Abstract: A carrier (1) for the simultaneous measurement of sealing temperature, sealing time and sealing force in a primary packaging line for ophthalmic lenses comprises a temperature sensing plate (2), a force sensing plate (3), and a supporting plate (4). Temperature sensing plate (2) is arranged atop force sensing plate (3), which is arranged atop supporting plate (4).

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for photolithographically forming an ophthalmic lens (L) comprises: a container (2) comprising a container bottom (20) with an inner surface (200) including a concave portion (201); a piston (4) comprising a distal piston end face (400) with a convex portion (401); wherein the piston (4) is arranged in the container (2) such that the convex portion (401) faces the concave portion (201), and wherein the piston is movably arranged in the container (2); a light source (5, 50) being arranged beneath the container bottom (20) for emitting light towards the container bottom (20); a mask (6) arranged between the light source (5, 50) and the container bottom (20), the mask (6) comprising a plurality of pixels (60) which are configured to be individually controlled to either allow the light emitted from the light source (5, 50) to pass through the individual pixels (60) and to impinge on that part of the container bottom (20) having the concave portion (201) of the inner surface (200), or to not al

Abstract: A method for inspecting a soft contact lens for an orange peel defect comprises the steps of: illuminating the whole lens through the transparent bottom with incoherent white illumination light; capturing an image of the lens at an image capturing location arranged in an image capturing direction different from a transmission direction; detecting in the image the intensity of white light scattered by the lens in the image capturing direction; comparing the detected intensity of the scattered white light with a threshold intensity; determining whether the image comprises at least one coherent area in which the detected intensity of the scattered white light is higher than the threshold intensity, and which is larger than a predetermined threshold size; and rejecting the lens as comprising an unacceptable orange peel defect in case the at least one coherent area is larger than the predetermined threshold size.

Abstract: An apparatus for removal of an ophthalmic lens, such as a contact lens, for example a soft contact lens, from a lens treatment container for the accommodation of the ophthalmic lens during a lens treatment process, comprises: an exhaust air box comprising at least one inlet for allowing ambient air to be drawn into the exhaust box; an outlet in fluid communication with the exhaust air box, the outlet capable of being connected to a source of negative pressure; at least one tube having a proximal end connected to the at least one inlet of the exhaust air box, and a distal end having a displaceable nozzle; and an actuator connected to the nozzle, for displacing the nozzle from a standby position to a lens removal position, and back to the standby position.

Abstract: A cleaner for cleaning grippers for the transport of ophthalmic lenses comprises: an exhaust air box comprising at least one inlet opening for allowing ambient air as well as lenses, lens parts, debris and fluid adhered to the grippers to be sucked into an interior of the exhaust air box, an outlet opening in fluid communication with the interior of the exhaust air box and a cleaner head arranged on the exhaust air box and comprising a plurality of receiver sleeves for receiving the grippers to be cleaned, a plurality of shutters, wherein each individual shutter of the plurality of shutters is arranged to open or close the fluid communication of at least one receiver sleeve (5) of the plurality of receiver sleeves (5) and the interior of the exhaust air box (1).

Abstract: A method for transporting a blister strip of ophthalmic lenses: only one single blister strip is provided at a start location and one magazine compartment of two magazine compartments contains n blister strips while the other magazine compartment contains n+1 blister strips, the single buster strip is picked up at the start location by one of the gripper units of a first gripper and is transported into that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips, by moving the first gripper to that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips and releasing the single blister strip from the first gripper into that magazine compartment, or by moving the first gripper to a hand-over station and releasing the single blister strip from the first gripper into the hand-over station, transporting the single blister strip from the hand-over station into that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips using a second gripper.

Abstract: A gripper for the transportation of an ophthalmic lens comprises: a gripper shaft having a longitudinal shaft axis and a fluid channel extending through the gripper shaft; a connector at the proximal end of the gripper shaft for connecting a flexible supply tube and the proximal end of the gripper shaft; a support movably accommodating the gripper shaft; a spring mounted between the support and the gripper shaft, the spring biasing the gripper shaft distally away from the support; and a gripper head attached to the gripper shaft at a distal end portion thereof, the gripper head having a further fluid channel extending therethrough, the gripper head further having a suction opening which is centrally arranged in a distal end surface of the gripper head, the suction opening being in fluid communication with the fluid channel of the gripper shaft through further fluid channel. The gripper head is configured to be pivotable about a pivot portion of the gripper head.

Abstract: A carrier (1) for the simultaneous measurement of sealing temperature, sealing time and sealing force in a primary packaging line for ophthalmic lenses comprises a temperature sensing plate (2), a force sensing plate (3), and a supporting plate (4). Temperature sensing plate (2) is arranged atop force sensing plate (3), which is arranged atop supporting plate (4).

Abstract: A method for determining whether a sealing area of a primary packaging container for an ophthalmic lens is unacceptable for properly sealing a foil to the sealing area is disclosed. The method involves comparing the temperature of an infrared image of the sealing area to a reference temperature to determine if the difference in temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: A method for calibrating lens grippers prior to use of the grippers in a lens manufacturing line includes providing a remote gripper calibration tool having an assembly plate and a Z-directional position sensor; providing a master gripper having a length dimension terminating in a tip, the length dimension being predetermined to match a desired final extension length of a lens gripper; mounting the master gripper to the assembly plate; measuring the Z-directional position of the tip of the master gripper with the Z-directional position sensor; unmounting the master gripper from the assembly plate; mounting a lens gripper to be calibrated to the assembly plate, the lens gripper having a tip, and calibrating the lens gripper by adjusting the final extension length of the tip of the lens gripper to a predetermined position relative to the measured Z-directional position of the tip of the master gripper.

Abstract: A method for transporting a blister strip of ophthalmic lenses: only one single blister strip is provided at a start location and one magazine compartment of two magazine compartments contains n blister strips while the other magazine compartment contains n+1 blister strips, the single buster strip is picked up at the start location by one of the gripper units of a first gripper and is transported into that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips, by moving the first gripper to that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips and releasing the single blister strip from the first gripper into that magazine compartment, or by moving the first gripper to a hand-over station and releasing the single blister strip from the first gripper into the hand-over station, transporting the single blister strip from the hand-over station into that magazine compartment containing the n blister strips using a second gripper.

Abstract: A cleaner for cleaning grippers for the transport of ophthalmic lenses comprises: an exhaust air box comprising at least one inlet opening for allowing ambient air as well as lenses, lens parts, debris and fluid adhered to the grippers to be sucked into an interior of the exhaust air box, an outlet opening in fluid communication with the interior of the exhaust air box and a cleaner head arranged on the exhaust air box and comprising a plurality of receiver sleeves for receiving the grippers to be cleaned, a plurality of shutters, wherein each individual shutter of the plurality of shutters is arranged to open or close the fluid communication of at least one receiver sleeve (5) of the plurality of receiver sleeves (5) and the interior of the exhaust air box (1).

Abstract: A gripper (1) for an ophthalmic lens comprises a gripper head (14) having a bearing surface (140), the bearing surface (140) having at least one through-opening (14), the bearing surface (140) further having a separate detection through-opening (142) other than the at least one through-opening (141); a suction channel (170) arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel (170) leading to the at least one through-opening (141) in the bearing surface (140); an overpressure channel (130) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel (130) leading to the at least one through-opening (141); and a detection vacuum tube (16) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube (16) leading to the separate detection through-opening (142) in the bearing surface (140).

Abstract: A packaging container (1) for a contact lens comprises a shell (2). The shell (2) comprises a cavity (10) having a drop-shaped perimeter (12), and a flange (20) having a flat upper surface (22) extending around the drop-shaped perimeter (12) of the cavity (10) in an upper surface plane (24). The cavity (10) comprises a bowl portion (30) including an at least partially spherical section (32) for accommodating the contact lens, and a chamfer portion (40) surrounding the bowl portion (30). The chamfer portion (40) is arranged between the bowl portion (30) and the drop-shaped perimeter (12) of the cavity (10) and includes a tapered outlet section (42) forming a tip towards the flange (20) to facilitate removal of the contact lens from the cavity (10).

Abstract: A method for determining whether a sealing area (13) of a primary packaging container (1) for an ophthalmic lens is unacceptable for properly sealing a foil to the sealing area (13) comprises the steps of taking an infrared image (7) of the primary packaging container (1); determining in the infrared image (7) a plurality of individual pixels (700-709) which are arranged along an area (73) corresponding to the sealing area (13) of the primary packaging container (1); determining from the infrared image (7) the temperature (T0, T1, T2) of the individual pixels (700-709), and determining that the sealing area (13) is unacceptable in case the following conditions are fulfilled: a) the temperature (T1) of each individual pixel of a predetermined number of coherently arranged individual pixels (700, 703, 706) is lower than a reference temperature (T0), and b) the difference between the temperature (T1) of each individual pixel (700; 703; 706) of the coherently arranged pixels (700, 703, 706) and the reference

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a liquid into one or more cavities of one packaging shells for ophthalmic lenses, comprises a dispenser block, a dispenser head separate from the dispenser block. The apparatus further comprises one or more tubes connecting the dispenser block and the dispenser head. Additionally, the dispenser block comprises a reservoir for the liquid to be dispensed, and one or more dosing pumps for conveying the liquid from the reservoir to the dispenser head. The dispenser head comprises one or more dispensing tips detachably arranged on the dispenser head, each of the dispensing tips being in fluid communication with the dispenser block by a separate one of the one or more tubes.

Abstract: A gripper (1) for an ophthalmic lens comprises a gripper head (14) having a bearing surface (140), the bearing surface (140) having at least one through-opening (14), the bearing surface (140) further having a separate detection through-opening (142) other than the at least one through-opening (141); a suction channel (170) arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel (170) leading to the at least one through-opening (141) in the bearing surface (140); an overpressure channel (130) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel (130) leading to the at least one through-opening (141); and a detection vacuum tube (16) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube (16) leading to the separate detection through-opening (142) in the bearing surface (140).

Abstract: A treatment container (1) for accommodating an ophthalmic lens (2) comprises a bottom (3), a side wall (4) surrounding the bottom (3) and together with the bottom (3) forming a cavity (5) for accommodating the ophthalmic lens, a container opening (6) arranged opposite to the bottom (3), and a fluid opening (7) arranged in the bottom (3) or in the side wall (4) of the treatment container (1). The fluid opening (7) is in fluid communication with the cavity (5). The treatment container (1) further comprises a fluid conveyance channel (8) and a supply connector (9). The fluid conveyance channel (8) is connected to the fluid opening (7) so as to be in fluid communication with the fluid opening (7).

Abstract: A packaging container (1) for a contact lens comprises a shell (2).The shell (2) comprises a cavity (10) having a drop-shaped perimeter (12), and a flange (20) having a flat upper surface (22) extending around the drop-shaped perimeter (12) of the cavity (10) in an upper surface plane (24). The cavity (10) comprises a bowl portion (30) including an at least partially spherical section (32) for accommodating the contact lens, and a chamfer portion (40) surrounding the bowl portion (30). The chamfer portion (40) is arranged between the bowl portion (30) and the drop-shaped perimeter (12) of the cavity (10) and includes a tapered outlet section (42) forming a tip towards the flange (20) to facilitate removal of the contact lens from the cavity (10).

Abstract: A sputter apparatus with a pipe cathode is arranged such that the supply of power, cooling fluid and other media to the pipe cathode takes place via flexible lines or tubes which can be wound about a receptor. If the pipe cathode completes a pendulum movement, the lines and/or tubes are wound onto the receptor or wound from it. The pendulum movement of the pipe cathode is preferably such that the pipe cathode is rotated by a certain first angle in a first direction and subsequently by a certain second angle in a second direction, the second angle differing from the first angle. Methods for operating the sputter apparatus are also disclosed.