Patent · US Expired

Method of forming shaped hydrogel articles including contact lenses

US5039459A · kind A · utility

267Cited by
10References
16Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateDec 15, 1989
Grant dateAug 13, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 15, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S524/916
  • WIPO fieldOther special machines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

Shaped hydrogel articles such as soft contact lenses are prepared by (1) molding or casting a polymerization mixture comprising: (a) a monomer mixture comprising a major proportion of a hydrophilic (meth)acrylate ester such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, an alkyl (meth)acrylate wherein the alkyl group contains at least four carbon atoms, and a cross-linking monomer; and (b) a water-displaceable diluent, wherein said diluent has a viscosity of at least 100 MPa Sec at 30.degree. C., and wherein said diluent consists essentially of a boric acid ester of certain dihydric alcohols, said dihydric alcohols having Hansen polar (w.sub.p) and Hansen hydrogen bonding (w.sub.h) cohesion parameters falling within the area of a circle defined as having a center at w.sub.h =20.5, w.sub.p =13, and a radius of 8.5, to produce a shaped gel of a copolymer of said monomers and said diluent, and (2) thereafter replacing said diluent with water.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.