Novartis Ag

Ciba Vision Corporation

Werner Steffan

Peter Hagmann

Bernhard Seiferling

Axel Heinrich

Roger Biel

Peter Herbrechtsmeier

Horst Schafer

Achim Muller

John Golby

Otto Kretzschmar

Roland Hauck

Egbert Jux

Lothar Haase

Peter Zang

Anette Therese Lang-Sch&ouml;ll

Karl Baur

Achim M&uuml;ller

Iris Leder-Bruck

Renata Schröter

Anette Lang

Thomas Schulz

Karlheinz Boneberger

Wilhelm H&ouml;rner

Iris Jlona Leder-Br&uuml;ck

A process of dosing a starting material (SM) for optical lenses, into a female mold half (), comprises the steps of:

Process of dosing a starting material for optical lenses

The invention is concerned with the problem of ensuring optimum removal of flowable material from a container and, in particular, reducing the amount of material remaining in the container. This is achieved through a rigid, elongated, hollow basic element (), the lower end region () of which can be placed on the bottom () of the container (), and which has recesses () for removal of the flowable material.

Dosing lance for polymerization material

The invention is concerned with the problem of ensuring optimum drying of contact lenses on a gripper, while at the same time minimizing interruptions in operations. This is achieved by a convex shape of the end face of the blast nozzle.

Blast nozzle

The invention tackles the problem of improving the production process for contact lenses further, so that the production costs for contact lenses can be reduced further and the production capacities can be increased. To this end, provision is made for the two mould halves, which together form the mould for producing a contact lens, to be fixed to each other and/or detachably connected to each other by means of individual half-mould guide. In conjunction with a cyclic production process, a high degree of automation can be achieved in this way.

Single mould alignment

Efficient and consistent processes for manufacturing moldings, especially ophthalmic lenses such as contact lenses. The processes comprises a series of improvements, including improvements in the areas of conditions for dispensing liquid prepolymer into lens molds, male and female mold mating, reusable molds, mold cleaning, lens separation from molds (demolding), lens handling, and in-line inspection. Cyclic series of processing steps are also disclosed. Additionally, an improved molding tool is disclosed, with the molding tool including a male mold housing and a female mold housing, each of which have disposed therein a plurality of mold halves.

Molding processes

In a process for the manufacture of contact lenses, a polymerizable contact lens material is dispensed into a mould half (1) and the mould is subsequently closed by means of the second mould half (2). The material located between the two mould halves in the moulding cavity (12) is then polymerized, thus forming an as yet unhydrated contact lens (CL). The moulding surface of one of the two mould halves (1, 2) is pre-treated, before use, in a region (20) outside the optically active zone of the contact lens (CL) in such a manner that, when the mould is opened, the contact lens (CL) adheres to the pre-treated mould half.

Process and apparatus for the manufacture of a contact lens

Growing community of inventors

Eichenbühl, Germany

Werner Steffan