Johnson and Johnson Vision Care, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson Vision Products Inc.

Michael William Litwin

Victor Lust

Phillip King Parnell, Sr

Scott Frederick Ansell

Jeffrey H Roffman

Edward A Dzwill

Gregory L Berckmiller

Robert B Phillips

Jan Albert Maria Windey

Gerald Robert Krebsbach

Adrianus Hendrik Kooiman

Menno Ben Kubbinga

Jongliang Wu

Richard J Fox

Thomas R Daniels

Richard F Barbas

Timothy P Freeman

Phillip King Parnell

Timothy Patrick Freeman

Richard John Fox

Jeffrey Youngblood

This invention provides a method and a mold for improving the release of a molded ophthalmic device from a mold. The method comprises the steps of: providing a first mold half and second mold half each having opposing top surfaces at least one of which has been hollowed out to define a cavity for forming said ophthalmic device and at least said first mold half further defining a boundary for a release element, said boundary is part of said cavity, said release element comprising a ramped surface, said cavity having a corresponding ramped surface, and said release element having its widest part near the top surface of said at least said first mold half that defines said release element therein. The mold of this invention has a hollowed-out portion as part of the cavity to provide a release element to the molded ophthalmic device.

Method and mold for making ophthalmic devices

A method for removing and transporting ophthalmic lens fabricating mold sections from a molding device to an inert chamber in a predetermined time, controlled by a central processor. The method includes starting a timer upon opening the molding device and exposing the mold sections; actuating a robotic arm to transport the mold sections from the molding device to an intermediate position using a compound movement; actuating a cam-controlled arm to transport the mold sections from the intermediate position to a pallet held on a conveyor belt at a cam-arm pre-part release location; and releasing the pallet to move on the conveyor belt to the inert chamber for continued transport of mold containing pallets to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses.

Rapid robotic handling of mold parts used to fabricate contact lenses

Contact lens container

An apparatus and a method for removing and transporting articles from molds. More specifically, the present invention pertains to such an apparatus and method which is particularly well suited for removing the articles from a molding machine having molds in which they are molded, and thereafter carrying the articles within a very short period of time away from the molds and depositing the articles for further processing in a high speed, automated production system. The apparatus removes and transports articles, such as ophthalmic contact lens mold sections or contact lens packaging elements, from a molding station whereby an operating assembly removes the articles from the molding station and transports these in a composite motional displacement enabling rapid conveyance thereof to a first location; a pivotable robotic parts handling element being adapted to receive the articles from the first location and transport these to a further or second location for deposition onto pallets or the like and the continued transport thereof to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses.

Apparatus and method for removing and transporting articles from molds

A method for removing and transporting ophthalmic lens fabricating mold sections from a molding device to an inert chamber in a predetermined time, controlled by a central processor, is disclosed. The method includes starting a timer upon opening the molding device and exposing the mold sections; actuating a robotic arm to transport the mold sections from the molding device to an intermediate position using a compound movement; actuating a cam-controlled arm to transport the mold sections from the intermediate position to a pallet held on a conveyor belt at a cam-arm pre-part release location; and releasing the pallet to move on the conveyor belt to the inert chamber for continued transport of mold containing pallets to a treatment or processing facility for producing and/or packaging of the contact lenses. The method also includes raising a nest to receive the mold sections at the intermediate position; and lowering the nest, after transfer thereon of the molded sections from the robotic arm, for transferring the molded sections to the cam-controlled arm. In a racetrack mode, the pallets continue moving into the inert chamber, while the molded sections are discarded. In a sample mode, a sample bin is moved to the discard location to collect a sample of the molded sections.

Growing community of inventors

Jacksonville, FL, United States of America

Michael William Litwin