Patents by Inventor Roger Biel

Roger Biel 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).

  • Publication number: 20260138342
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20); an inspection module (21); a primary packaging module (22), Wherein the first and second injection-molding machines allow for a quick exchange of the tooling plates used in the injection molding machine without the need to decrease the temperature of the injection molding machine by pre-configured tooling plates.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2026
    Publication date: May 21, 2026
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Roger Biel, Matthias Braun, Jens Eppig, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20260124815
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end comprising: a first and a second injection-molding machine, a casting module, a filling station and a capping station, a stacking module and a curing module, a destacking module and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end comprising: a treatment module, and inspection module, wherein self-driving shuttles in the inspection module can form a queue and act as a buffer for the primary packaging module if an interruption of the primary packaging module and variations of the cycle time in the primary packaging module are buffered so that the extraction module is able to operate largely independently from the upstream and downstream components of the manufacturing line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2026
    Publication date: May 7, 2026
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Patent number: 12617632
    Abstract: A gripper system comprises: a gripper shaft; a vacuum source; a first valve arranged between the vacuum source and the suction tube; a liquid reservoir; a source of pressurized gas; a second valve arranged between the source of pressurized gas and the suction tube or the liquid reservoir; a control unit for controlling the first valve and the second valve such that: for picking the ophthalmic lens up, suction is supplied to the suction tube; during transporting the ophthalmic lens, the suction tube is filled with liquid from the liquid supply tube; for releasing the ophthalmic lens from the gripper head, liquid is pressed through the fluid channel and through the suction opening of the gripper head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2026
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Brinckmann, Michel Mühlig, Johannes Neumann, Nils Schweizer, Roger Biel
  • Patent number: 12528261
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20); an inspection module (21); a primary packaging module (22), Wherein the first and second injection-molding machines allow for a quick exchange of the tooling plates used in the injection molding machine without the need to decrease the temperature of the injection molding machine by pre-configured tooling plates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2026
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Roger Biel, Matthias Braun, Jens Eppig, Shu Zong
  • Patent number: 12515424
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end comprising: a first and a second injection-molding machine, a casting module, a filling station and a capping station, a stacking module and a curing module, a destacking module and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end comprising: a treatment module, an inspection module, wherein self-driving shuttles in the inspection module can form a queue and act as a buffer for the primary packaging module if an interruption of the primary packaging module and variations of the cycle time in the primary packaging module are buffered so that the extraction module is able to operate largely independently from the upstream and downstream components of the manufacturing line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2026
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20250381745
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a treatment module (20), an inspection module (21), wherein the production line has the easy adaptability of curing times and temperatures, and in the capability of using different treatment liquids and treatment times in the extraction module to achieve the product flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2025
    Publication date: December 18, 2025
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20250303653
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: an inspection module (21); Wherein the inspection module comprising a rail system in which self-driving shuttles carrying the inspection cuvettes are arranged on a closed-loop rail, wherein the rail system can be adapted to the available space in the production plant/hall using curves and straight portions in the manner known from a model railway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 16, 2025
    Publication date: October 2, 2025
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Susanne Fechner, Shu Zong
  • Patent number: 12343951
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a treatment module (20), an inspection module (21), wherein the production line has the easy adaptability of curing times and temperatures, and in the capability of using different treatment liquids and treatment times in the extraction module to achieve the product flexibility.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Shu Zong
  • Patent number: 12330384
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: an inspection module (21); Wherein the inspection module comprising a rail system in which self-driving shuttles carrying the inspection cuvettes are arranged on a closed-loop rail, wherein the rail system can be adapted to the available space in the production plant/hall using curves and straight portions in the manner known from a model railway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2025
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Susanne Fechner, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20250115014
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20) comprising a number of liquid baths for a liquid bath treatment of the cured lenses (CL) carried by the treatment carrier tray (200) to obtain the ophthalmic lenses, wherein the number of liquid baths are reduced or increased pending on the number of ophthalmic lenses concurrently produced by the production lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2024
    Publication date: April 10, 2025
    Inventors: Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Matthias Schwab, Thomas Leibold, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Patent number: 12168328
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20) comprising a number of liquid baths for a liquid bath treatment of the cured lenses (CL) carried by the treatment carrier tray (200) to obtain the ophthalmic lenses, wherein the number of liquid baths are reduced or increased pending on the number of ophthalmic lenses concurrently produced by the production lines.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Matthias Schwab, Thomas Leibold, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20240319073
    Abstract: An inspection cuvette for the optical inspection of an ophthalmic lens comprises a hollow cuvette body defining a cavity for receiving the ophthalmic lens and an inspection liquid, a transparent bottom having a concave upper surface delimiting the cavity at a bottom end thereof, a handling channel having an inner circumferential channel wall and a longitudinal channel axis. The handling channel further has an access opening at a proximal end thereof and is connected to the cavity at a distal end thereof. The inspection cuvette further comprises and an inspection window comprising a flat lower surface delimiting the cavity at an upper end thereof and facing towards the concave upper surface of the transparent bottom. At least that portion of the inner circumferential channel wall which is arranged above the flat lower surface of the inspection window when the cuvette is arranged in an inspection position is round.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 20, 2024
    Publication date: September 26, 2024
    Inventors: Felix Brinckmann, Roger Biel, Daniel Paulus, Nils Schweizer
  • Publication number: 20240300751
    Abstract: A gripper system comprises: a gripper shaft; a vacuum source; a first valve arranged between the vacuum source and the suction tube; a liquid reservoir; a source of pressurized gas; a second valve arranged between the source of pressurized gas and the suction tube or the liquid reservoir; a control unit for controlling the first valve and the second valve such that: for picking the ophthalmic lens up, suction is supplied to the suction tube; during transporting the ophthalmic lens, the suction tube is filled with liquid from the liquid supply tube; for releasing the ophthalmic lens from the gripper head, liquid is pressed through the fluid channel and through the suction opening of the gripper head.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2024
    Publication date: September 12, 2024
    Inventors: Felix Brinckmann, Michel Mühlig, Johannes Neumann, Nils Schweizer, Roger Biel
  • Patent number: 11974642
    Abstract: A lens care container (1), in particular for contact lenses such as hard or soft contact lenses, comprises: a receptacle (2) for receiving a lens and a lens care liquid, a cap (3) configured to be attached to the receptacle (2) to close the receptacle (2), a sensor (5) configured to indicate an actual loading of the container (1) with germs or configured to indicate a pH value of the lens care liquid in the receptacle (2). The sensor (5) is arranged in the receptacle (2) when the cap (3) is attached to the receptacle (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2024
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Biel, Matthias Schwab, Justyna Justynska-Reimann
  • Patent number: 11852902
    Abstract: A cleaner for cleaning grippers for the transport of ophthalmic lenses comprises: an exhaust air box comprising at least one inlet opening for allowing ambient air as well as lenses, lens parts, debris and fluid adhered to the grippers to be sucked into an interior of the exhaust air box, an outlet opening in fluid communication with the interior of the exhaust air box and a cleaner head arranged on the exhaust air box and comprising a plurality of receiver sleeves for receiving the grippers to be cleaned, a plurality of shutters, wherein each individual shutter of the plurality of shutters is arranged to open or close the fluid communication of at least one receiver sleeve (5) of the plurality of receiver sleeves (5) and the interior of the exhaust air box (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Alcon Inc.
    Inventors: Felix Brinckmann, Nils Schweizer, Roger Biel
  • 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: 20230083845
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end comprising: a first and a second injection-molding machine, a casting module, a filling station and a capping station, a stacking module and a curing module, a destacking module and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end comprising: a treatment module, an inspection module, wherein self-driving shuttles in the inspection module can form a queue and act as a buffer for the primary packaging module if an interruption of the primary packaging module and variations of the cycle time in the primary packaging module are buffered so that the extraction module is able to operate largely independently from the upstream and downstream components of the manufacturing line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20230084287
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: an inspection module (21); Wherein the inspection module comprising a rail system in which self-driving shuttles carrying the inspection cuvettes are arranged on a closed-loop rail, wherein the rail system can be adapted to the available space in the production plant/hall using curves and straight portions in the manner known from a model railway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Nils Schweizer, Nicholas Gollas, Susanne Fechner, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20230079508
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20) comprising a number of liquid baths for a liquid bath treatment of the cured lenses (CL) carried by the treatment carrier tray (200) to obtain the ophthalmic lenses, wherein the number of liquid baths are reduced or increased pending on the number of ophthalmic lenses concurrently produced by the production lines.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Matthias Schwab, Thomas Leibold, Nicholas Gollas, Shu Zong
  • Publication number: 20230079414
    Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a treatment module (20), an inspection module (21), wherein the production line has the easy adaptability of curing times and temperatures, and in the capability of using different treatment liquids and treatment times in the extraction module to achieve the product flexibility.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Matthias Schwab, Matthias Braun, Roger Biel, Shu Zong