Gripper for an ophthalmic lens and process for transporting an ophthalmic lens

Gripper (1) for an ophthalmic lens (5), in particular a contact lens such as a soft contact lens, the gripper comprising:

• a gripper head (2) heaving a convex bearing surface (21) for the ophthalmic lens (5) to adhere thereto, wherein the convex bearing surface (21) comprises a plurality of suction openings (22) through which suction supplied to an interior (11) of the gripper can be applied to the ophthalmic lens (5) in order to make the ophthalmic lens (5) adhere to the convex bearing surface (21), wherein the convex bearing surface (21) further comprises a guide opening (23);
• an ejector rod (3) movably arranged in the guide opening (23), for mechanically displacing the ophthalmic lens (5) away from the convex bearing surface (21);
• an actuator (4) connected to the ejector rod (3), for moving the ejector rod (3) from a rest position in which a distal end of the ejector rod (3) is arranged in the guide opening (23) but does not protrude distally beyond the convex bearing surface (21), to an ejection position in which the distal end of the ejector rod (3) protrudes beyond the convex bearing surface (21),
• wherein both in the rest position and in the ejection position the ejector rod (3) is arranged in the guide opening (23),
• and wherein the ejector rod (3) comprises a detector channel (34) extending through the ejector rod (3) and being fluidically connected with a detector opening (39) at the distal end of the ejector rod (3) such that a test-vacuum may be applied through the detector channel (34) and through the detector opening (39) to detect whether or not a said ophthalmic lens (5) adheres to the convex bearing surface (21) when the ejector rod (3) is arranged in the rest position.