Method and an assembly for removing an intraocular lens from an injection molded mold half

An assembly for removing an intraocular lens (12) from an injection molded mold half (30), the intraocular lens (12) having a lens body (14) and lens support members (16) connected to the lens body (14), the assembly (10) comprising:

• a handler assembly (100, 140) configured to handle a mold half (30) having a bottom side (30a) and an opposite top side (30b) in which an intraocular lens assembly (20) is contained and attached by bonds between material from which mold half (30) is formed and a cured monomer lens material from which the intraocular lens assembly (20) is formed, the intraocular lens assembly (20) comprising the intraocular lens (12) with the lens body (14) and the lens support members (16) as well as spill ring material (18);
• a spill ring removal station (200) including a spill ring engagement device (204) that is configured for mechanically engaging the spill ring material (18), to remove the spill ring material (18) from the mold half (30) to provide a mold/lens-assembly (40) consisting of the mold half (30) and the intraocular lens (12);
• a bond breaking station (300) configured to subject the mold/lens-assembly (40) to an oscillating mechanical load without substantial deformation of at least a part of the mold half (30) that is in direct contact with the lens body (14), the oscillating mechanical load having an oscillation frequency which is in a range that excites the mold/lens-assembly (40) to break the bonds between the intraocular lens (12) and the mold half (30);
• a push station (400) including a die (402) which is configured to exert a static mechanical push force on the bottom side (30a) of the mold half (30) to at least partly separate the intraocular lens (12) from the mold half (30);
• and
• an electronic controller assembly (11) which is configured to control the operation of the handler assembly (100, 140) such that
• each mold half (30) with an intraocular lens assembly (20) contained therein is first transported by the handler assembly (100, 140) to a spill ring removal position (P1) in the spill ring removal station (200);
• that subsequently, after removal of the spill ring material (18) the handler assembly (100, 140) transports the mold/lens assembly (40) from the spill ring removal station (200) to a bond breaking position (P2) in the bond breaking station (300);
• and
• that subsequently, after breaking the bonds in the bond breaking station (300) the handler assembly (100, 140) transports the mold/lens-assembly (40) to the push station (400);
• wherein the electronic controller assembly (11) is also configured to:
• control the spill ring engagement device (204) of the spill ring removal station (200);
• control the bond breaking station (300) to subject the mold/lens-assembly (40) to the oscillating mechanical load;
• and to
• control the push station (400) by operating the die (402) to at least partly separate the intraocular lens (12) from the mold half (30) by exerting a static mechanical push force on the bottom side (30a) of the mold half (30).