Moulding process
First Claim
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1. A method of producing a plurality of soft contact lenses comprising the steps of:
- A. providing a sheet of solid, substantially dry material;
B. forming said material into a plurality of shaped lens blanks through controlled application of physical force to the material by compression of the material between a plurality of form or platen pairs arranged in an array to simultaneously press together the material into a plurality of shaped lens blanks in a process selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, vacuum forming, pressing, hot moulding, cold moulding, and compression moulding; and
C. hydrating said plurality of shaped lens blanks;
wherein at least immediately subsequently to said physical forming step B, said plurality of shaped lens blanks remain at least partially attached to the sheet of material and the sheet is used as a transport medium or carrying mechanism for said plurality of shaped lens blanks.
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Abstract
A highly effective and cost-effective method and apparatus for manufacturing soft contact lenses by physically forming the lenses form sheet (or other solid) material in a batch or continuous process.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A method of producing a plurality of soft contact lenses comprising the steps of:
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A. providing a sheet of solid, substantially dry material; B. forming said material into a plurality of shaped lens blanks through controlled application of physical force to the material by compression of the material between a plurality of form or platen pairs arranged in an array to simultaneously press together the material into a plurality of shaped lens blanks in a process selected from the group consisting of thermoforming, vacuum forming, pressing, hot moulding, cold moulding, and compression moulding; and C. hydrating said plurality of shaped lens blanks; wherein at least immediately subsequently to said physical forming step B, said plurality of shaped lens blanks remain at least partially attached to the sheet of material and the sheet is used as a transport medium or carrying mechanism for said plurality of shaped lens blanks. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification