JPH0939109A - Manufacture of composite optical element - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent the mixture of bubbles into a resin layer and to reduce a contact time by making a time from the discharge of a resin on an optical substrate to the contact of the resin with the optical surface of a mold constant every time in continuous production from the same mold. SOLUTION: A necessary quantity of resin 5 is discharged on a glass substrate 2 both sides of which are concave. On the outermost periphery of the molding surface of the substrate 2 is formed an end surface which is perpertdicular to a central axis and has a width of a specified value in the radial direction to be axially symmetrical to the central axis of the substrate 2. Before the discharged resin flows to be flat on the molding surface of the substrate 2, a mold 1 is brought down so that the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is contacted with the top 5a of the resin 5. The contact between the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top 5a of the resin 5 is made to be done after the passage of a prescribed time from the completion a process in which the resin 5 is discharged on the molding surface of the substrate 2. Since the resin 5 discharged on the molding surface of the substrate 2 keeps its form almost completely, the mixing of bubbles into the resin 5 is prevented when the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the top 5a of the resin 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a composite optical element in which a resin layer is mounted on an optical element substrate.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior art, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 5-8231
There is a technique described in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. HEI 9-86. In the production of a composite type optical element, when the optical surface of the mold (the surface that presses the resin) is brought into contact with the resin discharged onto the molding surface of the base material (the surface on which the resin layer is placed), the air bubbles inside the resin It is a well-known fact that is easily mixed. Therefore, this publication discloses a method of contacting the optical surface of the mold at a low speed when the optical surface of the mold is brought into contact with the resin in order to prevent bubbles from being mixed into the resin.

Even after the optical surface of the mold contacts the resin, the pressing of the mold must be continued until the resin becomes a resin layer having a desired shape. Even at this time, it is a well-known fact that bubbles are trapped in the resin when pressed at a high speed. Therefore, the publication discloses a method in which pressing is performed at a low speed until a resin layer having a desired shape is formed, although the speed is not so low as at the time of contact.

[0004]

However, the above-mentioned prior art has the following drawbacks. The shape of the resin discharged onto the molding surface of the base material changes so that its height becomes lower over time, so if the time after discharging is not constant, the point where the resin contacts the optical surface of the mold Is not constant, and the range in which the mold has to be lowered at a low speed becomes extremely wide. Then, since it takes a long time to move the mold at a low speed, a takt time at the time of manufacturing becomes long, and there is a problem that the cost increases as a whole. Also, no matter how much the mold is lowered at a low speed, when the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin, if the surface contact is made instead of the point contact, the probability that air bubbles are mixed in the resin is increased, and the yield is increased. There is a problem of getting worse.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to prevent bubbles from being mixed into the resin layer and to prevent the takt time from becoming long. It is an object of the invention of claim 2 to provide a method of manufacturing a composite optical element, and mainly to provide a method of manufacturing a composite optical element in which air bubbles are not mixed in a resin layer. A third object of the present invention is to provide a method for manufacturing a composite optical element in which bubbles are not mixed in the resin layer and the takt time is not positively lengthened.

[0006]

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is configured as follows. According to the invention of claim 1, an energy-curable resin is supplied to the surface of the optical element substrate, and the mold having the optical surface for forming a desired resin layer surface and the optical element substrate are relatively brought close to each other. A composite mold that spreads the resin to form a desired resin layer between the mold and the optical element substrate, then cures the resin layer by irradiating energy, and then separates the cured resin layer and the mold. In the manufacturing method of an optical element, when continuously manufacturing with the same mold, the time from discharging the resin onto the optical element base material until the optical surface of the mold contacts the resin is kept constant every time. I chose

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the structure of the first aspect, when the radius of curvature of the optical surface of the mold is 50 mm or more, the mold is ejected within 5 seconds after the completion of the resin ejection onto the optical element base material. The optical surface was brought into contact with the resin.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the structure of the first aspect, when the radius of curvature of the optical surface of the mold is 20 mm or less, the flow of the resin discharged onto the optical element base material is almost stopped. The optical surface of the mold was brought into contact with the resin.

According to the structure of claim 1, the following operation is achieved. A case where a biconcave optical element substrate (hereinafter referred to as a substrate) having a molding surface (a surface on which a resin layer is placed) has a radius of curvature of 30 mm and a diameter of 25 mm and a resin is discharged onto the molding surface will be described. To do. FIG. 1A shows the shape immediately after the completion of the resin discharge. The resin 5 on the base material 2 has a mountain-like shape, and at the center axis of the molding surface of the base material 2, when the molding surface of the base material 2 is used as a reference, the height H of the resin is about 10 mm. Met. However, since the resin 5 on the base material 2 is a liquid, its shape changes so that its height becomes lower with time. Figure 1 (b)
Shows the shape of the resin 5 after 10 seconds from the state of FIG. At this time, on the central axis of the base material 2, the height H of the resin was about 5 mm with respect to the molding surface of the base material 2.
At this point, the flow of resin 5 has almost stopped,
After that, there was almost no change in shape.

In the manufacture of the composite type optical element, air bubbles are likely to be mixed in when the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin. for that reason,
At the time of contact, the mold must descend at a low speed. on the other hand,
Bubbles will not be mixed in at any speed until the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin, and after the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin, it will be slightly more than after contact. The mold can be lowered at a high speed.

However, in the case of the above example, if the time from the completion of ejection to the contact of the optical surface of the mold with the resin 5 is not determined, the height of the resin 5 on the central axis of the substrate 2 Since H changes so as to decrease with time, the range in which the optical surface of the mold and the resin may come into contact with each other, that is, the range in which the mold must be moved down at a low speed is widened. Specifically, the height 1 from the molding surface of the base material 2 is on the central axis of the base material 2.
Since the optical surface of the mold and the resin 5 may come into contact with each other between the position of 0 mm and the position of 5 mm in height, the mold has to be lowered at a low speed in this range. for that reason,
The tact time at the time of manufacture becomes long.

Therefore, if it is set so that the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin 5 after a fixed time from the completion of discharge of the resin 5, in the case of 5 seconds in the case of the example, the optical surface of the mold and the resin are Since the height of the resin 5 when the 5 comes into contact is constant,
The range in which the mold descends at a low speed can be limited. That is, it is possible to reduce the descending speed of the mold immediately before the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin 5, and it is possible to prevent air from being mixed into the resin layer. As a matter of course, it is possible to descend at a high speed before the contact, and after the contact, it is possible to descend at a higher speed than at the time of contact, so that it is possible to shorten the tact time at the time of manufacturing.

According to the structure of claim 2, in addition to the effect of claim 1, there is an effect of positively preventing the inclusion of bubbles. It has already been explained that if the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin, the mold can be lowered at a low speed to prevent air bubbles from entering the resin.However, the optical surface of the mold contacts the resin. There is a fact that bubbles are less likely to be mixed in the point contact when the optical surface of the mold and the top of the resin are in surface contact and point contact.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2A, the mold 1
When the optical surface 1a of and the top portion 5a of the resin 5 are in surface contact,
Since the tops 5a of the resin 5 have minute irregularities 6, the air 7 may not escape when the resin 5 is brought into contact with the optical surface 1a of the mold 1. In this case, air bubbles remain in the resin layer of the manufactured composite optical element. However, as shown in FIG. 2B, if the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the resin 5 are in contact with each other as close to point contact as possible, it is possible to prevent the inclusion of bubbles. Needless to say, the bubbles are less likely to be mixed in here as well when the lowering speed of the mold 1 is slow.

Therefore, when the radius of curvature of the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is 50 mm or more, the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the resin 5 with the top 5a of the resin 5 as close as possible to a mountain shape.
Must be contacted. This is because, as time passes after the resin 5 is discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2, the shape of the resin 5 discharged like a mountain on the base material 2 collapses and changes to a flat shape. . When the resin 5 has a flat shape, when the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top portion 5a of the resin 5 come into surface contact with each other, air bubbles are easily mixed in the resin 5. As a result of the examination, when the radius of curvature of the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is 50 mm or more, the mold 1 can be cast within 10 seconds, preferably within 5 seconds after the step of discharging the resin 5 onto the base material 2 is completed. It was found that by bringing the optical surface 1a of the above into contact with the top portion 5a of the resin 5, it is possible to prevent bubbles from being mixed into the resin 5 substantially.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the tact time at the time of manufacture is positively shortened and the bubbles are prevented from being mixed into the resin. It has already been explained that if the optical surface of the mold comes into contact with the resin, the mold can be lowered at a low speed to prevent air bubbles from entering the resin.However, the optical surface of the mold contacts the resin. There is a fact that bubbles are less likely to be mixed in the point contact when the optical surface of the mold and the top of the resin are in surface contact and point contact.

Therefore, the radius of curvature of the optical surface of the mold is 20 m.
In the case of m or less, as shown in FIG.
Even if the shape is flat, the contact between the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top 5a of the resin 5 can be made a point contact. Therefore, even if the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the resin 5 after the resin 5 is discharged onto the substrate 2, there is no effect on the inclusion of bubbles in the resin layer.

However, the resin 5 discharged onto the molding surface of the substrate 2
When the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the resin 5 in the shape of a mountain, the distance for descending the mold 1 in the step of subsequently spreading the resin 5 on the base material 2 becomes long. In the step of spreading the resin 5 by lowering the mold 1, it is necessary to lower the mold 1 at a lower speed than the descending speed immediately before contacting the resin 5, so that the mold can be spread in order to spread the resin. If the distance for lowering 1 is long, the tact time at the time of manufacturing becomes long. Therefore, if the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the resin 5 after the resin 5 is flattened on the base material 2 as much as possible, the distance for descending the mold 1 after the contact is reduced,
It is advantageous in terms of takt time during manufacturing.

[0019]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 are views showing manufacturing steps of the composite optical element. As shown in FIG. 4, the required amount of resin 5 is discharged onto the glass base material 2 having concave surfaces on both sides. The molding surface of the base material 2 (the surface on which the resin is placed) has a radius of curvature of 60 mm, the non-molding surface (the surface on which the resin is not mounted) has a radius of curvature of 100 mm, and the outer diameter is 25 mm. The outermost part of the has a radial width of 1 perpendicular to the central axis.
The end surface 2a of mm is provided so as to be axially symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the base material 2. In addition, the required amount of the resin 5 to be discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 is obtained in advance.

Next, as shown in FIG. 5, before the resin discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 flows and becomes flat, the mold 1 is lowered so that the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is covered with the resin 5. To contact the top 5a of the. Here, in the mold 1, the radius of curvature of the optical surface 1a is 6
It has a diameter of 5 mm and a diameter of 22 mm, and its central axis is the same as the central axis of the substrate 2 and is held so as to be vertically movable. In addition, the contact between the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top 5a of the resin 5 is caused by the base material 2
After the step of discharging the resin 5 onto the molding surface of 3 is completed, 3
It shall be done after sec. Therefore, since the shape of the resin 5 discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 is hardly deformed, when the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top portion 5a of the resin 5 come into contact with each other, air bubbles are generated in the resin 5. Will not be mixed in.

Next, as shown in FIG. 6, the mold 1 and the base material 2 are formed.
To bring resin 5 closer to the molding surface,
The mold 1 is placed at a position where the resin 5 forms the resin layer 3 having a desired thickness.
Stop descending. Here, the thickness of the resin layer 3 on the central axis is 0.1 mm and the effective diameter is 20 mm, the resin layer 3 reaches the outside of the effective diameter 20 mm, and the end surface 2 a of the base material 2 and the gold It does not protrude to the side surface of the mold 1. In this state, ultraviolet rays are irradiated from below the base material 2 by means not shown to cure the resin layer 3. Then, when the energy irradiation is completed, a contact body in which the mold 1, the base material 2 and the resin layer 3 are integrated is formed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7, when the contact member is raised, the peeling member 4 previously provided above a part of the end surface 2a of the base material 2 is moved to the end surface of the base material 2. 2a is in surface contact with. However, the lower portion of the peeling member 4 (at least the portion that contacts the end surface 2a of the base material 2) is the end surface 2a of the base material 2.
It is assumed that a flat surface 4a parallel to is formed. Then, the load is first concentrated on a portion of the end face 2a of the base material 2 where the flat surface 4a of the peeling member is in contact, and then the load is dispersed over the entire base material 2. Then, if the contact body is continuously raised as it is, the mold 1 and the resin layer 3 are separated as shown in FIG. 8, and the composite optical element 6 in which the base material 2 and the resin layer 3 are integrated.
Is obtained.

According to the manufacturing method of the first embodiment of the present invention, the resin layer 3 of the manufactured composite optical element 6 does not contain bubbles that would deteriorate the optical performance.

The second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10.
It will be described based on. As shown in FIG. 9, the required amount of resin 5 is discharged onto the glass base material 2 having concave surfaces on both sides. The radius of curvature of the molding surface of the base material 2 (the surface on which the resin is placed) is 15 m
m, the radius of curvature of the non-molding surface (the surface on which the resin is not placed) is 90
mm, the outer diameter is 25 mm, and the end face 2a perpendicular to the central axis and having a radial width of 1 mm is axisymmetric with respect to the central axis of the substrate 2 at the outermost peripheral portion of the molding surface of the substrate 2. It is provided to be. In addition, the required amount of the resin 5 to be discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 is obtained in advance.

Next, as shown in FIG. 10, the resin discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 flows and waits until it becomes substantially flat, and then the mold 1 is lowered to the optical surface of the mold 1. 1a
Is brought into contact with the top portion 5a of the resin 5. The mold 1 has an optical surface 1a having a radius of curvature of 18 mm and a diameter of 22 mm.
Its central axis is the same as the central axis of the base material 2 and is held so as to be vertically movable. The contact between the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top portion 5a of the resin 5 is assumed to be performed 10 seconds after the step of discharging the resin 5 onto the molding surface of the base material 2 is completed. Here, since the radius of curvature of the optical surface 1a of the die 1 is small, even if the resin 5 discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 naturally flows and becomes flat, the optical surface 1a of the die 1 and the resin 5 Since the top portion 5a of the resin 5 can be point-contacted, bubbles are not mixed in the resin 5.

Next, the mold 1 and the base material 2 are brought closer to each other to spread the resin 5 on the molding surface, and the lowering of the mold 1 is stopped at the position where the resin 5 forms the resin layer 3 having a desired thickness. To do.
At this time, wait until the resin 5 is flat,
Since the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is brought into contact with the top portion 5a of the resin 5, the distance for lowering the mold 1 until the resin 5 is pressed to obtain the desired shape of the resin layer 3 is small. Therefore, the takt time of the resin pressing step of lowering the mold 1 at a low speed is shortened, and the overall takt time during manufacturing is also shortened. The thickness of the resin layer 3 on the central axis is 0.1 mm and the effective diameter is 20 mm. The resin layer 3 reaches the outside of the effective diameter of 20 mm, and the end surface 2a of the base material 2 and the mold. It does not protrude to the side of 1.

After that, the steps from the step of irradiating the ultraviolet rays to the step of peeling the resin layer 3 from the mold 1 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

According to the manufacturing method of the second embodiment of the present invention, the resin layer of the manufactured composite optical element does not contain air bubbles that would deteriorate optical performance. Also,
In the step of pressing the resin 5 with the mold 1 to form the resin layer having a desired shape, the distance for lowering the mold 1 at a low speed is made as small as possible, so that the takt time at the time of manufacturing can be shortened.

The third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
2 will be described. As shown in FIG. 11, a required amount of resin 5 is discharged onto a glass base material 2 having concave surfaces on both sides. The molding surface of the base material 2 (the surface on which the resin is placed) has a radius of curvature of 50 mm, the non-molding surface (the surface on which the resin is not mounted) has a radius of curvature of 200 mm, and the outer diameter is 25 mm. The outermost part of the has a radial width of 1 perpendicular to the central axis.
The end surface 2a of mm is provided so as to be axially symmetrical with respect to the central axis of the base material 2. In addition, the required amount of the resin 5 to be discharged onto the molding surface is obtained in advance.

Next, as shown in FIG. 12, before the resin discharged onto the molding surface of the base material 2 flows and becomes flat, the mold 1 is lowered so that the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 is covered with the resin 5. To contact the top 5a of the. Here, the mold 1 has a radius of curvature of the optical surface 1a of 55 mm and a diameter of 22 mm, and the central axis thereof is the substrate 2
It is held in the same vertical axis as the central axis of. Also,
The contact between the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top portion 5a of the resin 5 is performed after the step of discharging the resin 5 onto the molding surface of the base material 2 is completed.
It shall be performed 2 seconds later. Therefore, the base material 2
Since the shape of the resin 5 discharged onto the molding surface of (1) is not substantially deformed, air bubbles are not mixed in the resin 5 when the optical surface 1a of the mold 1 and the top 5a of the resin 5 come into contact with each other. Absent.

Next, referring to FIG. 6 in the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 3, the resin 5 is spread by bringing the mold 1 and the base material 2 closer to each other, and the lowering of the mold 1 is stopped at the position where the resin 5 forms the resin layer 3 having a desired thickness. Here, the thickness of the resin layer 3 on the central axis is 0.07 mm, and the effective diameter is 20 m.
m, the resin layer 3 reaches the outside of the effective diameter of 20 mm, and does not protrude to the end surface 2a of the base material 2 and the side surface of the mold 1.

Thereafter, the steps from the step of irradiating the ultraviolet rays to the step of peeling the resin layer 3 from the mold 1 are the same as those in the first embodiment.

According to the manufacturing method of the second embodiment of the present invention, the resin layer of the manufactured composite optical element does not contain air bubbles that would deteriorate optical performance.

[0034]

As described above, according to the present invention, the following effects can be obtained. According to the invention of claim 1, it is possible to manufacture a composite optical element in which bubbles that deteriorate optical performance are not mixed inside the resin layer. In addition, the takt time during manufacturing can be shortened.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a composite optical element in which air bubbles that deteriorate optical performance are not mixed in the resin layer.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, it is possible to manufacture a composite type optical element in which no air bubbles that deteriorate optical performance are mixed inside the resin layer. In addition, the takt time during manufacturing can be shortened.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of claim 1 of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the function of the claims of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an operation of claim 3 of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a resin is discharged onto a base material.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the resin and the mold are in contact with each other.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a resin layer is formed on a base material.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the resin layer and the mold are peeled off.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the mold and the composite optical element are separated.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a resin is discharged onto a base material.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the second embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the resin and the mold are in contact with each other.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which a resin is discharged onto a base material.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a step of the third embodiment of the present invention, showing a state where the resin and the mold are in contact with each other.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Mold 1a Optical surface 2 Optical element base material 3 Resin layer 5 Resin

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An energy-curable resin is supplied to the surface of an optical element base material, and a mold having an optical surface for forming a desired resin layer surface and an optical element base material are relatively brought close to each other. A composite optical element in which a resin is spread to form a desired resin layer between a mold and an optical element substrate, the resin layer is cured by irradiation with energy, and then the cured resin layer and the mold are separated. In the manufacturing method of 1., when continuously manufacturing with the same mold, the time from discharging the resin onto the optical element substrate to contacting the optical surface of the mold with the resin is constant every time. And a method for manufacturing a composite optical element. 2. The radius of curvature of the optical surface of the mold is 50 mm
In the above case, the method for producing a composite optical element according to claim 1, wherein the optical surface of the mold is brought into contact with the resin within 5 seconds after the completion of the ejection of the resin onto the optical element base material. 3. The radius of curvature of the optical surface of the mold is 20 mm.
2. The method for producing a composite optical element according to claim 1, wherein the optical surface of the mold is brought into contact with the resin after the flow of the resin discharged onto the optical element substrate has almost stopped in the following cases. .