Patents by Inventor Kazuhiko Nakada

Kazuhiko Nakada 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: 7270716
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of selecting a contact lens suitable for a wearer and/or a care system therefor, by which the occurrence of problems (for example, worsening in the feel during wearing, lowering in the oxygen permeability of the lens, shortening in the lens life, lowering in the visual acuity, corneal injury, etc.) can be minimized to thereby ensure a high safety for the eye, namely, a method which comprises collecting the lacrimal fluid of a wearer, detecting the protein content and/or the lipid content in the lacrimal fluid thus obtained (Step S5), estimating the dirt adhesion characteristics of the wearer to a contact lens based on the protein content and/or lipid content thus detected, and then selecting a contact lens suitable for the wearer and/or a care system therefor from among a plurality of contact lenses and a plurality of care systems (Step S6).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2007
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadanori Ohno, Tetsuji Kawai, Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7053997
    Abstract: A method of obtaining particulars or characteristics of an ophthalmic lens by detecting a fluorescent light which is emitted from the ophthalmic lens upon exposure to an excitation light (UV light). The particulars or characteristics of the ophthalmic lens include, for instance, identifying marks such as characters, figures, symbols, etc. which are formed in the ophthalmic lens to identify the ophthalmic lens, a thickness of the ophthalmic lens such as a contact lens and an intraocular lens, and an angular position of the ophthalmic lens, particularly of a special contact lens having circumferential portions having respective different thickness values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Suzuki, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Patent number: 7044598
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens characterized in that it is capable of developing a color at a position where a light is irradiated, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. It is another object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens, which can form a clear and easily readable mark, without causing problems such as discoloration of the mark, caused by cleaning of the lens by rubbing, or deterioration of the mechanical strength of the lens, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. The ophthalmic lens of the present invention is obtained by a polymerization of a polymerizable composition of monomers, which contains an alkyl (meth)acrylate as an essential polymerizable component, and this polymerization is carried out while the rhodamine derivative is present in the composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd..
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Masahiro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 7037954
    Abstract: An ocular lens material comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerization with heating of a monomer mixture and/or with irradiating a monomer mixture with ultraviolet ray by means of a molding method, the monomer mixture containing a polysiloxane macromonomer A, a Si-containing alkyl methacrylate B, a hydrophilic monomer C comprising NVP as C-1 and another hydrophilic monomer C-2, another monomer D and a crosslinkable monomer E comprising a crosslinkable monomer E-1 containing at least one group selected from acryloyl group, vinyl group and allyl group, and methacryloyl group, and a crosslinkable monomer E-2 containing at least two methacryloyl groups as main components, wherein (A+B)/C (weight ratio) is 30/70 to 70/30, A/B is 25/75 to 75/25, C-1/C-2 is 50/50 to 100/0, the amount of D is 0 to 20% by weight in the monomer mixture, which has high oxygen permeability, high mechanical strength, excellent surface wettability and low surface frictional property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Baba, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Patent number: 6997554
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of predetermined at least one spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the predetermined at least one spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2006
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Publication number: 20060003906
    Abstract: It is intended to provide a method of selecting a contact lens suitable for a wearer and/or a care system therefor, by which the occurrence of problems (for example, worsening in the feel during wearing, lowering in the oxygen permeability of the lens, shortening in the lens life, lowering in the visual acuity, corneal injury, etc.) can be minimized to thereby ensure a high safety for the eye, namely, a method which comprises collecting the lacrimal fluid of a wearer, detecting the protein content and/or the lipid content in the lacrimal fluid thus obtained (Step S5), estimating the dirt adhesion characteristics of the wearer to a contact lens based on the protein content and/or lipid content thus detected, and then selecting a contact lens suitable for the wearer and/or a care system therefor from among a plurality of contact lenses and a plurality of care systems (Step S6).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2005
    Publication date: January 5, 2006
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sadanori Ohno, Tetsuji Kawai, Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20050206843
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens characterized in that it is capable of developing a color at a position where a light is irradiated, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. It is another object of the present invention to provide an ophthalmic lens, which can form a clear and easily readable mark, without causing problems such as discoloration of the mark, caused by cleaning of the lens by rubbing, or deterioration of the mechanical strength of the lens, and to provide a marking method of the ophthalmic lens. The ophthalmic lens of the present invention is obtained by a polymerization of a polymerizable composition of monomers, which contains an alkyl (meth)acrylate as an essential polymerizable component, and this polymerization is carried out while the rhodamine derivative is existed in the composition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2005
    Publication date: September 22, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Masahiro Matsumoto
  • Publication number: 20050160009
    Abstract: It is an object to provide a novel system for supporting contact lens users, who has not been provided with an after-selling support sufficiently, which is able to provide an appropriate support to individual contact lens user so that he can use contact lenses with comfortable. In order to attain the object, an image signal of the user's currently used contact lenses (20) acquired by a user client apparatus (18) is transmitted via communication network means (38), to a server apparatus (12) of a supporting entity (10). The server apparatus (12) then obtains lens condition evaluation data, which are stored in memory means (14) and transmitted via the communication network means (38) to the user client apparatus (18) so that the user (16) can be provided with the lens condition evaluation data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 21, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Hidenari Tanaka, Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Sadanori Ohno, Tetsuji Kawai
  • Publication number: 20050073646
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of predetermined at least one spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the predetermined at least one spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: April 7, 2005
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Patent number: 6857744
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation of a femtosecond pulse width, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of at least one predetermined spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the at least one predetermined spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2005
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Publication number: 20040234569
    Abstract: It is an object of the invention to provide a simple disinfecting method for assuring an excellent disinfecting effect. The present method uses a disinfecting liquid in which a hydrogen peroxide is included in an aqueous medium. The disinfecting liquid is accommodated in a suitable container such that the disinfecting liquid accommodated in the container has a depth of 3-10 mm, and the disinfecting liquid in which an object to be disinfected is immersed is irradiated with a light having a wavelength of 280-385 nm, such that the light is incident on the disinfecting liquid at least in a direction of the depth of the disinfecting liquid, so that the object immersed in the disinfecting liquid is disinfected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Publication date: November 25, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Kotaro Sakanishi, Noriko Sugasawa, Hiroaki Suzuki
  • Patent number: 6790873
    Abstract: An ocular lens having a desired shape without having a deformation induced by its process, and having a uniform coat layer on its surface, is proceeded by single mold polymerization. The ocular lens is produced by a process comprising a step of irradiating at least one part of the molding surface for the ocular lens of the mold with an excimer light, a step of coating a compound fixable to the ocular lens surface by an interaction with a polymerizable component in the ocular lens material, or its solution on the mold surface after irradiating with an excimer light, a step of filling the ocular lens material into the mold after coating, and polymerizing, a step of releasing a polymer obtained by the polymerization from the mold, and obtaining an ocular lens stock material having above-mentioned component fixed on its surface, and a step extracting unfixed unreacted components from obtained ocular lens stock material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Tomono, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Patent number: 6790409
    Abstract: A method of disinfecting a contact lens is provided, including the steps of preparing a disinfecting liquid which contains water-dispersible fine particles of a titanium oxide dispersed in an aqueous medium, immersing the contact lens in the disinfecting liquid; and irradiating the disinfecting liquid in which the contact lens is immersed, with a light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Chikako Nakamura, Kazuhiko Nakada, Tatsuya Hayashi, Kotaro Sakanishi
  • Patent number: 6727336
    Abstract: An ocular lens material comprising a siloxane-containing polymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing (A) a siloxane macromonomer having at least two active unsaturated groups and a number average molecular weight of 2,000 to 100,000; and (B) a vinyl ester of lower fatty acid as essential components. An ocular lens material comprising a polymer obtained by saponification of the siloxane-containing polymer. Processes for producing the ocular lens materials. The ocular lens materials are excellent not only in lipid-stain resistance, wettability and oxygen permeability, but also in flexibility, particularly, shape recovery at the same time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2004
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eri Ito, Tetsuji Kawai, Sadanori Oono, Kazuhiko Nakada, Misako Nishibayashi
  • Publication number: 20040054106
    Abstract: An ocular lens material comprising a siloxane-containing polymer obtained by polymerizing a monomer mixture containing (A) a siloxane macromonomer having at least two active unsaturated groups and a number average molecular weight of 2,000 to 100,000; and (B) a vinyl ester of lower fatty acid as essential components. An ocular lens material comprising a polymer obtained by saponification of the siloxane-containing polymer. Processes for producing the ocular lens materials. The ocular lens materials are excellent not only in lipid-stain resistance, wettability and oxygen permeability, but also in flexibility, particularly, shape recovery at the same time.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: March 18, 2004
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Eri Ito, Tetsuji Kawai, Sadanori Oono, Kazuhiko Nakada, Misako Nishibayashi
  • Publication number: 20040039077
    Abstract: An ocular lens material comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerization with heating of a monomer mixture and/or with irradiating a monomer mixture with ultraviolet ray by means of a molding method, the monomer mixture containing a polysiloxane macromonomer A, a Si-containing alkyl methacrylate B, a hydrophilic monomer C comprising NVP as C-1 and another hydrophilic monomer C-2, another monomer D and a crosslinkable monomer E comprising a crosslinkable monomer E-1 containing at least one group selected from acryloyl group, vinyl group and allyl group, and methacryloyl group, and a crosslinkable monomer E-2 containing at least two methacryloyl groups as main components, wherein (A+B)/C (weight ratio) is 30/70 to 70/30, A/B is 25/75 to 75/25, C-1/C-2 is 50/50 to 100/0, the amount of D is 0 to 20% by weight in the monomer mixture, which has high oxygen permeability, high mechanical strength, excellent surface wettability and low surface frictional property.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: MENICON CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Masaki Baba, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Publication number: 20040038956
    Abstract: A method of disinfecting a contact lens including the steps of: preparing a disinfecting liquid which contains at least one suitably selected metal phthalocyanine compound and hydrogen peroxide, the at least one metal phthalocyanine compound being dispersed or dissolved in an aqueous medium; immersing the contact lens in the disinfecting liquid; and irradiating, with a light, the disinfecting liquid in which the contact lens is immersed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 14, 2003
    Publication date: February 26, 2004
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Kotaro Sakanishi
  • Publication number: 20040032566
    Abstract: A method of marking an ophthalmic lens, including a step of irradiating the ophthalmic lens formed of a resin material with a laser radiation of a femtosecond pulse width, such that the laser radiation is condensed at each of predetermined at least one spot within the ophthalmic lens, to form a whitened portion at the each of the predetermined at least one spot, for thereby providing the ophthalmic lens with a marking.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2003
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Nakada, Hiroaki Suzuki, Kenichi Ishihara, Yuuji Gotou
  • Patent number: 6638991
    Abstract: An ocular lens material comprising a copolymer prepared by polymerization with heating of a monomer mixture and/or with irradiating a monomer mixture with ultraviolet ray by means of a molding method, the monomer mixture containing a polysiloxane macromonomer A, a Si-containing alkyl methacrylate B, a hydrophilic monomer C comprising NVP as C-1 and another hydrophilic monomer C-2, another monomer D and a crosslinkable monomer E comprising a crosslinkable monomer E-1 containing at least one group selected from acryloyl group, vinyl group and allyl group, and methacryloyl group, and a crosslinkable monomer E-2 containing at least two methacryloyl groups as main components, wherein (A+B)/C (weight ratio) is 30/70 to 70/30, A/B is 25/75 to 75/25, C-1/C-2 is 50/50 to 100/0, the amount of D is 0 to 20% by weight in the monomer mixture, which has high oxygen permeability, high mechanical strength, excellent surface wettability and low surface frictional property.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Baba, Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Kazuhiko Nakada
  • Patent number: 6610350
    Abstract: A method of modifying a surface of an ophthalmic lens, includes the steps of: generating plasma at an atmospheric pressure between electrodes of a plasma generating device; and blowing the plasma from the plasma generating device by introducing a gas between the electrodes. The ophthalmic lens, which is located outside the plasma generating device, is irradiated with the plasma blown out from the plasma generating device to modify the surface of the ophthalmic lens to form a final ophthalmic lens product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2003
    Assignee: Menicon Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Suzuki, Yuuji Gotou, Kazuhiko Nakada