High optical quality molds for use in contact lens production

• US 7,731,148 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Matiacio, Thomas A., Steffen, Robert B., Turner, David C., Wildsmith, Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Tucker; Philip C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bodawala; Dimple N
• Application Number:
  US12/186,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20090020683A1
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 249/63, 249/114.1, 249/115, 249/122, 249/134, 249/175, 425/192.R, 425/193, 425/195, 425/394, 425/403, 425/406, 425/461, 425/467, 425/470, 425/808, 264/1.1, 264/1.32, 264/2.5, 264/2.7, 264/162, 264/219
• US Class Current: 249/63
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 33/42 characterised by the shape of the moulding surface, e.g. ribs or grooves
• CPC Class Codes: B29D 11/00134 Curing of the contact lens material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2011/0041 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 43/04 Homopolymers or copolymers of monomers containing silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 51/085 on to polysiloxanes
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 1/043 Contact lenses
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 425/808 Lens mold
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/21 Circular sheet or circular blank
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31667 Next to addition polymer from unsaturated monomers, or aldehyde or ketone condensation product

Abstract

The invention provides molds and mold inserts useful in the production of contact lenses. In particular, the invention provides high optical quality molds and inserts useful for manufacturing silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Claims

1. A mold insert, comprising at least one optically critical surface, wherein periodic structures on the optically critical surface are of a periodicity of less than about 3 μ

m and an amplitude of less than about 4 nm RMS.

2. The mold insert of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises pure steel, brass, copper, nickel-plated substrates, chromium, cobalt-nickel, alloyed martensitic steel, or combinations thereof.

3. The mold insert of claim 1, wherein the insert further comprises nickel-plated copper or nickel-plated brass.

4. A mold half for use in molding a contact lens, comprising at least one molding surface, wherein periodic structures on the molding surface are of a periodicity of less than about 3 μ

m and an amplitude of less than about 4 nm RMS.

5. The mold half of claim 4, wherein the mold half further comprises polypropylene, polystyrene, and cyclic polyolefins, polyacrylonitrile materials, or combinations thereof.