KR20240113978A - Packaged Contact Lenses - Google Patents

Abstract

Hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses. The blister package includes a base member 100 made of a plastic material, and a seal member 103 coupled to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to retain an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. Base member 100 has an upper surface 130 and a lower surface 132 and includes a blister well 104 and a handle 106. Blister well 104 has a rim 101. The blister well 104 is surrounded on the upper surface 130 of the base member 100 by a sealing area 102. The handle 106 and sealing area 102 are provided by a flange extending outwardly from the blister well 104. The base member 100 has a weight of 0.72 g or less.

Description

Packaged Contact Lenses

The present invention relates to packaged contact lenses. More specifically, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to a sealed blister package comprising a base member and an unworn contact lens and a sealing member coupled to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to retain an aqueous solution. blister package). The invention also relates to a blister package comprising a base member having a weight of 0.72 g or less.

Soft contact lenses, such as hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses, are stored in an aqueous solution to keep them hydrated and ready for use. Contact lenses are typically individually packaged in sealed blister packaging. Blister packages provide a sterile, safe environment for unused contact lenses, allowing them to be safely transported and stored until required by the end user. A conventional blister package includes a base member made of a plastic material and a sealing member sealed to the base member to form a blister cavity. A typical blister package of the prior art has a blister cavity in which unused contact lenses are stored and a handle that can be held between the user's fingers and thumb. The blister cavity is often configured as a well within a base member, which can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution and the contact lens itself. Contact lenses typically comprise the steps of placing a contact lens within a well of a base member, filling the well with a volume of contact lens packaging solution, and sealing the well with a sealing member to seal the contact lens and the solution into the packaging. packaged in a blister package in a manufacturing process that includes autoclaving the sealed blister package to sterilize the contact lens and solution within the blister cavity.

US 4,691,820 to Martinez discloses a molded blister package for storing and dispensing hydrophilic contact lenses, comprising a base portion comprising a cavity surrounded by a protruding flange and a cover sheet sealed to the flange to surround the cavity. .

EP1752058 discloses a blister package containing a contact lens comprising a base member comprising a gripping area comprising a curved top surface configured to receive the thumb and a curved bottom surface configured to receive the inner curve of the index finger. do.

WO2021260353 discloses a blister package for contact lenses comprising a base sheet and a sealing sheet, one containing a bowl and the other containing a dome.

US10390593 has a gripping portion, a distal end region, a first side region extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region, a second side region opposite the first side region, and a cavity configured to receive the packaging solution and a contact lens. A blister package comprising a thermoplastic base member is disclosed.

JP2006016049 discloses a blister pack for contact lenses comprising a container body including a hemispherical recessed section, a flange section extending to the outer periphery of the recessed section, and a support section.

WO03/039969 discloses a package for a contact lens in which the overall volume of the package and the internal volume of the lens-retaining cavity within the package are minimized.

The disclosure of US10390593 is considered to be the closest prior art. A distinguishing feature of claim 1 of the present invention compared to the disclosure of US10390593 is that the base member has a weight of less than 0.75 g.

Many people use daily, weekly, biweekly or monthly disposable contact lenses packaged in blister packages. This means that large numbers of blister packages are delivered to customers around the world every day. The costs and fossil fuel emissions associated with transporting contact lenses are significantly increased due to the additional weight of blister packaging and contact lens packaging solutions. Additionally, although the plastic material in blister packs may be recyclable, it is desirable to recycle less plastic material rather than more plastic material.

The technical effect of the reduced weight of the blister package of the present invention is to allow the base member to be manufactured using less material than required in US10390593, which not only reduces the fossil fuel emissions associated with the use of the blister package. It also reduces the amount of material that must be recycled after the blister package is used. A technical problem for that purpose is how to reduce the environmental impact of the base member disclosed in US10390593.

The present invention, according to a first aspect, provides a hermetically sealed blister package having the features recited in claim 1 below. Preferred but optional features are set forth in the dependent claims.

The environmental impact of blister packs, as the reduction in the weight of the blister package reduces the amount of fossil fuel required to transport the blister package and reduces the amount of material that needs to be recycled when the blister package is used. This can be reduced.

The blister well may have a concave inner surface on the upper surface of the base member and a convex outer surface on the lower surface of the base member. The blister well may have side walls.

The sealing member is hermetically sealed to the base member in the sealing area. The sealing area may be substantially annular. The flange may be planar. The flange may have a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.5 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.55 mm.

The base member may have an outer edge that is symmetrical in plan view about a line running through the center of the blister well and the center of the handle.

The sealing member may be a laminated structure comprising one or more layers of foil and plastic materials. The sealing member may be made of plastic material. The sealing member may be made of foil. The thickness of the sealing member may be about 50 micrometers to about 100 micrometers. Words or numbers may be printed on the sealing member. The sealing member may have a thickness of 60 micrometers to 70 micrometers. Suitable materials for the sealing member can be obtained from AMCOR (Switzerland). The sealing member may have an area equal to the area of the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area greater than the area of the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area that is smaller than the area of the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may be coupled to the base member at the sealing area.

The blister well may be hemispherical or substantially hemispherical in shape. Blister wells may be irregularly shaped. The blister well may be cylindrical in shape. The blister well has walls, referred to herein as side walls. The side wall may include a flat portion that may be adjacent to the handle. The blister well has a rim.

The base member may include two or more stabilizing legs. The base member may include three or more stabilizing legs. The stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the base member. The stabilizing legs may be aligned perpendicularly with the rim of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the base member to extend to the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the base member to extend farther than the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend far enough to provide stability to the base member when placed upright on a flat surface. The stabilizing legs provide sufficient structural integrity and transport and stability to prevent problematic deformation, while still providing a stable blister package when placed upright on a flat surface without the need for the handle formed by the flanges to act as a stability support. A reduction in the weight of the blister package can be achieved while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to adequately protect the contact lenses during storage.

The base member may include at least two side tabs. The side tabs may be positioned on either side of the blister well, with the side tabs extending downward from the top surface of the base member. The side tabs may have a height of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs can have a height of 3.0 mm. The side tabs can have a height of 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a length along the top surface of the flange between 6.0 mm and 10.0 mm. The side tabs can have a length along the top surface of the flange between 7.0 mm and 9.00 mm. The side tabs may have a length along the top surface of the flange of 8.0 mm. Side tabs can increase the structural integrity of the base member. The side tabs may reduce the likelihood of problematic deformation of the base member. The side tabs can increase the stability of the base member when placed upright on a flat surface. The side tabs may provide a gripping area.

The handle may include a hole extending through the flange, with the hole located closer to the outer edge of the handle than the center of the blister well. The hole may be located at a distance of 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The hole may be positioned at a distance of 20.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The hole may be a slot with a width of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The hole may be a slot with a width of 1.1 mm. The hole may be a slot with a width of 1.0 mm. The hole may be a slot with a width of 0.9 mm. The width of the hole may be the shorter dimension of the slot. The hole may be a slot having a length of 8.0 mm to 12.0 mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The hole may be a slot with a length of 9.0 mm. The hole may be a slot with a length of 10.0 mm. The side or length of the hole may be parallel to the end of the handle. The hole may include a notch on a side of the hole. The hole may include a notch on the longest side of the hole. The notch may be centered along the length of the hole. The notch may be off-center along the length of the hole. The notch within the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The notch within the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 1.1 mm. The notch within the edge of the hole may have a length of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The notch within the edge of the hole may have a length of 2.7 mm. The handle of a sealed blister package may contain only one hole. The handle of the sealed blister package may include more than one hole. One or more holes in the handle can reduce the weight of the base member.

The blister package may contain contact lenses. The contact lenses may be hydrogel contact lenses. The contact lenses may be silicone hydrogel contact lenses. The base member may be made of recyclable plastic material. The base member may be made of plastic material. The base member may be made of a thermoplastic material that may be recyclable. This means that the base members can be recycled rather than sent to landfill. The sealing area may not be annular when viewed from top view (i.e., from above). The sealing area may have an apex adjacent to the handle of the base member. As used herein, a vertex is understood to be the part of a geometric shape that has the sharpest change of direction relative to the rest of the shape. For example, a vertex may be a point where two or more line segments meet. However, it can be understood that if the line segments are curved, the intersection points may blend in such a way that there are regions with a smaller radius than the portion of the line segment that is located further from the vertex. The sealing area having an apex reduces the separation force required to separate the sealing member from the sealing area. If a lower separation force is required to separate the seal member from the seal area, the base member may have reduced structural integrity, i.e. may be less robust, without reducing the protection the blister package provides to the contact lens. (and therefore can be made lighter).

The sealing area may be annular when viewed in plan view. The sealing area may be annular. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 2.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.7 mm. The reduced width of the sealing area can improve the ease of opening the blister pack while maintaining an airtight seal.

The blister well can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution between 0.4 mL and 1.6 mL. The blister well can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution between 0.6 mL and 1.4 mL. The blister well can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution between 0.8 mL and 1.2 mL. The blister well can hold a volume of 0.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister well can hold a volume of 0.7 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister well can hold a volume of 0.8 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The base member may have a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm and a width of 25.0 mm to 35.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 43.0 mm to 47.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 46.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 46.31 mm. The base member may have a width of 25.0 mm to 35.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 27.0 mm to 33.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 28.0 mm to 30.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 29.0 mm. The base member has a weight of 0.72 g or less. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight of 0.40 g to 0.72 g. In one example, the base member has a weight of 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight of 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.65 g.

The blister well may have a depth of 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth at its center of 6.0 mm. The blister well can have a depth of 6.7 mm at its center.

The flange of the base member has a thickness that is less than or equal to the thickness of the side wall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness that is no more than 95% of the thickness of the side wall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness that is no more than 90% of the side wall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness that is no more than 85% of the thickness of the side wall of the blister well.

The side walls of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The side walls of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. The side walls of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.6 mm. If the side walls of the blister well are too thin, evaporation can occur through the plastic, causing changes in the packaging solution and potentially drying out the contact lens and making it unusable. The blister well sidewall thickness can reduce the weight of the blister package while still being thick enough to prevent any evaporation of the contact lens packaging solution. This allows the lenses to remain hydrated prior to use by the contact lens wearer.

The blister well sidewall can facilitate retention of the base member within a base member carrier of a heat seal system or machine. The base member and the base to ensure that the upper surface of the base member remains parallel and stable with respect to the surface of the heat seal die, which is pressed against the sealing member on top of the upper surface of the base member to seal the sealing member to the base member. It can be appreciated that slots may be provided in the base member carrier to receive one or more side walls to provide a physical fit between the member carriers.

The flange of the base member may have a stiffness of 50,000 psi.mm ² to 150,000 psi.mm ² . The flange of the base member may have a stiffness of 60,000 psi.mm ² to 90,000 psi.mm ² . The flexural modulus of the base member material may be between 230,000 psi and 276,000 psi. The stiffness of the present base member is calculated by multiplying the flexural modulus of the base member material by the square of the thickness of the flange in mm. Flexural modulus can be measured using conventional equipment, such as equipment provided by Instron (Norwood, Mass.), or can be provided by the plastic manufacturer as part of the plastics technical data. Flexural modulus may be used as determined by the ISO 178 test method.

The outer edge of the handle may include a protrusion. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.8 mm. The protrusion may extend 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm out from the edge of the base member. The protrusion may extend out 2.3 mm from the edge of the base member. On the outer edge of the handle furthest from the blister well, there may be a tab extending downwardly from the upper surface of the flange. The tab may have a length of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm along the flange. The tab may have a length of 2.2 mm to 2.4 mm along the flange. The tab may have a length of 2.3 mm along the flange. The tab may have a height of 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm. The tab can have a height of 1.75mm. The tab may be part of a larger protrusion extending downward from the lower surface of the base member. These larger protrusions may extend down along the entire width of the end of the handle. The tab may be sized and configured to fit within a notch in the hole in the flange of the second base member. The tabs and larger protrusions may be sized and configured to fit into holes in the flange of the second base member. This means that a plurality of base members can be attached together to form, for example, a base member assembly or a base member recycling unit, which means that the base members can be accepted for recycling at a recycling center.

The base member may include three stabilizing legs. The base member may include four stabilizing legs. The base member may include five stabilizing legs. The base member may include three stabilizing legs positioned approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The base member may include four stabilizing legs positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The stabilizing leg may include a planar lower edge. The stabilizing leg may include a rounded lower edge. The stabilizing leg may include a curved lower edge.

When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than one point of contact with the surface. When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than two points of contact with the surface.

When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than three points of contact with the surface. When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than four points of contact with the surface. The multiple points of contact between the base member and the flat surface allow the force exerted by the surface onto the base member to be distributed across the base member. This may reduce the rigidity required for any individual area of the base member, such as the blister well, which may lead to a reduction in the weight of the material used to manufacture the base member. The weight of the material used to manufacture the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection to the contact lens.

When the lower surface of a first base member according to an embodiment of the invention is disposed relative to the lower surface of a second base member according to the same embodiment, there may be more than one point of contact between the base members. There may be more than two contact points between the base members. There may be more than three contact points between the base members. There may be more than four contact points between the base members. Multiple points of contact between the base members can cause the force exerted on the first base member by the second base member to be distributed across the first base member and vice versa. This may reduce the rigidity required by any individual area of the base member, for example the blister well. Reducing the required stiffness can result in a reduction in the weight of the materials used to manufacture the base member. The weight of the material used to make the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection for contact lenses during storage and transportation.

The blister well may be reinforced by support ribs. The blister well may be reinforced by two or more supports. The blister well may be reinforced by three or more supports. The blister well can be strengthened by supports so that the thickness of the side walls of the blister well can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection to the contact lens.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens, the method comprising: providing a base member for a blister package according to the first aspect of the invention; Placing a contact lens into a blister well of the base member; disposing a volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution into a blister well of the base member; sealing the sealing member against the sealing area of the base member; and autoclaving the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lenses and packaging solution.

The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing region of the base member may be carried out by pressing the foil laminate sealing member against the plastic base member under heat so as to melt together the plastic layer of the foil laminate and the sealing region of the base member. . The step of sealing the sealing member in the sealing area may be performed at a temperature of 210°C to 240°C. Sealing the seal member to the seal area may be performed using a heated die that presses the seal member against the flange of the base member at a pressure of 25 PSI to 60 PSI. The heated die may press the sealing member against the flange for a period of time between 100 ms and 1100 ms.

Preferably, the sealing area provides a sufficient seal between the base member and the sealing member to withstand the separation forces encountered during the contact lens autoclave sterilization process, and is also relatively easy for a person to peel open using a person's fingers. If a lower separation force is required to separate the seal member from the seal area, the base member can be made lighter without reducing the protection the blister package provides to the contact lens.

For example, the sealing region can be configured to provide an average separation force of less than 15 newtons (N). In some embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 4N to about 14N. In another embodiment, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 6N to about 11N. In another embodiment, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 8 N to about 10 N.

Peel strength can be measured using an INSTRON Model 5943 machine. For these measurements, the angle of pull is set to 45 degrees. Calibrate the machine's load cell before testing peel strength. Typically, operating instructions are set by the manufacturer.

As described above, the sealing configuration may control the temperature of the surface of the heat seal head being pressed against the seal member on the top surface of the base member, control the pressure the seal head exerts on the seal member, or control the pressure the seal head exerts on the seal member. It can be adjusted by controlling the time it is applied, or by a combination of these.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of recycling a sealed blister package, the method comprising: removing the sealing member from the base member; removing the contact lens from the blister well; removing the liquid contact lens packaging solution from the blister well; and coupling two of the base members of the two contact lens blister packages by inserting a handle end of one base member into an aperture of the second base member to form a base member assembly. The method may also include coupling additional base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 30 base members coupled together to form a base member recycling unit. The method may also include placing the base member recycling unit within a recycling receptacle. This allows the base member to be recycled because the base member recycling unit has a volume large enough to be recycled.

Of course, it will be understood that features described in relation to one aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention. For example, the method of the present invention may include any of the features described with reference to the device of the present invention and vice versa.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the attached schematic diagram:
1A shows a perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 1B shows a perspective view of a contact lens package including a base member and a sealing member according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2A shows a top surface view of the base member of Figure 1A.
Figure 2b shows a top view of a hole in the handle of the base member of Figure 1a.
Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along line AA in Figure 1a.
Figure 4 is an end view of the base member of Figure 1A.
Figure 5 is a top view of a portion of the base member of Figure 1A.
Figure 6 shows steps in a method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 7 shows the steps of a method for recycling a contact lens blister package according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 8b shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of Figure 8a.
Figure 8c shows a perspective view of the pair of base members of Figure 8a.
Figure 8d shows a side view of the pair of base members of Figure 8a.
Figure 9A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 9b shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of Figure 9b.
Figure 9C shows a perspective view of the assembly of the base member of Figure 9A.
Figure 10A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 10b shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of Figure 10a.
Figure 10C shows a side view of the pair of base members of Figure 10A.
Figure 11A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 11B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of Figure 11A.
Figure 11C shows a side view of the pair of base members of Figure 11A.
Figure 12A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 12b shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of Figure 12a.
Figure 12C shows a side view of the pair of base members of Figure 12A.
13 shows a top view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the present invention.

In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the base member is a recyclable plastic material. The base member is dimensioned in such a way as to be lightweight while maintaining its structural integrity. The base member may include a blister well, handle, stabilizing legs and side tabs. The base member includes a lower surface designed to face downward during use and an upper surface designed to face upward during use, such as when using a blister pack to provide a person with hydrated contact lenses that have been removed from the blister pack. do. The blister well extends downwardly from the upper surface of the base member with a concave inner surface and projects downwardly from the lower surface of the base member with an opposing convex outer surface. When the concave interior surface of the blister well meets the planar upper surface of the base member, the blister well has a rim. The rim of the blister well is surrounded at the upper surface of the base member by a sealing area. In use, this sealing area is the area in which the base member of the blister pack is hermetically sealed to the sealing member of the blister pack. A flange extends from the periphery of the blister well to the edge of the base member. At the first end of the base member, a flange may extend outward to a curved edge at a distance from the periphery of the blister well. At the second end of the base member, the flange may extend outward further than at the first end and may form a handle suitable to be held between the thumb and fingers of a user in use. The blister well is dimensioned to hold the contact lens and contact lens packaging solution. A plurality of stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the flange around the convex outer surface of the blister well. In use, the stabilizing legs allow the base member to be positioned with the lower surface of the base member in contact with the surface without tilting. A side tab may extend downward from the edge of the flange on either side of the blister well, and thus extend symmetrically on either side of a line extending centrally from the first end of the base member to the second end of the base member. There may be a tab and the line passes through the central point of the blister well. There may be a hole extending directly through the thickness of the handle of the base member. At the end of the handle, the lower surface of the base member may project downwardly below the lower surface to form a tab.

The present contact lens blister package is believed to have the lightest weight thermoplastic base member known to the inventors. As shown in Table 1 below, several commercially available blister pack plastic base members were dried and weighed:

For each commercial product, five blister pack base members were weighed using a conventional scale, and the average weight in grams is provided in Table 1 (weights were rounded to two significant figures). Ranges for base member weights are provided in the right column. Acuvue 2 and Oasys contact lens blister packs had the lightest weight base members at 0.732 grams. Examples of blister packs are disclosed in the following patent publications: EP1092645 A1, US7213382, EP1092645 A1, US7213382, US5609246, US5609246, US5609246, US5609246, US10390593, US7426993, US10390593, 7426993, US7477366, US6398018, and US7477366. The blister pack base members of these patents are visually similar to actual metered blister packs of the commercial products identified in Table 1.

The present blister package includes a base member weighing less than 0.72 g. For example, the base member of blister packages has a weight of 0.40 g to 0.72 g.

manufacturing company product Average weight (g) Standard Deviation Range (g) J.J.V.C. OASYS 0.75 0.013 0.732 - 0.766 J.J.V.C. OASYS 1-DAY 1.23 0.003 1.231 - 1.238 J.J.V.C. ACUVUE 2 0.74 0.005 0.732 - 0.743 J.J.V.C. TRUEYE 1.23 0.010 1.226 - 1.247 Alcon AIROPTIX 1.02 0.007 1.014 - 1.030 Alcon PRECISION 1 1.04 0.011 1.021 - 1.052 Alcon TOTAL 1 1.07 0.011 1.051 - 1.081 Alcon DAILIES AQUA COMFORT PLUS 1.04 0.008 1.031 - 1.053 Alcon TOTAL30 1.05 0.008 1.045 - 1.063 B&L ULTRA 0.87 0.016 0.859 - 0.896 B&L BIOTRUE 1-DAY 1.59 0.007 1.581 - 1.599 B&L PUREVISION2 2.74 0.005 2.730 - 2.741 B&L INFUSE 0.84 0.011 0.829 - 0.854 CooperVision MYDAY 1.11 0.012 1.088 - 1.122 CooperVision BIOFINITY 2.05 0.020 2.035 - 2.085 CooperVision AVAIRA VATALITY 1.07 0.005 1.064 - 1.077 CooperVision CLARITI 1 DAY 0.96 0.006 0.950 - 0.965 CooperVision PROCLEAR 6 PACK 2.07 0.005 2.066 - 2.080 CooperVision PROCLEAR 1 DAY 0.99 0.021 0.960 - 1.016 CooperVision BIOMEDICS 55 6 PACK 2.08 0.011 2.071 - 2.093 CooperVision MISIGHT 0.97 0.019 0.954 - 0.992

The contact lenses housed within the blister package are preferably soft contact lenses. Soft contact lenses can be hydrogel contact lenses with an equilibrium water content (EWC) of 10 to 90%. Preferably, the soft contact lenses are silicone hydrogel contact lenses (i.e., hydrogel contact lenses comprising polymer units derived from at least one silicone-containing chemical).

A first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 5. 1A shows a base member 100 formed from a thermoplastic layer. The base member 100 has a weight of 0.72 g. The base member 100 is made of recyclable plastic material. Base member 100 has a length of 46.31 mm at its longest point and a width of 29 mm at its widest point. Base member 100 includes a blister well 104 and handle 106. Blister well 104 is dimensioned to receive a contact lens. Blister well 104 has a side wall 105 (Figure 3). Blister well 104 has a rim 101. Rim 101 is substantially circular except for linear portion 154. Handle 106 provides a gripping portion configured to be held between the user's thumb and fingers. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base member 100.

Base member 100 has a lower surface 132 and an upper surface 130. Lower surface 132 and upper surface 130 meet at edge 134, which extends around the perimeter of base member 100.

The blister well 104 is formed as a well extending downward to form a concave interior surface in the top surface 130 of the thermoplastic layer. The thickness of the side wall 105 of the blister well 104 is 0.6 mm, i.e. between the upper surface 130 of the base member 100 and the lower surface 132 of the base member in the area of the blister well 104. The distance is 0.6mm. The depth of the blister well 104 is 6 mm at its maximum point. Blister well 104 is sized to hold up to 1.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution.

Figure 1B shows the base member 100 and the sealing member 103. The sealing member 103 is coupled to the base member 100 at a sealing area 102 wherein the sealing area 102 is positioned between the sealing member 103 and the base member 100 and is not directly visible from above. It is shown as a dotted line to indicate. The sealing region 102 is used to hermetically seal the base member 100 to the sealing member 103 to form a blister cavity. The sealing area 102 has a width of 1.5 mm. Figure 2A shows a top view of the base member 100. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 104 to the border of the base member 100. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, a flange extends outward to form a curved edge at a distance of 5 mm from the periphery of the blister well 104. At the second end 136 of the base member 100, the flange extends further outward to form a substantially planar handle 106 that can be used as a gripping portion. Along the width of the base member 100 , the flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 104 to form two flat edges 140 at the boundary of the base member 100 . The flat edge 140 has a length of 8 mm. The distance between the flat edges 140 is 29 mm.

Two side tabs 122 (one of which can be seen in Figure 1) extend downwardly from the lower surface 132 (Figure 3) of the base member 100 from the area adjacent the flat edge 140. The side tabs 122 have a height of 4 mm and a length of 8 mm. These side tabs serve to increase the structural integrity of the base member 100 and to provide a grippable portion for the user's fingers and thumb to grasp as the user lifts the base member 100. The side tabs 122 also act to stabilize the base member 100 when the base member 100 is placed upright on a flat surface.

The thickness of the handle is 0.55mm. At a distance of 8.0 mm from the second end 136 of the base member 100, there is a hole 110 extending through the thickness of the flange. Figure 2b shows the shape of the hole 110 in isolation. Hole 110 is a slot with a length 142 of 10.5 mm and a width 143 of 1 mm, essentially rectangular in shape. Hole 110 has a notch 146 on one side, which extends a portion of the long side of the slot toward second end 136 (FIG. 3) of base member 100. Notch 146 has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. At the distal end of the handle 106 (at the second end 136 of the base member 100), the handle 106 includes a protrusion 150 extending 2.3 mm out from the edge of the base member 100. The protrusion has a linear outer edge 152 when viewed from above (as in Figure 2A). The linear outer edge 152 has a length of 9.8 mm. There is a tab 124 extending downward from the flat outer edge 152 of the protrusion 150 (Figure 4).

3 and 4, tab 124 has a length of 2.3 mm and extends down 1.75 mm away from the top surface of base member 100. The three stabilizing legs 116a - 116c extend downward from the lower surface 132 of the base member and are vertically aligned with the rim 101 of the blister well 104 on the upper surface 130 of the base member 100. do. Three legs 116a to 116c are arranged around the convex outer surface of the blister well 104. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, one of the stabilizing legs 116a is positioned so as to be in the middle of the width of the base member. The second leg 116b and the third leg 116c are shown in FIG. 4 and are arranged on either side of a center line running along the length of the base member from the first end 138 to the second end 136. The center points of the three legs 116a - 116c are positioned approximately 120 degrees apart about an axis running vertically downward through the center of the blister well 104 .

In a method 200 of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to the second embodiment shown in Figure 6, a contact lens blister package according to the first aspect of the invention is provided (202). A contact lens is placed within a blister well of the thermoplastic base member of blister package 204. A volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution is placed within a blister well of thermoplastic base member 206. A sealing member is sealed to the sealing area of the thermoplastic base member 208. The method optionally includes autoclaving (210) the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lenses and packaging solution. Figure 7 illustrates the steps of a method 300 for recycling a contact lens blister package of the present invention according to a third embodiment. The steps of the method are as follows. The seal member is removed from the thermoplastic base member (312). The contact lens is removed from the blister well (314). Liquid contact lens packaging solution is removed from the blister well of the thermoplastic base member (316). At step 318, two of the thermoplastic base members are coupled together by inserting the second end of one of the thermoplastic base members into a hole in the second thermoplastic base member such that the tab aligns with the notch in the hole. The two base members together form a base member assembly (320). The method optionally includes the step 322 of coupling additional thermoplastic base members to the thermoplastic base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 30 thermoplastic base members coupled together to form a thermoplastic base member recycling unit. do. The method optionally includes placing 324 a thermoplastic base member recycling unit in a recycling receptacle.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 8A-8D) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. Base member 400 includes a blister well 404 and handle 406. Blister well 404 has a rim 401. Rim 401 is surrounded by sealing area 402. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 404 to the border of the base member 400. At one end of the base member 400, a flange extends outward to form a handle 406. Base member 400 has a hole 410 extending through the thickness of handle 406. Hole 410 is a slot that is essentially rectangular in shape. Hole 410 has a length 442 of 10.5 mm and a width 440 of 1.0 mm. The long side of hole 410 is parallel to a center line that runs down the length of base member 400. Hole 410 has a notch 446 on one side extending a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. The notch is 2.7 mm long and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. Base member 400 has two larger holes 456a and 456b on either side of hole 410. Holes 456a, 456b reduce the amount of material needed to manufacture base member 400 and reduce its weight. At the end of the handle 406 furthest from the blister well 404, the handle includes a protrusion 425. Figure 8B shows this protrusion 425 from the lower surface of the base member 400. The protrusion 425 is shaped to be slot-coupled through the hole 410 of another base member 400 according to this embodiment. Figure 8C shows how this protrusion 425 can be aligned with the hole 410 of the second base member 400. The protrusion 425 is shaped so that the first base member 400a can be vertically disposed on the second base member 400b with the protrusion 425 seated in the hole 410. Protrusion 425 includes a tab 424 (FIG. 8B) that aligns with a notch 446 (FIG. 8A) in hole 410. When the protrusion 425 of the first base member 400a is aligned with the hole 410 in the second base member 400b, the flange of the first base member 400a is aligned with the second base member 400b. Can be rotated 90 degrees to be parallel to the flange of the member, and the tab 424 is aligned with the notch 446, locking the two base members together. 8D shows that the protrusion 425 of one base member 400a is inserted into the hole 410 of the other base member 400a and the first base member 400a is rotated 90 degrees to form the base members 400a and 400b. ) shows how the two base members 400a, 400b can be joined together when locked together.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 9A-9C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. Base member 500 includes a blister well 504 and handle 506. Where the concave interior surface of the well 504 meets the upper surface of the base member, the blister well 504 has a rim 501. The rim 501 of the blister well 504 is surrounded by a sealing area 502. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 504 to the border of the base member 500. At one end of base member 500, a flange extends outward to form handle 506. Base member 500 has a hole 510 extending through the thickness of handle 506. Hole 510 is a slot that is rectangular in shape. Hole 510 has a length 542 of 10.5 mm and a width 540 of 1.0 mm. The long side of hole 510 is perpendicular to a centerline that runs down the length of base member 500. At the end of the handle 506 furthest from the well 504, the handle includes a protrusion 550 extending outward from the plane of the flange. The protrusion 550 is shaped to be expanded and then curved inward to form hooks 551 on both sides of the protrusion within the plane of the flange. 9B shows the bottom surface of base member 500. At the end of the protrusion furthest from the well 504 there is a tab 524 extending downwardly from the bottom surface. The protrusion 550 and the tab 524 are shaped to be slot-coupled through the hole 510 of another base member 500 according to this embodiment. When the protrusion 550 is slotted through the hole 510 of another base member, the tab 524 and hook 551 act to stop the protrusion 550 from exiting the hole 510. When the protrusion 550 of one base member 500 is slot-coupled through the hole 510 of the second base member 500, the protrusion 550 of the second base member 500 is connected to the third base member 500. ) can be slotted through the hole. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members 500. 9C shows how eight base members 500 according to this embodiment can be joined together by inserting the protrusion 550 of one base member 500 into the hole 510 of another base member 500. The tabs 524 and hooks 551 serve to retain each protrusion within the hole 510 of each base member.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 10A-10C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. Base member 600 includes a blister well 604 and handle 606. Where the concave interior surface of the well 604 meets the upper surface of the base member, the blister well 604 has a rim 601. The rim 601 of the blister well 604 is surrounded by a sealing area 602. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 604 to the border of the base member 600. At one end of base member 600, a flange extends outward to form handle 606. The base member 600 has a second well 611 extending downward from the upper surface of the handle 606 to form a concave upper surface and extending downward from the lower surface of the handle 606 to form a convex lower surface. 10A shows the concave upper surface of the second well 611. 10B shows the bottom surface of base member 600. A protrusion 612 extends downward from the convex lower surface of the second well 611. The protrusion 612 is shaped so that it can be pushed into the second well 611 of the other base member 600 according to this embodiment and then retained there by an interference fit. FIG. 10C shows how the protrusion 612 of the first base member 600 slots into the second well 611 of the second base member 600. An interference fit between protrusion 612 and second well 611 holds the two base members 600 together. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members 600.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 11A-11C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. Base member 700 includes a blister well 704 and handle 706. Where the concave interior surface of the well 704 meets the upper surface of the base member, the blister well 704 has a rim 701. The rim 701 of the blister well 704 is surrounded by a sealing area 702. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 704 to the border of the base member 700. At one end of base member 700, a flange extends outward to form handle 706. The handle 706 has a curved portion 707 that curves downward and away from the planar portion of the handle 706. At one end of the base member 700, a flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 704 to a curved edge 721. At curved edge 721, a protrusion 723 extends downward from the upper surface of the flange. The protrusion 723 has a semicircular shape surrounding the well 704. FIG. 11B shows a projection 723 extending downward from the top surface of the flange to a distance less than the depth of the well 704. Blister well 704 has a substantially square perimeter with curved edges that meet seal area 702. Well 704 has a flat bottom surface 703 that has the same shape as the perimeter of well 704. The side walls 705 of the blister well 704 are formed such that the outer surface of the blister well 704 of one base member inserts into the inner surface of the blister well 704 of the other base member 700 according to this embodiment. When configured, the two slots are configured to provide an interference fit together. The side wall 705 of the blister well 704 has a waist 709 at a midpoint along the depth of the blister well 704. Figure 11C shows how the blister well 704 of one base member 700 can be inserted into the blister well 704 of another base member 700 and the two can be joined together. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members 700.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 12A-12C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has some alternative features. Base member 800 includes a blister well 804 and handle 806. Where the concave interior surface of the well 804 meets the upper surface of the base member, the blister well has a rim 801. The rim 801 of the blister well 804 is surrounded by a sealing area 802. A flange extends outward from the perimeter of the blister well 804 to the border of the base member 800. The flange extends outward from the perimeter of the blister well 804 to a curved edge 821 that is substantially equidistant from the perimeter of the blister well 804 all the way around the well 804 . A flange extends outwardly from the curved edge 821 to form a handle 806 on one side of the base member. Handle 806 is flush with sealing area 802. Four protrusions 860 extend downwardly from the upper surface of the flange at approximately 90 degree intervals about an axis running vertically through the center of the blister well 804. FIG. 12B shows a protrusion 860 extending downward from the upper surface of the base member 800. The end of the protrusion 860 furthest from the upper surface of the base member 800 is formed into a hook. 12C shows a slightly indented area 861 of the protrusion 860 when the well 804 of one base member 800 is slotted into the well of the second base member 800 according to this exemplary embodiment. It is shown fitting over the curved edge 821 of the second base member. The hooks on the protrusions 860 act to hold the protrusions in place and hold the two base members 800 coupled together. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIG. 13) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. Base member 900 includes a blister well 904 and a handle 906. Base member 900 has a hole 910 extending through the thickness of handle 906. The hole is a slot that is essentially rectangular in shape. The hole has a length 942 of 10.5 mm and a width 940 of 1.0 mm. The long side of hole 910 is perpendicular to a center line that runs down the length of the base member. Hole 910 has a notch 946 positioned centrally along the width of the base member extending a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. The notch is 2.7 mm long and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is suitable for many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

Wherever in the foregoing description reference is made to integers or elements having known, obvious or predictable equivalents, such equivalents are incorporated into the specification as if individually stated. Reference should be made to the claims to determine the true scope of the invention, and the true scope of the invention should be construed to include any such equivalents. It will also be understood by the reader that features or features of the invention described as preferred, advantageous, suitable, etc. are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, these optional integrals or features, while possible advantages in some embodiments of the invention, may be undesirable and therefore absent in other embodiments.

Claims (16)

A hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens, the blister package comprising a base member made of a plastic material, and a blister cavity arranged to retain an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution, the blister package being joined to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to retain an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. It includes a sealing member that is;
the base member has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a blister well and a handle, the blister well having a rim, the rim of the blister well being surrounded on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region; 1. A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the handle and sealing area are provided by a flange extending outwardly from the blister well, comprising:
A sealed blister package for contact lenses, characterized in that the base member has a weight of 0.4 g to 0.72 g. According to paragraph 1,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the base member further includes at least three stabilizing legs, the stabilizing legs extending downward from a lower surface of the base member and vertically aligned with the rim of the blister well. 3. The contact lens of claim 1 or 2, wherein the base member includes at least two side tabs positioned on either side of the blister well, the side tabs extending downward from the upper surface of the base member. Sealed blister package. According to paragraph 3,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the side tabs have a height of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm and a length along the upper surface of the flange of 6.0 mm to 10.0 mm. 5. A sealed device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the handle includes an aperture extending through the flange, the aperture being located closer to the outer edge of the handle than the center of the blister well. Blister package. According to clause 5,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the aperture is a slot having a width of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. According to claim 5 or 6,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the hole includes a notch at the edge of the hole. 8. A sealed blister package for a contact lens according to claim 1, wherein the sealing area is annular when viewed from above. According to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the sealing area has an apex adjacent the handle of the base member. 10. Sealed blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the sealing area has a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm. 11. A sealed blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the blister well holds a volume of contact lens packaging solution in an amount between 0.4 mL and 1.6 mL. 12. A sealed blister package for a contact lens according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the base member has a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm and a width of 25 mm to 35 mm. 13. A sealed blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the blister well has a depth of 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm at its center. 14. A sealed blister package for a contact lens according to any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein on the outer edge of the handle furthest from the blister well there is a tab extending downwardly from the upper surface of the flange. . According to paragraph 2,
A sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the three stabilizing legs are positioned at approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. 16. A sealed blister package for a contact lens according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the flange of the base member has a stiffness of 50,000 psi.mm ² to 150,000 psi.mm ² .