Patent ID: 7380417

Claim:
A continuous forming system for glass, comprising: a first processing station defining a reception region, a first heating region, a first transfer region, and a first cooling region which are arranged successively along a first angular direction, and including a first rotating device rotatable along said first angular direction to move through said reception region, said first heating region, said first transfer region, and said first cooling region; a second processing station defining a second transfer region, at least one second heating region, at least one forming region and at least one second cooling region which are arranged successively along a second angular direction, and including a second rotating device rotatable along said second angular direction to move through said second transfer region, said second heating region, said forming region and said second cooling region; said second rotating device disposed in said second processing station for rotating along a second direction so as to move between said second transfer region, said second heating region, said forming region and said second cooling region, said second rotating device including a lower rotary part and an upper rotary part disposed above said lower rotary part; a forming device including at least one forming unit which is mounted on said second rotating device for moving between said second transfer region, said second heating region, said forming region, and said second cooling region, said forming device further including at least one sleeve member which is mountable on said first rotating device for moving between said reception region, said first heating region, said first transfer region and said cooling region and which is movable to said second rotating unit for cooperating with said forming unit, said forming unit having a lower mold unit mounted on said lower rotary part, and an upper mold unit mounted on said upper rotary part to move toward and away from said lower mold unit, said sleeve member being mountable between said lower and upper mold units, said sleeve member including at least one sleeve wall defining a slot, said sleeve wall having a first shoulder face formed around said slot and adapted to support a glass blank, and a second shoulder face formed around said slot above said first shoulder face and adapted to support a lens; and a pick-up device provided between said first and second transfer regions and between said first and second rotating devices to transfer said sleeve member between said first and second rotating devices.