US 4,303,828 AGranted

Disinfector unit with swing-out tray

AssigneeRyder International Corporation

InventorsMichael D. Thomas, Francis E. Ryder

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

There is disclosed a contact lens disinfector unit for sterilizing contact lenses contained within a lens case. The disinfector unit includes a housing, a heating block within the housing for heating the lens case and the contact lenses therein to a sterilizing temperature, and a tray pivotally mounted to the housing. The tray includes a lens case receiving opening adapted to receive and support the lens case. The tray is arranged to pivot or swing between an open position disposing the opening outside of the housing to permit a lens case to be placed therein, and a closed position disposing the opening above and adjacent to the heating block within the housing to bring the lens case into heat transfer contact with the heating block. The disclosed embodiment also includes a latch for releasably locking the tray in the closed position, which latch will co-act with the tray to urge the tray towards the open position after disengagement of said latch.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A contact lens disinfector unit for sterilizing contact lenses immersed within a disinfecting solution contained within a lens case, said disinfector unit comprising:

a housing including a plurality of side walls and top and bottom wall structure, wherein said side walls of said housing define an opening intermediate said top and bottom wall structure;
electrical heating means disposed within said housing for heating a lens case, contact lenses and disinfecting solution to an asepticizing temperature, said heating means including an electrically heated heating block having a generally planar upper surface;
and tray means including a through aperture;
a lens case disposed in said aperture with a base portion of said lens case exposed for engagement with said heater block upper surface;
said tray means being pivotally mounted to said housing proximate said opening provided in said side walls, for swinging movement between an open position wherein said lens case receiving aperture is disposed exteriorly of said housing to permit reception and removal of the lens case therefrom as necessary, and a closed position wherein said tray means is received within said housing through said side wall opening to dispose the lens case carried by said tray means in heat transfer contact with said planar upper surface of the heater block, and said tray means including peripheral wall structure arranged to close said housing side wall opening when said tray means is in the closed position.

2 more elements

A contact lens disinfector unit for sterilizing contact lenses immersed within a disinfecting solution contained within a lens case, said disinfector unit comprising:

a housing including top and bottom sections and having a plurality of side walls, wherein a pair of adjacent side walls of said housing include adjoining openings;
electrical heating means disposed within said housing for heating a lens case, contact lenses and disinfecting solution to an asepticizing temperature, said heating means including an electrically heated heating block having a generally planar upper surface;
and tray means including a through aperture;
a lens case disposed in said aperture with a base portion of said lens case exposed for engagement with said heater block upper surface;
said tray means being pivotally mounted to said housing proximate the openings provided in adjacent side walls thereof, for swinging movement between an open position wherein said lens case receiving aperture is disposed exteriorly of said housing to permit reception and removal of the lens case therefrom, as necessary, and a closed position wherein said tray means is received within said housing through said adjoining side wall openings to dispose the lens case carried by said tray means in heat transfer contact with said planar upper surface of the heater block, and said tray means including a pair of adjacent peripheral side wall portions arranged to close said housing side wall openings when said tray means is in the closed position.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.