Abstract: An apparatus for causing the polymerized excess monomer to separate from a molded lens by increasing the surface energy of the flange area of one mold piece, causing the polymerized excess monomer to stick thereto. Specifically when manufactured under inert atmosphere conditions, a particular manifold is needed to supply an oxygen bearing gas, air, to the area to be treated while preventing the oxygen from contaminating the lens manufacturing area of the molds or diluting the nitrogen atmosphere of other lens process areas. It has been found that generation of the ionized oxygen by means of a corona treatment electrode sufficiently increases the adherence of the polymer to the mold piece so treated.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removing and transporting articles, such as contact lens sections from a manufacturing line to inspection and packaging stations. The lenses are deposited in a transparent plastic primary package which carries the lenses through the inspection station and becomes part of the primary package when a cover is sealed thereto. The invention includes various assemblies, including lens transfer assemblies, deionized water filling and removal assemblies, a water degassing assembly, a lens inspection assembly, and a lens package sealing assembly. The lenses are removed from pallets at a post hydration station, transported and spatially redistributed, and deposited in the primary packages disposed on a second set of pallets. The packages on the second set of pallets are filled with degassed deionized water. The contact lenses and packages are then transported to an inspection station.

Abstract: Hydrophilic contact lens molds are transiently modified to provide a water dynamic contact angle equal to or less than 100.degree. by treatment with a wetting agent which may be water or a surfactant composition which provides a mold surface having a water wetting force of at least 70 mg to afford a reduction in lens hole defects in hydrophilic contact lens manufacture.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an interpenetrating polymer network comprised of a polyurea network interpenetrated with a polyacrylic network and the article of manufacture, such as a contact lens, made therefrom.

Abstract: An apparatus for the processing and segmenting of a cover-forming laminate web or sheeting structure which is adapted to interconnect a plurality of containers, such as the base members of blister packages each of which is designed to contain a hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically disclosed is an apparatus for the imprinting, perforating, slitting and cutting the laminated web structure such that the severed laminate segments constitute printed covering label for an array of such containers, and whereby the laminated web or sheeting segment may be severed along weakening or perforation lines so as to provide a separable packaging arrangement for individual of the containers which are subsequently adhered thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for the processing and segmenting of a cover-forming laminate web or sheeting structure which is adapted to interconnect a plurality of containers, such as the base members of blister packages each of which is designed to contain a hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution. More specifically disclosed is an apparatus for the imprinting, perforating, slitting and cutting the laminated web structure such that the severed laminate segments constitute printed covering label for an array of such containers, and whereby the laminated web or sheeting segment may be severed along weakening or perforation lines so as to provide a separable packaging arrangement for individual of the containers which are subsequently adhered thereto.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming contact lenses, wherein front curve mold halves are filled with a hardenable transparent material, such as a polymerizable hydrogel, and back curve mold halves are coupled to the front curve, therein forming a lens. More particularly, the apparatus includes a conveyor for transporting pallets of mold halves to the apparatus, an array of piston structures for raising and aligning the back curves with respect to the filled front curve halves, a mechanism for reciprocating the piston array to couple pairs of front and back curves, and a vacuum chamber for maintaining a vacuum around the curves during coupling. In addition, there is provided individual spring biasing to each reciprocating element whereby sensitivity to thickness variations and pallet misfeeds may be minimized. Further, there is provided a vacuum sleeve, through which the pistons reciprocate within the vacuum chamber, which sleeve preserves the vacuum within the chamber.

Abstract: The present process is directed to using a reaction injection molding process to make contact lenses made up of an interpenetrating polymer network of polyurea and polyacrylic by the reaction injection molding process.

Abstract: A method of double-sided printing, in effect, on opposite or both surfaces of a layer on a multi-layered foil laminate. Moreover, also disclosed is the provision of a novel multi-layered foil laminate having at least one layer, preferably an exterior layer which is constituted of a plastic film material, and which is provided with printing on both surfaces of the layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling and assembling mold parts for a contact lens includes a first automated station for receiving a plurality of front curve contact lens mold parts and depositing in each front curve mold a predetermined amount of a polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture, and, a second automated station for receiving the plurality of front curve mold parts and assembling each front curve mold part with a back curve mold part under vacuum to prevent entrapment of gas between the mold parts. The front curve mold parts are transported to the first and to the second automated stations by a pallet having registration guides that cooperate with the second station to register the pallet prior to assembly of the mold parts.

Abstract: A method of double-sided printing, in effect, on opposite or both surfaces of a layer on a multi-layered foil laminate. Moreover, also disclosed is the provision of a novel multi-layered foil laminate having at least one layer, preferably an exterior layer which is constituted of a plastic film material, and which is provided with printing on both surfaces of the layer.

Abstract: Hydrophilic contact lenses made using a crosslinking agent of the formulaA--X--(O--(C(O).sub.i --R--(C(O)).sub.i --O--X).sub.n --Awherein R contains one or more cyclic or bicyclic moiety, X is linear or branched alkyl or alkenyl, optionally substituted, and A is acrylate, methacrylate, vinylbenzoyloxy or vinylphenoxy, exhibit superior hydrophilicity, oxygen transmissivity, and physical properties.

Abstract: Concentric annular ring lens designs are disclosed for astigmatic patients, particularly lens designs which reduce the sensitivity of the patient to toric axis misalignment, thus reducing the required number of stock keeping units in inventory for a toric product. Several of the concentric annular ring lens designs comprise a multifocal concentric annular ring design on either the front or back surface and a toric curve on the reverse surface to correct for astigmatism.

Abstract: Programmable smooth junctions are provided for lenses and molds therefor, particularly for toric lens designs, which enable a numerically controlled (NC) machine to be programmed to machine smooth junctions or transitions between adjacent regions of a lens which have different thicknesses or radii of curvature. First and second mathematical functions f(a) and f(b) are defined which specify the curves of first and second segments of a lens surface. The slope dy/dx is derived of the first and second mathematical functions f(a) and f(b) at the transition between the first and second segments of the lens surface. A mathematical function is defined which describes a desired transition between the first and second segments of the lens.

Abstract: The present invention, which relates to post hydration processing of contact lenses and the packages into which the lenses are placed, includes several assemblies which are ideally suited to performing the various steps which are associated with post hydration processing.

Abstract: Non-ballasted, eyelid rotationally stabilized designs are disclosed for use in toric or multifocal toric contact lenses. The back surface of the lens includes a toric or multifocal toric surface and also thin top and bottom zones (slab offs) to achieve eyelid rotational orientation and stabilization. The advantage of this technical approach is in mold manufacturing, wherein the design allows the use of any chosen power spherical stock front mold.

Abstract: A method and apparatus releasably secure mold pieces used to mold an artificial eye lens, for example a hydrophilic contact lens. The apparatus includes an ultrasonic welding system to provide directed energy, modified so that the output horn is convex to extend within the outer concave portion of one of the mold pieces and has a shoulder to rest upon the flange of said piece thereby centering it. The method applies directed energy, such as ultrasonic vibrations, through the energy emitter horn to soften or melt then fuse the mating peripheral edge portion of the lens mold pieces.

Abstract: A packaging arrangement for packaging products such as contact lenses in packages such as blister packs. The packaging arrangement includes an intermittently indexed, linearly driven endless conveyor which includes a plurality of identical support pallets, equally spaced apart along the endless conveyor. Each support pallet is designed to support and align an array of individual package bases. The arrangement is such that each support pallet with an array of individual package bases thereon is sequentially stopped at a plurality of spaced work stations along the endless conveyor.

Abstract: An automated means for hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact lens is provided in which a first robotic assembly removes a plurality of contact lens molds from a production line carrier, each of the lens molds having a contact lens adhered therein. The first robotic assembly transports the molds to a first staging area where the lens molds are sandwiched between a lens mold carrier and a top chamber plate to form a first hydration carrier. A first rotary transfer device then hands the first hydration carrier to a second robotic assembly which immerses the first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lens and to release the lens from the lens mold. While the lens is immersed in the hydration bath, each lens is transferred from its respective mold to a lens transfer means found within the top chamber plate.

Abstract: A method for producing visible marks in molded contact lenses, particularly soft hydrogel contact lenses, by placing a recessed mark configuration in a metal insert. The metal insert is subsequently used to produce injection molding frames, which are then subsequently used in the molding of the final contact lenses. The recessed mark configuration is at least approximately 10 microns deep, has a Volume Index, which is the ratio of the quantity volume below a reference surface minus the volume above the reference surface over the volume below the reference surface, of at least approximately 0.9. The recessed mark configuration also preferably has a ratio of surface roughness (RMS or Ra) to a peak-to-valley (PV) measurement, RMS/PV or of Ra/PV, of greater than approximately 0.15.