CA2131564A1 - Apparatus and process for cleaning ocular prostheses - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A small compressor (13) pumps air through a closed chamber (28) in which the air is exposed to ultraviolet radiation from a u.v. lamp (31) to transform some of the oxygen to ozone. The resulting ozone-containing gas is directed into a suitable aqueous solution (39) in a closed container (38, 138), either through constricted tubing (53) or into a section (70) of the container (138) bounded by diffusing means (58), to establish movement of the ozone-containing solutions over the surfaces of the contact lenses (51, 52) to remove proteinaceous material therefrom and to disinfect the lenses (51, 52) by chemical and hydrodynamic action. Gas that has passed through the solution and into the space in the container (38, 138) above the surface of the solution is then removed from the container (38, 138) and passed through a filter (62) that traps any remaining ozone.

Description

fU5 A~ ~R~ ,Ss ~OR CLEARl~hG ~U~R~ 5 l~round oY l;~e Inven~on ''~
~ID~
Th~ s invention relates to the relno~al Or una~slrea 5 matt~r from ocular proEithese~ by means of ozone in a liquid solutlon 1n wnicn tne pro~tnese~ are l~nerse~. In partlcul~r, it re~ates to appar~tu6 and a proc~3E;6 for cleanin~ and dlR~n-rectlng prost~eses ~y generatlng ozone-contalning air an~ then introducing the c~ne-c~nta$nlng air ;nto a su~tabl~ liquid 10 solution to di~infect tl~e ~olution and tlle prosthese~ immersed th~r~in .
For clarity, the terr4s "con~ct lenses'l, or si~ply nc:~n, ~ill ~c~ uc~d in th~ following do~cription ana ol~in~e to mean all ~orr~6 of ocular prostl~oses.
15 'rhe ~ri~r Artl It has been proposed her~tofore to pu~p air through a tubulnr ~truct~lre contAining cln ion-di:sch rg~ tub~, which i8 a high-voltage corona-di6charge device, to transform so~e o~
the oxygen in t}le ~ir into ozcme. The ozoniz~d air l~ror~ the ~o ion dl~charge tube is ti~en ~as6ed into a container by means oI a c~pillary tu~e tn~ertea vertlcally t~rougn ~ne center or ~.
the lid of the container and extending down into a quant~ty o~ an l~otonlc sol~tlon ln t~e ~ont~ln~r ~o proauce ozone-containing buhbles in the solutlon. A r~ceptacl~ to ~ol~
~ontact len6es i~ su6pended in the container, and the isotonic ~olution, in which ~om~ ~f th~ ozono is ~l~o d~scolvad~
~oosens proteinaceous deposit~ on the ~urf~ce o~ the lenses ov~r a p~riod of 30 mlnutoc to 2 hourL . No~e~er, the energ~
in such discharge device~ not only ~reHks the bond o~ molecu-lsr 0, into 0 but 1~ ~trong enough to bre~k do~n nol~aulQrnitrogen N, into N, resulting in the undesirable production o~
nitrie acid- 't'` '' U.S. Patent 3,852,032 to Urbach describes a process ~nd npp~ratu~ for ~terl}lzing ~vntAct len~e~ that h~ve ul~rAviolet stabili2ers-. Th~ lenses are innersed in a shallow oontainer o~ ~allne qolutlon ln an enclosure an~ are sub~cte~ to ra~lla-tion fror~ ultraviolet li~ht sc)urces. There is no attempt to pro~uce ozone nor to stlr the ~lne solutlon to asslst ln dislodging conta~inants fron t~e l~nses.

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In U. S. Patent 4~063~890 Baron deRcribes asep~icization of oont~a~ len3e~ ~y expo3ing ~he~, in ~e ub~eno~ of ozc~e~
to ultraviolet light having a wavelength that is preferably longer t~n 221 nm.
U. S. P~ten~ 5,144,144 to Borovsky discloses ~ sy~tem in whi~h cont~ct len~e~ are ir~ersed in ~ s~lution th~t is disin~ected by ~eing sub~ected to irradiation by ultraviolet llgnt. Tne lenses are ~upposed to be cl~ned by t~ ~lsin-fe¢ted ~olutio~, not by the ultraviolet light, itselr~ In ract, tne lenses are snle~e~ rro~ ~he u.v. l}g~t to avol~
boing ~a~agQd by ~t.
one of the disad~antage6 o~ such a syst~m i~ that thare i~ a ~trong l~Xollhood that a fllm o~ dirt will ~orm on th~
la~p, Whlch would ren~er the lamp usele6s in a short time.
In ~ddition, th~ irradiat~d 6olutlon will hav~ a ~elootlv~
power Of di~infeation, i.e~, it will not kill a rull spectrum of viruse~ baoterin, and fungi~ a~ ozone doe~. Further~ore, ~o~ the ultraYiolet-d1s1nfected ~olution to worX, the nicro-orgnnls~s to bo ~f~ecte~ ~u~S be in t~e ~olution; the ~olutlon will not kill ~icroorganisms adhering to the contact len~es.
~uch mleroorg~ni~m~ mu~t fir~t be dl~ng~ged fro~ the l~n~e~.
Yet another dlfference between the BoroYsky system and the pre~ent inYentlon 1~ thut o w ne ln the ~olution, a~ in the pre~ent ~nvent~on, c~n ~terillze liquid and the len~e~
l~merse~ ~nereln, DUt lrraala~lon or tne olutlon by ultra-violet light, a~ g~sted ~y Borovsky, cannot. ~he ozone lntro~uce~ into tne solutlon, ln ac~oraance wltn tne present inv-ntion ean attack and da~troy not only mi~roorganis~ in the solution but al~o mlcroorganis~s that remain fir~ly attaohod to ~olid eupporting ~truotur-e o~ tho l~n~6~ a~ w~
as to other part~ of the apparatu~. :
~b~eote ~nd ~un~r~ of the Inv~ntion It 1~ an ob~eat ~f thi~ lnvent~on to pro~e an im~
proved pr w e~ ~na appQr~tu~ for remo~ing contAm;nont~ ~rom ~ -the surfaces of cont~ct len~e~ and, ~inult~neously, for di~in~eet~ng ~he le~ses.
Anothor obj-ct i9 to wash ~ro~ein~coous ~terial and : - . ~.- -C~ 6 ~ ~
other contaminants ~ro~ the surfaces of contact lenses by fluid ~n wnlch tne cont~Ct: len~-w ~ rruer~d, ~hich ~luisl contaln~ 020nized air injected into the fluid under sufficient pre~sure to set t~e rlula ln~o ~otlon, S~ere~y cleanslng and di~infecting the contaCt l~nses by both th~ che~ic~l effect Or t~e ozone and the mechanic~l wa6nlng aCtion duo to tne motion of the ~lu;d.
Yet anotner o~ect is to provide compact cleanæing ~ppa~atu6 that in~lude~ ultraviol~t irradi~ting ~ans for generdting ozonized air and m~ans for supporting contaat lan60~ in a ~uitabl~ ~oluticn into w~ich tho o~on~aa alr can ~ inj~ct~d along a path that is partieularly effective in agitating ~he Dol~ion and brlnging the eomblned ~ovin~ eolu-tion and gas into rela~ively vigorous and long-ter~ contac~
~ith sur~ce~ of the ~ont~et len~es to ~et on proteinAc~ous, bacterial, viral, and other conta~inants on the surfaces.
A furth~r obj~ct ~ to ~ntroduce the ozonlze~ ~ir in~o th~ immediate vicinity of the cont~ct lenæes throuqh diefusing mean~ having microscoplc passa~ways.
A still furt~er object iæ to arrange the compact clQan-~ing apparaeus so tnat tne ll~ula ln 1~ wlll not ea811y 6plll out or flow into th~ wrong p~rt~ of the ~pparatus if ~he appa-ratu~ ls lna~ertently over~-urned.
Thos~ who ar~ ~llod ln tho t~c~nol~gy w~th whlch thi~
invention deal~ will recognl~e ~ur~her ob~ects a~ter studylng th~ following do~cription.
In accordance with th~o inventlon, ~pparatu~ for disin-fect~ng ~nd cl~aning contact l~n~e6 includ-~ ~n 080ne gener~-tion chamber in Which there i6 a la~p to generate ultra~iolet r~diation havinq wa~l~ngthY long~r than 150 n~. but shorter than about 200 nm. - - G~s ~hat includes oxygen, 6uch as th~3 Anbient ~ir in which th~ ~ppnr~tus iJ uSOa~ iS ~orce~ throu~h th~ ozon~ generstion ch~mber eO be expo~ed to the ultr~violet r~d~ntion from th~ l~mp to errect photo-dl~6socin~10n Or a~
35 l~a~t some of the molecul~r oxygen o, in the gas into a~omic oxygen ~ that can re~or~ as ozone 03 to produce 020nized air~
The u.v. radiation a~ the~e wa~elength~ is not suffici~ntly - ~
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energetic to b~ea~ down molecular nitrogen N, into N. The 020niz~d alr i~ t~n ~ed ~o ~n o~ono r~ac~ion aha~er th~t include8 8up~0rt ~ean~ in whiCh ~he contact lenses ar~ held ~e ~ p~determlned loe~ion n~ove th~ botto~ ~ur~ce ~nd ~r-ther includes a removable closure that can be opened to insert ~nd r~move t~e len~a~ and cAn ~e closed fluid-tig~t when t~e len~es are in the chaDber~
~ he re~ction eh~ber i~ partly filled wit~ an 160tsnlc 601u~ion u~ to a lovel abov~ that at which t~e lenses are upported, and ln or~er to allow t~e solutlon to reacn t~e lenses, the support ~eans are pro~ided with openings, or forar~lna .
ln one embod~entr ozonized air from the ozon~ g~nura-tion cna~ber enters t~e reaction chamber ~y way o~ entrance lS ~ans suc~h as: in~DGt~ on m~an~ loc~t~d at n ~ntranoo looation in a first wall of the reaction cha~ber. The entrance loca-tio~ and thh in~act~on mo~n6 ~e ~o placed and arranged aB to direct a ~ine strean of the ozonized air lnto the solution in a direction to produce r~ove~ent of the~ ~olutlon Illong Q
generally spiral path t~at cause~ the moving solution to pa~s t~roug~ th~ for~ln~ ~f the ~upport ~e~ns ~nd ~ov~ into con-tact with the lenses therein. A~ a re~ult, the ozone in the soluti~n re~ct~ both hydrodynAnic~lly and chemic~lly wlth ~ot~
the macro~copic and micro~copic aontaminant6 on those lenses tQ ~e~ve ~uch contaminant~ without requiring t~at t~e lenses he rubbed by ~and. ~seous com~onent~ Or t~e ozonized ~ir t~at do not react c~emlcally wnlle ln tne SOlUtiOn eventually rise fron the surface there~f and R~apQ ~rom the reaotion cnambe- throug~ an Qxlt passagew~y tnat pa~6es through a wall 3~ o~ the ch~b4r.
Alternatively, the ozon~ may be introduced into the chambor t~rouqh diffucion mosne having pae~ag~way~ ~maller thAn about 5 ~icron~, as me~6ured by the l~rgest sphere they will pa~ hi~ i~prove~ the Q~orption o~ the ozon~ in the ~olution.
Th~ motho~ o~ ronoving cont~in~nto fro~ contac~ lenscs according to thi~ ~nvention include~ the 6teps of generating '~1`31 ~64 o~ne from oxyyen ln ~n oxygen-cont~ining g~ to produce ~n ~- ~zone-containing g~9, dir~ot.n~ ~he 02~n~-containin~ gas into an 160tonlc ~olutlon in a clo~ed container cont,aining the contact lenses t~ tr~n6form the solution into ~n ozone-contalnlng 601ution and to produce move~nt Or tne ozone-c~nta~nlng ~ol~tl~n ~nta ~ntact ~it~ t~e lansas to clean and disin~ect tne lensee, and renovlng, ~ro~ tne contalner~ gas that ha~ pa~d th~ough tho ~olutl~n and ~nt~ th~ ~pac~ in the conta~ner ~bove the ~urf~ce of the solution.
Tho invontion Will b~ deearibed in great~r datall in conn~ction wi~h the drawings, ;n which lilce refe~ence nunbers in dif~erent figure~ indiant~ the 4~e ite~.

~ig. 1 is n ~i~plifiod ~ide vicw of nppAr~tu~, p~rti~l-ly ~n cross section, that includes tlle structural reatures of the inventi~n and is capable o~ cArrying out the n~thod of the invention .
~lg. 2 is a sc~ematie ~lAgram Or t)~e electrlc clrcult for the apparatus ln Fiq. 1.
~lg. 3 ls a top cros~-sectlonal vlew or a ~Odlrle~
r~action ~ a~ber t~at ~a~ two in~ection ~ean6 in ~ccordance witn a modi~ied ~mbodim~nt of tne lnvention.
Fig. ~ is a ~ro~s-~e~tional v;ew of the lense~ holder of Fig. 1 with n di~using sc:reen through which ozone passes into th~ s;olution in ~dhic:h th~ l~nsl~s ar~ r~:~d.
Detailed Description of a Prererred B~odiJent Fig . 1 shows a d~vi~ ll a~cordlng to ono ~tnbodimont of thls inv~ntion ~nd includlng a cabins~ or houslng, 12 w~thin ~hich iB ~n ~ir pump, or aom~ron~or~ 13 dr~n by ~n electr~c motor 14. ~he compr~ssor and ~otor ar~ in a chamber 16 inaide the hou~ing 12 ~nd ~re ~unted o~ n fo~ p~d 17 th~t ~erve~ a6 a shock mount to ~bsorb any vibr~tions. Iwo open-ing~ 18 ~nd 19 thro~gh which ~ir e~n re~ch the c~Dpres~or nre ghown, although either one of the~ could be used by i~6elf.
e openlng 18 extends through t~e ~hoc~ mount 17 ~na one w~ll 20 of the housing 12 and allows air to enter the aompre~sor chambor rrom outslde t~e ~ousing. Tne openlng lY allows alr . .
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~31 ;'6~
from other parts of t~e housing 12 to enter ~he compressor cnamber 10.
The motor 14 i~ el~ctrically conn~ct~d to a con~roller 21 ~na~ includes an on-o~ switcn 22 an~ a ti~er 23 capa~le of k-~ping tho ~ppar~t~s in op4ration ~or any dasirsa length of time from 3 minutes, or even les~, to 30 ~inu~es, or e~en mor~. A pu6hbutton 24 control6 ~he op~ration o~ th~ OEwitah 22, and an electric line cord 26 and plug 27 allow the device 11 to be plugged into a ~tandard laO-volt receptaale. A
typical circuit ~or the electri~al components in Fig. 1 ls ~hown in Fiq. 2.
The deYice 11 al~o includeæ another chamber ~8, which, in thi~ e~bodi~ent~ bottl~ wit~ n clo6ure 29 t~ eal~
it airtight and support~ a 4-watt OZ4SllN ultravlolet lam~ 31 capable Or emltting ra~iatlon in t~e ultraviolet ranqe Or wav~lengths below about 200 n~. and above about 150 nm. This ls tne range ln wnlcn æta~le ~olecular oxyqen o~ can be ~ost ~fficiently transformed int~ ozon- 0, by p~ot~-di~aaa~ciation~
Raalatlon naving a wavelengtn o~ a~out 185 nn. 16 particularly 2~ offcctiv~. Air ~ro~ tho compra~sor 13 i~ pu~p~d lnto the ozon~ ~enerat~on ohamber 28 by way Of a tube 32 t~a~ pas~e6 ~ -through th~ clo~ur~ ~9 into th~ low~r p~rt of the ~ha~ber. ~ b When the air reache~ the chamber 28, ul~ra~lolet radiation from the la~p tran~form~ ~omo o~ the oxyg~n in that alr to ozone. The resulting mixture of air, ozone, and any untrans~
formed oxygon i4 rcferred ~o horo;n~fter ~ oz~nized ~ir. ~ ~:
A~other tube 34 pa~ses through t~e closure 29 to carry the ozon~od nir ~w~y ~ro~ the ozone gener~tion chA~ber 28.
Both tubes 32 and 34 are pr~ferably ~ade o~ silicon rubber so a~ t~ be reoi~t~nt t~ ~tt~ck by ~zune. It 1~ i~p~rtAnt that the ozone ~eneration cha~b~r 28 be sealed airtight, oxca~ for ~he p~ssages t~roug~ t~e tubes 3z an~ 34, slnce it w~ula ~e undesirable for any o the ozone ~enera~ed in the cha~ber to ~ .
leak out. ~::

3~ Th~ lamp 31 iB connQctQd to a ballast 37, w operates in a standard way to control the operation of the lamp. Tn thi~ ~xbodl~ont, th~ bnlla~t 1~ sinply an indu~tor ~ . . ; I ~
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in ~eries with the lamp. The ball~t and lamp circuit receive - current ~rom the timcr 2~, which ~llows the la~p to ~e R~pt in operatlon for ~ny sele~ted lengtn of ~ime after the push-~utton 24 n~ been actuated.
~n the central part of the hou6;ng 12 in this emhodi-~ent ls a contalner 3~, wnicn con~titute6 a reaction chamber t n ~hich contact l en~e4 t~ b~ ~leaned and dlslnoct~d ~re brought into c~ntact w~th a suitable solu~ion 39, ~uch a~ an i~ot~n~c, ~allne ~olution, wh~ch ic agita~d and di6inf~atod, ~r purified, by a ~tream of ozonized a-r fron th~ ozone gen~ra~ion cha~bar 2~. The GOntainer 38 ao~prlne~3 an uppe~
part 41 And a lower part 42 ~ealed together watertight to hold A qu~ntity of the ~olution. The upper p~rt 41 exten~ t~rough a hole 43 in the top wall 44 of the houslng 12 and ls joined lS ~tertight to that u~
A closure 46, which m~y be molded of a sultable ~aterial, such as polyethylene, is threaded onto the upper end 47 of the upper part 41 to ~eal the reaction charker 3B fluid-tig~t. A rod 4B~ w~lcn ~ay De lnte~rally molaea wltn tne closure, extends down ~ran C~ntRr o~ the underside there~f and na~ a ~upport me~be~, or bas~et, 49 at lt~ lower ena. Tne bnsket b~si~ally consi~ts o~ two elam~hell- ~haped pooket~
att~cned by living hinges to the botto~ Or the rod 48 ~o t~a~
thoy ~an b~ op~nod to placo oontact lonco~ 51 ~nd 5~ in tho 2S pocket8.
~ h~ uppar tubo 34 fro~ t~o oaono gonoration oha~ber as has a slender, hollow capillary tube, or needls, 53 at the end remote ~rom that chamber. ~he a~pill~ry tube pu~eo through the side wall 54 of the l~wer part 42 in a direc~ion such that it~ tip ~5 polnt~ downw~rd ~ ngle ~vw~rd th~ bo~to~ wnll 56 of ~he lower part to ~rve aY injection ~eans to d~ rect o~onized ~ir from the ~z~ne guner~tion ch~mb~r l~to the 601ution 39. Furthermore, the capillary tube enter~ the reactlon c~amber ~ore n~arly tangentially tnan ra~lly. A
stainless ~teel needl~ ~ro~ a hypodermic syr~nge m~y be ~sed a~ tne capl~l~ry tub4, 81nce lt ~as a polnte~ tip tnat can pierce the side ~all S~. ~he l~r part ~2 ~f the roact$on ., ~ . - ~ - . . . : . .

2 1 ~ t fi ~
cha~bQr 38 n~ b~ molded of polyethylene t~ ~hic~ A ~tainle~
steel needle, such ~ the needle 53, oan be sealed watertight.
~ he re~ct;on ch~Dber 38 i8 ~l~o pr~ided with another slender, hollow tube 57 near the upper end of it~ upper par~
S 41 to 3erve ~ nn ~xh~u~t port. A needle fro~ a hypode~lc syringe may alæo be used as the tube 57, and it i~ preferably nbout the s~me ~ause as, or a llttle lar~er ~han~ tne tu~e-s3.
Prefera~l~, it is dir~cted alon~ an upward incline so that it~
tip ~0 pol nts generally towar~ tne closure 46 ~o a~ not to catch ~ny of the s~luti~n 39 r under nor~al oporatinq condi-tlons. Any solutlon tnat did enter the tu~e 57 would run down through a tub~ 5~ into a cup 61 bolow the reaction aha~ber 38.
Tne tube 57 n~ed not be tangentially oriented, ~ut, like the tub~ 53, it nu~ b~ 6sal~d g~c-tig~t to t~e eide w~ll se, und at leas~ its tip mu~t be above the top le~el of the solution 39. ~h~ tu~ 59 i~ ~nde of ~zone-r~siatnnt el~sto~eric ~ateri~l and extends down ~longside that chamber an~ termi-n~teB no~r the botto~ of th~ ~pen cup 61. m is oup h~lds filter ~aterial 62, such as a quantity of charcoal particles, ~hich ~y be produce~ by com~lnuelng ~hArcoal ~nd serves as both an ozone ~ilter and a rilter for any overflowing 801u-tion. Any Gz~ne th~t reache~ the ch~rcoal has to wor~ lts way b~ck u~ in order to esca~e. In doing so, ~he ozone oxidizes the charcoal, thU~ uslng up tne 020ne.
2~ Very little, if any, solution 39 i~ expected to reach the rllter fi2. ~ne cup 61 1~ open at tne top to allow gas~
minu~ most or nll o~ the ozone, to escapc ~rom it, and it 1~
provlde~ wltn a nol~ow over n ow tuLe 63~ ~he upper end of which i ~ ~u~t b~low t~4 lov~l of th~ upp~r ~dge o~ tho cup.
The tu~e 63 ex~ends down through the charcoal ~ er and t~ro~gh t~o bvttom o~ th- aup 6I and th~ bottom wall 64 of the housing 12.
~ ho raaction ahRmbor ~ ~nd tho cup ~1 ~Qy be mol~od ~ a unit, nnd th~ ozone generation ahA~or 28 m~y be ~old~
Q~ n ~op~rute unit. ~n ~ny event, it i~ i~port~nt ~r t~e ozon~ generation chanber to ~e ~ealed a~ain6t any leakage of ozono when th~ de~ic~ 11 i~ in u~e.

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9 2131~g4 Wh~n aantact l~n~6 51 ~nd 52 are to be dieinfeoted and cleaned, they ar~ pla::ed in the baslcet 49, where they ~ill be held securely, ~nd a suit~ble ~o~nt of the solution 39 i8 poured into th~a reaction chamber 3 8 ~ The proper amount of ~olution ~ay be indic~ d by A m~sk ~G fAr enough up on the wall of the reaction chamber 3~ 80 ~hat the ba~ket will be im~erse~ in the ~olution wh~n the closure 46 i~ ~hreaded onto the upper end 47. The ~asket h~s ~uff icient o~nings, or roram1na~ ln it6 ~lamshel1-shap~a pock~ts to ailow tne SOlU-o tion 39 to have e~sy access to the lenses 51 and S2. ~hesolutlon 39 ~hould not ~111 th~ reactlon cnamDer 38 complete-ly filling lt only ab~ut l/~ to l/2 fu11 i~ ~uffici~nt. ~h~
closure 46 can be scr~wed onto the upper end of the re~ction chaDb~r 38 a~t~r th~ ~olution 39 and th~ contact lonG~e hav~
15 been put in place.
It i~ ~afe t~ ~ep the plug 27 in~er~ed in a l~0-vol~
receptacle at all times, since the only time the device opera~e~ 1~ after ~he pu~hbu~ton 24 hus be~n pre~oed~ ~nd then the duration of operation will be determined by the timer 23.
20 Howcvcr, it ~8 ~ot noc~ry thAt ~he dovic~ 11 be kcpt plugged in, if it is not convenient ~o do So. Pre~sing the pushbutt~n 24 turns on th~ ~otor 14 and start~ th~ co~pressor 13, and it al60 turns on the lam~ 31, which cau~es the produc-tion Or ozone to beyln. ~lght rrO~ lamp 31 will t~n be v151-25 ble through the upper part 41 of the reaction chamber, bu~ theu~er wlll not ~e ~lrec~ly expos~a to ultravlolet radlatlon.
The compressor wl 11 generate a whishing ~ound, which also serves to ln~lcate tnat tne aev1ce ll is working.
q!he tu~e 34 carr~e~ o~oni~ed alr fro~ the 020n4 g~nora--tion cha~ber 2~ to ~he holl~w c~p~llary t~be 53, and the ga~
strea~s fro~ ths tube ~ bubbles ~ntering the ~olution 3~
along a downward, sloping p~t~ ~mewhat ~angen~:ial to the side ~11. suah no~dlo6 aro producod in a ~arioty o~ diameter~, Hnd it is preferable that the tube 53 have an internal c~annel 35 ~lth ~ ~ro~o - occtionol di~eter ~pprox~t~ly ~quAl to thQt of a standard ~ypoder~ic n~edle between about an ls-gauge and a 24-guug~, pr~ror~bly nbout R 22-g~ug~.

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It i~ d~6irabl~3 that th~ intornal cro~ eection~l urea of the tube 53 be s~all enough to cause the ozonized air to emerge fron it at a relatlvely h~ gl~ locity to ~gito.te the solution 39 vigorously, which will produce a foa~ing action.
5 ~h~ bigger the tube, th~ lArger ~h~l bubbles cmd the greater the volume of ozonized air, ~ut th~ lower the velocity at which the air flo~. A stre~m of bubbles from a relatively large tube, corresponding to an 18-gauge needle, for exa~ple, results in ~ess vigorous agita~lon than A stream or ~u~bles from a ~maller tube co~re6ponding to a 24-gauga needle. ~e larga ~u~les tend ~ust to ri~e up t~rougn tne re~ction cham-~er 38. Righer velc~ ty of the air res~lt~ gr~ator agita-tlon o~ tne solution 39 and hslps scale the proteinaceous mat4rial off th~ ~urfac~w oi~ ~ con~act l~n6a~ Sl a~d 52.
1~ On the other hand, the smaller bubbles contaln 1es~ ozone and, thu~ ~ay tak~ lonqer to pur~fy eh~ ~olu~ioll 39 and ~xid~se the proteinaceous ~aterial and di~in~ect the lense6.
lt ie de~slrel~le to ini~ct the ozoniz~d ~ir at an ~ngle toward the bottom 56 of the reaction cha~ber 38 ~nd somewhat 20 tang~snti~lly to the ~lde w~ll 5~ tc~ cre~ e el spirulllng effect Or the bubble~ and of the solution set in ~otion by the bub-ble6. This increnses the len~th of timu the bubble~ are ln the solution and fur~her assists in was~ing conta~lnants off ~f the ~u~t~c~ lens xurfaces wlthout havlng to rub tnem ~y h~nd. The ozone saniti~e~, or dijinfec~s, the solution flrst ~ the bubbles enter lt an~ tne 020ne becomes dlssol~ea.
Increasing the p~th length the b~bble~ have to travel before tney reacn the top surface Of tne SOlU~ion 3~ increases the lengt}~ of tina availabl~ for t~o ozonQ to b~ d~olved and keeps the bub~les bumping agaln~t the contact lenses 51 and s2 long~r, thus ~pro~ing th~ m~ohanical acaling of protuin-aceous material rrom the sur~aces of the lenses.
It wlll ba not;c~d that the tube 34 emergeu from the upper portion of the ozone generation chamber 28 and wrap635 abou~ hal~ way aro~nd ~e re~otion ch~D~er 38 to th~ e~plllnry tube 53, which en~er~ the ~eaction chamber on th~ side away f ro~ the o~one gener~ion ch~nb~r 2R nnd on the s~me side as the exhaust capillary tube 57. While many of the arrangements of components in Fig. 1 are arbitrary and their positions can be changed with no problem, the relationship between the tube 34, the capillary tube 53, the ozone generation chamber 28, the reaction chamber 38, and the exhaust tube 57 provides a safety feature. The device 11 is relatively small and can be moved about easily. This makes the device convenient for packing in an overnight bag for traveling, but it also means that the device 11 can be turned over more easily than if it were large and heavy or were bolted to a shelf.
If, while the reaction chamber 38 contained as much of the solution 39 as it does when cleaning contact lenses, the device 11 were rotated counterclockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1, a position would be reached in which the surface of the solution 39 was below the tip 55 of the capil-lary tube 53. In that same position, the tip 60 of the ex-haust tube 57 would still be above the surface of the solu-tion, and that relationship would be true until the device had been rotated more than 90°. With both tubes 53 and 57 out of contact with the solution 39, there would be no way for the solution to pour out of the reaction chamber 38.
If the rotation continued past 90°, a position would eventually be reached in which the tip 60 of the tube 57 was immersed in the solution 39 while the tube 53 still remained free. However, when the tip 60 of the tube 57 is in the solu-tion, the other end of the tube 59 would be higher than the tip thereof, and still no solution could flow out of the reac-tion chamber. That status would continue until the device 11 was past the upside-down position.
If the counterclockwise rotation continued past the 180° angle to a position near the 270° angle, a position would be reached in which the tips 55 and 60 of both tubes 53 and 57 might be immersed in the solution 39, depending on how far the tips extended into the reaction chamber. In that posi-tion, the ozone generation chamber 28 would be above the reac-tion chamber 38, and the solution 39 could not flow uphill to reach the ozone generation chamber. It is possible that a l~ 2131~6~
tiny nmount of the ~olution could pe~s:~ ~hrough the tub~s ~7 and 59 to the filter 62, but the tube 57 has a 6Ltall diameter, and the f low wc7uld n~t be r~p~ d . In ~ddition, ths reaction cha~ber i~ normally les~ t~an half ~ull, even when in use.
5 E~y having the tip ~1) extend rar enough lnto tne reac~lon aha~ber 38 to be abo~e the hig~e~t level the solution could reacn wltn ene aevlce ll rotate~ cou~er~loc~wlse ~7a- ~or 90~
cloc~cwise), no solution could reach the tip 60 to pa~;s through tne tu~e6 57 a~d 59. In no event would the solut~on ~low into 10 the o~one goneration chamb~r 28, w~ich ~u6t b~ kopt dry.
After each u~e, the clo~ure 46 s~ould be unscrewed to remevo th~ clean~d aontaot lsnl;e~3 51 ~nd 5~, and the de~,i~e 11 tipped up to pour all Or the used solution out of t~e r~uction ch~ r . Pre~h ~olution 3hould ~e pu~ ~ n eac~ time the device lt is used.
A3 ~ho~n in Pig. 3, i~ m~y bc de~ir~ble to u8c tWG
small tubes 53a and 53b o~ 22-gauge or 24-gauge in parallel ~o keep the sizo c~r the bubbles 5mall to proDote 3~etter agita~ion than can be obtained with one large tube., even z~ though the total cross-~ectlonal area or tne ~wo ~2-gauge tubes would be about eqyal to the cros~-sectional area of one ls-gauge tube. Flg. 3 ls ~ne vlew loo~ing down into a reaction cham~er 38a, which is sir~ilar to the reacti~n c~har~er 38 in Fig. 1, except tha~ the top~ost part o~ the upper part Z5 4 1 in Fig, 1 ha~ been re~oved ~o expose the lo~ations of th~
pair of capillary tubes 53a and 53b. ~he tubes 53a and 53b ;lopc- down toward t2~o ~ottom of tho cha~be~ 38a in ~h~ ~asn~
way thAt the ~ube 53 ;n Fig. 1 ~lope~ do~n. In addition. t~e tu~q~ 53a and 53b in Fig. 3 aro diroot~ tang6~rltially ~o the reaction cham~er 38a in the same way thae has be~n described for the ~ingle ~ube 53 in F'ig, 1. A opeci~l tube 34~ h~l~ing two outlet chHnnels is used in place of the single-channel tubo 3', :~h~un in Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows a fra~ment or a reaction c~amber 138 that 3S dif ~er~s ~r~m the chelmbor 38 in Fig. 1 prim~rily in tIIat the chA~be~ 138 bas a diffusing plate 68 clamped between the bottom e~ge or the upper pare 41 ana a snelr ~g rorme~ on a :. - :. ~ . . - ~ .- .- ~ .
: . ~ . . . ......... ; - , ... . . - . . ~ .

..... . ..

13 213t~fi~
~odiri~d form of a lower par~ 1~2. Th~ diffu~ing plato wall~
of~ a space 70 in ~h~ çha~ber 138 ;nto ~hiah o~un~ed air is in~erted through ~ tube 153~ ~hio~ DUy be ~imil~r to th~
capillary 53 in ~iq. 1 but is not necessarily iden~ical ~o the c~pill~ry 53. T~o SpACO 70 in this o~bodiment i~ in ~e lo~ermost part of t~e chamber 138, helow the ba~ket 49 that h~lds the lons~s, ~s ~h~wn in Fig. 1.
~ he diffusing pl~te 68 h~s a plurality of tiny ~assage-ways 71 tneret~roug~ to ~llow ozonized alr lnserted ~nto ~he space 70 through the tube 153 ~o pass through to thB central ana upper reglons o~ tne cnam~er 138 w~ere ~e lens~s to ~e ~lean~d and di~infect~d ar- ~ocurad in a strueturo that ~ay be the ~ame as the ba~ket 49 in Fi~. 1. The wid~h o~ t~e paccagGwayc 71 ic gro~ly ~x~g~oratod in th~ dra~ing ~or th~
1~ purpo6e of ~aking the pas~ageways visible. Their actu~l dianeter would not be gre~ter than 5 miarone, a~ me~ured by the diameter of the larqe~t spherical item that could pa~
through ~hem. A~ ~ result of thi~ ~m~ ze~ the pn~agew~ys 71 would bre~k the bubbles of ozon~zed air up ~nto ~xtremely 20 ~msll ~i~e . An ~d~nnt~ge of do~nq so would be to lmpro~c the absorption rat~ o~ the ozone into th~ part o~ the solution 39 ~bove the dlrrusing pl~te.
The chamber 138 ~ould be sub8tituted for the chamber 3~ ln Flg. 1 an~ th~ re~t or the components s~own ln Flg. 1 25 but not in Fig. 4 would operate AS described previously.
~ e concept desoribeCI nereln ln connectlon wltn specl-fic emhodi~nts may also b~ c~bodied in other for~s withou~
d~parting ~rom tne true scope o$ tne inven~ion.

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Claims (20)

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for cleaning and disinfecting contact lenses, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an ozone generation chamber;
(b) an ultraviolet generation lamp in the chamber to generate radiation having a wavelength shorter than about 200 nm. and longer than about 150 nm.;
(c) pressure means to force air through the ozone generation radiation having a wavelength shorter than about the lamp to produce pressurized ozonized air;
(d) a reaction chamber comprising support means to support the contact lenses at a first location;
(e) an isotonic solution partially filling the reaction chamber sufficiently to cove the contact lenses;
(f) insertion means connected to the ozone genera-tion chamber to receive pressurized ozonized air therefrom and connected to the reaction chamber to direct the pressurized ozonized air into the reaction chamber and into the solution to sterilize the solution and to produce movement thereof over the surfaces of the contact lenses to allow the ozone in the moving solution to clean and disinfect the lenses; and (g) exhaust means communicating with the reaction chamber and including entrance means above the solution to allow gas that has passed through the solution to enter the entrance means to escape from the reaction chamber.

2. The apparatus in claim 1 in which the insertion means comprise a hollow tube having an internal cross-sectional area equal to that of a hypodermic needle between about 18-gauge and 24-gauge.

3. The apparatus in claim 2 in which the internal cross-sectional area of the hollow tube is substantially equal to that of a 22-gauge hypodermic needle.

4. The apparatus in claim 1 in which the insertion means comprise a pair of hollow needles, each having a diameter equal to that of a hypodermic needle between about 20-gauge and 24-gauge.

5. The apparatus in claim 1 in which the reaction chamber comprises:

(a) bottom and side wall means;
(b) closure means attachable liquid-tight to the side wall means, the support means supporting the contact lenses at a first location higher than the bottom wall means, the insertion means terminating in the solution at a second location lower than the first location and injecting the ozonized air toward a third location lower than the second location to cause the pressurized, ozonized air to circulate in the isotonic solution.

6. The apparatus in claim 5 in which the insertion means comprises a hollow tube extending through the side wall means at a first wall location and directed at an angle toward the bottom wall means.

7. The apparatus in claim 5 comprising capillary means passing through the side wall means at a second wall location and aimed toward a region above the second wall location and extending above the solution.

8. The apparatus of claim 5 in which the insertion means comprises a first hollow tube having a passage therethrough substantially equal in cross-sectional area to that of a hypodermic needle having a diameter between about 18-gauge and 24-gauge, and the capillary means comprise a second hollow tube having a passage therethrough with a cross-sectional area at least substantially as great as that of the first needle.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 in which the first wall location is on the same side of the reaction chamber as the second wall location and on the opposite side of the reaction chamber from the ozone generation chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising gas and liquid filter means below the reaction chamber, the exhaust means being connected to the filter means to remove ozone remaining in the gas from the reaction chamber.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 in which the filter means comprises a bed of comminuted charcoal.

12. The apparatus of claim 5 comprising diffusing means in the reaction chamber between a first par of the reaction chamber and a second part thereof containing the support means supporting the lenses.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 in which the diffusing means comprises plate means having passageways therethrough.

14. the apparatus of claim 13 in which all of the pas-sageways have diameters too small to pass a spherical object that has a diameter greater than 5 microns.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 in which the plate means is adjacent the bottom wall means and below the location of the support means.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 in which the vessel holding the bed of filter material comprises an open drain tube extending upwardly through the bottom of the vessel and having an open upper and above the surface of the bed of filter material.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 in which the means to force the gas through the ozone generating chamber comprises a compressor.

18. Apparatus for cleaning surfaces of contact lenses, said apparatus comprising:
(a) an ozone generation chamber with an ultraviolet generation lamp therein to generate ultraviolet radiation having wavelengths shorter than about 200 nm. and longer than about 150 nm.;
(b) pumping means to force the air through the ozone generation chamber to be exposed to the ultraviolet radiation from the lamp to produce ozonized air;
(c) a reaction chamber comprising a bottom surface and containing an isotonic solution up to a predetermined level above the bottom surface;
(d) support means with multiple openings there-through to support contact lenses in a position in the reac-tion chamber to be washed by the moving solution to allow the ozone in the solution to react with contaminants on the sur-faces of the contact lenses to remove those contaminants therefrom, the chamber having a removable closure that can be opened to insert and remove contact lenses and can be closed fluid-tight when the lenses are inside the chamber;
(e) first capillary means extending through a first location in a first wall of the reaction chamber at an acute angle to a second wall of the reaction chamber and away from the contact lenses to inject a stream of the ozonized air bubbles directly into the solution in the reaction chamber to produce movement of the solution through the openings in the support means and over the surfaces of the contact lenses to remove contaminants on those surface; and (f) exhaust means passing through a second wall location above the predetermined level in the reaction chamber to allow gas emerging from the solution to escape from the reaction chamber.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 comprising, in addition, means connected to the ozone generation chamber to receive ozonized air therefrom at a second predetermined level and connected to the first capillary means to supply the ozonized air to the reaction chamber.

20. The method of removing contaminante from the surfaces of contact lenses, said method comprising the steps of:
(a) generating ozone by photo-disassociation of oxygen in an oxygen-containing gas to produce an ozonized air;
(b) directing a concentrated jet of the ozonized air into an isotonic solution partially filling a closed container containing the contact lenses to transform the solution into an ozone-containing solution and to establish movement of the ozone-containing solution to wash the surfaces of the contact lenses to remove contaminants therefrom; and (c) removing from the container gas that has passed through the solution.