CN101150969A - Contact lens package and applicator and method of use thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

A contact lens package and applicator comprises a lens cup and a lid that covers the lens cup to form a chamber for a contact lens. The lens cup has a drainage member, such as a mesh or a perforated plastic sheet, through which saline solution drains. In a first orientation, the chamber is substantially filled with the saline solution and, in a second orientation, the chamber is substantially empty of the saline solution. The lid covering the lens cup is movable between a closed position in which the contact lens is concealed and an open position in which the contact lens is accessible for direct application of the contact lens to the user's eye.

Description

Contact lens package and applicator and method of use thereof

related application

This application is US Serial No. 60/667,138 filed March 31, 2005.

technical field

The present invention relates to packages for storing and shipping contact lenses. In particular, the present invention relates to packages having a built-in drainage system that keeps care solutions from contact lenses as the lenses are removed from the package and that can be used as a contact lens wearer. Glasses separate.

Background technique

Flexible contact lenses have become increasingly common since their introduction in the 1970s. Flexible contact lenses are now an attractive, economical option for consumers due to progressively lower manufacturing costs. Such lenses can be replaced by the consumer frequently (eg, daily or weekly) and do not need to be cleaned and sterilized each time as traditional contact lenses are. Of course, the consumer must keep on hand a number of lenses commensurate with the frequency of lens replacement. Accordingly, consumer demand for disposable contact lenses has created a need for easy-to-use and inexpensive disposable packaging. The packaging should be structured to provide safe storage and shipping of the glasses. It is also desirable that each package be as small as possible for easy and discreet storage and shipping.

Contact lenses are usually packaged and stored in an aqueous state and need to be sealed within a package containing a storage solution. One widely used contact lens package is the "blister pack," which generally consists of a hard plastic container with a flat upper surface and a concave reservoir containing a single contact lens in a bulk storage solution. The reservoir is covered by a soft cover that seals around the perimeter of its upper surface. The blisters are boxed for shipping and storage until the consumer needs the lenses. The consumer peels off the soft cover from the blister pack to reveal the contact lens, pours the lens and care solution into the hand, and places the lens on the fingertip to fit on the eye.

There is a need for a contact lens packaging system that includes storage and delivery of a care solution for contact lenses that allows the solution to separate from the lens when the lens is removed from the package without handling or exposure to the solution by the consumer. There is also a need for a contact lens packaging system that allows the contact lens to be worn directly on the eye without touching the lens with fingers.

Contents of the invention

A contact lens package in accordance with one aspect of the present invention includes a container with a lens cup and a lid covering the lens cup to form a cavity sized and shaped to accommodate a contact lens, and to manipulate the contact lens package between a first orientation and a second orientation. When the handle is in the first direction, the cavity is completely filled with liquid, such as care solution, and when the handle is in the second direction, the cavity is completely emptied of liquid. Preferably, the lens cup has a drain member through which liquid drains into the second cavity of the contact lens package. The drainage element preferably comprises a mesh or perforated plastic sheet. The handle and container are symmetrical about a common longitudinal axis, preferably the handle is generally externally ridged conical. The size of the handle allows consumers to grasp it with their fingers.

A contact lens wearer according to another aspect of the present invention is comprised of a container including a lens cup and a lid covering the lens cup to form a contact lens sized and shaped to accommodate a contact lens and a handle for operating said contact lens wearer. cavity. The cover moves between a closed position that conceals the contact lens and an open position that allows the contact lens to be worn directly on the user's eye. Preferably, the lens cup is sized and shaped to hold the contact lens such that a peripheral portion of the lens is exposed outside the lens cup when the lid is opened.

Description of drawings

For a more complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the detailed description of embodiments taken in conjunction with consideration of the following drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of a contact lens package according to the present invention, in which the contact lens package is sealed for shipping and storage;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the contact lens package in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of the contact lens package in Fig. 1 in an upright and open state;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the contact lens package of FIG. 3 .

Detailed ways

A preferred embodiment of a contact lens package 2 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1-4. Referring to FIG. 1 , a contact lens package 2 has a contact lens container 4 and a handle 6 that fits onto the contact lens container 4 . The contact lens container 4 includes a housing 8 and a lid 10 hinged to the housing 8 by a hinge 12 .

Referring now to FIG. 2 , the housing 8 includes an interior cavity 14 with a rim 16 . A drainage element 18, such as a mesh or a perforated plastic sheet, is secured to the interior of the interior cavity 14 so as to define a first cavity 20 within the interior cavity 14, and is formed by the drainage element 18, the edge of the housing 8 16 and a portion 24 of housing 8 between drain element 18 and rim 16 form a lens cup 22 . The lens cup 22 is sized and shaped to accommodate a single contact lens 26 such that the rim 28 of the contact lens 26 extends beyond the rim 16 (see FIG. 3 ). The rim 30 of the cover 10 is sized and shaped to fit snugly with the rim 16 of the housing 8 so that the cover 10 and the lens cup 22 form a second cavity 32 sized and shaped to receive the contact lens 26 . A sealing strip 34 is removably attached to the contact lens container 4 to secure the housing 8 and lid 10 to each other, forming a watertight seal where the housing 8 and lid 10 meet. In particular, the volume of the second cavity 32 is smaller than that of the first cavity 20, and the size of the first cavity can hold a large amount of care solution. Referring again to FIG. 2 , the handle 6 is configured as a hollow cone having an open end 38 . The contact lens container 4 has a stopper 40 at an end 42 opposite the cap 10 . A friction fit is formed when the bung 40 is inserted into the open end 38 of the handle 6 , thereby securing the contact lens container 4 to the handle 6 .

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the contact lens package 2 is transported and stored with the handle 6 at its upper end, and the contact lens 26 is completely immersed in the care solution 36 in the second cavity 32 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the consumer inverts the contact lens package 2 so that the lid 10 faces up, allowing the care solution 36 to drain through the drain member 18 into the cavity 14 . The consumer then pulls off the seal 34, opening the cap 10 (see FIGS. 3 and 4), providing access to the contact lens 26. Because the perimeter 28 of the contact lens 26 extends beyond the edge 16 of the housing 8, the consumer can use the contact lens package 2 as a wearer to transfer the contact lens 26 directly to the eye, rather than using fingers to transfer the contact lens 26. The handle 6 may have a ridge 44 for the consumer to hold the handle 6 while manipulating the contact lens package 2 and transferring the contact lens 26 to the eye.

Draining the care solution 36 into the first cavity 20 should separate the contact lens 26 from the care solution 36 . Accordingly, drain member 18 is preferably configured to allow rapid and complete drainage of care solution 26 from lens cup 22 into cavity 20 . As shown in Figure 4, the drainage element 18 is preferably an open mesh, however, as shown in Figure 4, alternatively, perforated sheets of a hydrophobic plastic texture may be used.

The contact lens package 2 of the present invention can be fabricated with a lens cup 22 having a diameter of about 2-3 cm, the minimum diameter being limited only by the size of the contact lenses to be stored. Likewise, the minimum volume of cavity 20 is limited only by the volume of care solution 36 provided. For the convenience of operation, the total length of the contact lens package 2 is about 6-10cm. The resulting small overall size of the contact lens package 2 makes it easy and unobtrusive to carry. Contact lens packaging 2 can be designed to be the size of a cologne bottle with the same look and feel.

It should be understood that the embodiments described here are only exemplary, and those skilled in the art can make changes and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, the handle 6 and the housing 8 can be made as a single piece with the housing 8 opening towards the inside of the handle 6 . In another embodiment, the contact lens container 4 may be secured to the handle 6 by means other than a stopper. The cover 10 need not be secured to the housing 8 by the sealing strip 34 , but can be frictionally fitted with the housing 8 . Optionally, the housing 8 and cover 10 may be threaded to screw fit each other. All such changes and modifications, including those discussed in the detailed description, are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (18)

1. A contact lens package, comprising: a container comprising a lens cup and a lid removably covering said lens cup to form a first chamber sized and shaped to receive a contact lens; a contact lens within said first chamber; a predetermined amount of liquid within said container; and a handle that operates the contact lens package to be movable between a first orientation in which the first chamber is substantially filled with liquid and a second orientation in which the first chamber The liquid is substantially emptied. 2. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein said contact lens package includes a second chamber configured to receive the entire predetermined amount of said liquid when said container is in said second orientation. 3. The contact lens package of claim 2, wherein said lens cup includes a drain member through which liquid drains from said first chamber into said second chamber. 4. The contact lens package of claim 3, wherein said drainage member separates said lens cup from said second chamber. 5. The contact lens package of claim 4, wherein said drainage element comprises a mesh. 6. The contact lens package of claim 4, wherein the drainage member comprises a plastic sheet having perforations therethrough. 7. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein said lens cup and said lid are sized and shaped to fit one another, said container further comprising a seal removably attached to said container elements to form a watertight seal between the lens cup and the lid. 8. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein said lid is sized and shaped to fit said lens cup to form a watertight seal. 9. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lid is hinged to the lens cup. 10. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein said handle and said container are symmetrical about an axis common to said handle and said container. 11. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein said handle is generally conical. 12. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the handle has an outer surface and a plurality of ridges extending along the outer surface. 13. The contact lens package of claim 1 , wherein said handle defines an opening and is hollow, said container having a plug matingly fitted so as to engage said plug member when inserted into said opening. The handle forms a friction fit. 14. A contact lens wearer comprising: A container comprising a lens cup and a lid covering the lens cup to form a cavity sized and shaped to accommodate a contact lens, the lid being in a closed position for concealing the contact lens and an open position for placing the contact lens directly on the user's eye move between locations; and Operate the handle of the contact lens wearer. 15. The contact lens applicator of claim 14, wherein said lens cup is sized and shaped to hold said contact lens so that a peripheral portion of the contact lens is exposed when said cover is in said open position. the outside of the lens cup. 16. The contact lens applicator of claim 15, wherein said handle and said container are symmetrical about an axis common to said handle and said container, said handle having an outer surface and a plurality of Ridges extending from the outer surface. 17. A method of wearing a contact lens using a wearer having a lens cup, a lid covering the lens cup to form a lens chamber sized and shaped to hold a contact lens and a quantity of liquid, and a handle, the method Include the following steps: placing the wearer in the first orientation so that the lens cavity is substantially filled with liquid; operating the handle to position the contact lens package in the second orientation so that the lens cavity is substantially emptied of liquid; Moving the cover to the open position, the contact lenses are accessible by the user; The handle is operated to fit the contact lens onto the user's eye. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of draining liquid from the lens cup through the drain member into the collection chamber to the wearer.

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