Patents Assigned to Vision Products, Inc.
-
Patent number: 6077031Abstract: This invention relates to a method for removing and transporting articles, such as ophthalmic lens mold sections, or packaging elements from a mold. The invention, in one embodiment includes first, second, and third assemblies; the first of which removes the articles from the molding station at a first location and transports them to a second location; the second assembly receives the articles from the first assembly and transports them to a third location, and the third assembly receives the articles from the second assembly and transports them to a fourth location. A second embodiment includes a flipper assembly disposed between the first and second assemblies, which flipper receives the articles from the first assembly and inverts them before depositing them onto the second assembly. This second embodiment is useful in conjunction with molded articles which are transported to the flipper assembly in an inverted position.Type: GrantFiled: April 19, 1999Date of Patent: June 20, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Victor Lust, Stephen Robert Beaton, Scott Frederick Ansell, Henri Armand Dagobert, Phillip King Parnell, Sr., Craig William Walker, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang
-
Patent number: 6071440Abstract: A contact lens production line pallet system transports contact lens mold materials throughout a facility for producing ophthalmic lenses. Specifically, the contact lens production line pallet system includes a pallet for carrying one or more contact lens mold assemblies throughout a contact lens production line, the pallet having one or more first recesses formed in a surface thereof for receiving either a first mold half or a complementary second mold half, the first and second mold halves when placed together constitute an individual contact lens mold assembly. A conveyor device for transporting the pallet from station to station throughout the production line facility is provided, as is a locating device formed in the pallet surface for enabling precise positioning of the pallet at one or more manufacturing stations in the production line facility.Type: GrantFiled: December 9, 1998Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, Kaj Bjerre, Svend Christensen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Wallace Anthony Martin, Craig William Walker, Michael Francis Widman
-
Automated method and apparatus for single sided hydration of soft contact lenses in package carriers
Patent number: 6071112Abstract: An automated means for hydrating and packaging a molded hydrophilic contact lens in one of the mold parts used to mold the 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. The hydration carrier is then transported through a plurality of flushing or extraction stations wherein fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chambers at each hydration station to flush leachable substances from the hydration chamber. At each flushing station, fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chamber to remove previously extracted impurities and the products of hydrolysis.Type: GrantFiled: July 29, 1999Date of Patent: June 6, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Olin W. Calvin, Mark E. Schlagel, Darren S. Keene, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Craig W. Walker, Wallace A. Martin, John C. Heaton -
Patent number: 6054090Abstract: A process for steam-sterilizing label-bearing containers stacked with the labels in contact, without destroying the labels such as occurs if the labels are printed by thermal transfer for product-variable data. The process features laser-ablating imagewise the label to remove an ink layer so as to expose either a contrasting ink layer below, or a metal foil or polymer substrate. Such containers are then readily stacked on the labels and sterilized without thermal damage to the labels.Type: GrantFiled: July 9, 1998Date of Patent: April 25, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Donnie Jerome Duis, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, James Malcolm Peck
-
Patent number: 6042230Abstract: The invention provides marks for use in contact lenses and contact lenses that contain the marks, which marks are highly visible. The marks of the invention are useful for determining the inside versus the outside of the lens as well as for diagnostic purposes.Type: GrantFiled: December 14, 1998Date of Patent: March 28, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Susan Neadle, George Stanley
-
Patent number: 6039899Abstract: An automated method and apparatus is provided to mold and cure soft contact lenses. A molding station injection molds first and second mold parts for the production of the lenses and these mold parts are transferred to an inert gas or low oxygen environment wherein a series of automated stations receive the mold parts, deposit a polymerizable hydrogel within the first mold part, assemble and clamp the first and second mold parts together, apply radiant energy for polymerizing the hydrogel and subsequently separate the mold parts.Type: GrantFiled: January 9, 1998Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Wallace Anthony Martin, Jonathan Patrick Adams, Finn Thrige Andersen, Stephen Robert Beaton, Svend Christensen, Allan G. Jensen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Victor Lust, Craig William Walker, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang
-
Patent number: 6040416Abstract: A melt polymerization method for producing poly(arylene ethers phosphine oxide)s suited to optical applications comprising reacting a trimethyl silyl derivative of bisphenol and an activated aromatic dihalide, wherein either reactant is a phosphine oxide, is provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 18, 1999Date of Patent: March 21, 2000Assignees: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc., Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties, Inc.Inventors: Venkateshwaran N. Sekharipuram, Beverly Sue Mecham, Atul Bhatnagar, James E. McGrath
-
Patent number: 6031059Abstract: The invention provides hydrogels for use in the production of biomedical devices. In particular, the invention provides hydrogels formed from siloxane prepolymers and a hydrophilic monomer, which hydrogels are optically transparent.Type: GrantFiled: September 30, 1998Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Douglas G. Vanderlaan, Frank Molock, Giancarlo Fruzzetti
-
Patent number: 6029808Abstract: This invention provides a blister pack comprising a base and a cover, wherein said base comprises a recess which houses a contact lens and solution, wherein the thickness of the material of said recess is less than 0.75 mm, and said recess houses less than 0.75 ml solution.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 1999Date of Patent: February 29, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: James Malcolm Peck, Gary L. Collins, Jerry Wayne Dukes, Gregory Scott Duncan, George E. Himes, Kornelis Renkema, Michael J. Tersak, Donnie Jerome Duis, Ranganath Ramakrishnan Raja
-
Patent number: 6024448Abstract: This invention provides a contact lens comprising a front surface, a back surface and an identifying mark on at least one of said front surface and said back surface, wherein said identifying mark comprises a depressed region having a cross-section which comprises at least two intersecting concave surfaces at the bottom of said depressed region.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 1998Date of Patent: February 15, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Jongliang Wu, Khaled A. Chehab, Carl G. Crowe, Timothy R. Poling, Richard J. Nason, Jon Scott Walker, Susan-Wendy B. Neadle, Patricia Ann Hutfles, W. Anthony Martin
-
Patent number: 6018931Abstract: A method and a support for supporting a package in a steam sterilizer, featuring support members configured and positioned to support only at least a portion of at least two opposed side edges, but not a side face, of the package. A diamond shape is particularly preferred for the support members as, when rotated at an angle, its facets provide line contact with appropriate side edges of the package.Type: GrantFiled: September 8, 1998Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: David Clarence Byram, Gregory Scott Duncan, Marlaine Gail Mills, James Malcolm Peck, Kenneth Kurt Pricer
-
Patent number: 6020445Abstract: This invention relates to polymers that are formed by polymerizing a reaction mixture that comprises at least one silicone-containing monomer and at least one hydrophilic monomer. More particularly, this invention relates to polymers formed by polymerizing a reaction mixture that comprises at least one silicone-containing monomer and at least one hydrophilic monomer in the presence of a diluent.Type: GrantFiled: October 9, 1997Date of Patent: February 1, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Douglas G. Vanderlaan, Ivan M. Nunez, Marcie Hargiss
-
Automated method and apparatus for single sided hydration of soft contact lenses in package carriers
Patent number: 6012471Abstract: An automated means for hydrating and packaging a molded hydrophilic contact lens in one of the mold parts used to mold the 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. The hydration carrier is then transported through a plurality of flushing or extraction stations wherein fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chambers at each hydration station to flush leachable substances from the hydration chamber. At each flushing station, fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chamber to remove previously extracted impurities and the products of hydrolysis.Type: GrantFiled: August 14, 1996Date of Patent: January 11, 2000Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Olin W. Calvin, Mark E. Schlagel, Darren S. Keene, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Craig W. Walker, Wallace A. Martin, John C. Heaton -
Patent number: 6007229Abstract: A method for removing and transporting ophthalmic lens fabricating mold sections from a molding device to an inert chamber in a predetermined time, controlled by a central processor, is disclosed. The method includes starting a timer upon opening the molding device and exposing the mold sections; actuating a robotic arm to transport the mold sections from the molding device to an intermediate position using a compound movement; actuating a cam-controlled arm to transport the mold sections from the intermediate position to a pallet held on a conveyor belt at a cam-arm pre-part release location; and releasing the pallet to move on the conveyor belt to the inert chamber for continued transport of mold containing pallets to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses.Type: GrantFiled: June 5, 1997Date of Patent: December 28, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Phillip King Parnell, Sr., Victor Lust, Michael William Litwin
-
Patent number: 5998498Abstract: A soft contact lens comprising a silicone-hydrogel made by curing a reaction mixture comprising a silicone-containing monomer.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 1998Date of Patent: December 7, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Douglas G. Vanderlaan, Ivan M. Nunez, Marcie Hargiss, Michele L. Alton, Susan Williams
-
Patent number: 5995213Abstract: A system for inspecting ophthalmic lenses and including transport, illumination, imaging and image processing subsystems. The transport system moves a multitude of ophthalmic lenses along a predetermined path to move each of those lenses, one at a time, into a lens inspection position, and the illumination subsystem generates a series of light pulses and directs a respective one light pulse through each ophthalmic lens. The imaging subsystem generates a set of signals representing selected portions of the light pulses transmitted through the ophthalmic lenses, and the image processing subsystem receives those signals from the imaging subsystem and processes those signals according to a predetermined program to identify at least one condition of each of the lenses.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 1997Date of Patent: November 30, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Thomas G. Davis, Joseph Wilder, David Dreyfuss
-
Patent number: 5988813Abstract: A method of producing a compensated contact lens that is compensated for power deviation from target due to differential shrinkage, and also a compensated contact lens. The invention includes the steps of designing a lens to have first and second areas of different thickness and a cylinder axis having a predetermined angular position; determining a plurality of power correction factors, one for each of a plurality of cylinder axis ranges of the lens; and modifying the lens using a selected one of the plurality of power correction factors corresponding to the cylinder axis ranges of the lens containing the cylinder axis of the lens.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 1998Date of Patent: November 23, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Susan Neadle, Timothy Clutterbuck
-
Patent number: 5983608Abstract: A base member for a blister package for the containment of a contact lens includes a planar flange extending outwardly about a cavity for housing the contact lens. Proximate the peripheral edge of the flange, there is formed a continuous groove into which there is pressed the material of a flexible cover sheet of the blister package so as to clampingly engage the base member.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 1998Date of Patent: November 16, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Jongliang Wu, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, Stephen Robert Beaton, Kornelis Renkema, Wybren Van Der Meulen, Victor Lust, Richard Wayne Abrams
-
Patent number: 5980184Abstract: This invention relates to a device for removing and transporting articles, such as ophthalmic lens mold sections, or packaging elements from a mold. The invention, in one embodiment includes first, second, and third assemblies; the first of which removes the articles from the molding station at a first location and transports them to a second location; the second assembly receives the articles from the first assembly and transports them to a third location, and the third assembly receives the articles from the second assembly and transports them to a fourth location. A second embodiment includes a flipper assembly disposed between the first and second assemblies, which flipper receives the articles from the first assembly and inverts them before depositing them onto the second assembly. This second embodiment is useful in conjunction with molded articles which are transported to the flipper assembly in an inverted position.Type: GrantFiled: March 26, 1998Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Victor Lust, Stephen Robert Beaton, Scott Frederick Ansell, Henri Armand Dagobert, Phillip King Parnell, Sr., Craig William Walker, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang
-
Patent number: 5981618Abstract: An apparatus and method for partially curing a polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture to form a soft contact lens includes a transport device for transporting a plurality of contact lens molds to a precure station in a low oxygen environment, each contact lens mold including a first and second mold half with a polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture therebetween. A clamping member having a plurality of mold engagement members clamps a first contact lens mold half against a second contact lens mold half for a predetermined pressure and time. While the mold halves of the contact lens mold are clamped, the polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture is exposed to a radiant energy source for polymerizing the polymerizable monomer or monomer mixture contained in each contact lens mold.Type: GrantFiled: March 27, 1997Date of Patent: November 9, 1999Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.Inventors: Wallace Anthony Martin, Jonathan Patrick Adams, Kaj Bjerre, Svend Christensen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Craig William Walker, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, Michael Francis Widman, Stephen Craig Pegram