PRODUCTION OF OPTICAL ELEMENT BLANK AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCTION THEREOF

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process for producing optical element blanks which does not require the installation of many and diversified equipment for the manufacture of glass wires, is high in the weight accuracy of the optical element blanks and allows automation. SOLUTION: A bundle of glass rod materials 1 is formed as a glass wire 2. This glass wire 2 is held by a holding jig 6 and the position of the glass wire 2 is regulated in a vertical direction by a drive section 5. The bottom end of the glass wire 2 is put into a tubular furnace 7 and is heated. When the bottom end of the glass wire 2 is melted, a glass liquid drop 3 is formed. The shape and weight of the glass liquid drop 3 are determined by the surface tension of the glass and the external shape of the glass wire. The glass liquid drop 3 is dropped and is received in the form of spherical glass by a receiving tray 8. This spherical glass is used as the optical element blank 4. Also, a series of the stages from the manufacture of the glass rod materials 1 to the glass liquid drop 3 are automated.