Automated cast mold hydrating device
OwnerRichard J. Wrue, Jeffrey Ange +3inventors
InventorsRichard J. Wrue, Jeffrey Ange, Otto X. Zettl, James Blythe, Theresa Dengler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for processing a cured contact lens wherein the contact lens is hydrated while retained in the mold cavity in which it was cast. The lens is released from the mold with cured excess lens material remaining with the mold.
Claims13
A method of hydrating a cured lens retained in the mold cavity in which it was cast, said mold containing cured excess lens material receptacle adjacent to said mold cavity, comprising:
- hydrating the lens while the lens is retained on the mold, while avoiding complete hydration of the cured excess lens material retained on the mold;
- and
- removing the hydrated lens from said mold with the excess lens material remaining with the mold.
A lens molding method comprising:
- curing polymerizable lens material to form a lens in a mold cavity formed between a first mold having a first lens molding surface and a second mold having an opposed lens molding surface, where excess polymerizable lens material is received and cured in a space adjacent an edge of the mold cavity;
- removing the second mold section such that the cured lens and cured excess lens material remains on the first mold;
- placing a liquid on the cured lens and hydrating the lens;
- and
- removing the lens from the first mold, whereby the cured excess lens material is not fully hydrated and remains on the first mold.
A method of hydrating a cured lens retained in the mold cavity in which it was cast, said mold containing cured excess lens material receptacle adjacent to said mold cavity, comprising:
- dispensing liquid on the lens while the lens is retained on the mold, and exposing the lens and liquid to a heat source, thereby hydrating the lens and disengaging the lens from the mold;
- and removing the hydrated lens from said mold with the excess lens material remaining with the mold, wherein the cured excess lens material is not fully hydrated.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.