Mold for making rotationally asymmetric contact lenses

• US 6,305,661 B1
• Filed: 09/09/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bausch & Lomb Incorporated (Bausch Health Cos., Inc.)
• Inventors: Kennedy, Gabriel Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam
• Assistant Examiner(s): HECKENBERG JR, DONALD H
• Application Number:
  US09/392,595
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 249/117, 425/808, 425/175, 264/1.1, 264/2.5, 264/219
• US Class Current: 249/117
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/26 Moulds
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00019 with non-spherical faces, e.g. toric faces
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00125 Auxiliary operations, e.g. removing oxygen from the mould, conveying moulds from a storage to the production line in an inert atmosphere
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/0048 Moulds for lenses moulds for plastic articles in general B29C33/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0041 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/808 Lens mold

Abstract

A mold is disclosed for making rotationally asymmetric contact lenses. The mold comprises a first concave or convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric for forming the surface of the contact lens thereagainst, a second concave or convex surface opposed to the first surface that is also rotationally asymmetric, and a segment of the mold between the first and second surfaces having a substantially uniform thickness.

Claims

1. A contact lens mold comprising:

a first concave or convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric for forming a rotationally asymmetric surface of the contact lens thereagainst,

a second convex or concave surface opposed to said first surface that is rotationally asymmetric,

a segment of said mold between said first and second surfaces having a substantially uniform thickness.

2. The contact lens mold of claim 1, wherein the first surface is a rotationally asymmetric, concave surface with an optical quality finish for molding an anterior contact lens surface thereagainst, and the second surface is a convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric.

3. The contact lens mold of claim 2, wherein the concave surface is shaped to provide ballast to the anterior surface of a contact lens molded thereagainst.

4. The contact lens mold of claim 1, wherein the first surface is shaped to form a toric contact lens surface molded thereagainst.

5. The contact lens mold of claim 4, wherein the first surface is a convex surface to provide a toric contact lens surface thereagainst, and the second surface is a concave surface.

11. The contact lens mold of claim 1, wherein the thickness of said segment varies no more than 0.2 mm across a profile thereof.

12. The contact lens mold of claim 11, wherein the thickness of said segment varies no more than 0.1 mm across a profile thereof.

6. A contact lens mold assembly comprising first and second contact lens mold sections, at least one of said first and second contact lens mold sections comprising:

a first concave or convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric for forming a rotationally asymmetric surface of the contact lens thereagainst,

a second convex or concave surface opposed to said first surface that is rotationally asymmetric,

a segment of said mold between said first and second surfaces having a substantially uniform thickness.

7. The contact lens mold of claim 6, wherein each of said first and second contact lens mold sections comprise:

a first concave or convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric for forming a rotationally asymmetric surface of the contact lens thereagainst,

a second convex or concave surface opposed to said first surface that is rotationally asymmetric,

a segment of said mold between said first and second surfaces having a substantially uniform thickness.

8. The contact lens mold assembly of claim 7, wherein the first surface of said first mold section is a rotationally asymmetric, concave surface with an optical quality finish for molding an anterior contact lens surface thereagainst, and the second surface is a convex surface that is rotationally asymmetric.

9. The contact lens mold assembly of claim 8, wherein the concave surface is shaped to provide ballast to the anterior surface of a contact lens molded thereagainst.

10. The contact lens mold assembly of claim 9, wherein the convex surface of said second mold section is shaped to provide a toric surface to the posterior surface of a contact lens molded thereagainst.

13. The contact lens mold of claim 6, wherein the thickness of said segment varies no more than 0.2 mm across a profile thereof.

14. The contact lens mold of claim 13, wherein the thickness of said segment varies no more than 0.1 mm across a profile thereof.