Patents by Inventor Jens Hof

Jens Hof has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11745452
    Abstract: A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Karin Stoller, Daniel Kessler, Burkhard Dietrich, Jens Hof
  • Publication number: 20230196547
    Abstract: A method (6) for inspecting an ophthalmic lens (2), in particular a contact lens such as a soft contact lens (2), in an automated lens manufacturing process is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of acquiring (60) a plurality of images containing the ophthalmic lens (2) to be inspected as an imaged ophthalmic lens (2), wherein each image (4) of the plurality of images is of a different image type, registering (63) the plurality of images by applying a registration function to each image (4) of the plurality of images to obtain registered images, determining (64), based on the registered images, whether the ophthalmic lens (2) complies with predetermined specifications, and updating (62) the registration function to compensate for possible changes in the acquisition of the plurality of images. Updating (62) the registration function is performed during the automated lens manufacturing process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2022
    Publication date: June 22, 2023
    Inventors: Daniel Paulus, Jens Hof, Susanne Fechner
  • Publication number: 20220082861
    Abstract: A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2021
    Publication date: March 17, 2022
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Karin Stoller, Daniel Kessler, Burkhard Dietrich, Jens Hof
  • Patent number: 11215844
    Abstract: A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2022
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Karin Stoller, Daniel Kessler, Burkhard Dietrich, Jens Hof
  • Patent number: 10661515
    Abstract: A casting mold (1) for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, in particular hard and soft contact lenses comprises a male mold half (2) having a generally convexly shaped male mold surface (20) and a female mold half having a generally concavely shaped female mold surface (30). Each of the male and female mold surfaces comprises a lens-forming surface (21, 31) which is encircled by a non lens-forming annular edge surface (22, 32). The lens-forming surface (21, 31) comprises a central optical zone (210, 310) and a non-optical peripheral zone (211, 311) surrounding the central optical zone. At least one of the male and female mold halves (2, 3) is provided with at least one permanent marking (10; 11; 12; 110, 111) which is arranged on a surface in the peripheral zone (211, 311) of the lens-forming surface (21, 31) and/or on the non lens-forming annular edge surface (22, 32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2020
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Jens Hof, Burkhard Dietrich, Roger Biel
  • Publication number: 20190064541
    Abstract: A production line (PL) for the production of ophthalmic lenses (7) comprises a manufacturing module (MM), an inspection module (IM), and a packaging module (PP) in which the lenses identified by the inspection module (IM) as being acceptable are packed into primary packages. The manufacturing module (MM) comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations (300, 301, 302, 310, 320, 321, 322, 330, 331, 340, 341, 342, 350, 351, 352). At least one of these manufacturing stations (310; 320, 321, 322, 330, 331) is configured to apply a lens identification code (70, 71, 72) to the respective lens. The lens identification code (70, 71, 72) includes information indicative of the type of the respective lens.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2018
    Publication date: February 28, 2019
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Karin Stoller, Daniel Kessler, Burkhard Dietrich, Jens Hof
  • Publication number: 20160144579
    Abstract: A casting mold (1) for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, in particular hard and soft contact lenses comprises a male mold half (2) having a generally convexly shaped male mold surface (20) and a female mold half having a generally concavely shaped female mold surface (30). Each of the male and female mold surfaces comprises a lens-forming surface (21, 31) which is encircled by a non lens-forming annular edge surface (22, 32). The lens-forming surface (21, 31) comprises a central optical zone (210, 310) and a non-optical peripheral zone (211, 311) surrounding the central optical zone. At least one of the male and female mold halves (2, 3) is provided with at least one permanent marking (10; 11; 12; 110, 111) which is arranged on a surface in the peripheral zone (211, 311) of the lens-forming surface (21, 31) and/or on the non lens-forming annular edge surface (22, 32).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2015
    Publication date: May 26, 2016
    Inventors: Jens Hof, Burkhard Dietrich, Roger Biel