Patents by Inventor Richard Charles Breitkopf
Richard Charles Breitkopf 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).
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Patent number: 10962803Abstract: The invention is generally related to a soft contact lens which comprises a hydrogel lens body and a coating of a hydrophilic copolymer thereon and to a method for producing the same. The hydrogel lens body comprises or is made of a polymeric material having 1,2- and/or 1,3-diol moieties, and the hydrophilic copolymer comprises arylborono-containing repeating units each having a boronic acid group. The coating is covalently-attached to the hydrogel lens body through cyclic boronic ester linkages each formed between one boronic acid group and one 1,2-diol or 1,3-diol group. The soft contact lens has a surface lubricity higher than the surface lubricity of the lens body.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2019Date of Patent: March 30, 2021Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Weihong Lang, Junhao Ge, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Frank Chang, Thomas M. Moy, Troy Vernon Holland
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Publication number: 20210009762Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Publication number: 20210011197Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 30, 2020Publication date: January 14, 2021Inventors: Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Publication number: 20200405747Abstract: The invention is generally related to topical ophthalmic compositions comprising: from about 0.05 w/v % to about 5 w/v % of galactomannan polymer; a cis-diol and about 0.5 w/v % to about 10 w/v % of a hydrophilic copolymer which comprises (a) arylborono-containing repeating units each having a boronic acid, (b) repeating units of at least one phosphorylcholine-containing vinylic monomer, and (c) acrylic monomeric units of at least one acrylic monomer having 3 to 16 carbon atoms, the ophthalmic composition is substantially free of a borate for improving lubrication, hydration and drug delivery property.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 25, 2020Publication date: December 31, 2020Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Augustine Twum Kumi, Wei Liang
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Patent number: 10875967Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 29, 2020Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Patent number: 10866344Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: December 15, 2020Assignee: Alcon Inc.Inventors: Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Publication number: 20200376787Abstract: The invention provides a thermal cast-molding method for producing colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention comprises: (1) forming, on a molding surface of a mold, a transferable colored polymeric composite film which comprises or consists essentially of a first polymeric film, a second polymeric film and a cured colored image encapsulated therewithin; (2) dispensing a silicone hydrogel lens formulation into the lens-forming cavity of the mold; and (4) thermally curing the third polymerizable composition within the lens-forming cavity for at least about 40 minutes to form the colored silicone hydrogel contact lens, whereby the transferable, colored, and polymeric composite film detaches from the first or second molding surface and becomes integral with the body of the silicone hydrogel contact lens.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Changhong Yin, Richard Charles Breitkopf
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Publication number: 20200376788Abstract: The invention relates to a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system capable of control the temperature, viscosity and colorant concentration of an ink in an ink cup. Such controls are achieved by continuously adding and mixing a cold ink having a composition identical to the ink in the ink cup but having a lower temperature. The continuous addition of a small amount of a cold ink into the ink cup could compensate heat generated by the friction between the ink cup and a cliché and could minimize the evaporation of a diluent in the ink and change in the concentration of colorants in the ink and ink viscosity. The invention also relates to use of a pad printing instrument comprising an ink supply system of the invention for producing colored hydrogel or silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 27, 2020Publication date: December 3, 2020Inventors: Richard Charles Breitkopf, Changhong Yin, Steve Yun Zhang
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Patent number: 10843422Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for producing inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a robusteness of lens shape and having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus.Type: GrantFiled: June 6, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Alcon, Inc.Inventors: Daqing Wu, Steve Yun Zhang, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Frank Chang, Wei Liang, Ying Zheng, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi
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Publication number: 20190366658Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method for cast-molding of silicone hydrogel contact lenses having enhanced oxygen permeability without adversely affecting desirable lens mechanical properties (e.g., modulus). A method of the invention comprises adding a small amount of a radical scavenger (e.g., H-TEMPO) in a polymerizable composition for cast-molding of SiHy contact lenses) to provide the resultant polymerizable composition with a bi-phase curing profile at a curing temperature of from about 45° C. to about 100° C. With such a bi-phase curing profile, the resultant polymerizable composition can be thermally cured at the curing temperature to form a SiHy contact lens having an oxygen permeability higher than that for a polymerizable composition having the substantially identical composition excepting being free of any radical scavenger.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Weihong Lang, Wei Liang, Ying Zheng, Karen Belinda Sentell, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Daqing Wu, Steve Yun Zhang
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Publication number: 20190366659Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method comprising a process for removing unprocessed molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses from mold halves in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. A method of the invention comprises the combination of using a hydrophilic (meth)acrylamido monomer as one of major polymerizable components in a lens formulation for cast-molding of contact lenses, adding a post-curing treatment step which involves heating molds with molded lenses therewithin in an oven at a post-curing temperature higher than the curing temperature and under nitrogen gas flow at a higher flow rate, and using ultrasonic vibration energy for delensing. This method of the invention can be easily implemented in a production environment for enhancing the production yield.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Richard Charles Breitkopf, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang
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Publication number: 20190366660Abstract: The invention provides a contact lens manufacturing method comprising a process for removing unprocessed molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses from mold halves in a relatively efficient and consistent manner. A method of the invention comprising the steps of formulating a lens formulation by dissolving/blending all polymerizable components in a mixture a hydrophobic acrylic monomer as a reactive diluent and an organic solvent as a non-reactive diluent at a weight ratio of least 0.24 (reactive diluent over the sum of reactive and non-reactive solvents) per gram of the polymerizable composition and using a relatively low ultrasonic vibration energy for delensing. This method of the invention can be easily implemented in a production environment for enhancing the production yield.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 3, 2019Publication date: December 5, 2019Inventors: Junhao Ge, Daqing Wu, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Steve Yun Zhang, Augustine Twum Kumi
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Publication number: 20190300654Abstract: The invention provides a method for making silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The method of the invention is characterized by using an organic solvent as a processing-aid tool for controlling lens diameter without significantly affecting lens equilibrium water content during cast-molding of soft contact lenses from a polymerizable composition. By adjusting the weight percentage of the organic solvent in a polymerizable composition for making SiHy contact lenses, one can adjust lens diameter of produced SiHy lenses to meet target without affecting adversely the lens properties.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 27, 2019Publication date: October 3, 2019Inventors: Daqing Wu, Steve Yun Zhang, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang
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Publication number: 20190263971Abstract: The present invention generally relates to silicone hydrogel contact lenses each inherently having, on lens surfaces, a relatively-high concentration of primary amino groups and to a method for producing the same. The invention is also related to silicone hydrogel contact lens precursors each inherently having, on lens surfaces, a relatively-high concentration of N-Boc-protected primary amino groups which can be easily and conveniently deprotected during lens extraction and/or hydration steps.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 21, 2019Publication date: August 29, 2019Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Augustine Twum Kumi, Zach Munoz, Weihong Lang
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Publication number: 20190235277Abstract: The invention is generally related to a soft contact lens which comprises a hydrogel lens body and a coating of a hydrophilic copolymer thereon and to a method for producing the same. The hydrogel lens body comprises or is made of a polymeric material having 1,2- and/or 1,3-diol moieties, and the hydrophilic copolymer comprises arylborono-containing repeating units each having a boronic acid group. The coating is covalently-attached to the hydrogel lens body through cyclic boronic ester linkages each formed between one boronic acid group and one 1,2-diol or 1,3-diol group. The soft contact lens has a surface lubricity higher than the surface lubricity of the lens body.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2019Publication date: August 1, 2019Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Weihong Lang, Junhao Ge, Maria F. Gubitosi Raspino, Frank Chang, Thomas M. Moy, Troy Vernon Holland
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Patent number: 10364365Abstract: The present invention provides an actinically or thermally curable ink for making colored silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The ink of the invention comprises at least a pigment, a polymeric dispersant, a solvent and an actinically or thermally curable silicone-containing binder polymer including ethylenically unsaturated groups and segments derived from at least one silicone-containing vinylic monomer or macromere. The ink of the invention is characterized by having capability to be cured actinically or thermally to form a colored coat on a silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein the ink is characterized by having an longer print life using a pad-printing system by at least 30% comparing to the ink which has the same composition except of no polymeric dispersant, wherein ink life is a number of printed parts that can be achieved in a print cycle.Type: GrantFiled: November 10, 2016Date of Patent: July 30, 2019Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Richard Charles Breitkopf, Ellen A. Day, Yongxing Qiu, Ritu Shrestha
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Publication number: 20180356562Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Steve Yun Zhang, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Publication number: 20180354214Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a method for producing inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses with a robusteness of lens shape and having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Daqing Wu, Steve Yun Zhang, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Frank Chang, Wei Liang, Ying Zheng, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi
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Publication number: 20180355112Abstract: The present invention generally relates to inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses having relatively high oxygen permeability, relatively high equilibrium water content and relatively low elastic modulus. The present invention is also related to a method for making such inherently wettable silicone hydrogel contact lenses.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 6, 2018Publication date: December 13, 2018Inventors: Steve Yun Zhang, Daqing Wu, Junhao Ge, Richard Charles Breitkopf, Xinming Qian, Zach Munoz, Matthew D. Nelson, Augustine Twum Kumi, Weihong Lang, Ying Zheng, Feng Jing, Frank Chang
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Patent number: 9846263Abstract: The present invention provides a metal oxide dispersion comprises a metal oxide, a millbase and a dispersant. The dispersant in the metal oxide is selected from a group consisting of a phosphoric acid polyester copolymer, a trimethoxysilane compound, a triethoxysilanes compound, dimethylamino ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA) and a combination thereof, and the dispersion is substantially free of water. The metal oxide dispersion of the invention is useful for manufacturing an inkjet ink to provide a high-quality color image on a contact lens or a mold so as to produce a colored contact lens.Type: GrantFiled: November 12, 2014Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Assignee: Novartis AGInventors: Richard Charles Breitkopf, Rahul Panicker