Abstract:
There is described a process for manufacturing an ophthalmic lens and an apparatus for forming an ophthalmic lens, in particular a silicone hydrogel contact lens, wherein in a mold assembly a first and a second mold half (101, 102) are first arranged in an intermediate closed position in which the mold surfaces of the two mold halves are spaced apart from each other at a distance increase (d1) of preferably 1 to 100 μm relative to a final distance (dθ) in a final closed position, and wherein, during curing of the lens forming material (202), the mold surfaces (105, 106) of the mold halves (101, 102) are actively or passively moved or moving from the intermediate closed position to the final closed position, where the distance increase (d1) is 0.
Abstract:
A contact lens gripper comprising a tweezers gripper (1 ;4) having first (10;40) and second (11 ;41) gripper arms hingedly connected to an actuation support (12;42) for moving the free ends of the arms towards and away from each other so as to grasp and release a soft contact lens (CL).
Abstract:
Method and apparatus (1;2) for removing an ophthalmic lens from a mold half (3;4), comprises: a ring member (10;20) movable towards and away from the mold half (3;4), the ring member (10;20) comprising a central opening (103;203) and a plurality of nozzles (100;200) circumferentially distributed about the ring member (10;20), each nozzle (100;200) having an outlet opening directed towards the mold half (3,4) as the ring member (10;20) is placed on the mold half (3;4), and a gripper member (11;21) arranged to be movable towards and away from the mold half (3;4) through the central opening (103;203) of the ring member (10;20).
Abstract:
A method for providing a flexible molding, in particular an ophthalmic lens such as a contact lens (CL), in a predetermined orientation, comprises the steps of determining the actual orientation of the molding (CL), and in case the molding has been determined as not having the predetermined orientation, inverting the flexible molding (CL) to the predetermined orientation.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a cuvette for an ophthalmic lens, for testing the latter using an optical inspection system, said cuvette comprising a hollow space (11) to be filled with a liquid and has an axis (12) coinciding, in the test position of the cuvette, with the optical axis of an inspection system and, between a first viewing glass (13) at the top and a second viewing glass (15) at the bottom, a removable lens support (16) is arranged in the lower area of the hollow space (11), so as to allow a free floating inspection of the lens (14) at a defined inspection position when the lens support (16) is removed.
Abstract:
A gripper (2) for grasping an ophthalmic lens immersed in a liquid (L), in particular for a contact lens (CL) such as a soft contact lens, the gripper (2) including: - a housing (20) having an opening (200) arranged at the distal end of the housing (20), the opening (200) being in communication with an interior space (21, 210) defined by the housing (20) and being sized to allow the ophthalmic lens to pass therethrough, - suction means (30, 23) for generating suction in the interior space (21, 210) of the housing (20) to allow the ophthalmic lens together with an amount of the liquid (L) in which the ophthalmic lens is immersed to be sucked through the opening (200) into the interior space (21, 210) of the housing (20), and - pressure means (30, 23) for generating positive pressure in the interior space (21, 210) of the housing (20) so as to allow the ophthalmic lens together with the amount of liquid to be released from the interior space (21, 210) through the opening (200) at the distal end of the housing (20; 40).
Abstract:
There is described a method of removing excess lens forming material from a molded ophthalmic lens (1), in particular the peripheral region of a contact lens. In order to form a lens (1) a lens forming material is polymerized and/or cross-linked within a mold cavity of a mold comprising female and male mold halves. The mold is opened by moving the female and male mold halves apart from each other. The formed lens (1) is supported on a carrier (3) such, that a front surface (2) of the lens (1) is exposed. Residues of non-polymerized and/or non-cross-linked lens forming material are removed mechanically by contacting the exposed surface (2) of the formed lens (1) for a period of time of about 0.5 seconds to about 4 seconds, preferably about 0.8 seconds to about 2 seconds, with a cleaning means (7) having a hardness which is smaller than that of the polymerized and/or cross-linked lens forming material. There is also described a device (5) for carrying out the method.
Abstract:
Method and device for singulation ophthalmic lenses, characterized by a vessel (3) with one or more admission openings (7) that ar designed to generate a turbulent flow in this vessel, and by a vacuum gripper (4) by means of which indidvidual ophthalmic lenses (2) can be removed from the vessel, characterized in that the vacuum gripper is designed in such a way that the suction surface (5) has a diameter of 10% or less of the diameter of the ophthalmic lens that is t obe gripped.
Abstract:
A gripper (1) for contact lenses comprises a gripper head (10) which has a bearing surface (100) for a contact lens (CL) and in which one or more openings (101, 102) are provided through which an underpressure can be applied in order to suck the contact lens (CL) against the bearing surface (100), and through which an overpressure can be applied in order to release the contact lens (CL) from the bearing surface (100). Channels (103) are provided in the bearing surface (100) and connect a plurality of openings (101, 102) to one another.
Abstract:
A gripper (1 ) for a contact lens (CL) comprises a gripper head (10) having a bearing surface (11 ), the bearing surface (1 1 ) having at least one opening (110) through which underpressure can be applied in order to suck the contact lens (CL) against the bearing surface (11 ) and through which overpressure can be applied in order to release the contact lens (CL) from the bearing surface (11 ). The gripper further comprises a detection opening (111 ) in the bearing surface (11 ) through which a separate underpressure can be applied.