JP4431669B2 - Contact lens storage liquid container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a container that can also be used for storing a contact lens in a container that stores a liquid agent that can be used for storage and cleaning of contact lenses, and is particularly suitable for single use that is easy to carry. Relating to suitable containers.

  Since contact lenses (hereinafter referred to as lenses) are used in direct contact with human eyes, in order to wear them safely and comfortably, it is necessary to regularly clean and disinfect them. After removing the lens, the user drops an appropriate amount of solution from the bottle containing the lens care solution onto the lens for cleaning, and the storage case is filled with the storage solution and the lens is immersed and stored. Bottles containing these solutions are usually in the circulation of several hundred ml and are used for one month to several months. Bottles vary in size depending on the amount of liquid, but are rarely carried around with the bottles, and are generally used in specific places (for example, at home or office) It is. Today's lens care solutions are multifunctional from a system that uses a combination of several types of liquid agents (for example, a cleaning liquid, a preservative liquid, a disinfecting liquid, etc., and a separate container depending on the application). The shift to a care system based on the use of different types of liquids has led to an increasing demand for bottles with larger capacities.

  By the way, a lens solution with a small volume is prepared in case a lens user suddenly gets a foreign object such as dust in his / her eyes and the lens needs to be removed during wearing, or when a small amount of care solution is required for travel. Bottles or single-use bottles are also available on the market, but since they are separate from the case for storing the lens, they are eventually carried together with two small bottles and a case. It was necessary to do. In this way, when it is necessary to carry a plurality of articles, it is naturally inconvenient for the user. For example, it is carried in a normal lens storage case by dividing it from a bottle, or avoiding contamination by bacteria during the subdivision. Therefore, a blister case which is a storage case for a disposable lens which is generally distributed (for example, JP-A-62-2122969, JP-A-6-296514, JP-A-7-322911, JP-A-7-333567) Can be used as a container for a lens solution. However, since an ordinary case requires an opening for taking out the lens, the diameter of the opening is inevitably large, and it is difficult to apply an appropriate amount of liquid to the lens, and it should remain in the case to store the lens. It is difficult to adjust the amount of liquid, and when a blister case is used, there is a problem that it lacks practicality due to ensuring liquid tightness of the case after opening the seal.

  In Japanese translations of PCT publication No. 2003-504647, a lens care kit that can store lenses and is convenient to carry is proposed. In the invention, the insert for storing the lens solution is accommodated in the cup of the lens case, and in use, the insert is taken out from the cup and the solution in the insert is poured into the cup and used. Since the case and the case are integrated, it is only necessary to carry the lens case in appearance, and it is also suitable for storing the lens. However, in the above proposal, there is a problem that it is difficult to apply an appropriate amount of liquid agent to the lens when it is desired to discard the insert member after using the liquid agent or to drop the liquid agent onto the lens and use it for cleaning. is there.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-122969 JP-A-6-296514 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-322911 JP 7-333567 A JP-T-2003-504647

  Here, the present invention has been made in the background of the above-described circumstances, and the problem to be solved is a container for storing a liquid agent that can be used for contact lens care as a lens storage case. It is also possible to provide a contact lens storage / use liquid agent container that can be used together and that can ensure an appropriate amount of liquid agent to be dispensed and retained in the storage portion when the liquid agent is dispensed.

And in this invention, in order to solve the said subject, the container shown below is proposed. That is, the lens liquid agent is stored in a storage portion having an opening on the upper side, and the lens is used as a spout for cleaning the lens by providing one through hole in an openable lid member that covers the opening. A container having a solution dispensing restriction mechanism that leaves a liquid amount remaining after dispensing the liquid agent through the through-hole through an amount necessary for immersing and storing the lens, and opening the lid member to store the solution. The gist of the present invention is a lens storage and use liquid container characterized in that the lens can be stored in the part. Here, the through hole is used when the liquid agent is poured out. Until then, the through hole is sealed with a seal or the like, or a cap or a plug that further covers the lid member in order to keep the liquid agent sealed. It is desirable that it is stopped or closed so as to be capable of being pressed and broken in a state where it can be easily penetrated. And by pouring a liquid agent through a through-hole, a liquid agent can be dripped at a suitable amount lens to a lens similarly to the case of the nozzle of the bottle generally used. In addition, by providing the solution dispensing regulation mechanism described below, the lens can be stored in an amount that can be immersed and stored, and the lens can be stored by opening the lid member. . The lid member that can be opened may be such that the opening end of the storage portion and the lid member are bonded so that they can be fitted or broken, and it is not necessarily required that they can be completely separated. However, it is sufficient that an opening area capable of accommodating the lens can be secured.

  As one aspect of the present invention, when the content liquid is poured out, it is reduced by the internal volume when the storage portion is pressed and elastically deformed, and is restored when the pressing force is released. By reducing the inner diameter of the liquid, excess solution is not discharged from the inside due to the action of atmospheric pressure, and as a result, a solution dispensing regulation mechanism capable of ensuring a constant residual amount is formed. In this case, if the through-hole is large, the liquid agent cannot be held in the storage portion due to the atmospheric pressure, so that the inner diameter is preferably in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 mm.

  As another aspect of the present invention, the dispensing restriction mechanism can also be formed by a cylindrical wall having a predetermined height in the storage portion inwardly connected to the lid member through hole. When the content liquid is poured out, the through hole is operated downward, and in this case, the lid member forms the bottom surface of the storage portion. Therefore, the liquid content up to the position of the through-hole of the lid member can be discharged by pressing the storage portion, but by setting the inlet of the through-hole higher to the cylindrical wall, The content liquid can remain for the volume up to the height position.

  Further, although depending on the shape of the storage portion, the amount of the solution remaining for immersing and storing the lens is suitably 0.8 to 3.0 ml per lens. This is because if the amount of the solution is too large, the volume of the case becomes large, which is inconvenient to carry. If the amount is too small, the lens portion that does not soak in the solution dries and may be deformed particularly in the case of a hydrous lens. Because.

  Furthermore, the inner diameter of the through hole in the present invention is preferably set in the range of 0.5 to 8.0 mm so that the content liquid can be accurately dropped onto the lens. If the inner diameter is too large, a large amount of solution may be discharged at one time, and the solution may not spread over the entire lens. On the other hand, if the inner diameter is too small, a force is required to press the storage portion.

  The container of the present invention is characterized in that after the lens containing the lens care solution is washed with the content liquid, the lens can be used as a case for immersion preservation. Although it is not unthinkable to reuse the solution after storing the lens for further cleaning and storage, in consideration of the safety and hygiene of the lens as a medical device, It is used for the type of use that uses up the liquid agent. Moreover, the use scene is different from the bottle type that accommodates a large volume liquid agent from the aspect of carrying, and the present invention will be described in detail below on the premise that it is used once. It should be noted that discarding the used liquid agent and refilling it with a new liquid agent is not contrary to the spirit of the present invention, but rather the reuse of the container should be actively employed as an effective utilization of resources. is there.

  Since the container of the container according to the present invention also serves as a storage unit for the lens, it is generally a concave surface having a curvature approximate to the convex surface of the lens in order to suppress deformation of the lens during storage. The storage portion needs to be a sufficiently smooth surface so as not to damage the lens surface. However, in order to prevent the lens from being attracted, fine irregularities or grooves can be formed on the surface. In addition, the smaller the depth of the storage part, the smaller the overall volume, which is convenient for carrying.However, in order to avoid the lens being inverted while carrying the container, it is shallower than the lens diameter and smaller than the lens radius. Is preferably deep. It should be noted that the opening diameter of the storage portion only needs to be a diameter that allows the lens to be easily taken out / stored, and is generally set to be larger than the diameter of the lens and smaller than twice that. The storage portion is substantially the same as the storage portion shape of a so-called blister case having a circular opening in a concave recess, but for example, a cubic shape or a convex shape having a curvature approximating the concave surface of the lens. It is also possible.

  The container is inexpensive and easy to handle, and is made of a resin material because it contains the liquid. It can be molded by conventional molding methods such as injection molding and compression molding. Polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene vinyl acetate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, nylon Further, it is composed of a thermoplastic plastic appropriately selected from acrylic and the like. Since the main body of the storage unit is pressed to pour out the content liquid, select a flexible resin, or make it flexible by molding it into a thin wall even if it is a hard resin Form. In addition, since the remaining amount of the solution is adjusted by a solution dispensing regulation mechanism, which will be described later, it is not particularly necessary to make the storage portion transparent, but if considering the design viewpoint and the ease of product testing, it is transparent or It is preferable to select a translucent material.

The opening of the storage unit is covered with an openable lid member. The term “openable” includes not only the case where the lid member is separable from the liquid agent container but also the case where the opening can be opened to the extent that the lens can be accommodated while being partly in contact with the container. The lid member must be in fluid-tight contact with the opening to prevent leakage of the liquid contents and to ensure sterility during use, but the lid member is further provided with one through hole to accommodate the lens. After that, it is necessary to close the through hole. As a state before opening, the relationship between the lid member and the open end of the storage portion is either (1) connected with a thin resin that can be broken to form a sealed structure, or (2) fitted or screwed while each is a separate part. Or (3) a third part (for example, a sheet or a screw-on cap) such that the lid member is simply placed so as to cover the opening and further covers the lid member. There are three modes of sealing. In addition, the relationship between the lid member after the lens is stored and the opening end is (4) when the lid member is simply placed, there are the same three modes as in (3) as in (2) above. . Among these, (1) has the highest liquid-tightness accuracy and has the advantages of being aseptic and preventing evaporation of the content liquid to enable long-term storage, but the lid member is broken and opened. It is easy to spill the liquid at the time, and the fracture surface is usually not smooth, so it has the disadvantage of easily damaging the lens. For (4), it is only necessary to remove the lens and leave it for a while, Considering carrying, the leakage of the content liquid is a concern, so it is preferable to select either (2) or (3). In addition, since it is necessary to prevent the lid member from coming off when the solution is poured out in (3), a combination of the mode of (2) with a member that seals the through hole of the lid member is the most preferable mode. It is. That is, the lid member is configured to be fitted or screwed to the opening of the storage portion, and when the lens is stored, the cover member is removed, the lens is immersed in the liquid agent and stored, the cover member is returned to the original position, and the through hole is separately provided. A case in which the lens is stored is carried by being closed with a prepared cap or the like.

The lid member is provided with one through hole, and the through hole may be formed from the beginning or may be formed at the time of use. The through-hole serves as a nozzle formed in the bottle when the content liquid is poured out, and as a result, the blister case and the conventional lens case are discharged as compared with the case where the liquid agent container is used as it is. The properties of the liquid droplets and the adjustment of the liquid amount are remarkably facilitated, so that the liquid can be accurately dropped onto the lens. If the through-hole is formed from the beginning, it is sealed with a sheet or cap to keep it liquid-tight until the solution is poured out. It can be formed by making the formation site thin and breakable and combining the third part with, for example, a cap having a spike inside. The cap or the like can also be used as a through-hole closing means when storing the lens. If the inner diameter is too narrow, the through-hole requires a pressing force of the storage portion to dispense the solution. If the inner diameter is too wide, it is difficult to accurately drop the lens. A range is desirable. In addition, although the material which comprises a cover member is also selected from the resin similar to a container, it does not need to be the same resin as a container, and does not need to have flexibility like an accommodating part.

  Specifically, there are the following two types of solution dispensing mechanisms that leave more than the amount necessary for immersing and storing the lens in the storage section after dispensing the liquid agent through the through hole. One of them is to provide a cylindrical wall connected to the lid member through hole. Since the container is held with the lid member facing down when the solution is poured out, the lid member becomes the bottom surface of the container, but the cylindrical wall is erected from the lid member to the inside of the storage unit up to a predetermined height, so that the content liquid The fact that the surface does not fall below the height of the cylindrical wall is utilized. By defining this height, the amount of remaining liquid can be made constant regardless of the user. Depending on the pressing force, pressing area, etc., there may be differences in the pressing operation of the storage unit depending on the user, and whatever amount of usage is used, the amount of solution necessary for lens immersion is always secured in the container. Therefore, it is possible to make the container easy to obtain compliance. The shape of the cylindrical wall can be variously selected from a cylindrical shape to a polygonal column shape, but the cylindrical end needs to have a particularly smooth surface in order to prevent scratches on the storage lens. Also, the diameter of the cylindrical end is made the same as the diameter of the outlet of the through hole and the entire inner diameter of the through hole is made constant, or the inner diameter is gradually reduced from the cylindrical end toward the outlet. Various modifications are possible without the above restrictions.

The other is to define the amount of elastic deformation of the storage section and set the content liquid not to be poured out by atmospheric pressure unless it is pressed and deformed. When employing this mechanism, as the inner diameter of the through hole increases, the inner diameter because liquid contents have a smaller inner diameter is dispensed naturally 0.5 to 5.0 mm, preferably 0.5~2.0mm It is desirable to set it within the range. The elastic deformation amount of the storage portion can be defined by limiting the flexible region by setting the thickness of the storage portion to be thin only at the pressing portion and setting the other portions to be thick. Such a mechanism has a simple structure as compared with the case where the cylindrical wall is provided on the lid member, and it is possible to ensure the remaining liquid amount. Depending on the degree, it is difficult to make the amount of the remaining liquid constant.

  The liquid agent remaining in the storage portion by the solution dispensing restriction mechanism is 0.5 to 3.0 ml, preferably 0.8 to 2.0 ml, per one lens as an amount required for immersion storage of the lens. This is because if the amount is too small, the lens cannot be sufficiently immersed, and if the amount is too large, the capacity of the entire container becomes large and it becomes inconvenient to carry. Further, the storage unit needs to have about 0.5 to 2.0 ml of a solution for use in lens cleaning in addition to the above. The amount of these liquid agents varies depending on the type of lens, and is particularly different between a hard lens that can use tap water and a soft lens that cannot be used. In the case of a hard lens, a few drops of solution may be dropped for cleaning, and after cleaning, it is rinsed with tap water and stored in a container. In the soft lens, the lens after washing is further rinsed with the same liquid agent and stored in a container, so that it is necessary to store more liquid agent from the beginning.

By the way, it is natural to use a container containing a liquid according to the lens to be stored. However, when the container is also used, a liquid having a function of cleaning and storage is required. Conventionally, hard lenses use a single type of preservative solution, and today soft lenses also use a multi-functional solution that can be used as a single type of preservative solution. Therefore, these solutions are used in the present invention. Will be.
Hereinafter, in order to clarify the present invention more specifically, some examples of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a storage unit side body 10 of a contact lens storage / solution container of the present invention. A main body 10 shown in FIG. 1 has a recess 11 for storing a lens care solution 1 as a storage portion, and an end 12 of an opening is formed in an annular shape above. Since the concave portion 11 is also a part for storing the lens, the concave portion 11 has a smooth surface having a curvature approximate to the convex surface of the lens in order to prevent deformation of the lens, and is pressed when dispensing the stored liquid agent. Further, the bottom portion is formed thin so as to have flexibility. A groove 14 is provided between the end 12 of the opening and the flat surface 13 extending therearound. The groove 14 is provided so that the top surface of the liquid container after the lid member 20 and the container body 10 shown in FIG. 2 are fitted is flat, and the fitting portion is provided on the outermost periphery. For example, the groove is not necessary. The peripheral wall 15 that hangs down from the flat surface 13 is provided so that the bottom surface of the recess 11 is spherical, so that the container can be stably placed when the container is placed on a desk or the like. The peripheral wall portion 15 is not necessary over the entire outer periphery of the container body 10, and may be provided in at least one place in combination with the bottom surface of the recess 11. In some cases, the peripheral wall may not be provided by making the bottom surface of the recess 11 flat.

  A recess 16 may be provided in a part of the flat surface 13 so that the lid member 20 can be easily removed before the lens is immersed. FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional perspective view of the lid member 20. The lid member 20 has a peripheral wall 21 that hangs down on a flat disk-shaped outer periphery and a cylinder 22 that hangs down at the center. The said cylinder 22 comprises the solution extraction regulation mechanism in this invention. The peripheral wall 21 enters the groove 14 formed in the storage unit main body 10 and connects the main body 10 and the lid member 20. Here, in the drawing, the peripheral wall is simply shown as being fitted, but the peripheral wall side surface may be provided with a ridge, and may be formed so as to be fitted with the corresponding groove 14 wall surface. A screw structure may be provided on the outer surface of the opening end 12 and the two may be screwed together. A through hole 23 is formed in the cylinder 22 at substantially the center, and serves as a spout 25 for the liquid agent 1 when the lens is cleaned. A circumferential groove 24 is provided around the spout 25. This portion is for fitting a part that closes the spout in order to maintain the liquid-tightness of the content liquid after storing the lens in the container. It is. Further, in FIG. 2, a small disk portion 26 is attached to a part of the outer periphery of the lid member 20 so as to be separable. When this small disk part is combined with the main body 10, the small disk part is located in the recess 16, and after removing the lid member, the small disk 26 can be folded and used as a part for closing the spout 25.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an overall view of the liquid container 30 of the present invention in which the storage unit body 10 and the lid member 20 are combined. After filling the concave portion of the storage portion with the lens care solution 1, the cover member 20 is put together and the whole is covered with a cover sheet, and then the outer peripheral portion of the flat surface 13 facing the cover sheet by sealing means such as heat or ultrasonic waves Then, the periphery of the spout of the lid member 20 is bonded. Thereby, the container 30 whole can be processed by autoclave sterilization, and the aseptic state in a market distribution stage can be guaranteed.

  FIG. 4 schematically shows an operation of actually dispensing the liquid agent. The total amount of the original liquid 1 was accommodated in 4.5 ml, and about 2.5 ml was discharged to clean and rinse the lens, leaving about 2.0 ml of liquid in the container. The inner diameter of the spout 25 was 0.8 mm, and a droplet of an appropriate size could be dropped on the lens. Note that, depending on the height of the cylinder 22, the amount of the remaining liquid could be kept constant regardless of the pressing force and the number of times of pressing of the storage unit 11.

The container 30 shown in FIG. 3 shows an aspect of a type in which one lens is stored in one container, but FIG. 5 shows an aspect in the case of storing two lenses. The storage unit side main body 40 is formed with two lens storage unit recesses 41, and the opening end 42, the flat part 43, the groove 44 and the like basically have the same functions as those of the main body 10 of the above-described embodiment. A liquid agent flow path 47 is provided for connecting the recesses 41. This is for one through hole 53 formed in the lid member 50 to equalize the amount of the liquid agent in both concave portions 41 after cleaning the two lenses. On the other hand, the lid member 50 is also provided with a portion similar to the lid member 20, but is characterized by having a portion that becomes the handle 57 when the lid member 50 is removed. By using one spout 53, the remaining portion is effectively utilized.

  As apparent from the above description, by using the contact lens storage and solution container according to the present invention, it is possible to carry a liquid agent for simply cleaning the contact lens, and the container for storing the liquid agent is used as it is. Since the lens can be used as a storage container, it can be used flexibly in various situations, such as when you need to remove the lens suddenly or when you need a small amount of care solution for travel. be able to. Moreover, since the liquid can be applied to the lens in the same manner as the so-called bottle-type liquid agent, the entire surface of the lens can be sufficiently washed with an appropriate amount of liquid agent.

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an embodiment of the storage portion of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an embodiment of the lid member of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a state in which the storage unit main body and the lid member are combined. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a use state of the container of the present invention shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Contact lens care liquid 10, 40 Storage part main body 11, 41 Storage part 20, 50 Lid member 22 Cylinder (Solution pouring regulation mechanism)
23, 53 Through hole 25 Outlet

Claims (5)

Contact lens serving as a spout for cleaning a contact lens by storing a contact lens solution in a storage portion having an opening on the upper side, and providing one through hole in an openable lid member that covers the opening A liquid dispensing container, comprising a solution dispensing regulating mechanism that allows the amount of liquid remaining after pouring the liquid through the through-hole to exceed the amount necessary for immersing and storing the contact lens, and opening the lid member The contact lens storage and storage solution container can be used once, and the contact lens can be stored in the storage portion. 2. The single use contact lens storage and solution container according to claim 1, wherein the dispensing restriction mechanism is a cylindrical wall having a predetermined height in the storage portion inwardly connected to the lid member through hole. . The single- use contact lens storage / use liquid agent container according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an amount required for immersion storage of the contact lens is in a range of 0.8 to 3.0 ml per contact lens. . The single use-up according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein an inner diameter of the through hole is in a range of 0.5 to 8.0 mm, and the through hole is liquid tightly sealed until just before use of the content liquid. Liquid storage container for contact lenses. 5. An inner diameter of the through hole is in a range of 0.5 to 5.0 mm, and the extraction restriction mechanism is restricted by an elastic deformation amount of the storage portion and atmospheric pressure. One-time-use contact lens storage and solution container.

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