US 12,186,917 B2
Method and apparatus for calibrating ophthalmic lens grippers
Felix Brinckmann, Rossdorf (DE); Nils Schweizer, Bad König (DE); and Jens Wolfstaedter, Kleinwallstadt (DE)
Assigned to Alcon Inc., Fribourg (CH)
Filed by ALCON INC., Fribourg (CH)
Filed on Apr. 13, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/229,006.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/011,083, filed on Apr. 16, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2021/0323162 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. B25J 9/16 (2006.01); B25J 15/06 (2006.01); B29D 11/00 (2006.01); B65G 47/91 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 9/1692 (2013.01) [B25J 15/0616 (2013.01); B29D 11/00182 (2013.01); B65G 47/91 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for calibrating lens grippers (40) for contact lenses, prior to use of the lens grippers (40) in a lens manufacturing line, the method comprising the steps of:
a) providing a remote gripper calibration tool (1) comprising an assembly plate (10) and a Z-directional position sensor (12);
b) providing a master gripper (30) having a length dimension terminating in a tip (32), the length dimension being predetermined to match a desired final extension length of a lens gripper (40);
c) mounting the master gripper (30) to the assembly plate (10);
d) measuring the Z-directional position of the tip (32) of the master gripper (30) with the Z-directional position sensor (12);
e) unmounting the master gripper (30) from the assembly plate (10);
f) mounting a lens gripper (40) to be calibrated to the assembly plate (10), the lens gripper having a tip (42), and calibrating the lens gripper (40) by adjusting the final extension length of the tip (42) of the lens gripper (40) to a predetermined position relative to the measured Z-directional position of the tip (32) of the master gripper (30).