JPH0143696Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a frame heater for eyeglass processing, which is used when fitting an eyeglass lens into an eyeglass frame and when adjusting the fitting of an eyeglass frame onto a face.

Frame heaters for eyeglass processing are used to prevent twisting, distortion, etc. that occur during the process of inserting eyeglass lenses into plastic eyeglass frames, changes over time during display of eyeglass frames, and heating of frames for fitting lens frames. When adjusting the shape deformation of the eyeglass frame or fitting it to the face, the adjustment part of the eyeglass frame is heated so that the adjustment part takes on heat deformability and becomes elastic and easy to process, Used for manual correction and fitting adjustment of eyeglass frames.

[Conventional technology]

A conventional frame heater for eyeglass processing consists of a heating chamber for correcting and adjusting eyeglass frames, a heat generating device having a heat source using nichrome wire, etc., and a blower device for blowing hot air into the heating chamber. The temperature was adjusted by turning the power on and off, opening and closing the lid, and slits installed in the lid. The heating chamber is provided with a ventilation hole at the bottom through which hot air sent from a heat generating device and a blowing device blows out,
The lower part has a concave shape, the upper part has a convex lid, a space is provided in the middle, and the frame is accommodated in the space. In addition, the power to the device was turned on and off by manual switch operation. Additionally, the lid of the heating chamber is generally provided with a slit so that a certain amount of heat can be released to the outside, and the attachment part to the frame heater body has an opening/closing mechanism as shown in Figure 8. The temperature of the heating chamber can be controlled by opening and closing the lid 100. As the blowing device, an axial flow fan is used in which the entire gas flows in the axial direction of the fan and utilizes the lifting force produced by the blades of the fan.

In conventional frame heaters for eyeglass processing, it takes a certain amount of time to heat a plastic eyeglass frame to a temperature above the thermal deformation temperature, so the eyeglass frame may be left in the heating chamber for a certain period of time. At this time, there is a problem that if the eyeglass frame is left for a predetermined period of time or longer, problems such as thermal deformation and breakage of the eyeglass frame may occur due to overheating. In addition, the temperature of the heating chamber is controlled by turning the power switch of the blower on and off and opening and closing the lid installed in the heating chamber. was frequent and hot. Furthermore, since the device itself is heated by the heat source, there are problems in terms of economy or safety, and the above-mentioned problems become particularly noticeable if the device forgets to turn off the power. Furthermore, in order to obtain a comfortable fit for glasses, it is necessary to repeat the adjustment operation many times for each part of the eyeglass frame, such as the rim, temples, and pads, and the power switch must be left on. Alternatively, there was a problem in that it became complicated to turn on and off the power switch of the device for each adjustment. In particular, since adjustment work is done manually while holding the eyeglass frame, frequent switch operations reduce work efficiency.

In addition, when using an axial fan for the blower,
Because the air volume fluctuates significantly, the range that receives stable wind power is narrow, and there are also problems such as performance deterioration due to dirt due to dust adhering to the blade surface, and high noise. Ta.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a frame heater for eyeglass processing that can eliminate the above-mentioned problems and improve work efficiency in adjusting eyeglass frames.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention provides a frame heater for eyeglass processing having a heating chamber for adjusting eyeglass frames, which includes: a heat generating device having a heating element ceramic made of a semiconductor heater; and a blower device blowing air warmed by the heat generating device. a means for fixing an opening/closing lid for temperature adjustment in the heating chamber at an intermediate position between fully open and closed; an eyeglass frame detection device for detecting the presence or absence of an eyeglass frame in the heating chamber; The present invention provides a frame heater for eyeglass processing, characterized in that it includes a control device that operates the heat generating device and the blower device for a certain period of time when detecting the above.

[Effect]

The heating element ceramic formed by the semiconductor heater is heated, and the air heated by the heating element ceramic becomes hot air, which is blown into the heating chamber by the blower, so the heating response of the heating chamber is fast and the eyeglass frame can be quickly heated. Soften.

The lid disposed in the heating chamber is stopped at an intermediate position between fully open and closed, and the warm air is blown to the lid.

The presence or absence of an eyeglass frame in the heating chamber is detected by an eyeglass frame detection device, and after detection, the heating device and the blower device are operated for a certain period of time by a control device.

〔Example〕

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings of FIGS. 1 to 7.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the frame heater 1. The heating chamber 2 is for accommodating an eyeglass frame 3 (shown in FIG. 7), and has a curved transparent plastic lid 4 (made of polycarbonate). It is located in the space of the frame heater main body part 5.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 1 (with the lid 4 removed), and shows the internal structure of the frame heater body 5. As shown in FIG.

In FIG. 2, the main body 5 corrects the eyeglass frame and fits it onto the face using hot air from the hot air outlet 6 in the heating chamber 2. Reference numeral 7 denotes a heat generating device, which is made of heating element ceramics made of a barium titanate-based semiconductor in a honeycomb structure. Reference numeral 8 denotes a blower device, which is made up of a Sirotskov fan driven by a motor M.

_Q1 is an infrared light emitting diode, and _Q2 is a phototransistor, which detects the presence or absence of eyeglass frames. Further, the mechanism constitutes a part of the eyeglass frame detection circuit.
9 is the control circuit section (located on the opposite side);
This will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. 6, 9b, 9c, and 9d.

FIG. 3 is a component assembly diagram showing how the heat generating device 7 and the blower device 8 are attached.

The heat generating device 7 includes heater stands 10a, 10
b. Consisting of a heat insulating sheet 11, an electrode plate 12, and a heating element ceramic 13 made of a barium titanate semiconductor with a honeycomb structure, the outer periphery of the heater stand 10b is covered with asbestos rubberized tape 14. Inside, a silicon mat 15, a heat storage plate 16, and a baffle plate 17 are attached and housed with nuts 18, spring washers 19, screws 20, and flat washers 21.

A nozzle 22 is disposed on the silicone mat 15 and has an air blowing port 23 formed therein, and is used to blow air intensively during detailed adjustment of the frame, and this nozzle 22 is removable. Next, the blower device 8 is a turbo centrifugal multi-blade fan composed of a motor 24 and blades 25, and the duct 2
Air is blown through 6.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of the lid 4 and the main body portion 5. The lid 4 is integrally molded with a curved body made of transparent plastic resin (polycarbonate), and has a slit 27 in the center and a tip (on the side corresponding to the attachment part of the main body 5). )
has a pair of mounting parts 28, and the mounting parts 28
The rotating part 28a has a circular tip and a stopper stand 28b, and a fitting protrusion 28c is provided inside the mounting part 28. On the other hand, the mounting side of the main body 5 has a mounting base 29 that is held between the pair of mounting parts of the lid, and horizontal holes 31 for fitting are provided in both outer side walls 30 that are held between the pair of mounting parts of the lid. A concave groove 32 is provided on the contact surface where the main body part 5 comes into contact with the attachment part of the lid 4. Therefore, when assembling the lid 4 to the main body 5,
The fitting protrusion 28c of the mounting portion 28 is inserted into the horizontal hole 31 of the side wall 30 of the mounting base 29, and is held in place.

Therefore, the lid 4 can be opened and closed using the horizontal hole 31 as a rotational fulcrum, and the fitting protrusion 28c can be moved in the direction A of the horizontal hole 31.

Further, by changing the position of the fitting protrusion 28c of the lid fitted into the horizontal hole 31, the lid can be fixed in a half-open state between fully open and closed. That is, if the fitting protrusion 28c is located at the most extreme horizontal hole position in the direction B, the lid cannot be closed, and as shown in FIG. Stopper stand 2 of the lid attachment part
This is to prevent rotation in the C direction in which the lid 8b contacts and closes the lid.

In addition, in order to release the blocking, the protrusion 28
By moving the position of the side hole c backward in the direction A, the side wall 32a can be cleared and the lid 4 can be closed. That is, this is because the long axis of the horizontal hole 31 is designed to be longer than the depth of the concave groove.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the control circuit section 9, which is attached to the side surface of the main body section 5. The control circuit section 9 includes an eyeglass frame detection circuit 9a, a shaping circuit 9b, a timer circuit 9c, a switch circuit 9d, and a power supply circuit 9e.
Consists of etc.

The functions and effects of this configuration will be described in detail later.

Next, a method of using this embodiment when adjusting the fitting of eyeglass frames will be explained.

First, the eyeglass frame 3 is inserted into the heating chamber 2, and the lid is placed on the heating chamber 2 to soften the frame. Plastic eyeglass frames are usually made of celluloid, acetate, propionate, etc., and the heat distortion temperatures of these materials are 60° to 71°C, 44° to 90°C, and 44° to 44°C, respectively.
It is 109℃. When processing eyeglass frames, the melting temperature must be lower than the melting temperature of these materials. In this example, the standard heating time is
Approximately 25 seconds to 40 seconds for epoxy materials, approximately 10 seconds to 25 seconds for acetate resins, and approximately 25 seconds for propionate resins.
20 seconds to about 35 seconds, about 15 seconds to about 25 seconds for celluloid resin
seconds, and the temperature of the heating chamber is about 120°C to about 150°C.
The heat capacity of the heat generating device is set so that it can quickly reduce the temperature above the thermal deformation temperature to below the melting temperature in °C.

In addition, the heating element ceramic of the heating device 7, which is the heat source in the heating mechanism of this embodiment, has a barium titanate semiconductor with a honeycomb structure, and has a large inrush current (in this embodiment, 11 A or less, within 4 seconds). Moreover, since it heats itself rapidly and the temperature rises quickly as a heat source, it can quickly reach the temperature necessary to soften the eyeglass frame. moreover,
By increasing the air volume from the blower device 8, the temperature of the heating chamber 2 is limited to around 120°C to 150°C, and by increasing the air volume from the blower device 8,
The heat capacity is increased so that it is not affected by the size of the eyeglass frame.

In addition, the blower uses a Sirotskov fan, which is a turbo centrifugal multi-blade fan, and the gas flows between the fan blades in the radial direction of the fan, making use of the centrifugal force of the rotation of the fan. It can generate strong wind pressure, and even when a large amount of air is required, it has a small form and generates little vibration, making it possible to create a compact design. Also, since no lubricant is required inside, oil does not get mixed into the air supply. With such a heating device and a blower device, the frame heater of this embodiment can speed up the softening of the eyeglass frame and improve the efficiency of adjustment work.

The frame, which has been softened by the above-mentioned device, can be easily deformed by applying a light force, and the fitting portions are manually adjusted to the correct shape. In that case, in this embodiment, the seventh
As shown in the figure, the work is carried out with the lid half open, while controlling the temperature of the heating chamber to a certain constant temperature, observing the softening state of the frame and the fitting adjustment part from above through the transparent lid 4. conduct. The slit 27 provided in the lid is
Even when the lid is closed, some hot air can still be released to the outside. This is because the heat distortion temperature of the plastic frame varies depending on the material resin (approximately
40°C to approximately 120°C), the resin has a high heat distortion temperature and is matched to the heat capacity of the flame heater's heat generating device, so the temperature inside the heating chamber does not become too high (of course it is controlled by the heating time). I have to.

Next, the eyeglass frame detection device and its control circuit mechanism of this embodiment will be explained.

First, the structure and operation will be described for the case where the eyeglass frame is not in the heating chamber 2. When there is no eyeglass frame, the light emitting diode of the eyeglass frame detection circuit 9a
Since there is nothing blocking between Q ₁ and phototransistor Q ₂ , the infrared light from light-emitting diode Q ₁ enters phototransistor Q ₂ . Therefore, phototransistor Q ₂ turns on, and the transistor
Turn on _Q3 and set the collector potential to L level. Then, the L level is input to one side of the NAND circuit _Q4 of the shaping circuit 9b. Therefore, the NAND circuit Q ₄ which becomes the input of the timer circuit 9c
The output becomes H level, and the timer circuit 9c does not operate. The transistor _Q9 of the switch circuit 9d is OFF, the relay RY does not operate, and the heat generating device 7 directly connected to the triax _Q10 also does not operate.

Next, a case where an eyeglass frame is inserted into the heating chamber 2 will be described. When the eyeglass frame is inserted, the infrared light from the light emitting diode _Q1 of the eyeglass frame detection circuit 9a is blocked and does not enter the phototransistor _Q2 .
Turn off phototransistor _Q2 and set the collector of transistor _Q3 to H level. Therefore, one input of the NAND circuit _Q4 of the shaping circuit 9b becomes H level, and the other input is connected to the integrator circuit and the inverter.
It is input via _Q5 and outputs a pulsed L level from NAND circuit _Q4 . Therefore, the timer circuit 9c
Timer ICQ ₇ operates together with inverter Q ₆
Turn on the transistor _Q8 through the capacitor
Discharge the charge of C ₁ . Then, the output of timer ICQ ₇ becomes H level, turning on transistor Q ₉ of switch circuit 9d and turning on relay RY. As a result, the triax Q ₁₀ is also turned on, and the motors M of the heat generating device 7 and the blower device 8 are also turned on. Also, since the timer ICQ ₇ is activated by the time constant of the time constant circuit made up of the resistor R ₁ and the capacitor C ₁ of the timer circuit 9c, the transistor
Turn off Q ₉ and turn off relay RY. This allows the motor M of the heat generating device 7 and the blower device 8 to
Turn it off. Furthermore, by inserting the eyeglass frame into the hot air outlet of the heating chamber 2, the light emitting diode Q ₁ and phototransistor Q ₂ of the eyeglass frame detection circuit 9a automatically operate the heat generating device 7, etc., and the eyeglass frame detects the light emitting diode. The heating device 7 and the like remain in an operating state while the vertical movement across the space between Q ₁ and phototransistor Q ₂ is performed. Then, when the eyeglass frame is removed from the heating chamber 2 or left in the heating chamber, the heat generating device 7 etc. are automatically turned off after a certain period of time has elapsed.

Therefore, the heat generating device can be put into operation by moving the eyeglass frame up and down between the light emitting diode and the phototransistor in the heating chamber without requiring a switch operation to turn on the power source of the heat generating device. Even if you forget to turn it off or leave the eyeglass frame in the heating chamber, it is safe because the heat generating device automatically stops after a predetermined period of time.

The heating element ceramic of this invention, which has a honeycomb structure made of barium titanate semiconductor, can extract a large amount of heat by blowing air through these holes, and the resistance increases rapidly near the Curie temperature, making it difficult to use as a thermostat. It is safe and does not require any protective equipment. That is, by changing the air volume without worrying about overheating, the amount of heat generated and the blowing temperature can be adjusted, and the amount of heat generated can be automatically changed according to changes in the surrounding temperature. It has the characteristic that there is almost no change in heat generation due to voltage fluctuations above a certain voltage, and it has a particularly large inrush current, rapidly self-heating, and the temperature rises quickly as a heater. It is particularly preferable as a heat generating device for a frame heater for eyeglass processing.

Further, the blowing device is preferably a centrifugal multi-blade fan, and other centrifugal fans that can be used include radial fans and turbo fans. In other words, centrifugal fans can generate strong wind pressure,
It has a small form, generates little vibration, has a compact design, and does not require internal lubricant, so no oil gets mixed in during the air supply, making it clean and preventing contamination of the heat source.

In addition, as for the means for fixing the lid of the heating chamber at an intermediate position, in this embodiment, a concave groove is provided in the main body of the frame heater, and a protrusion of a stopper is provided in the mounting portion of the lid. Although the lid was fixed and released by moving the mounting portion of the lid, other methods can be used such as inserting screws or pins, and the method is not limited.

Regarding the eyeglass frame detection device and its control device that detect the presence or absence of the eyeglass frame, in this embodiment, the presence or absence of the eyeglass frame was detected using a photoelectric sensor, but other micro switches, touch switches, proximity sensors, and pressure sensors may also be used. You can use a method in which the eyeglass frame actually contacts the switch, a method in which it is sensed by a sensor, etc. In addition, although a transistor circuit is used in the control device in this embodiment, an electronic control circuit using an operational amplifier, a control circuit using a microcomputer, etc. can be used, and the present invention is not particularly limited.

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, when adjusting an eyeglass frame, since the heating chamber has good heating response characteristics, the eyeglass frame can be quickly softened even if there are many adjustment points, and work efficiency can be improved. Further, even if the eyeglass frame is left in the heating chamber, there is no need to worry about abnormal heating, and unnecessary thermal deformation and damage to the eyeglass frame can be prevented. Furthermore, it is possible to continuously adjust eyeglass frames without having to operate switches frequently, and the temperature drop caused by opening the lid of the heating chamber can be reduced.Furthermore, the heating device stops after a certain period of time has passed after the work is finished, so the adjustment work can be done easily. Safety can be improved as well as efficiency.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the frame heater for eyeglass processing according to the present embodiment, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along the line -- in FIG. 1, and FIGS. 3 and 4 are assembly diagrams of the frame heater for eyeglass processing. , FIG. 5 is a partially enlarged side view of FIG. 4, FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of the control circuit, and FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing how the frame heater for eyeglass processing according to this embodiment is used. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged view showing a mounting portion of a frame heater for eyeglass processing according to the prior art. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Frame heater for eyeglass processing, 2... Heating chamber, 3... Eyeglass frame, 4... Lid, 5... Main body, 7... Heat generating device, 8... Air blower, 9... Control circuit section.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claim for Utility Model Registration] A frame heater for eyeglass processing having a heating chamber for adjusting eyeglass frames, comprising: a heating device having a heating element ceramic made of a semiconductor; and blowing air heated by the heating device. means for fixing an opening/closing lid for temperature adjustment in the heating chamber at an intermediate position between fully open and closed; an eyeglass frame detection device for detecting the presence or absence of an eyeglass frame in the heating chamber; and the eyeglass frame detection device. 1. A frame heater for eyeglass processing, comprising: a control device that operates the heat generating device and the blower device for a certain period of time when an eyeglass frame is detected.