Solvents useful in the preparation of polymers containing hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers

• US 7,112,652 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2004
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Alli, Azaam, Kindt-Larsen, Ture, Ford, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Boykin, Terressa
• Application Number:
  US10/755,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20050004345A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 134/31, 134/42, 134/901, 264/1.1, 264/136, 264/1.38, 264/2.6, 264/85, 264/336, 264/344, 528/480, 528/481, 528/483, 528/495, 528/496, 528/491, 359/642, 428/411.1, 604/368
• US Class Current: 528/491
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 77/34 Purification
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2383/04 Polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 7/02 with solvents, e.g. swelling agents
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 134/901 Contact lens
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31504 Composite [nonstructural laminate]

Abstract

This invention relates to solvents which may be used to extract polymers that are made of hydrophilic and hydrophobic monomers.

Claims

1. A method of releasing and extracting a cured contact lens comprising hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers, where the method comprises the steps of treating the cured polymer with a liquid extracting solvent, wherein said extracting solvent when measured at 25°

C.

(a) swells the cured contact lens to at least about 15%, and

(b) has Hansen Solubility Parameters within the ranges of

δ

H=about [δ

H_{cured polymer}+2.5] to about [δ

H_{cured polymer}−

8.5]

δ

P=about [δ

P_{cured polymer}+0.5] to about [δ

P_{cured polymer}−

4.0] and

δ

D=about [δ

D_{cured polymer}+2.5] to about [δ

D_{cured polymer}−

2.0].

2. The method of claim 1 wherein δ

H is about 3.0 to about 14, δ

P is about 2 to about 6.6 and δ

D is about 14.0 to about 19.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the swell of the cured contact lens is about 15% to about 40%.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein δ

H is about 3.0 to about 14, δ

P is about 2 to about 6.6 and δ

D is about 14.0 to about 19.

4. A contact lens that is prepared by a method of extracting cured contact lense comprising hydrophobic and hydrophilic monomers, where the method comprises the steps of treating the cured contact lens with a liquid extracting solvent, wherein said extracting solvent when measured at 25°

C.

(a) swells the cured contact lens from about 0% to about 50% and

(b) has Hansen Solubility Parameters within the ranges of

δ

H=about [δ

H_{cured polymer}+2.5] to about [δ

H_{cured polymer}−

8.5]

δ

P=about [δ

P_{cured polymer}+0.5] to about [δ

P_{cured polymer}−

4.0] and

δ

D=about [δ

D_{cured polymer}+2.5] to about [δ

D_{cured polymer}−

2.0].