Contact lens molds and systems and methods for producing same
AssigneeCooper Vision International Holding Company, LP
InventorsNeil G. Goodenough, Gregg A. Dean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Contact lens molds and systems and methods for producing contact lens molds are described. The contact lens mold sections include two optical quality surfaces, a flange circumscribing at least a portion of the two optical quality surfaces, and an elongate member extending from the flange. Two mold sections can contact one another to form a mold assembly having a contact lens shaped cavity. The mold sections are structured to form a contact lens having an edge that does not require further physical modification before placement on an eye. Systems and methods are described which direct a molten polymeric material into cavities corresponding to the mold sections.
Claims19
A method of producing a contact lens, comprising:
- directing a molten thermoplastic material into a mold cavity, thereby forming a first contact lens mold section comprising the thermoplastic material in the mold cavity, wherein
- the mold cavity comprises a first optical quality insert surface;
- an opposing second surface;
- a mold flange-defining region circumscribing the first optical quality insert surface and the second surface, the first optical quality insert surface and the second surface defining a first lens-defining surface and a second substantially opposing surface of a contact lens mold section;
- and an elongated channel extending substantially radially outwardly from the mold flange-defining region, the elongated channel including a first portion having a substantially uniform width and a second portion having a divergent width, the second portion being adjacent the flange-defining region and being thinner than the first portion of the elongated channel;
- providing a complementary second contact lens mold section;
- placing a polymerizable composition onto a concave lens defining surface of one of the first mold section or the second mold section;
- placing the other one of the first mold section or the second mold section on top of the one of the first mold section or the second mold section to enclose the composition within a lens shaped region defined therebetween;
- coupling together the first and second mold sections which define the lens-shaped region and contain the enclosed composition to form a mold assembly;
- and
- subjecting the mold assembly to polymerizing conditions to produce a polymer article in the shape of a contact lens.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.