The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 20, 2021
Filed:
Aug. 22, 2018
Novartis Ag, Basel, CH;
Shu Zong, Cumming, GA (US);
Peter Hagmann, Waldburg, DE;
Roger Biel, Aschaffenburg, DE;
Axel Heinrich, Aschaffenburg, DE;
Stephan Piri, Dietzenbach, DE;
Alcon Inc., Fribourg, CH;
Abstract
A manufacturing module (MM) for contact lenses comprises a plurality of manufacturing stations () arranged in a closed loop and a plurality of lens mold carriers () which are transported through the manufacturing stations. Each lens mold carrier () comprises a frame () having a predetermined number of mounting sites () arranged along the frame. Each lens mold carrier () further comprises a predetermined number of molds () removably mounted to the frame () at the mounting sites (), the molds being reusable male or female molds (). Two lens mold carriers () are assigned to each other to form a pair, so that upon mating the pair of lens mold carriers () the male and female molds () are mated to form mold cavities defining the shape of the lenses. The manufacturing stations comprise a mold changing station () configured to be capable of removing a mold from its mounting site () and mounting a different mold at the said mounting site (), or configured to change the rotational position of a mold () mounted to the frame (), or both.