Novartis Ag

Katrin Sylke Lorenz

Roger Biel

Adrian Michael Woodward

Stephen George Fleck

James Robert Stirling Howarth

There is described an apparatus and method for transporting contact lenses through dipping baths () for e.g. rinsing, extraction, coating or loading purposes. The lenses are individually accommodated in respective containers () which are capable of enabling a flow of treatment fluid (S) into and out of the container (). During their automatic transport through the dipping baths () the containers () are held in carriers (). Lifters () are provided for automatically lowering and raising the carriers () in a reciprocating manner along their travel through the dipping bath (). The reciprocating lowering and raising of the containers () is accomplished such, that a portion of each container which accommodates a contact lens remains immersed in the treatment fluid (S) which is contained in the dipping bath () while the container () suspended from the carrier () is advanced through the dipping bath () from a starting end to a leaving end thereof.

Apparatus and method for transporting contact lenses through dipping baths

There is described a container () for the accommodation of a contact lens during treatment process such as extraction and/or rinsing and/or coating processes, which comprises an elongated tubular body () having a sidewall () and at one longitudinal end thereof a bottom () which protrudes convexly towards the outside of the tubular body (). At the opposite longitudinal end the tubular body () has an access opening (). The bottom () is provided with a number of apertures () which enable a free flow of a liquid into and out of the tubular body (). A retaining element () is located inside the tubular body (), which allows access of a transfer means into the tubular body () towards the bottom () thereof for insertion and removal of a contact lens, and enables a free rising of the liquid inside the tubular body (), but prohibits the contact lens from being washed out of the tubular body ().

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Darmstadt, Germany

Katrin Sylke Lorenz