Patents by Inventor Timothy Patrick Newton

Timothy Patrick Newton 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).

  • Automated method and apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses
    Patent number: 5836323
    Abstract: An automated means for hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact 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. A first rotary transfer device then hands the first hydration carrier to a second robotic assembly which immerses the first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lens and to release the lens from the lens mold. While the lens is immersed in the hydration bath, each lens is transferred from its respective mold to a lens transfer means found within the top chamber plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Scott Keene, Timothy Patrick Newton, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, David Dolan, Kiyoshi Imai, Katsuaki Yoshida, Svend Christensen, Finn Thrige Andersen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Kaj Bjerre, Junichi Fukuchi, David Byram, Gary Hall
  • Automated apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses
    Patent number: 5762081
    Abstract: An automated means for hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact 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. A first rotary transfer device then hands the first hydration carrier to a second robotic assembly which immerses the first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lens and to release the lens from the lens mold. While the lens is immersed in the hydration bath, each lens is transferred from its respective mold to a lens transfer means found within the top chamber plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1998
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Scott Keene, Timothy Patrick Newton, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, David Dolan, Kiyoshi Imai, Katsuaki Yoshida, Svend Christensen, Finn Thrige Andersen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Kaj Bjerre, Junichi Fukuchi, David Byram, Gary Hall
  • Automated method for hydrating soft contact lenses
    Patent number: 5690866
    Abstract: An automated method for high speed production rates in the hydration of soft contact lenses. The method includes the use of robotic transfer equipment to transfer contact lens molds containing contact lenses to and from a hydration station and a flushing station.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Finn Thrige Andersen, Kaj Bjerre, Svend Christensen, Darren Scott Keene, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Timothy Patrick Newton, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, Michael Francis Widman
  • Automated apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses
    Patent number: 5640980
    Abstract: An automated means for hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact 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. A first rotary transfer device then hands the first hydration carrier to a second robotic assembly which immerses the first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lens and to release the lens from the lens mold. While the lens is immersed in the hydration bath, each lens is transferred from its respective mold to a lens transfer means found within the top chamber plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 24, 1997
    Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Darren Scott Keene, Timothy Patrick Newton, Daniel Tsu-Fang Wang, David Dolan, Kiyoshi Imai, Katsuaki Yoshida, Svend Christensen, Finn Thrige Andersen, Ture Kindt-Larsen, Kaj Bjerre