Alcon, Inc.

Novartis Ag

Matthias Braun

Roger Biel

Matthias Schwab

Shu Zong

Nicholas Gollas

Peter Hagmann

Axel Heinrich

Thomas Leibold

Halina Heidrich

Nils Schweizer

Jan Bernard

Susanne Fechner

Stephan Pirl

Katrin Sylke Struckmeier

Michael Stutz

Karsten Straube

Daniel Wilhelm

Alexander Bayer

Michael Frederick Waldern

Jennifer Schmitt

Jens Eppig

An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises:

Production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses

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

There is described a method of dosing a lens forming material into a mold (), which comprises dosing a metered amount of a lens forming material (P) including a volatile solvent into a mold cavity () enclosed by a female mold half () and a male mold half of a mold (). The lens forming material (P) is subsequently polymerized and/or cross-linked to form an ophthalmic lens, in particular a contact lens. Dosing of the lens forming material (P) into the mold cavity () is accomplished while the mold halves () are associated with each other substantially gas-tight. There is also described an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Method of dosing a lens forming material into a mold

The present invention relates to a mold half for making an ophthalmic lens, in particular a contact lens, wherein the mold half comprises a release sheet removably arranged on the mold surface of said mold half to separate a lens forming material from the mold surface, as well as to a method for applying a removable mold release sheet to said mold half. The mold half of the invention comprises a vacuum means to removably attach said release sheet to said mold surface, and preferably the mold half further comprises a pinch-off rim for forming the edge of said ophthalmic lens.

Mold release sheet

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Kleinwallstadt, Germany

Matthias Braun