Consolidated contact lens molding
    5.
    发明授权
    Consolidated contact lens molding 失效
    合成隐形眼镜成型

    公开(公告)号:US5804107A

    公开(公告)日:1998-09-08

    申请号:US258654

    申请日:1994-06-10

    摘要: An automated method and apparatus is provided to mold and cure soft contact lenses. At a first station, front curve mold halves are partially filled with a polymerizable monomer. At a second station, a surfactant coating may be applied to a flange on the front curve mold half to provide subsequent preferential adhesion of any excess hydrogel to a back curve mold half at the time the mold halves are separated. At a third station, the mold halves are assembled under vacuum, and clamped to displace any excess hydrogel from the mold cavity. This clamping step firmly seats the back curve mold half, severs any excess monomer from the monomer in the cavity, defines the lens edge, and seals the cavity in a vacuum. Following assembly of the mold halves, the assembly is transported to a precure station and reclamped, and the monomer is precured with actinic radiation, such as UV, to partially cure the monomer to a gel like consistency. The pallets of lens assemblies are transported through an extended cure station using heat and UV radiation to complete polymerization. The lens mold assemblies are then separated by applying a temperature gradient to the back curve mold half through the use of lasers or high energy steam and then pried apart in an automated station, with any excess monomer adhering to the removed back curve mold half. The front curve mold half, and the newly molded lens is then hydrated and separated from the front curve mold half in a subsequent apparatus.

    摘要翻译: 提供了一种自动化方法和装置来模制和固化软性隐形眼镜。 在第一站,前曲半模半部分被可聚合单体填充。 在第二站,可以将表面活性剂涂层施加到前曲面半模上的凸缘上,以在半模分离时提供任何过量的水凝胶随后优先粘附到背曲线半模上。 在第三工位,将半模在真空下组装,并夹紧以从模腔中移出任何多余的水凝胶。 该夹紧步骤将背曲线半模牢固地安置在半空中,从空腔中的单体中除去任何多余的单体,限定透镜边缘,并在真空中密封空腔。 在组装半模后,将组件输送到预固化位置并重新放置,并且单体用光化辐射(例如UV)预固化,以将单体部分固化成凝胶状的稠度。 透镜组件的托盘通过使用热和UV辐射的扩展固化站输送以完成聚合。 然后通过使用激光或高能量蒸汽向后曲线半模施加温度梯度,然后在自动化站中分离,并且任何多余的单体粘附到去除的后曲线半模上,分离透镜模具组件。 然后将前曲面半模,然后将新模制的透镜在随后的装置中与前曲面半模进行水合和分离。