180 , under control of the controller  110 , inputs control parameters input through the keypad  80  and stored in the memory  130  to control the draining assembly  60  to controllably drain the treatment liquid from particular ones of the treatment bath chambers  21 . 
     Finally, the gas pumping control circuit  190 , under the controller  110 , can input control signals from the keypad  80  or the computer  200  over the link  210  to controllably supply or cutoff the supply of gas to all or particular ones of the treatment bath chambers  21 , as described above. The controller  110 , based on the control parameters input through the keypad  80  and/or the computer  200 , and/or stored in the memory  130 , controls the various display lights  82 ,  85 ,  93 ,  95 ,  96  and  97  and the display  84  to provide status information about the various treatment operations being controlled by the control system  100 , as described above. 
     The controller wiring and programming can readily be carried out as disclosed above by one of ordinary skill in the art without undue experimentation. The management system can control various attributes of the treating apparatus. 
     While this invention has been described in conjunction with the specific embodiments outlined above, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the preferred embodiments of the invention, as set forth above, are intended to be illustrative, not limiting. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.