Patent ID: 7607910

Claim:
A device for producing an optical lens from a polymerizable material, the device comprising: a first molding shell ( 12 ); a second molding shell ( 29 ); and means for holding said first molding shell ( 12 ) and said second molding shell ( 29 ) in a predetermined molding position to face each other at a distance in a predetermined relative position and with a predetermined orientation, wherein the means for holding comprises i) a first shell support ( 6 ) configured to immobilize said first shell ( 12 ) in a predetermined position relative to said first shell support ( 6 ) and a second shell support ( 27 ) configured to immobilize said second shell ( 29 ) in a predetermined position relative to said second shell support ( 27 ), a first support ( 1 ) on which said first shell support ( 6 ) is mounted, and ii) a second support ( 2 ) on which the second shell support ( 27 ) is mounted, the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) being articulated to each other about a fixed hinge ( 5 ) with respect to which the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are each configured to pivot, wherein the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are configured to assume i) a first relative position in which the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are one against the other with the first shell ( 12 ) and the second shell ( 29 ) in said predetermined relative position and ii) a second relative position in which, compared to said first relative position, the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are moved away from each other by virtue of a relative pivoting movement, said device having a molding configuration in which the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are in said first relative position and the first shell ( 12 ) and the second shell ( 29 ) have said predetermined orientation, and wherein the device further comprises a first configuration in which the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are in said first relative position and each is oriented flat with the first support ( 1 ) above the second support ( 2 ), and a second configuration in which the first support ( 1 ) and the second support ( 2 ) are in said first relative position and each is oriented flat with the second support ( 2 ) above the first support ( 1 ).