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US 2006/0202368 A1Published application
Method for producing contact lenses
OwnerYasuo Matsuzawa, Richard Turekinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides an improved process for manufacturing silicone-hydrogel contact lenses. The improvement includes use of a hot water in the step of dislodging (or removing or de-blocking) from a mold after lens being cured and before lens extraction. Hot water can be used efficiently to dislodge a hydrophobic silicone-hydrogel lens from its adhering mold half and to substantially reduce the stickiness (or tackiness) of the surfaces of the hydrophobic silicone-hydrogel lens.
Claims20
A method for producing contact lenses, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a mold including a male mold half having a first molding surface and a female mold half having a second molding surface, wherein the male and female mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a mold cavity is formed between the first and second molding surfaces when the mold is closed;
- b) dispensing a specific amount of a silicone hydrogel lens-forming material into one of the male and female mold halves;
- c) mating the male and female mold halves to close the mold;
- d) curing the silicone hydrogel lens-forming material located between the two mold halves, thereby forming a molded silicone hydrogel contact lens;
- e) separating the mold into the male and female mold halves, with the silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered on one of the male and female mold halves, wherein the silicone hydrogel contact lens is hydrophobic and characterized by an average water contact angle of greater than about 100 degrees;
- f) dispensing a hot water over the lens and/or in the lens-adhering mold half;
- g) allowing the hot water to penetrate into interface between the lens and the lens-adhering mold half so as to reduce adhesion between the lens and the lens-adhering mold half;
- and
- h) removing the lens from the lens-adhering mold half for further processing.
6 more elements
A method for producing contact lenses, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a mold including a male mold half having a first molding surface and a female mold half having a second molding surface, wherein the male and female mold halves are configured to receive each other such that a mold cavity is formed between the first and second molding surfaces when the mold is closed;
- b) dispensing a specific amount of a silicone hydrogel lens-forming material into one of the male and female mold halves;
- c) mating the male and female mold halves to close the mold;
- d) curing the silicone hydrogel lens-forming material located between the two mold halves, thereby forming a molded silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein the silicone hydrogel contact lens is hydrophobic and characterized by an average water contact angle of greater than about 100 degrees;
- e) separating the mold into the male and female mold halves, with the silicone hydrogel contact lens adhered on one of the male and female mold halves;
- f) placing the lens and its adhering mold half in a well;
- g) dispensing a hot water in the well in an amount sufficient to submerge at least the lens and a mold half portion with the lens adhered thereon;
- h) allowing the hot water to penetrate into interface between the lens and the lens-adhering mold half so as to dislodge the lens from the lens-adhering mold half;
- and
- i) transferring the lens from the well to a tray or a container for further processing
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.