CA2075958A1 - Apparatus and method for cleaning contact lenses - Google Patents
Apparatus and method for cleaning contact lensesInfo
- Publication number
- CA2075958A1 CA2075958A1 CA002075958A CA2075958A CA2075958A1 CA 2075958 A1 CA2075958 A1 CA 2075958A1 CA 002075958 A CA002075958 A CA 002075958A CA 2075958 A CA2075958 A CA 2075958A CA 2075958 A1 CA2075958 A1 CA 2075958A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pads
- cleaning
- lens
- pad
- cleaned
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
- 238000004140 cleaning Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 109
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 18
- 230000002745 absorbent Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000002250 absorbent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 239000007788 liquid Substances 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 6
- 239000004820 Pressure-sensitive adhesive Substances 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 claims description 2
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 claims 2
- 239000012530 fluid Substances 0.000 abstract description 3
- 210000003811 finger Anatomy 0.000 description 10
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 9
- 239000000853 adhesive Substances 0.000 description 3
- 230000001070 adhesive effect Effects 0.000 description 3
- BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N pseudoephedrine hydrochloride Chemical compound [H+].[Cl-].CN[C@@H](C)[C@@H](O)C1=CC=CC=C1 BALXUFOVQVENIU-KXNXZCPBSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000004659 sterilization and disinfection Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 2
- 101150034533 ATIC gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- RZVAJINKPMORJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N Acetaminophen Chemical compound CC(=O)NC1=CC=C(O)C=C1 RZVAJINKPMORJF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 241000224489 Amoeba Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000894006 Bacteria Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000725101 Clea Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000518994 Conta Species 0.000 description 1
- RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N Diethyl ether Chemical compound CCOCC RTZKZFJDLAIYFH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 101100310856 Drosophila melanogaster spri gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 240000004808 Saccharomyces cerevisiae Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000024109 Spiris Species 0.000 description 1
- 241000282887 Suidae Species 0.000 description 1
- 239000006096 absorbing agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000000481 breast Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 239000000356 contaminant Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002939 deleterious effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000428 dust Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000002255 enzymatic effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 210000005224 forefinger Anatomy 0.000 description 1
- 239000012466 permeate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229920000136 polysorbate Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004094 surface-active agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 210000003813 thumb Anatomy 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G02—OPTICS
- G02C—SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES
- G02C13/00—Assembling; Repairing; Cleaning
- G02C13/008—Devices specially adapted for cleaning contact lenses
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B08—CLEANING
- B08B—CLEANING IN GENERAL; PREVENTION OF FOULING IN GENERAL
- B08B1/00—Cleaning by methods involving the use of tools
Landscapes
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
- Optics & Photonics (AREA)
- Eyeglasses (AREA)
- Cleaning In General (AREA)
- Detergent Compositions (AREA)
Abstract
APPARAIUS AND METHOH FOR CLEANING CONIACT LENSES
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An apparatus (12) for cleaning contact lens (14) includes a cleaning case (10) having a base (16) and a cover (18) pivotally mounted (24) to the base. The base is provided with two spaced-apart domed lower cleaning pad receptacles (22,22). Cleaning pads (44,48) having surfaces (50) spaced-apart handling surfaces (52) are installed on each of the re-ceptacles so that the cleaning surfaces of the upper pads are facing the cleaning surfaces of the lower pads. The cleaning pads are absorbent and are impregnated with a suitable cleaning fluid. Lenses (14) to be cleaned are placed on the top of each of the lower cleaning pads, the upper clean-ing pads are placed on top of the lenses.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
An apparatus (12) for cleaning contact lens (14) includes a cleaning case (10) having a base (16) and a cover (18) pivotally mounted (24) to the base. The base is provided with two spaced-apart domed lower cleaning pad receptacles (22,22). Cleaning pads (44,48) having surfaces (50) spaced-apart handling surfaces (52) are installed on each of the re-ceptacles so that the cleaning surfaces of the upper pads are facing the cleaning surfaces of the lower pads. The cleaning pads are absorbent and are impregnated with a suitable cleaning fluid. Lenses (14) to be cleaned are placed on the top of each of the lower cleaning pads, the upper clean-ing pads are placed on top of the lenses.
Description
WO 90/0861)4 2 0 7 3 ~ ~ 8 PCl`/US90/00516 APPARA.US ~ND .~lET~OD FOR C~EANING CON'r~CT LENSES
BAC ~<G ROUND O F TH ~ I NV ENT I ON
1 Field of the Invention ~ his i~vention has relation to the cleaning of cont~ct lenses with a minimum of contact between the lenseq and fingers, len9 ca~e3, and other possible contaminants 2 Description o~ the Prior Art Contac: len~ wearers customarily clean their lenses by procedures which bring their fingers in contact with the lenses Wearers are urged by purveyors o~ contact lenses to use either heat or chemical disinfection Chemical disinfection i9 recommended over heat by some medical doctors becau~e of th~ negativeY i~ the heat method shorter len~
life, opportunity to overheat or underheat and the need ~or a power source On the other hand, che~ical disinfection is effective in low concentration and for a wide variety of organis3~ It also need3 no power source See Contact ~ens Forum for January 1988, page 76 Liquid surfactant cl~an-r~ are recommended for daily u~e to r-move common lens de?osit~, including bound prot-in Ibid, Back Cover Enzynatic clean-r~ are r-co~m~nd-d for u~e with ~urfactant cl-an~rs although urv-y~ ~how that 35% of soft contact len~ w-arer~ n-ver cl-an with en~y~atic cl--n-r~, only 20~ cl-an onc- a we-k, and 35~ onc- v-ry two we-k~ About 60% of RGP w-arer~
n-v-r u-e nzym-~, 5% onc~ a w--k and 15% onc- ev-ry two w--k~ Ibid, pag- 76 So~- nzysatic cl-an-r~
can work eff-ctively in a~ littl~ a- fift--n minute~
of contact b-tw--n th- cl-an-r and th- l-n~ Ibid, insid- back cov-r :
: .
W090/08~ 2 ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 It i~ known to place contact lenq o~
s-ru~bin~ pads and then to use the index finger on t~e lers -o ~ove the lens around Ibid, page 46 ~ egardless of the currently recommended procedures for the cleaning and other processing o~
contact lenses, it i9 believed by th~ inventor and those i~ privity with her to be common knowledge ~ha~
~ost ~ontact lens userq place the len~ to be cleaned in the palm, add Yeveral drops of cleaning solution ~ the pal~, and then use the forefinger of the other hand on the lens ~ rub it azound in the pal~
Cleaning is completed by inverting the lens and using the ~inger to rub it around in the palm again It i9 recommended that the len~ then be pi~ked up on a dome-ended tick and put into an effervescent enzymatic cleaning solution b-fore beinq rein~erted in the eye 3ecause of the inconvenience of using this stick, thi~ ~tep i~ oft-n skipp-d What wa~ needed before the pre~ent invention wa~ a way of cl-aning and otherwi~e proce~ing contact len~es which eliminat-d tran~f-r of organisms and materialJ from the human hand and els-where to the l~n--~ during the cl-aning proc-~- Tho inventor and tho~e in privity with h-r ar- not awar~ of any prior art which anticipate- thi- inv-ntion and th~
clai-- ~ad- h-r-in SUMMARY OF T~E ~NVENT~O~
An apparatu~ for cl-aning cont~ct l-n-e~
includ-~ a pair of cl-aning pad- for ach lonJ to bo cl-an-d Each pad ~ partially d-fin-d by a pair of oppo~-d, pac-d-apar , roughly parall-l, working ~urface~, a fir~e of uch working urfac-- b-ing a clcaning ~urfaco and a ~econd of ~uch ~urfac-~ b-ing wo ~ 2 0 7 5 9 ~ ~ PCT/US~/~516 a ~andling surface ~ach pad is so constituted and construc:ed that ts cleaning surface readily confor~s to and comes into intimate contact with one of the opposed side s~r'aces of a contact len~ to be _leaned when the pads ar~ positioned with their cleaning surfaces in faci~g relation to each other with ~he lens t~ be cleaned therebetween, and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handli~g 8 urfaces of the pads Pressure and movement means i 9 provided to ap~Ly pressure to the handling s~rfaces of the pads in direction toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surface3 of the pads to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when the len~ to be cleaned i~ positioned between the pads The cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend ~o abrade the lens ~eing cleaned The handling surface portions of each pad hav- a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pr-ssur- and moving means in contact with tn- handling surfac- portion compared to the ceeffici-nt of Sriction betw-en th- pad cl-aning surfac-s and th- l-ns ~uch that movem-nt of th- pad-lat-rally with r~-p-ct to each oth-r will re-ult primarily in nov-~-nt of the cleaning urface- of the pad~ ov-r th- oppo--d surfac-s of the l-n--r In a pr-f-rr-d for~ of th- inv-ntion, portion- of th- pad- adjacent th- cl-aning urfac-s are liquid ab-orb-nt In a pr-f-rr-d form of th- invention, at l-a~t that portion of th- handling ~urfac- of at l-a-t on- of th- pad- which com-s into contact with a -~ WO ~/086~ 2 0 7 S ~ ~ 8 PCT/~S90/~l6 ?or~ion of the pressur~ and movement means i9 covered Wl rh a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive tO tend re preve~t relative movement ~f that pad and the pressure and movemert means A ~ethod of cleaning lenses includes he first step of positioning each lens to be ~leane~
between a Dair o~ cleanin~ pads such a~ set our above The lens is t~ be in contac- with central por ions of each pad A se~ond step of the method is to apply ?ressure and ~ovement ~eans to central portions of the han~ling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens to be cleaned A third step is to c~e the pressure and movement means to pres- the pads toward each othe and to move the pads with re~pect to each other adially of ene lens and in all directior~, but fcr distances not great-r than the largc~t radius of the lens being cleaned In a pr-ferred method, the step of ~ving the pads with r-~p~et to ach other in all direction~
includ-~ moving one of the pad- to hav- it- central portion perforn a figure of eight movement with re~p-ct to th- c-ntral portion of the other pad In anoth-r pref-rr-d method, the cleaning ~urfac- portlonJ of both pad- ar- o~ m~t-rials which will not t-nd to abrade the lens b-ing cl-an-d and por:ions of th- p~d~ adjac-nt th- cl-aning ~urfac-~are liquid ab-orb-nt B-for- th- t-p of poritioning the l-ns to b- cl-an-d b-tween a pair of such cleaning pads, th- o-thod includer a furth-r st-p of impr-gnatlng th- absorb-nt portion of the pad- wlth an appropri4t- len~ cleaning liquid ~ wo go/08604 2 0 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 Pcr/US90/00sl6 8~IEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a perspective view of a lens _leanin~ case ~or~ing part Oc an apparatuq for c eani~g concave/convex contac lenses FIG 2 is an exploded view of t~e apparatu3 of -IG 2 FIG 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view ta~en on the line 3--3 in FIG
FIG 4 i~ a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 in FIG 3 FIG 5 is a top plan view of an upper motion plate cleaning pad made according to one for~ of the invention FIG 6 is a top plan vi-w of a lower base mounted cleaning pad ~ade according to anoth-r forn of the invention FIG 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on ehe line 7--7 in FIG 6; and FIG 8 is a top plan view of the lens cleaning case of the present invention showing a cap portion of a bo-~ or stanchion of an upper cleaning pad motion plat- and diagra~atically indicating the relativ- horizonal movem-nt of this plate with resp-ct to th- cov-r of th- Lens cleaning case during th~ proc-s~ of cl-aning concav-/conv-~ contact l-n~-~
DETAI~ED DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFE~RED EMBODIMENTS
A l-n~ cl-aning car- 10 as s~-n in FIG
iJ part of an apparatu- 12 for cl-aning concaveJ-conv-s contact l-n--~ 14 14 Th- cl-aning ca~e includ-~ a ba~- 16 and a cov-r la pivotally ~ount-d to th- baJ- 16 a~ at 20 in the for~ of th- inv-ntion a~ Jhown Wh-n th- l-ns cleaning ca~- 10 is in u~-a r--ili-nt latch 21 on th- cover holds th- cov-r WO ~/086~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US90/~S16 ri ~ly to the base i~ the ~orm of the invertion as ~own, ar~ aq best seen in FIG 4 ~ e base 16 13 provided with a pair o~
rou~ded, convex ^r ~10med lower cleani~g pad receptacles 22,22, in the for~ of the invent~on as shown ~hese recep~acle~ 22,22 are ixedly ?osi:i~ned ~ he base in side by side coplanar relationship wi:h respect to each other, An upper cleaning pad ~otion plate 24 i~cludes a pa;r o~ rounded, concave or dished, upper cleani-~ ?ad eceptacles 6,26, in the form of the invention as shown ~hese upper cleaning pad receptacles 26,26 for~ an integral part oi the upper ~leaning pad motion plate 24 and are in side by side, coplanar relation to each other to be in approximately concentric relationship with respect to the lower cleaning pad receptacle~ 22,22 when the ~otion plate is installed inside of the cover 18 The cover 18 is provided with a generally rectangular cleaning pad motion plate ~ovement limiting opening 28, this opening having rounded corners Motion plate 24 includ-r a centrally positioned upwardly ext-nding ~tanchion or boss 30 extending through the opening 28 in the cover 18 Tha motion plate bo-~ 30 i3 provided with an upp r cap portion 32 In th- forn of th- invention as ~hown, thi~ cap portion i- in th- form of a generally r-ctangular cap 34 which i~ int-grally adhered to or oth-rwi-a fa~ten-d to a cylindrical upper portion of th- bo-- 30 a- at 36 aft-r th- bo-J
has ba-n extend-d through th- cov-r op-ning 28 to thu~ permanently a~sociate th- motion plat- 24 with 207~
~~ WO90/0~ PCT/US901~16 the cover 18 ~ is t~ be under~tood, however, that ~he mo~ion plate 24 need not necessarily be ~er~ane~ly associated with the cover, and tha~ the upper _ap portion 32 need only be accessible ~e t~e person cleaning the 'enses ~hrough t~e openi~g 28 ~or manual ~anipulation o~ the motion plate In the for~ of the invention as shown, ~`ne cap 34 of the upper cap portion 32 of motion plate 30 is provided with a finger receiving upper sur~ace 40 ~nd an upstanding rim 42 around that sur~ace to assist in retaining t~e finger on the surface 40 ~or a purpose to be described A pair o~ upper, motion plate cleaning pads 46,46 are provided, each to be aqsembled with one of the pair of rounded, concave or dished, upper cleaning pad receptacles 26,26 and a pair of lower, base mounted cleaning pads 48,48, each t~ be a~sembled with one of th- pair of rounded convex or domed, lower cleaning pad receptacle~ 22,22 Each of the pads 46,46 and 48,48 are partially defined by oppo~cd, ~paced-apart, roughly parallel, working sur'acet 44,44 A first of th-~- worXing surface~ of each pad i~ a claaning ~urface 50, and a ~econd of the ~urface~ i~ a handling urfac- 52 The cleaning sur~ac-~ 50 of upp-r pad- 46,46 ar~ on the bottom and th- cl-aning urfac-- 50 of the pad~ 48,48 ar- on the top o that wh-n th- upp-r pad~ 46 ar- asJ-~bl-d to th- upp-r cl-aning p~d r-c-ptacla- 26 and th- low-r cl-aning pad- 48 ar- a~-~mbl-d to th- lowcr cl-aning pad r-c-ptacl-- 22, th- cl-aning ~urfac-- 50 will be in fac~ng r-lation-hip to aach oth-r 3-for- th- cl-aning padr ar~ a~ bl-d to th- pad rec-ptacl-~, tho padJ can hav- diff-rcnt wo ~/o~ 2 0 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 PCT/US~/~16 ~~r~s. ~or example. as shown i~ FIG. ;, eithe~ an _??er e: ~ewer ~lea.~ ?ad 16 or 4a can ini~ial~y be s-_red -'~ ~it~ or ~ -hou~ slets 54 thersi-.. Where s~.e _:~a..:~ ?ad 1c sr 4a ls falrIy stif', the ?resesce e' slots ;~ ^an help insure that ~he pad wil! eas~ly _or.-^or~ te the upper cLean .~ p~
receptacles 26, -~r example. ~here pads e; so~
~aterials are used, ~hese slots may not be needed.
'n using cleanin~ pads such as cleaning pad '6 s;~own ;~. FIJ. ;, in either ~he upper or lower ~leani~g Da~ -ece3tacles, ~he pads ~ay be put into asse~Dled re1a:i~nship with respect to their pad r~ceptacles usi.~g a roughened handling surface ;2 and roughened i.~terlor surface of the cleaning pad receptacles 26 or 22; or an adhesive can be placed on -he ~.andli~g surrace of the pad or into the r-ceptacle to i.~sure that the pads stay in place iuring the cleaning operation. ~ook and eye 'as.eners, cylindrical ridges or rims built into the ?er~phery o~ the cleaning pad receptacles, cr any other usual or preferred mean- of maintaining the pads in place during cleaning can be used.
For exa~ple, the pads can initially have an as least Ylightly domed or di~hed contour such as seen in PIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. This will lessen the problem in maintaining tne pads in position in the pad r-ceptacles during the cl-~ning operation. A
furth-r, and preferred, means of maintaining the pads in position it illustrated best in FIG. 7 wh-rein the handling surface 52 of the pad 48 is cover-d with a fluid impervious ubstrate 56, and this sub-trate can carry a releasable pres~ure sensitive adh-si~e 57 thereon. While these pad~ are being stor-d before `` wo go/08604 2 0 7 5 ~ ~ 8 PCT/US90/00516 they ~re used, 3 removable pr_~ctive s~in 58 will -~ver ~he adhes~ve ;7 ~n :he substrate ~6 In F~G
~, :his s~ ;8 is shown :n t-~ process of belng re~ove~ - om handl1-g surface ~f the ^leaning ?ad preparatory t~ use in _'eanL~g a contact lens ~ s seen in FI~S 2, 3 and 4, a resiliene ~eans such as e -omFression -oil spring 60 is fi -1~
seated and hel~ ~n a ~ase compression spring boss 62 and extends upwardly within the base 16 when the cover 19 is open, and the ~?per _leani~g pad l~otion ?late 24 is ^lear of ~he ~ase When the c~ver is closed, moving ~he uDDer -leanin~ ~ad motion plate 24 down to sring ~he upper _learing pad recepta~les 26,26 into approximate concentric ali~nment with the lower cleaning ?ad receptacles 22,22, a tapered downwardly ext~nding motion plate boss 64 moves inside of the upper end of the coil spring 60 more ~recisely aligning the cleaning upper pad receptacles 26,26 to De concentric with the lower _leaning pad receptacles 22,22 Thi5 spri-g 60 has the furthe~
function of nominally holding the upper cleaning pad motion plate 24 up against the under-ide of the cover 18 ehus insuring that when the cleaning process has been complet-d, the upper motion plate cleaning pads 46,46 will be ~paced fron the contact lenses 14,14 so tnat when th- cover 18 i9 removed, these lenses 14 will r-main undi~turbed on the center portion of the low-r, ba-e mounted cleaning pads 48,48 for easy access to the w-arer Other r-sili-nt nean~ can be us-d inst-ad of spring 60 within the spirit of tho invention and the scope of the claims which follow For exa2ple, a block of sponge rubber or other resilient foan can be ,~.
.
, - ` wo 90/n&~4 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 'astened either to a ~otion plate boss or te the _e~er ?a t er ~he ~ase 16 and it wiIl ~en aecome ~-~e as:`ia~t means.
;~ s ~ell est~blls;~ed ln the ar: ~ha:
;i be ~sed .n c~r~erming the ~leaning o~ conta~
lenses. rhese liqui~s can have several 2ur?oses lr.~ Ai~ e cor. -el 3 deleterious matter s_ch 3a dust, pro~ain ~uil~-up, bacteria, ~ungi, yeast and Acant;~amoeba, Ser examole. In addition,in the apoarat_s ~r.d method of :he ?resent invention, such 'iqui wi!l se- !e ~a ~ l~bricant to reduce the 'rlc-i~n ~et~een e~e _Ieaning pads and the ler.ses durir.g the use of the apparatus. With the :~pid development o~ contact lenses and the rapi~ rise of ~he use of contact lenses, the use of oarticular li3uids on contact lenses made of oar~icular ma-erials has not been 'inally estaolished. This invention is not concerned with the character of the liquids used as long as such liquids do not take the apparatus and method outside of the scope oS the claims which follow. Such liquids are characterized herein ~s any "liquid ~uitable for cleaning contact ler.ses" or "~uitable cleaning liquid."
In order that the contact lense~ will not be abraded by th- action of ~he cleaning pads, the pad~
can be made of any u~ual or preferred ~aterial which will not have an abrading action on the len~es.
Also, pr-f-rably, at least the portion of the pad adjacent to th- cleaning surface will bo made o' absorbent mat-rial 65: and, ~xcept for the pad immediately adjacent the handling ~urface, it i~
preferred that the entire pad be ab-orbent.
~ wo ~/o~ 2 ~ 7 5 ~ ~ 8 PCT/US90/00~]6 The appara~ss e; ~he in~e-~:lon, hen, ` des ~ 3uit3ble -leani~ u1i 6c which has been ~ ed or etherwise permeate~ ir.to ;he absorber.~
?c~ ; ef ~he ~ads ~o, ~6, ~a and ~8 ~ leas: ~n ed,~ce.r.~ -el~ nship e ~he cleaning su~ e e' -he ?a~. This can be ~ene by i:ppls~ ~he pads :~ ~r.
~-^r~pr~et~ cleani~ 66, by depositing he -l~id ^z liqui~ ec~'y on ~he absorbent por~.ons ~--`-.e ?ads immediatel~, bef~re ~se of he pads, by i-F-~gnati~.g each pad at i~s poir.t of manuCact~re and :hen ~.erme call~ sealing ~ so that the liquid will s~: 1 be in place when he sealed snveloped is opened and he ?ad is situated in i~s appropriate cleanins ?a~ receptacle, 22 ~: 26, er by any other ~sual or pre-er-ed me:hod.
In FIG. 7, the su:table cleanir.g liquid 66 is indicated ~o have been impregnated ir.to the a~serbent portion cc the cleaning pad 48 on the gh -han~ side of the figure, while the lef:-hand siie of :hat pad is illustrated as being of absorbent material but not yet impregnated with the fluid 66.
LENS CLEA~ING ~ET~OD ~ND OPERA~ION
To clean convex/concave contact lenses '~,1., using the form of the invention as shown, ~he -over 18 of th~ len~ cleaning case 14 is pivoted from ~he position a~ ~een in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 tO an open position (not specifically shown). This will bring th- portion o~ the cover in adjac-nt relation to the motion plate movem-nt limiting op-ning 28 into con:act with th- underside of the cap 34, and this will cause the motion plate 24 to b- rai~ed away from the lower cleaning pad receptacle- 22,22 of the ba~e 16.
;, wo 90/086042 ~ 8 PCI /US90/00516 -- ~ 2 : is te `3e u~darstood hat ~e cover :3 e r~moved enti~ely, and then the ~otion pla~e ~~7 ~ar of the base 0 ~nd o' the compressio~
co~: s~ 6~ wi-ho~t ~epar~in~ - r~m :~e spiri r e~
~e inver:ie~ an~ ~he sco~e of some of ~he cl~i~s whi_~ foll~w -ad the ap?ar~t~s been ?reviously used, ~sse 7 ~p?er cle~nlng ?ads 46,~o and lower ^leaning pads 42,48 wculd be ~anually ?ulled from thei: respective ^leani~3 ?ad receptacLes and ~iscar~ed ,wo 'resh u?Der ^leaning sads ~6,46 will be ~-osen, ar 7 i~ not al-eady 'ully impregnated with s~itable cleaning li~uid 66, these pad~ will be so lmpregnated They will t~en be installed within the dished upper _leaning pad receptacles 26, 26 in any sual or preferred manner ~hich will cause ~hem t~
s a~ in position in those receptacles A preferred ~anner o2 accomplishing this will be detailed ~elow Lower, base ~ounted cleaning pads 48,48 having been impreqnated with suitable cleaning liquid 66, will be prepared for releasable pressure sensitive adhe~ion to the domed low-r cleaning pad receptacles 22,22 by manual removal of th- protective s~in sa from the li~uid imperviou~ sub~trate 56 of the handling surface 52 of the~e cleaning pads 48,48 Each such pad will th-n be installed on a top c-ntral portion of its re~pective low-r cleaning pad rec-ptacle 22, and will thereafter r-si~t relative mov-m-nt with re~p-ct to such lower cleaninq pad rec-ptacl-~ until the pad~ ar- pull-d from tho rec-ptacle~ aft-r they have boen u~od for th-ir intended purpo~- and are to be discardod ~ WO ~/08~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ ~ PCT/US~/~516 ~ ith all ~o~r Dads so installed, the ~L-a,ing su-fa~es ;0 os the upper 2ads ~re i- f~cing re!~ n -, the ~leaning surfaces ;0 ~ ;he lower pads, ^ ~111 be when the co~er i3 closed Firs~, howe~er, ;he cont~c: lensea 14,1~ to be sle~ned are care~ lly Dlaced ^n the VQry tOp ceneer ?ortions of ~he cleani~g s~--aces Oc ~ne pads 46,46 In the f~rm of the invention as shown, the _over 13 i~ now brought back into place to the positi_n as see~ n FIG 1, to posirion the various ~le~ents of the i-vention an~ ~he contact lenses as seen ~ S 3 a~A 4 ~ p-ess_:e and ~ovement means is now used to consummate the cleaning action ~his means, in the form of the invention as shown, includes the upper cleaning pads 46,46, the upper cleanir~ ?ad mo~ion plate 24 and its upwardly extending boss 30 including its upper cap portion 32 This Dressure and movement means is now ac~ivated by manually exerted downward pressure on tne finger receiving upper surfacc 40 o~ the upper cap portion 32 to apply pressure on the len-es 14,14 by pushing the upper pad~ 46,46 down against the lower pads 48,48 Uext the finger applying this pressure is u--d to move the upper cap portion 32 relatively with r--pect to the cover 1~, thus moving the upper pad~ 46,46 with respect to thc lower pads 48,48 In ord-r to provido a complete clcaning actiOn, and to make sure that th- upper pad- move in "all directions~ with resp-ct to th- low-r pads, the finger applying the manual pre~ure and mov-n-nt can mov-, carrying th- upper ~urfaco 40 of the cap 34 of the upp-r cap portion 32 with it, to pro~crib- a "figure 8" motion a- ch-matically indicated in FIG
--` WO gO/O~N~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 9 ~he pads 46 ~nd 48 havi~g been positioned 'irmly ~n ;~e receptacles 22 a~d 26, zespec~ively, i~ is ~ecessary ~nly that the coe~cien o~ ' iction betwee~ -he pads and :he ~ -eptacle exceed ~he coe~ricient e~ ~riction between the oads ard ~he lenses I ~s p~eCe red that the cleani~g su f~ces 53 oc the ?a s 46 a~- ~8 are o~ si~ilar er ide~ti~al materials, and it is expected that the upper and l~wer surf~ces of the contact lenses themselves will have subsea~tia'ly equal oe~cicients e~ ' iction w~e:her i~ touch wi:h the cl-aning surface ^~ the per pad er ~he clea i g sur ace o' the lower pad ~his bei-g the case, the r~lativq movement _~ the cleaning surfaces ef the upper and lower pads ~ith respec_ to each other will result in the move~ent of ~he _pper surface of the contac~ lens with respect to the lower surface of the upper pad being substantially equal to the movement of the lower surface o~ the contact lens will have with respect to ~he upper s~rface of :he lower pad Thus, after sufficient movement of the upper -leaning pads ~6,46, the entire upp-r and lower surfaces of the contact lenses l-l,14 will be properly cleaned If a uniform figure of eight motion is used, th- net ~ovement mov-m-nt of ach lens away from the center of the low-r cleaning pad 48 and the lower cleaning pad r-c-ptacl~ 22, for example, will b- negligibl-Sinc- both lenses 14 ar- b-ing cleaned at the ~ame tim- and since the liquid 66 is in intimate contact with both surface~ of both l-n~-s, the l-n--~can be left in the apparatu~ (po~ibly with a w-ight replacing th- finger on surface 40 of the cap 34) until any r-commended p-riod for expo~ure to a - ` wo 90/0&~ 2 ~ 7 5 9 5 8 PCT/US~/~516 _!ea~s~ or ~si~ec~ne l ~u d 66 being use~ has ~ e~
~ . _ ~ ':er the lenses have been ~~.c:~ughl~
.e~ e ~vi.~ e- (er weigb~ e ~ s~:~wn ~ :he ^~p essien coil sprl.sg 0~, 3C~
on ~he ~ownwa.~iy ex~er.di~ motien pl~te boss o., Wl ~ ` _3_se the .~e ier. ?'ate 24 te again ~ove to ~s _es:ra: ?Os:~.on, ~d ~e spri..~ will also cause ~;~e ~e:i3.. ;ate ~nd 1:5 upper clear.ing pad rece?tac'es 26,~o ~^ _arry the ~per ?ads 16,46 away 'rom :he ce~~ac~ 'er.ses !~
~ .~e _ove- i3 _a.~ ~ow be zaised ~oving :he -e-;er. ~l~te and i~s at:ached ~pper cleanin~ ~ads ~6,~6 away 'rom the lenses. Vsiag s erile techniques, the now disinfected and cleaned lenses 14,11 can be reinserted into the eyes of ~he wearer.
The method of use o~ the apparatus of the i.~vention has been explained in terms of the aFparatus snown herein. It is to be understood, however, -hat many for.~s of appar~tus can be u~ilized -2 Ferferm the method of t.he invention. For example, and very specifically, by having upper pads wit~
~pper handling surface~ covered with releasable ?ressure sensitive adhesive and with the lower handling surfaces of the lower cleaning pads also covered with such releasable pressure sensi~ive adhesive, one lower pad can be plac~d OQ the left thu~b of a user, a lens to be cleaned can be placed in the center of th- cleaning surface 50 of the lower pad, the center of an upper pad 46 adhered to the index finger of the left hand, and the concave upper pad brought down on the concave/convex compac~ lens and on the convex lower pad. The thumb and index wo ~/o~ 2 ~ 7 a 9 ~ 8 PCT/US90/00516 nge- _an :hen be ~oved wi:h ;sspe~: -~ each other, ~ he con;ac: lens wi'l be ^laane~ usin~ :he ~e~hod o- -`ne :sven:ion a.-d w~:hout 3nf ?Ossibl' i~ ~ O_ ~e`~ eus s_bs~a-.ces a-. he ha~.ds o' :he ~?e.ate _aUSln3 a-sf ~ u!:ies :n ~lsi-.fec:~r,~, neu; r~lizi.49 0_ ~leani~~ :he ler.s. ~nen he clean~
e_::o~, is ^om?lete , :~.e nde~ ~i.ger will be !if:ed 3wav ~rem the ~humb, ar.d :he _leaned l-ns ~ e ;ead~f to ee reinser ed i..-a 'he eye or the wearsr.
-his use of :he :hsmb 3-.~ ~inge af one hand 3s an essen::a _a:- e~ -he ?ressure an~ ~ove~ent ~ear.s ^f :he ?resen: -ven:ion ?resents 3 ~e~hod wb ch is ^^vered by the ?resent invention.
~he inventian herein is described and illustrated with reference :o concave/convex cor.:act ler.ses. rhe invention is equally appli-able to other sha?es _' lenses (flat lenses, for sxample) and ather ?iatas or ii~cs.
~ hough the ?resent invention has been described with reference to preferred e~rodi3ents, workers skilled in the art will :ecogr.ize that chan~es 3ay be made in eorm and detail without depar~ing 'rom the spirit and scope o' the invention.
BAC ~<G ROUND O F TH ~ I NV ENT I ON
1 Field of the Invention ~ his i~vention has relation to the cleaning of cont~ct lenses with a minimum of contact between the lenseq and fingers, len9 ca~e3, and other possible contaminants 2 Description o~ the Prior Art Contac: len~ wearers customarily clean their lenses by procedures which bring their fingers in contact with the lenses Wearers are urged by purveyors o~ contact lenses to use either heat or chemical disinfection Chemical disinfection i9 recommended over heat by some medical doctors becau~e of th~ negativeY i~ the heat method shorter len~
life, opportunity to overheat or underheat and the need ~or a power source On the other hand, che~ical disinfection is effective in low concentration and for a wide variety of organis3~ It also need3 no power source See Contact ~ens Forum for January 1988, page 76 Liquid surfactant cl~an-r~ are recommended for daily u~e to r-move common lens de?osit~, including bound prot-in Ibid, Back Cover Enzynatic clean-r~ are r-co~m~nd-d for u~e with ~urfactant cl-an~rs although urv-y~ ~how that 35% of soft contact len~ w-arer~ n-ver cl-an with en~y~atic cl--n-r~, only 20~ cl-an onc- a we-k, and 35~ onc- v-ry two we-k~ About 60% of RGP w-arer~
n-v-r u-e nzym-~, 5% onc~ a w--k and 15% onc- ev-ry two w--k~ Ibid, pag- 76 So~- nzysatic cl-an-r~
can work eff-ctively in a~ littl~ a- fift--n minute~
of contact b-tw--n th- cl-an-r and th- l-n~ Ibid, insid- back cov-r :
: .
W090/08~ 2 ~ 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 It i~ known to place contact lenq o~
s-ru~bin~ pads and then to use the index finger on t~e lers -o ~ove the lens around Ibid, page 46 ~ egardless of the currently recommended procedures for the cleaning and other processing o~
contact lenses, it i9 believed by th~ inventor and those i~ privity with her to be common knowledge ~ha~
~ost ~ontact lens userq place the len~ to be cleaned in the palm, add Yeveral drops of cleaning solution ~ the pal~, and then use the forefinger of the other hand on the lens ~ rub it azound in the pal~
Cleaning is completed by inverting the lens and using the ~inger to rub it around in the palm again It i9 recommended that the len~ then be pi~ked up on a dome-ended tick and put into an effervescent enzymatic cleaning solution b-fore beinq rein~erted in the eye 3ecause of the inconvenience of using this stick, thi~ ~tep i~ oft-n skipp-d What wa~ needed before the pre~ent invention wa~ a way of cl-aning and otherwi~e proce~ing contact len~es which eliminat-d tran~f-r of organisms and materialJ from the human hand and els-where to the l~n--~ during the cl-aning proc-~- Tho inventor and tho~e in privity with h-r ar- not awar~ of any prior art which anticipate- thi- inv-ntion and th~
clai-- ~ad- h-r-in SUMMARY OF T~E ~NVENT~O~
An apparatu~ for cl-aning cont~ct l-n-e~
includ-~ a pair of cl-aning pad- for ach lonJ to bo cl-an-d Each pad ~ partially d-fin-d by a pair of oppo~-d, pac-d-apar , roughly parall-l, working ~urface~, a fir~e of uch working urfac-- b-ing a clcaning ~urfaco and a ~econd of ~uch ~urfac-~ b-ing wo ~ 2 0 7 5 9 ~ ~ PCT/US~/~516 a ~andling surface ~ach pad is so constituted and construc:ed that ts cleaning surface readily confor~s to and comes into intimate contact with one of the opposed side s~r'aces of a contact len~ to be _leaned when the pads ar~ positioned with their cleaning surfaces in faci~g relation to each other with ~he lens t~ be cleaned therebetween, and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handli~g 8 urfaces of the pads Pressure and movement means i 9 provided to ap~Ly pressure to the handling s~rfaces of the pads in direction toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surface3 of the pads to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when the len~ to be cleaned i~ positioned between the pads The cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend ~o abrade the lens ~eing cleaned The handling surface portions of each pad hav- a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pr-ssur- and moving means in contact with tn- handling surfac- portion compared to the ceeffici-nt of Sriction betw-en th- pad cl-aning surfac-s and th- l-ns ~uch that movem-nt of th- pad-lat-rally with r~-p-ct to each oth-r will re-ult primarily in nov-~-nt of the cleaning urface- of the pad~ ov-r th- oppo--d surfac-s of the l-n--r In a pr-f-rr-d for~ of th- inv-ntion, portion- of th- pad- adjacent th- cl-aning urfac-s are liquid ab-orb-nt In a pr-f-rr-d form of th- invention, at l-a~t that portion of th- handling ~urfac- of at l-a-t on- of th- pad- which com-s into contact with a -~ WO ~/086~ 2 0 7 S ~ ~ 8 PCT/~S90/~l6 ?or~ion of the pressur~ and movement means i9 covered Wl rh a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive tO tend re preve~t relative movement ~f that pad and the pressure and movemert means A ~ethod of cleaning lenses includes he first step of positioning each lens to be ~leane~
between a Dair o~ cleanin~ pads such a~ set our above The lens is t~ be in contac- with central por ions of each pad A se~ond step of the method is to apply ?ressure and ~ovement ~eans to central portions of the han~ling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens to be cleaned A third step is to c~e the pressure and movement means to pres- the pads toward each othe and to move the pads with re~pect to each other adially of ene lens and in all directior~, but fcr distances not great-r than the largc~t radius of the lens being cleaned In a pr-ferred method, the step of ~ving the pads with r-~p~et to ach other in all direction~
includ-~ moving one of the pad- to hav- it- central portion perforn a figure of eight movement with re~p-ct to th- c-ntral portion of the other pad In anoth-r pref-rr-d method, the cleaning ~urfac- portlonJ of both pad- ar- o~ m~t-rials which will not t-nd to abrade the lens b-ing cl-an-d and por:ions of th- p~d~ adjac-nt th- cl-aning ~urfac-~are liquid ab-orb-nt B-for- th- t-p of poritioning the l-ns to b- cl-an-d b-tween a pair of such cleaning pads, th- o-thod includer a furth-r st-p of impr-gnatlng th- absorb-nt portion of the pad- wlth an appropri4t- len~ cleaning liquid ~ wo go/08604 2 0 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 Pcr/US90/00sl6 8~IEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a perspective view of a lens _leanin~ case ~or~ing part Oc an apparatuq for c eani~g concave/convex contac lenses FIG 2 is an exploded view of t~e apparatu3 of -IG 2 FIG 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view ta~en on the line 3--3 in FIG
FIG 4 i~ a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 in FIG 3 FIG 5 is a top plan view of an upper motion plate cleaning pad made according to one for~ of the invention FIG 6 is a top plan vi-w of a lower base mounted cleaning pad ~ade according to anoth-r forn of the invention FIG 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on ehe line 7--7 in FIG 6; and FIG 8 is a top plan view of the lens cleaning case of the present invention showing a cap portion of a bo-~ or stanchion of an upper cleaning pad motion plat- and diagra~atically indicating the relativ- horizonal movem-nt of this plate with resp-ct to th- cov-r of th- Lens cleaning case during th~ proc-s~ of cl-aning concav-/conv-~ contact l-n~-~
DETAI~ED DESCRIPTION OF T~E PREFE~RED EMBODIMENTS
A l-n~ cl-aning car- 10 as s~-n in FIG
iJ part of an apparatu- 12 for cl-aning concaveJ-conv-s contact l-n--~ 14 14 Th- cl-aning ca~e includ-~ a ba~- 16 and a cov-r la pivotally ~ount-d to th- baJ- 16 a~ at 20 in the for~ of th- inv-ntion a~ Jhown Wh-n th- l-ns cleaning ca~- 10 is in u~-a r--ili-nt latch 21 on th- cover holds th- cov-r WO ~/086~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US90/~S16 ri ~ly to the base i~ the ~orm of the invertion as ~own, ar~ aq best seen in FIG 4 ~ e base 16 13 provided with a pair o~
rou~ded, convex ^r ~10med lower cleani~g pad receptacles 22,22, in the for~ of the invent~on as shown ~hese recep~acle~ 22,22 are ixedly ?osi:i~ned ~ he base in side by side coplanar relationship wi:h respect to each other, An upper cleaning pad ~otion plate 24 i~cludes a pa;r o~ rounded, concave or dished, upper cleani-~ ?ad eceptacles 6,26, in the form of the invention as shown ~hese upper cleaning pad receptacles 26,26 for~ an integral part oi the upper ~leaning pad motion plate 24 and are in side by side, coplanar relation to each other to be in approximately concentric relationship with respect to the lower cleaning pad receptacle~ 22,22 when the ~otion plate is installed inside of the cover 18 The cover 18 is provided with a generally rectangular cleaning pad motion plate ~ovement limiting opening 28, this opening having rounded corners Motion plate 24 includ-r a centrally positioned upwardly ext-nding ~tanchion or boss 30 extending through the opening 28 in the cover 18 Tha motion plate bo-~ 30 i3 provided with an upp r cap portion 32 In th- forn of th- invention as ~hown, thi~ cap portion i- in th- form of a generally r-ctangular cap 34 which i~ int-grally adhered to or oth-rwi-a fa~ten-d to a cylindrical upper portion of th- bo-- 30 a- at 36 aft-r th- bo-J
has ba-n extend-d through th- cov-r op-ning 28 to thu~ permanently a~sociate th- motion plat- 24 with 207~
~~ WO90/0~ PCT/US901~16 the cover 18 ~ is t~ be under~tood, however, that ~he mo~ion plate 24 need not necessarily be ~er~ane~ly associated with the cover, and tha~ the upper _ap portion 32 need only be accessible ~e t~e person cleaning the 'enses ~hrough t~e openi~g 28 ~or manual ~anipulation o~ the motion plate In the for~ of the invention as shown, ~`ne cap 34 of the upper cap portion 32 of motion plate 30 is provided with a finger receiving upper sur~ace 40 ~nd an upstanding rim 42 around that sur~ace to assist in retaining t~e finger on the surface 40 ~or a purpose to be described A pair o~ upper, motion plate cleaning pads 46,46 are provided, each to be aqsembled with one of the pair of rounded, concave or dished, upper cleaning pad receptacles 26,26 and a pair of lower, base mounted cleaning pads 48,48, each t~ be a~sembled with one of th- pair of rounded convex or domed, lower cleaning pad receptacle~ 22,22 Each of the pads 46,46 and 48,48 are partially defined by oppo~cd, ~paced-apart, roughly parallel, working sur'acet 44,44 A first of th-~- worXing surface~ of each pad i~ a claaning ~urface 50, and a ~econd of the ~urface~ i~ a handling urfac- 52 The cleaning sur~ac-~ 50 of upp-r pad- 46,46 ar~ on the bottom and th- cl-aning urfac-- 50 of the pad~ 48,48 ar- on the top o that wh-n th- upp-r pad~ 46 ar- asJ-~bl-d to th- upp-r cl-aning p~d r-c-ptacla- 26 and th- low-r cl-aning pad- 48 ar- a~-~mbl-d to th- lowcr cl-aning pad r-c-ptacl-- 22, th- cl-aning ~urfac-- 50 will be in fac~ng r-lation-hip to aach oth-r 3-for- th- cl-aning padr ar~ a~ bl-d to th- pad rec-ptacl-~, tho padJ can hav- diff-rcnt wo ~/o~ 2 0 7 ~ ~ ~ 8 PCT/US~/~16 ~~r~s. ~or example. as shown i~ FIG. ;, eithe~ an _??er e: ~ewer ~lea.~ ?ad 16 or 4a can ini~ial~y be s-_red -'~ ~it~ or ~ -hou~ slets 54 thersi-.. Where s~.e _:~a..:~ ?ad 1c sr 4a ls falrIy stif', the ?resesce e' slots ;~ ^an help insure that ~he pad wil! eas~ly _or.-^or~ te the upper cLean .~ p~
receptacles 26, -~r example. ~here pads e; so~
~aterials are used, ~hese slots may not be needed.
'n using cleanin~ pads such as cleaning pad '6 s;~own ;~. FIJ. ;, in either ~he upper or lower ~leani~g Da~ -ece3tacles, ~he pads ~ay be put into asse~Dled re1a:i~nship with respect to their pad r~ceptacles usi.~g a roughened handling surface ;2 and roughened i.~terlor surface of the cleaning pad receptacles 26 or 22; or an adhesive can be placed on -he ~.andli~g surrace of the pad or into the r-ceptacle to i.~sure that the pads stay in place iuring the cleaning operation. ~ook and eye 'as.eners, cylindrical ridges or rims built into the ?er~phery o~ the cleaning pad receptacles, cr any other usual or preferred mean- of maintaining the pads in place during cleaning can be used.
For exa~ple, the pads can initially have an as least Ylightly domed or di~hed contour such as seen in PIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7. This will lessen the problem in maintaining tne pads in position in the pad r-ceptacles during the cl-~ning operation. A
furth-r, and preferred, means of maintaining the pads in position it illustrated best in FIG. 7 wh-rein the handling surface 52 of the pad 48 is cover-d with a fluid impervious ubstrate 56, and this sub-trate can carry a releasable pres~ure sensitive adh-si~e 57 thereon. While these pad~ are being stor-d before `` wo go/08604 2 0 7 5 ~ ~ 8 PCT/US90/00516 they ~re used, 3 removable pr_~ctive s~in 58 will -~ver ~he adhes~ve ;7 ~n :he substrate ~6 In F~G
~, :his s~ ;8 is shown :n t-~ process of belng re~ove~ - om handl1-g surface ~f the ^leaning ?ad preparatory t~ use in _'eanL~g a contact lens ~ s seen in FI~S 2, 3 and 4, a resiliene ~eans such as e -omFression -oil spring 60 is fi -1~
seated and hel~ ~n a ~ase compression spring boss 62 and extends upwardly within the base 16 when the cover 19 is open, and the ~?per _leani~g pad l~otion ?late 24 is ^lear of ~he ~ase When the c~ver is closed, moving ~he uDDer -leanin~ ~ad motion plate 24 down to sring ~he upper _learing pad recepta~les 26,26 into approximate concentric ali~nment with the lower cleaning ?ad receptacles 22,22, a tapered downwardly ext~nding motion plate boss 64 moves inside of the upper end of the coil spring 60 more ~recisely aligning the cleaning upper pad receptacles 26,26 to De concentric with the lower _leaning pad receptacles 22,22 Thi5 spri-g 60 has the furthe~
function of nominally holding the upper cleaning pad motion plate 24 up against the under-ide of the cover 18 ehus insuring that when the cleaning process has been complet-d, the upper motion plate cleaning pads 46,46 will be ~paced fron the contact lenses 14,14 so tnat when th- cover 18 i9 removed, these lenses 14 will r-main undi~turbed on the center portion of the low-r, ba-e mounted cleaning pads 48,48 for easy access to the w-arer Other r-sili-nt nean~ can be us-d inst-ad of spring 60 within the spirit of tho invention and the scope of the claims which follow For exa2ple, a block of sponge rubber or other resilient foan can be ,~.
.
, - ` wo 90/n&~4 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 'astened either to a ~otion plate boss or te the _e~er ?a t er ~he ~ase 16 and it wiIl ~en aecome ~-~e as:`ia~t means.
;~ s ~ell est~blls;~ed ln the ar: ~ha:
;i be ~sed .n c~r~erming the ~leaning o~ conta~
lenses. rhese liqui~s can have several 2ur?oses lr.~ Ai~ e cor. -el 3 deleterious matter s_ch 3a dust, pro~ain ~uil~-up, bacteria, ~ungi, yeast and Acant;~amoeba, Ser examole. In addition,in the apoarat_s ~r.d method of :he ?resent invention, such 'iqui wi!l se- !e ~a ~ l~bricant to reduce the 'rlc-i~n ~et~een e~e _Ieaning pads and the ler.ses durir.g the use of the apparatus. With the :~pid development o~ contact lenses and the rapi~ rise of ~he use of contact lenses, the use of oarticular li3uids on contact lenses made of oar~icular ma-erials has not been 'inally estaolished. This invention is not concerned with the character of the liquids used as long as such liquids do not take the apparatus and method outside of the scope oS the claims which follow. Such liquids are characterized herein ~s any "liquid ~uitable for cleaning contact ler.ses" or "~uitable cleaning liquid."
In order that the contact lense~ will not be abraded by th- action of ~he cleaning pads, the pad~
can be made of any u~ual or preferred ~aterial which will not have an abrading action on the len~es.
Also, pr-f-rably, at least the portion of the pad adjacent to th- cleaning surface will bo made o' absorbent mat-rial 65: and, ~xcept for the pad immediately adjacent the handling ~urface, it i~
preferred that the entire pad be ab-orbent.
~ wo ~/o~ 2 ~ 7 5 ~ ~ 8 PCT/US90/00~]6 The appara~ss e; ~he in~e-~:lon, hen, ` des ~ 3uit3ble -leani~ u1i 6c which has been ~ ed or etherwise permeate~ ir.to ;he absorber.~
?c~ ; ef ~he ~ads ~o, ~6, ~a and ~8 ~ leas: ~n ed,~ce.r.~ -el~ nship e ~he cleaning su~ e e' -he ?a~. This can be ~ene by i:ppls~ ~he pads :~ ~r.
~-^r~pr~et~ cleani~ 66, by depositing he -l~id ^z liqui~ ec~'y on ~he absorbent por~.ons ~--`-.e ?ads immediatel~, bef~re ~se of he pads, by i-F-~gnati~.g each pad at i~s poir.t of manuCact~re and :hen ~.erme call~ sealing ~ so that the liquid will s~: 1 be in place when he sealed snveloped is opened and he ?ad is situated in i~s appropriate cleanins ?a~ receptacle, 22 ~: 26, er by any other ~sual or pre-er-ed me:hod.
In FIG. 7, the su:table cleanir.g liquid 66 is indicated ~o have been impregnated ir.to the a~serbent portion cc the cleaning pad 48 on the gh -han~ side of the figure, while the lef:-hand siie of :hat pad is illustrated as being of absorbent material but not yet impregnated with the fluid 66.
LENS CLEA~ING ~ET~OD ~ND OPERA~ION
To clean convex/concave contact lenses '~,1., using the form of the invention as shown, ~he -over 18 of th~ len~ cleaning case 14 is pivoted from ~he position a~ ~een in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 tO an open position (not specifically shown). This will bring th- portion o~ the cover in adjac-nt relation to the motion plate movem-nt limiting op-ning 28 into con:act with th- underside of the cap 34, and this will cause the motion plate 24 to b- rai~ed away from the lower cleaning pad receptacle- 22,22 of the ba~e 16.
;, wo 90/086042 ~ 8 PCI /US90/00516 -- ~ 2 : is te `3e u~darstood hat ~e cover :3 e r~moved enti~ely, and then the ~otion pla~e ~~7 ~ar of the base 0 ~nd o' the compressio~
co~: s~ 6~ wi-ho~t ~epar~in~ - r~m :~e spiri r e~
~e inver:ie~ an~ ~he sco~e of some of ~he cl~i~s whi_~ foll~w -ad the ap?ar~t~s been ?reviously used, ~sse 7 ~p?er cle~nlng ?ads 46,~o and lower ^leaning pads 42,48 wculd be ~anually ?ulled from thei: respective ^leani~3 ?ad receptacLes and ~iscar~ed ,wo 'resh u?Der ^leaning sads ~6,46 will be ~-osen, ar 7 i~ not al-eady 'ully impregnated with s~itable cleaning li~uid 66, these pad~ will be so lmpregnated They will t~en be installed within the dished upper _leaning pad receptacles 26, 26 in any sual or preferred manner ~hich will cause ~hem t~
s a~ in position in those receptacles A preferred ~anner o2 accomplishing this will be detailed ~elow Lower, base ~ounted cleaning pads 48,48 having been impreqnated with suitable cleaning liquid 66, will be prepared for releasable pressure sensitive adhe~ion to the domed low-r cleaning pad receptacles 22,22 by manual removal of th- protective s~in sa from the li~uid imperviou~ sub~trate 56 of the handling surface 52 of the~e cleaning pads 48,48 Each such pad will th-n be installed on a top c-ntral portion of its re~pective low-r cleaning pad rec-ptacle 22, and will thereafter r-si~t relative mov-m-nt with re~p-ct to such lower cleaninq pad rec-ptacl-~ until the pad~ ar- pull-d from tho rec-ptacle~ aft-r they have boen u~od for th-ir intended purpo~- and are to be discardod ~ WO ~/08~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ ~ PCT/US~/~516 ~ ith all ~o~r Dads so installed, the ~L-a,ing su-fa~es ;0 os the upper 2ads ~re i- f~cing re!~ n -, the ~leaning surfaces ;0 ~ ;he lower pads, ^ ~111 be when the co~er i3 closed Firs~, howe~er, ;he cont~c: lensea 14,1~ to be sle~ned are care~ lly Dlaced ^n the VQry tOp ceneer ?ortions of ~he cleani~g s~--aces Oc ~ne pads 46,46 In the f~rm of the invention as shown, the _over 13 i~ now brought back into place to the positi_n as see~ n FIG 1, to posirion the various ~le~ents of the i-vention an~ ~he contact lenses as seen ~ S 3 a~A 4 ~ p-ess_:e and ~ovement means is now used to consummate the cleaning action ~his means, in the form of the invention as shown, includes the upper cleaning pads 46,46, the upper cleanir~ ?ad mo~ion plate 24 and its upwardly extending boss 30 including its upper cap portion 32 This Dressure and movement means is now ac~ivated by manually exerted downward pressure on tne finger receiving upper surfacc 40 o~ the upper cap portion 32 to apply pressure on the len-es 14,14 by pushing the upper pad~ 46,46 down against the lower pads 48,48 Uext the finger applying this pressure is u--d to move the upper cap portion 32 relatively with r--pect to the cover 1~, thus moving the upper pad~ 46,46 with respect to thc lower pads 48,48 In ord-r to provido a complete clcaning actiOn, and to make sure that th- upper pad- move in "all directions~ with resp-ct to th- low-r pads, the finger applying the manual pre~ure and mov-n-nt can mov-, carrying th- upper ~urfaco 40 of the cap 34 of the upp-r cap portion 32 with it, to pro~crib- a "figure 8" motion a- ch-matically indicated in FIG
--` WO gO/O~N~ 2 0 7 ~ 9 ~ 8 PCT/US~/~516 9 ~he pads 46 ~nd 48 havi~g been positioned 'irmly ~n ;~e receptacles 22 a~d 26, zespec~ively, i~ is ~ecessary ~nly that the coe~cien o~ ' iction betwee~ -he pads and :he ~ -eptacle exceed ~he coe~ricient e~ ~riction between the oads ard ~he lenses I ~s p~eCe red that the cleani~g su f~ces 53 oc the ?a s 46 a~- ~8 are o~ si~ilar er ide~ti~al materials, and it is expected that the upper and l~wer surf~ces of the contact lenses themselves will have subsea~tia'ly equal oe~cicients e~ ' iction w~e:her i~ touch wi:h the cl-aning surface ^~ the per pad er ~he clea i g sur ace o' the lower pad ~his bei-g the case, the r~lativq movement _~ the cleaning surfaces ef the upper and lower pads ~ith respec_ to each other will result in the move~ent of ~he _pper surface of the contac~ lens with respect to the lower surface of the upper pad being substantially equal to the movement of the lower surface o~ the contact lens will have with respect to ~he upper s~rface of :he lower pad Thus, after sufficient movement of the upper -leaning pads ~6,46, the entire upp-r and lower surfaces of the contact lenses l-l,14 will be properly cleaned If a uniform figure of eight motion is used, th- net ~ovement mov-m-nt of ach lens away from the center of the low-r cleaning pad 48 and the lower cleaning pad r-c-ptacl~ 22, for example, will b- negligibl-Sinc- both lenses 14 ar- b-ing cleaned at the ~ame tim- and since the liquid 66 is in intimate contact with both surface~ of both l-n~-s, the l-n--~can be left in the apparatu~ (po~ibly with a w-ight replacing th- finger on surface 40 of the cap 34) until any r-commended p-riod for expo~ure to a - ` wo 90/0&~ 2 ~ 7 5 9 5 8 PCT/US~/~516 _!ea~s~ or ~si~ec~ne l ~u d 66 being use~ has ~ e~
~ . _ ~ ':er the lenses have been ~~.c:~ughl~
.e~ e ~vi.~ e- (er weigb~ e ~ s~:~wn ~ :he ^~p essien coil sprl.sg 0~, 3C~
on ~he ~ownwa.~iy ex~er.di~ motien pl~te boss o., Wl ~ ` _3_se the .~e ier. ?'ate 24 te again ~ove to ~s _es:ra: ?Os:~.on, ~d ~e spri..~ will also cause ~;~e ~e:i3.. ;ate ~nd 1:5 upper clear.ing pad rece?tac'es 26,~o ~^ _arry the ~per ?ads 16,46 away 'rom :he ce~~ac~ 'er.ses !~
~ .~e _ove- i3 _a.~ ~ow be zaised ~oving :he -e-;er. ~l~te and i~s at:ached ~pper cleanin~ ~ads ~6,~6 away 'rom the lenses. Vsiag s erile techniques, the now disinfected and cleaned lenses 14,11 can be reinserted into the eyes of ~he wearer.
The method of use o~ the apparatus of the i.~vention has been explained in terms of the aFparatus snown herein. It is to be understood, however, -hat many for.~s of appar~tus can be u~ilized -2 Ferferm the method of t.he invention. For example, and very specifically, by having upper pads wit~
~pper handling surface~ covered with releasable ?ressure sensitive adhesive and with the lower handling surfaces of the lower cleaning pads also covered with such releasable pressure sensi~ive adhesive, one lower pad can be plac~d OQ the left thu~b of a user, a lens to be cleaned can be placed in the center of th- cleaning surface 50 of the lower pad, the center of an upper pad 46 adhered to the index finger of the left hand, and the concave upper pad brought down on the concave/convex compac~ lens and on the convex lower pad. The thumb and index wo ~/o~ 2 ~ 7 a 9 ~ 8 PCT/US90/00516 nge- _an :hen be ~oved wi:h ;sspe~: -~ each other, ~ he con;ac: lens wi'l be ^laane~ usin~ :he ~e~hod o- -`ne :sven:ion a.-d w~:hout 3nf ?Ossibl' i~ ~ O_ ~e`~ eus s_bs~a-.ces a-. he ha~.ds o' :he ~?e.ate _aUSln3 a-sf ~ u!:ies :n ~lsi-.fec:~r,~, neu; r~lizi.49 0_ ~leani~~ :he ler.s. ~nen he clean~
e_::o~, is ^om?lete , :~.e nde~ ~i.ger will be !if:ed 3wav ~rem the ~humb, ar.d :he _leaned l-ns ~ e ;ead~f to ee reinser ed i..-a 'he eye or the wearsr.
-his use of :he :hsmb 3-.~ ~inge af one hand 3s an essen::a _a:- e~ -he ?ressure an~ ~ove~ent ~ear.s ^f :he ?resen: -ven:ion ?resents 3 ~e~hod wb ch is ^^vered by the ?resent invention.
~he inventian herein is described and illustrated with reference :o concave/convex cor.:act ler.ses. rhe invention is equally appli-able to other sha?es _' lenses (flat lenses, for sxample) and ather ?iatas or ii~cs.
~ hough the ?resent invention has been described with reference to preferred e~rodi3ents, workers skilled in the art will :ecogr.ize that chan~es 3ay be made in eorm and detail without depar~ing 'rom the spirit and scope o' the invention.
Claims (14)
1. Apparatus for cleaning concave/convex contact lenses including:
(a) a pair of cleaning pads for each lens to be cleaned, each pad being partially defined by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surface and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constituted and constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the concave and convex surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads (b) wherein pressure and movement means is provided to apply such pressure to the pads toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surfaces of the pads to tend to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when said lens to be cleaned is so positioned between the pads (c) wherein cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend to abrade the lens being cleaned, and wherein the handling surface portions each have a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pressure and moving means in contact wish that handling surface portion compared to the coefficient of friction between the pad cleaning surfaces and the lens such that movement of the pads laterally with respect to each other will result primarily in movement of the cleaning surfaces of the pads over the concave and convex surfaces of the lens when the lens to be cleaned is so positioned.
(a) a pair of cleaning pads for each lens to be cleaned, each pad being partially defined by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surface and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constituted and constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the concave and convex surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads (b) wherein pressure and movement means is provided to apply such pressure to the pads toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surfaces of the pads to tend to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when said lens to be cleaned is so positioned between the pads (c) wherein cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend to abrade the lens being cleaned, and wherein the handling surface portions each have a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pressure and moving means in contact wish that handling surface portion compared to the coefficient of friction between the pad cleaning surfaces and the lens such that movement of the pads laterally with respect to each other will result primarily in movement of the cleaning surfaces of the pads over the concave and convex surfaces of the lens when the lens to be cleaned is so positioned.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
(d) at least portions of the pads adjacent the ceaning surfaces are liquid absorbent.
(d) at least portions of the pads adjacent the ceaning surfaces are liquid absorbent.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:
(d) that portion of the handling surface of at least one of the pads which comes into contact with a portion of the pressure and movement means is covered with a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive to tend to prevent relative movement between said pad and said movement means.
(d) that portion of the handling surface of at least one of the pads which comes into contact with a portion of the pressure and movement means is covered with a releasable pressure sensitive adhesive to tend to prevent relative movement between said pad and said movement means.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein (d) said pressure and movement means includes (1) a lens cleaning case having a base and a cover removably secured to said base, sail cover being provided with a pad motion plate movement limiting opening through a top portion thereof, (2) at least one rounded pad receptacle fixedly positioned in said base and adapted to receive the handling surface of a first of said pair of cleaning pads;
(3) a cleaning pad motion plate adapted to be positioned inside of said cover, said motion plate including an integral boss adapted to extend upwardly through, and in spaced relation to the periphery of, said movement limiting opening when said cover is secured to the base said motion plate being provided with at least one rounded pad receptacle adapted to receive the handling surface of a second one of said pair of cleaning pads, said motion plate pad receptacle being situated to lie in approximately concentric relation so said base pad receptacle;
(e) one of said pad receptacles is domed and the other is dished, and (f) said motion plate boss is provided with a cap portion accessible through the cover opening for manual manipulation to press said motion plate receptacle toward said base pad receptacle laterally with respect to said base pad receptacle when said lens is in place between said pads.
(3) a cleaning pad motion plate adapted to be positioned inside of said cover, said motion plate including an integral boss adapted to extend upwardly through, and in spaced relation to the periphery of, said movement limiting opening when said cover is secured to the base said motion plate being provided with at least one rounded pad receptacle adapted to receive the handling surface of a second one of said pair of cleaning pads, said motion plate pad receptacle being situated to lie in approximately concentric relation so said base pad receptacle;
(e) one of said pad receptacles is domed and the other is dished, and (f) said motion plate boss is provided with a cap portion accessible through the cover opening for manual manipulation to press said motion plate receptacle toward said base pad receptacle laterally with respect to said base pad receptacle when said lens is in place between said pads.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 and (g) resilient means between said base and said motion plate nominally urging said motion plate pad to lie in spaced relation to said base mounted pad and said motion plate to lie in contact with the underside of said cover.
6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein:
(h) said resilient means includes a compression coil spring exerting force between said base and said motion plate.
(h) said resilient means includes a compression coil spring exerting force between said base and said motion plate.
7. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
(g) at least portions of the pads adjacent the cleaning surfaces are liquid absorbent; and (h) a liquid suitable for cleaning contact lenses is present in and has been absorbed by each of said pads.
(g) at least portions of the pads adjacent the cleaning surfaces are liquid absorbent; and (h) a liquid suitable for cleaning contact lenses is present in and has been absorbed by each of said pads.
8. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein:
(i) two rounded pad receptacles are fixedly positioned in said base in side by side coplanar relation to each other; and (j) said motion plate is provide with two rounded pad receptacles, each lying in approximately concentric relation to one of said base pad receptacles.
(i) two rounded pad receptacles are fixedly positioned in said base in side by side coplanar relation to each other; and (j) said motion plate is provide with two rounded pad receptacles, each lying in approximately concentric relation to one of said base pad receptacles.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein:
(i) two rounded pad receptacles are fixedly positioned in said base in side by side coplanar relation to each other; and (j) said motion plate is provided with two rounded pad receptacles, each lying in approximately concentric relation to one of said base pad receptacles.
(i) two rounded pad receptacles are fixedly positioned in said base in side by side coplanar relation to each other; and (j) said motion plate is provided with two rounded pad receptacles, each lying in approximately concentric relation to one of said base pad receptacles.
10. A method of cleaning concave-convex lenses including the steps of:
(a) positioning each lens to be cleaned between a pair of cleaning pads to be in contact with central portions of each pad, each pad being partially defined by a pad of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surfaces and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the concave and convex surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads;
(b) applying pressure and movement means to a central portion of the handling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens; and (c) causing the pressure and movement means to press the pads toward each other and to move the pads with respect to each other radially of one lens in all directions by a distance not greater than the largest radius of the lens being cleaned.
(a) positioning each lens to be cleaned between a pair of cleaning pads to be in contact with central portions of each pad, each pad being partially defined by a pad of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surfaces and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the concave and convex surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads;
(b) applying pressure and movement means to a central portion of the handling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens; and (c) causing the pressure and movement means to press the pads toward each other and to move the pads with respect to each other radially of one lens in all directions by a distance not greater than the largest radius of the lens being cleaned.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein:
(d) the step of moving the pads with respect to each other in all directions includes moving one of the pads to have its central portion perform a figure eight movement with respect to the central portion of the other pad.
(d) the step of moving the pads with respect to each other in all directions includes moving one of the pads to have its central portion perform a figure eight movement with respect to the central portion of the other pad.
12. The method of claim 10 wherein the cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend to abrade the lens being cleaned and at least portions of the pads adjacent the cleaning surfaces are liquid absorbent, including:
(d) the further step of impregnating the absorbent portion of at least one of the pads with an appropriate lens cleaning liquid before the step of positioning the lens to be cleaned between the cleaning pads.
(d) the further step of impregnating the absorbent portion of at least one of the pads with an appropriate lens cleaning liquid before the step of positioning the lens to be cleaned between the cleaning pads.
13. Apparatus for cleaning lenses including (a) a pair of cleaning pads for each lens to be cleaned, each pad being partially defined by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surface and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constituted and constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the opposed surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads;
(b) wherein pressure and movement means is provided to apply such pressure to the pads toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surfaces of the pads to tend to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when said lens to be cleaned is so positioned between the pads;
(c) wherein cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend to abrade the lens being cleaned, and wherein the handling surface portions each have a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pressure and moving means in contact with that handling surface portion compared to the coefficient of friction between the pad cleaning surfaces and the lens such that movement of the pads laterally with respect to each other will result primarily in movement of the cleaning surfaces of the pads over the opposed surfaces of the lens when the lens to be cleaned is so positioned.
(b) wherein pressure and movement means is provided to apply such pressure to the pads toward the lens and to apply relative lateral movement to the handling surfaces of the pads to tend to move the pads laterally with respect to each other when said lens to be cleaned is so positioned between the pads;
(c) wherein cleaning surface portions of both pads are of materials which will not tend to abrade the lens being cleaned, and wherein the handling surface portions each have a coefficient of friction with respect to that part of the pressure and moving means in contact with that handling surface portion compared to the coefficient of friction between the pad cleaning surfaces and the lens such that movement of the pads laterally with respect to each other will result primarily in movement of the cleaning surfaces of the pads over the opposed surfaces of the lens when the lens to be cleaned is so positioned.
14 A method of cleaning lenses including the steps of (a) positioning each lens to be cleaned between a pair of cleaning pads to be in contact with central portions of each pad, each pad being partially defined by a pair of opposed, spaced-apart, roughly parallel, working surfaces, a first of such surfaces being a cleaning surface and a second of such surfaces being a handling surface, each pad being so constructed that its cleaning surface readily conforms to and comes into intimate contact with one of the opposed surfaces of a contact lens to be cleaned when the pads are positioned with their cleaning surfaces in facing relation to each other with the lens to be cleaned therebetween and when pressure toward the lens is applied to the opposed handling surfaces of the pads;
(b) applying pressure and movement means to a central portion of the handling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens; and (c) causing the pressure and movement means to press the pads toward each other and to move the pads with respect to each other radially of the lens in all directions by a distance not greater than the largest radius of the lens being cleaned.
(b) applying pressure and movement means to a central portion of the handling surfaces of each pad in approximate axial alignment with the center of the lens; and (c) causing the pressure and movement means to press the pads toward each other and to move the pads with respect to each other radially of the lens in all directions by a distance not greater than the largest radius of the lens being cleaned.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US30519589A | 1989-02-02 | 1989-02-02 | |
| US305,195 | 1989-02-02 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2075958A1 true CA2075958A1 (en) | 1990-08-03 |
Family
ID=23179741
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002075958A Abandoned CA2075958A1 (en) | 1989-02-02 | 1990-01-30 | Apparatus and method for cleaning contact lenses |
Country Status (6)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0575310A4 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU651792B2 (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2075958A1 (en) |
| IL (1) | IL93191A (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1990008604A1 (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA90794B (en) |
Families Citing this family (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AU2237892A (en) * | 1992-06-11 | 1994-01-04 | Mary B. Beckrich | Apparatus and method for cleaning contact lenses |
| GR920100472A (en) * | 1992-10-20 | 1994-06-30 | Nektarios Kissandrakis | Case for contact lenses with system for superficial cleaning. |
| ATE215408T1 (en) * | 1993-01-15 | 2002-04-15 | Mark L Pankow | DEVICE FOR TREATING CONTACT LENSES |
| US6280530B1 (en) | 2000-01-28 | 2001-08-28 | Isoclear, Inc. | Contact lens treatment apparatus and method |
| CN107831605B (en) * | 2017-11-13 | 2019-09-13 | 枣庄鸿利包装制品有限公司 | Contact lenses clean box |
| CN108371384A (en) * | 2018-04-04 | 2018-08-07 | 成都理工大学 | A kind of Multifunctional contact lens box |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA467822A (en) * | 1950-09-05 | Klein Sam | Spectacle lens cleaner | |
| US3150406A (en) * | 1962-11-13 | 1964-09-29 | Milton L Obitts | Wash kit with contact lens storing and placing devices |
| US3344461A (en) * | 1965-10-23 | 1967-10-03 | Dennis W Floor | Contact lens handling apparatus |
| SE7702537L (en) * | 1977-03-07 | 1978-09-08 | Aga Ab | PROCEDURE AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING A SLOPE OR VERTICAL SURFACE ON AN OPTICAL ELEMENT |
| US4187574A (en) * | 1978-07-27 | 1980-02-12 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Contact lens cleansing apparatus |
| DE3412558A1 (en) * | 1984-04-04 | 1985-10-24 | Manfred 7928 Giengen Götz | Device for cleaning optical glasses |
| US4559662A (en) * | 1984-05-14 | 1985-12-24 | Kunold Jr Robert | Device for cleaning contact lens |
| DE3705196A1 (en) * | 1987-02-19 | 1988-09-01 | Heinz Wendt | Auxiliary device for cleaning optical glasses for dry- and wet-cleaning |
| US4779300A (en) * | 1987-03-09 | 1988-10-25 | Pompe Larry W | Contact lens cleaning device |
| JPH01118816A (en) * | 1987-11-02 | 1989-05-11 | Matsushita Refrig Co Ltd | Contact lens cleaning device |
-
1990
- 1990-01-28 IL IL9319190A patent/IL93191A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1990-01-30 EP EP19900903571 patent/EP0575310A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1990-01-30 WO PCT/US1990/000516 patent/WO1990008604A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1990-01-30 AU AU51052/90A patent/AU651792B2/en not_active Ceased
- 1990-01-30 CA CA002075958A patent/CA2075958A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1990-02-02 ZA ZA90794A patent/ZA90794B/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| IL93191A0 (en) | 1990-11-05 |
| EP0575310A4 (en) | 1994-11-30 |
| WO1990008604A1 (en) | 1990-08-09 |
| EP0575310A1 (en) | 1993-12-29 |
| ZA90794B (en) | 1991-03-27 |
| IL93191A (en) | 1995-12-08 |
| AU5105290A (en) | 1990-08-24 |
| AU651792B2 (en) | 1994-08-04 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
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| FZDE | Discontinued |