Process and apparatus for heat disinfecting soft contact lenses
First Claim
1. A process for heat disinfecting soft contact lenses comprising the steps of:
- providing a vessel at least partially formed of material transparent to microwave electromagnetic radiation;
introducing a disinfecting solution into said vessel;
placing soft contact lenses within an interior volume portion of said vessel which is substantially shielded from microwave electromagnetic radiation to prevent microwave radiation from contacting said soft contact lenses;
closing said vessel so as to be substantially liquid-tight to thereby form an assembly of said vessel, disinfecting solution and soft contact lenses; and
irradiating said assembly with microwave electromagnetic radiation while said soft contact lenses are shielded from said radiation so that said soft contact lenses are not exposed to said radiation, to heat said disinfecting solution with said soft contact lenses remaining in contact with said disinfecting solution,whereby said soft contact lenses are disinfected by heat.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A process for disinfecting soft contact lenses includes introducing disinfecting solution into a vessel that is at least partially formed of material transparent to microwave electromagnetic radiation, and placing the contact lenses into contact with the disinfecting solution within an interior portion of the vessel which is substantially shielded from microwave electromagnetic radiation. The vessel is closed and then subjected to microwave radiation to heat the disinfecting solution with which the lenses are in contact while the lenses themselves are shielded from the radiation. The radiation continues until the lenses are disinfected. Apparatus in accordance with the invention include the vessel, disinfecting solution and in accordance with one embodiment, lens holder apparatus comprising shielding material defining compartments that are receivable of the contact lenses which are in fluid communication with the surrounding interior of the vessel but which provide microwave radiation shielding.
34 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A process for heat disinfecting soft contact lenses comprising the steps of:
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providing a vessel at least partially formed of material transparent to microwave electromagnetic radiation; introducing a disinfecting solution into said vessel; placing soft contact lenses within an interior volume portion of said vessel which is substantially shielded from microwave electromagnetic radiation to prevent microwave radiation from contacting said soft contact lenses; closing said vessel so as to be substantially liquid-tight to thereby form an assembly of said vessel, disinfecting solution and soft contact lenses; and irradiating said assembly with microwave electromagnetic radiation while said soft contact lenses are shielded from said radiation so that said soft contact lenses are not exposed to said radiation, to heat said disinfecting solution with said soft contact lenses remaining in contact with said disinfecting solution, whereby said soft contact lenses are disinfected by heat. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification