Novartis Ag

Alcon, Inc.

Katrin Sylke Struckmeier

Roger Biel

Michael Stutz

Andrea Kopp

Jan Bernard

Adrian Michael Woodward

Matthias Braun

Stephen George Fleck

Thomas Leibold

Daniel Wilhelm

Jennifer Schmitt

Ulrike Schultheiss

Michael Frederick Waldern

Roger Beil

A carrier for carrying an ophthalmic lens comprises: a basket () comprising a basket wall defining a concave cavity for accommodating an ophthalmic lens (), the basket further comprising at least three recesses () arranged in the basket wall at different locations along the circumference of the basket (); anda retainer () comprising at least three retainer arms () arranged in a star-shaped configuration corresponding to the arrangement of the recesses () along the circumference of the basket ().In an assembled state each retainer arm () of the retainer () engages with a corresponding one of the recesses () in the basket wall of the basket () to retain the ophthalmic lens () in the cavity.

Carrier for carrying an ophthalmic lens during its treatment in a bath

A method of removing a liquid from a container () for accommodating an ophthalmic contact lens, in particular a soft contact lens, during transporting the container () from a liquid bath () to a subsequent processing station (), the method including the steps of:

Method and system for removing a liquid from a container for accommodating an ophthalmic lens

A method for transporting a packaging shell () of an ophthalmic lens package comprises the steps of

Method for transporting a packaging shell of an ophthalmic lens package

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

A container () for accommodating an ophthalmic lens during a lens treatment process has a longitudinal axis () and comprises as separate elements a containment element (), a mounting element (), and a retaining element (). The containment element () comprises a tubular section () and a bottom () arranged at a distal end of the tubular section (), the bottom () protruding convexly towards the outside at the distal end of the tubular section () and being provided with a number of apertures (), the tubular section () at a proximal end () thereof having a latch () protruding from the proximal end () of the tubular section () towards the mounting element (). The mounting element () comprises a sidewall () extending along the longitudinal axis () of the container (), the sidewall () being provided with recesses or orifices () which are in engagement with the latch () of the containment element (). The mounting element () further comprises an access opening () arranged at a proximal end of the mounting element () remote from the containment element (). The retaining element () is fixedly arranged in between the containment element () and the mounting element (), the retaining element () being configured to prevent the ophthalmic lens from being washed out of the containment element () and to permit access for a gripper through the access opening () of the mounting element () into the containment element () for insertion and removal of the ophthalmic lens.

Container for accommodating an ophthalmic lens during a lens treatment process

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Aschaffenburg, Germany

Katrin Sylke Struckmeier