Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for the production of ophthalmic lenses

US7143990B2 · kind B2 · utility

4Cited by

65References

7Claims

0Family size

Assignee

Novartis AG · CH

Inventors

Yasuo Matsuzawa · Roswell, US
Harald Bothe · Niedernhausen, DE
Bernhard Seiferling · Goldbach, DE

Key dates

Filing date	Mar 26, 2002
Grant date	Dec 5, 2006
Priority date	—
Expiry date	Nov 11, 2022

Classification

Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
CPC primaryY10S425/808
WIPO fieldOther special machines
WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An apparatus and method for the production of ophthalmic lenses, and particularly contact lenses, which minimizes damage of the lens in removal from the mold. The ophthalmic lens is produced in a mold having a male part and a female part that are placed in proximate relation to each other to create a lens-forming cavity. At least the female surface of the female part mold is preferably coated with plasma and is irradiated for a predetermined time such that the female surface and/or surface coating is at least partially cured. Once the female surface, and alternately the male surface and other surfaces of the mold, is at least partially cured, a curable lens-forming material is placed into the lens-forming cavity and cured to form an ophthalmic lens.

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