# US 10,502,977 B2 · Medical device with pre-defined space and related methods

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- Number: US 10,502,977 B2
- Document ID: US10502977B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/509,479
- Filed: 2015-09-22
- Published: 2017-10-12
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-23
- Applicants: EP Global Communications, Inc.
- Inventors: David T. Markus; Michael C. Hayes; Arthur Back; Victoria Tran; Rachel Marullo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502977B2

## CPC

- G02C 7/049: {Contact lenses having special fitting or structural features achieved by special materials or material structures}
- B29D 11/00048: {composed of parts with dissimilar composition (B29D11/00057 takes precedence)}
- B29D 11/00067: {Hydrating contact lenses}
- B29D 11/00134: {Curing of the contact lens material}
- G02B 1/043: {Contact lenses}
- B29K 2083/00: Use of polymers having silicon, with or without sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, or carbon only, in the main chain, as moulding material
- B29K 2105/16: Fillers
- B29K 2995/0018: having particular optical properties, e.g. fluorescent or phosphorescent
- G02C: SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES (trial frames for testing the eyes A61B3/04; goggles or eyeshields not having the same features as spectacles A61F9/00)
- B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00)
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
- B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS

## Abstract

A medical device including a pre-defined space such as a geometric shape or void. In one approach, the pre-defined space provides desired rigidity and more comfort for a user. There is also provided an approach which enables engravings and accommodates electronics, mechanical objects, or other rigid or unique shapes to be embedded within a medical device such as a contact lens. When adapted to swellable substrates, the resulting swelled material can leave a gap around a perimeter of embedded structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A contact lens device, consisting of:
a contact lens material having a pre-defined space formed therein, said contact lens material consisting of hydrogel polymer, said pre-defined space formed from a geometric object having a desired shape embedded within said contact lens material; and
a component provided in said pre-defined space formed in said contact lens material, wherein the surfaces of said component are naturally non-adhesive, wherein the pre-defined space can enlarge around and outside of said component to provide a gap between said contact lens material and said component and wherein said naturally non-adhesive surface of said component enables said gap to be created.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the contact lens material is configured to be swellable, and is formed from a material that allows the contact lens material to swell from a first size to a second size.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined space is configured to prevent the component from distorting the contact lens-material when the contact lens material changes shape, and wherein said natural non-adhesiveness prevents said distortion by preventing said component from sticking to and distorting said contact lens material.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined space is configured to create a functional space.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined space facilitates desired orientation of portions of the component upon the contact lens device changing shape.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the component is swellable.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the contact lens material is swellable and the component is non-swellable.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the component is swellable and the contact lens material is swellable, and the component swells less than the contact lens material.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the contact lens material includes a plurality of discrete, spaced pre-defined spaces each configured to selectively receive a portion of the component.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The contact lens device of claim 1, wherein the contact lens material includes a plurality of connected pre-defined spaces.