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US 5,476,111 AGranted
Apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses
AssigneeJohnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
InventorsFinn T. Andersen, Kaj Bjerre, Svend Christensen, Darren S. Keene, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Timothy P. Newton, Daniel T. Wang, Michael F. Widman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A device and method for high speed production rates in the hydration of soft contact lenses. Such device and method includes the use robotic transfer equipment to transfer contact lens molds containing contact lenses to and from a hydration station and a flushing station.
Claims35
An automated apparatus for hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact lens, said automated apparatus comprising:
- (a) a first robotic assembly for removing a plurality of contact lens molds from a carrier, each mold having a contact lens therein, and assembling said molds with a lens transfer plate to form a first hydration carrier;
- (b) a second robotic assembly for immersing said first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lenses and release said lenses from said mold, and allow said lenses to transfer from said mold to said lens transfer plate;
- (c) a pick unit for removing said first hydration carrier from said bath after a predetermined time;
- (d) a third robotic assembly for removing said molds from said lens transfer plate and transporting said lens transfer plate and said lenses to a subsequent processing station.
1 more element
An automated apparatus for hydrating a hydrophilic lens, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a plurality of carriers, each carrier having
- (i) a lens transfer plate, said lens transfer plate having a plurality of lens carrier elements, each carrier element having a convex lens attachment surface, and each lens attachment surface defining a fluid port therein for introducing a fluid between said convex lens attachment surface and a contact lens carried thereon;
- (ii) a hydration carrier, said hydration carrier defining a plurality of concave lens holding surfaces with a concave lens holding surface associated with a lens carrier element to define a hydration chamber therebetween, each concave lens holding surface also defining a fluid port therein for introducing a fluid between said concave holding surface and a contact lens carried within each respective hydration chamber;
- (b) a plurality of automated extraction stations, each station having a discharge manifold, said discharge manifold cooperating with said carriers to provide a flow of fluid within each hydration chamber;
- (c) a transport for conveying said hydration carrier through each of said plurality of extraction stations;
- and
- (d) a controller for sequencing the flow of fluid at each station with the conveyance of each carrier means thereto.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.