CN115806121A

CN115806121A - Contact lens package and methods of operation and manufacture

Info

Publication number: CN115806121A
Application number: CN202211108132.7A
Authority: CN
Inventors: S·J·波普威尔; S·F·安塞尔; D·G·沃德; S·萨姆斯; B·肖尔; I·阿克拉姆
Original assignee: Johnson and Johnson Vision Care Inc
Current assignee: Johnson and Johnson Vision Care Inc
Priority date: 2021-09-13
Filing date: 2022-09-13
Publication date: 2023-03-17
Also published as: US20230083028A1; TW202337344A; KR20230039573A; AU2022231664A1; EP4147601A3; CA3173598A1; JP2023041650A; EP4147601A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved contact lens packages and methods of use and manufacture/assembly. A contact lens package contains a contact lens and a packaging solution and is configured to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution when a force is applied to a lever of the package and/or when the package is squeezed by a user.

Description

Contact lens package and methods of operation and manufacture

I. Cross reference to related applications

This patent application claims priority from the following patent applications: U.S. provisional application 63/077779, filed on 9/14/2020, U.S. provisional application 63/077,784, filed on 9/14/2020, U.S. provisional application 63/124,835, filed on 9/13/2020, and U.S. provisional application 63/243,525, filed on 9/13/2021.

II. Background of the invention

In conventional contact lens packages, the contact lens is typically located in a molded plastic base having a cavity (or "bowl") that receives the contact lens in a concave-up orientation. Thus, the user experience for transferring a contact lens from a package to the eye typically involves the user "fishing" the contact lens out of the bowl with a finger and then flipping the lens so that it is in the correct orientation on the finger for placement on the eye. This process requires multiple touches of the lens, which can transfer contaminants or pathogens from the hand to the lens and ultimately to the eye. This handling experience is not only unsanitary, but is also overly cumbersome, messy and mechanically stressful to the lens, which may tear, tear or deform when over-handled. While some packages have been designed to present the lenses in a convex-side-up orientation to avoid the need to flip the lenses, it is often still necessary to "fish" the lenses out of the packaging solution, or to manipulate and/or touch the lenses multiple times to transfer the lenses to the eye.

In view of the ever-increasing awareness of the health surrounding the eyes and the need for a more convenient experience for customers, a need has arisen for contact lens packages that enable less messy and more sanitary contact lens handling procedures. In one aspect, it is desirable to provide a "one-touch" package for a contact lens eyeglass wearer-that is, a package whereby the contact lens wearer can remove a lens from a lens storage package with only one touch of his and/or her finger and then place the lens properly on the eye with only one touch. In this design, there is no need to transfer and manipulate the lens from one finger to another before placing the lens on the eye. Providing such a one-touch package would not only simplify the lens preparation and insertion process; also when the lens is ready to be oriented and inserted onto the eye, this will also reduce the likelihood of the lens falling or exposing the lens to additional bacteria on the wearer's other fingers, and this also reduces the likelihood of the side of the contact lens intended to contact the eye.

The design of single-contact lens packages faces several significant challenges. Ideally, the wearer should be able to consistently position the lens for adherence to the fingers during removal from the package, and then the lens needs to be consistently released from the fingers to the eyes. Contact lenses (both reusable and daily disposable) each have their unique surface, bulk and geometric properties. The finger size and the force exerted on the lens by the contact lens wearer during transfer may also be different. These factors can affect the process of removing the lens from the package onto the finger and then onto the surface of the eye. Among other considerations: the wearer desires to be able to drain away any packaging solution that may affect the ability to adhere the lens to the fingers, as variations in the amount of packaging solution adhered to the lens and package can affect the process of placing the lens on the fingers. It is also desirable that the packaging solution be drained in a controlled manner to avoid spillage. It is also beneficial that the packaging solution remains sterile after unsealing and is available to the wearer to allow rewetting or cleaning of the lens. Moreover, the wearer may be concerned about the possibility of transferring bacteria or external products such as cosmetics to the contact lens; and, of course, the manufacture of the package itself should comply with the expected industry standards identified by the medical and commercial suppliers.

Furthermore, it is desirable that the one-touch package should not result in an excessive increase in the cost of goods relative to current contact lens packages, as this may result in an increase in the cost of the wearer population. The package should not make the lens difficult to handle when removed from the package. In addition, if the configuration of the package is to be maintained, or even to reduce the volume of solution required to package the lenses, the ecological impact of the lens package will be reduced. Similarly, it would be beneficial if all or part of the package could be made of recycled materials and/or all or part could be recycled.

In addition, it would be advantageous if the package consisted of materials approved by various regulatory agencies, and ideally did not require changes in solution chemistry or lens composition. Also, if such components may adversely affect the performance of the package or lens, the function of the package preferably does not contain any electronic or other electrical components.

There are several desirable attributes that make it challenging to achieve the functionality of a one-touch package, and these attributes are often lacking in known attempts to create one-touch packages. These attributes include, for example, the following: i) Ideally, the package should protect the lens, i.e., it should ensure the integrity of the lens (e.g., lens shape and optical integrity) while preventing crushing or damage to the lens; ii) the lens package should maintain hydration of the lens during storage to maintain lens performance; and iii) the lens in its package should preferably be configured so that it is completely immersed in the packaging solution when needed, but is purged of the solution in preparation for transfer from the package; iv) the package should typically have a retortable seal and include both the lens and the solution; v) the package preferably maintains the lens in the convex orientation desired by the wearer; vi) the lens should be positioned so as to be easily removable by the wearer; and vii) ideally, the package should allow the packaging solution to drain effectively from the lens when the package is unsealed and prior to removal of the lens for easier transfer to the wearer's finger and then to the eye.

Known packages that attempt to provide a reduced touch or one-touch orientation fail to provide one-touch packages with one or more of the above-described desirable attributes. For example, WO2014/195588, WO2009/069265, JP6339322 disclose packages that present lenses in a convex bowl-bottom configuration. However, the lens support structure substantially matches the shape of the contact lens, which provides an undesirable contact area between the lens and the lens support. These references also do not mention a mechanism for effectively draining the solution from the lens and lens support.

Similarly, US20200229560 discloses a package with a lens support that supports the concave (front or front) surface of the contact lens or a grid that supports the peripheral edge of the contact lens and allows the packaging solution to drain through the grid to the bottom chamber when the lens package is unsealed. The foregoing deficiencies of the prior art are merely exemplary and are not exhaustive.

Accordingly, there remains a need for a contact lens package that provides a consistent one-touch lens removal experience, effective solution management, or addresses one or a combination of the above challenges or drawbacks.

Disclosure of the invention

It has now been found that some or all of the above and related objects can be achieved in a contact lens package having one or more aspects described herein. For example, the contact lens packages of the present invention can contain a contact lens and a packaging solution, wherein the package is configured to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution when the package is squeezed by a user. A contact lens package can have a cover and a base including a cavity containing a contact lens and a packaging solution and a lever configured to hinge along a pivot axis in the base when a force is applied to the lever. The package may further comprise a lens support intersecting the pivot axis such that a force applied to the lever causes the lens support to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution to a position on the lens support that is capable of being transferred by a single touch of a user. In some cases, the lever is a discrete component coupled to the base by an attachment device. The pivot axis may be defined by at least one void in the base and may be applied to the base by one or more of: creases, cuts, thin lines, etching, and the like. The base of the package may be made of plastic and the lid may be a film. In some cases, the base and the lens support and/or the lever and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

The lens support may be coupled to the base by: i) Laser welding; ii) heating; iii) Ultrasonic welding; iv) adhesives, and the like. The base may include one or more finger engagement features configured to assist a user in gripping the package or directing application of force such that the lever articulates downward. Possible finger engagement features include a protrusion in the base at the distal end of the package and/or an overhang along at least a portion of the perimeter of the package. A pocket sized to receive a user's finger or thumb may be positioned at an end of the base proximate the user. The finger engagement features may be paired such that one is positioned at an end of the base proximal to the user and the other is a distal finger engagement feature positioned at an end of the base distal from the user. Alternatively, the finger engagement features may be positioned at any other opposing side or end of the package.

The lid of the package can include one or more lens-facing surfaces that extend downward into the cavity above the contact lens when the package is in an unopened state. The lens-facing surface and the lens support can be configured within the cavity such that the optical zone of the contact lens is suspended in the packaging solution between the lens-facing surface and the lens support when the package is in an unopened state. The cavity of the package can accommodate the contact lens in a convex position when the package is in an unopened or unsealed state. And the lens support may have a profile that does not substantially match the profile of the contact lens. The wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens may be less than about 30mm when the package is in an unsealed state ² Less than about 25mm ² Or less than about 20mm ² . The package may include a lid insert having at least one alignment feature and/or one or more locking features.

Description of the drawings

The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1A to 1D show the steps of unsealing a contact lens package according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of a contact lens package in an unsealed state, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of a contact lens package according to an embodiment.

Fig. 4 shows a close-up view of the cover insert in the cavity of an embodiment.

Fig. 5A and 5B show cross-sectional views of a contact lens package in an unopened state, according to an embodiment.

Fig. 6 illustrates an intake guide of a contact lens package according to an embodiment.

Fig. 7A and 7B show the lens support of the embodiment in side and top views, respectively.

Fig. 8A and 8B show alternative embodiments of a lens support in side and top views, respectively.

Fig. 9 shows the contact lens package of the embodiment in a nested configuration.

Fig. 10 illustrates an exemplary method of manufacturing a contact lens package according to certain embodiments.

V. detailed description

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to certain elements. The following description is not intended to limit the myriad of embodiments to one preferred embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the appended claims.

References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "example embodiments," etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure, aspect, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Moreover, such terms are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure, aspect, or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one skilled in the art to effect such feature, structure, or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described.

As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings. A benefit of certain embodiments of the present invention is that they facilitate the transfer of a consistent one-touch lens from the package to the wearer's finger and then from the finger to the wearer's eye without the need for the lens to be inverted, peeled off the finger, or further manipulated. Consistent lens transfer includes a transfer rate of at least about 70%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% upon the first touch (or "tap") of a finger. The lens also ideally "sits" on the finger without collapsing or inverting, and then transfers to the eye when placed there. The packages of certain embodiments can provide a desired one-touch transfer across a range of finger sizes and tap pressures. Environmental conditions such as temperature and whether the finger is wet or dry may also affect transfer rate, with higher temperatures generally improving lens transfer.

Lens or contact lens refers to an ophthalmic device that resides on the eye. They have a generally hemispherical shape and can provide optical correction, cosmetic enhancement, UV blocking and visible light or glare reduction, therapeutic effects, including wound healing, drug or nutrient delivery, diagnostic assessment or monitoring, or any combination thereof. The term lens includes soft hydrogel contact lenses, which are typically provided to the consumer in a package in a hydrated state, and have a relatively low modulus, which enables them to conform to the cornea. Contact lenses suitable for use with the packages of the present invention include all hydrated contact lenses, including conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

A hydrogel is a hydrated crosslinked polymer system that contains water in an equilibrium state and may contain at least about 25% or at least 35% water in a hydrated state. Hydrogels are generally oxygen permeable and biocompatible, making them excellent materials for the production of contact lenses.

Conventional hydrogel contact lenses do not contain silicone-containing components and typically have higher water content, lower oxygen permeability, modulus, and shape memory than silicone hydrogels. Conventional hydrogels are prepared from a monomer mixture that primarily contains hydrophilic monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ("HEMA"), N-vinyl pyrrolidone ("NVP"), or polyvinyl alcohol. U.S. Pat. nos. 4,495,313, 4,889,664, and 5,039,459 disclose the formation of conventional hydrogels. Conventional hydrogels may be ionic or non-ionic and include polymacon, etafilcon, nelfilcon, ocufilcon lenefilcon, and the like. These conventional hydrogel materials typically have oxygen permeabilities of less than 20 barrers to 30 barrers.

Silicon hydrogel formulations include balafilcon samfilcon, lotrafilcon A and B, delfilcon, galyfilcon, senofilcon A, B and C, narafilcon, comfilcon, formifilcon, riofilcon, fanfilcon, stenfilcon, somofilcon, kalifilcon, and the like. By "silicone hydrogel" is meant a polymeric network made from at least one hydrophilic component and at least one silicone-containing component. The silicone hydrogel may have a modulus in the range of 60psi-200psi, 60psi-150psi, or 80psi-130psi, a water content in the range of 20% to 60%. Examples of silicone hydrogels include acquafilcon, asmofilcon, balafilcon, comfilcon, delefilcon, enfilcon, fanfilcon, formifilcon, galyfilcon, lotrafilcon, narafilcon, riofilcon, samfilcon, senofilcon, somofilcon, and stenfilcon, verofilcon, including all variants thereof, and as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,659,782, 4,659,783, 5,244,981, 5,314,960, 5,331,067, 5,371,147, 5,998,498, 6,087,415, 5,760,100, 5,776,999, 5,789,461, 5,849,811, 5,965,631, 6,367,929, 6,822,016, 6,867,245, 6,943,203, 7,247,692, 7,249,848, 7,880,553, 7,666,921, 7,786,185, 7,956,131, 8,022,158, 8,273,802, 8,399,538,538, 8,999,999 8,470,906, 8,450,387, 8,487,058, 8,507,577, 8,637,621, 8,703,891, 8,937,110, 8,937,111, 8,940,812, 9,056,878, 9,057,821, 9,125,808, 9,140,825, 9156,934, 9,170,349, 9,244,196, 9,244,197, 9,260,544, 9,297,928, 9,297,929, and the silicones prepared in WO 03/22321, WO 2008/061992 and US 2010/0048847. These patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. Silicone hydrogels may have a higher shape memory than conventional contact lenses.

Hydrogel lenses are viscoelastic materials. Contact lenses can form optical distortions if the lens interacts with the package or any air bubbles in the package. The degree of optical distortion and the length of time required for the distortion to relax will depend on the chemical composition and to a lesser extent on the geometry of the lens. Conventional lens materials, such as poly (hydroxyethyl methacrylate) -based lenses like etafilcon a or polymacon, have lower loss modulus and loss tangent values than silicone hydrogels, and may form less and less severe optical distortion due to contact with the package. The viscoelastic properties of the lenses can be altered by the incorporation of silicones (which typically increase the overall elastic response), wetting agents (such as PVP) (which typically increase the viscous response), or conventional hydrogel material coatings (which may reduce the elastic response at the lens interface). Conventional hydrogel contact lenses and silicone hydrogel contact lenses with short or hard cross-linking and/or hardening agents have short shape memory and may be less prone to deformation during storage. As used herein, a high or higher shape memory hydrogel exhibits an optical deformation of at least about 0.18 upon contact with air bubbles or packaging after 5 weeks of accelerated aging at 55 ℃. Viscoelastic properties, including loss modulus and loss tangent values, can be measured using dynamic mechanical analysis.

The contact lens may be of any geometry or diopter and has a generally hemispherical shape with a concave posterior side that rests on the eye in use and a convex anterior side that faces away from the eye and is contacted by the eyelid during blinking.

The center or vertex of the lens is the center of the optical zone of the lens. The optical zone provides optical correction and may have a diameter between about 7mm and about 10 mm. The lens periphery or lens edge is the edge where the anterior and posterior sides meet.

A wet lens is any residual packaging solution that adheres to the contact lens and packaging solution after it has been drained. The wetting contact is the total contact area between the wetting lens and the lens support.

Embodiments may include a lens support surrounded by a sealable cavity, which may also be interchangeably referred to as a chamber. The cavity may have any convenient form and may include a package base and at least one lid, each of which will be described in detail below. As used herein, the phrases "the cover," "the lid," "the base," and "the base" encompass both the singular and the plural. The lid and package base are sealed to each other to form a cavity that maintains the contact lens, support, and packaging solution in a sterile condition during shipping and storage prior to use. Contact lens packages are made from materials that are compatible with contact lenses and solutions, as well as retortable and bio-inert.

A "film" or "multilayer film" is a film used to seal a package, and is commonly referred to as a lidstock. The multilayer films used in conventional contact lens packages can be used in the packages of the present invention as components of the base, the lid, or both. The multilayer film comprises a plurality of layers, including a barrier layer, including a foil layer, or a coating layer, a sealing layer, which seals the film to the rest of the package, and may further comprise additional layers selected from peel-initiation layers, lamination layers, and layers that improve other packaging properties (e.g., stiffness, temperature resistance, printability, puncture resistance, barrier to water or oxygen, etc.). The multilayer film forms a steam-sterilized (retortable) seal. The multilayer film may comprise a PET, BON or OPP film layer to increase stiffness and temperature resistance, or an EVOH or PVDC coating to improve barrier to oxygen or moisture.

As used herein, "unopened state" or "unopened" refers to a contact lens package that encloses and contains a contact lens in solution.

As used herein, "unsealed state" or "unseal" refers to a contact lens package after the sterile seal has been broken. In accordance with the context described herein, the unsealed state is expanded to the package state when the user has manipulated the package to lift the lenses from the packaging solution for transfer by the user.

As used herein, "wearer" or "user" refers to a person unsealing a contact lens package. Users are often referred to as persons unsealing the package and transferring the contact lens contained therein to their eyes. However, in some cases, the user may be a person operating the lens package on behalf of the wearer, such as an eye care provider ("ECP") or other individual demonstrating or assisting the wearer.

The packaging solution is any physiologically compatible solution that is compatible with the material and packaging of the lens selected. The packaging solution includes a buffered solution, such as a buffered saline solution, having a physiological pH. The packaging solution may contain known components including buffers, pH and tonicity adjusting agents, lubricants, wetting agents, nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, packaging coating components, and the like.

The package base may form the bottom of the package. It may be made of any material suitable for packaging medical devices, including plastics. The package lid is typically located in an upper portion of the package and sealed with the base to form a cavity that includes the lens support, the lens, and at least a portion of the packaging solution. The cap may be made of any material suitable for packaging a medical device, including molded foil or plastic sheets, laminated films, or plastics. Packages comprising plastic for one structure and foil or laminate film as another structure or comprising foil or laminate film as outer layer of lid and base are known in the art and are examples of suitable combinations.

References throughout this description to injection molding processes and the use of materials conventionally applied to injection molding are to be understood as exemplary. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other ways of manufacturing are possible within the scope of the appended claims, including but not limited to alternative molding processes, thermoforming, 3D printing, etc. Also, references to heat sealing are examples of embodiments described herein. Other ways of securing the wrapper component will be apparent to those skilled in the art, including the use of adhesives, glues, thermal bonding, welding such as heat, ultrasonic or laser welding, or mechanical traps, etc.

Certain aspects of the present invention can be used to reduce or prevent significant optical damage to contact lenses due to interaction with air bubbles or the interior of the lens package that may occur during storage or shipping due to gravity or other forces, such as mechanical pressure applied from the exterior of the package. As used herein, significant optical damage means a Root Mean Square (RMS) value equal to or greater than about 0.08 μm.

Referring to the drawings, fig. 1A-1D illustrate steps in the operation of a contact lens package including a contact lens in a packaging solution according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 1A shows an unopened contact lens package 100 having a lid 106 and a base 110. In this embodiment, the cover 106 is a multi-layer film, also referred to herein as a foil, and the base 110 is composed of a thermoplastic polymer (such as polypropylene plastic). While in this embodiment, the cover 106 is in the form of a relatively flexible material (i.e., a multi-layer film) and the base 110 is in the form of a relatively rigid material, it should be understood that other embodiments may include substantially rigid components for both the cover and the base. For example, in some embodiments, both the base and the lid may be constructed of polypropylene plastic or other relatively rigid material. Base 110 includes a pivot axis 114 along which a portion of the base forming lever 118 may articulate when a force is applied to lever 118.

Base 110 further includes a number of optional finger engagement features 122a-122c to assist the user in handling the contact lens package during the unsealing process. The finger well 122a may be sized to receive a user's finger or thumb, the finger well being disposed at an end of the base 110 proximate the user; overhang 122b is along the peripheral edge of base 110; and tab 122c is disposed at the end of package 118 away from the user. In this embodiment, finger well 122a is also angled downward such that force, such as pressure applied by a user's thumb, causes lever 118 to hinge downward at pivot axis 114. In this embodiment, the package 100 is further configured with a profile that is sloped from the proximal end to the distal end to further promote a downward moment at the lever, for example, when the lever is depressed or when the user squeezes the package, i.e., when the user applies pressure with the hand at the opposite end of the package, i.e., via the fingers at one end and the thumb at the other end. In this embodiment, the package 100 is configured such that squeezing forces are applied at the distal and proximal ends. However, alternative embodiments are possible whereby opposing forces involving squeezing are applied at alternative opposite ends of the package, such as but not limited to the left and right sides of the package.

In a first step, shown in fig. 1B, a user holds the unopened contact lens package 100 with its base 110. As shown, a user's grip of the package 100 may be improved by one or more finger engagement features 122a-c positioned and configured to provide a more secure grip on the package and/or to facilitate the application of a force that, in a subsequent step, causes the contact lens included in the package to lift for presentation to the user and transfer to the user's eye. The finger wells 106 are positioned on the levers 118 of the base 110 and are sized for a user's thumb 126 to grasp the package. At the opposite end of the package 100, the user can grasp the package by positioning the fingers firmly under the overhang 122b and against the protrusion 122c at the end of the base 110 as shown. In the case of an overhang, the overhang area may be curved or may be flattened to provide an increased area through which a reaction force may be supplied when the package is compressed. Next, the user can unseal the package by opening the lid 106, which in this embodiment involves the user peeling the foil 106 from the proximal end to the distal end of the base 110 in the direction shown by arrow 134, thereby breaking the sterile seal between the foil (lid) 106 and the base 110. Although not required, in the preferred embodiment, the package is optimized for the user to hold the base with one hand and peel the lid 106 with the other hand.

As shown in the step shown in fig. 1C, the package cover 106 has been unsealed either by completely removing the cover as shown or alternatively by partially removing enough to substantially expose a lens cavity 136 containing a contact lens 138 suspended in a packaging solution (not shown) above a lens support 140. With package 100 unsealed, the user then applies force 142 to lever 118. In this embodiment, the package is configured to be squeezed by the user, whereby one or both hands of the user provide opposing

forces

142 and 146 at the proximal and distal ends of the package, respectively, thereby creating a greater force on the lever 118.

Turning to fig. 1D, the force exerted by the user on the lever causes the lens support 140 to lift the contact lens 138 from the packaging solution (not shown). Ideally, the lens support is configured to lift the contact lens above the package cavity high enough so that the lens faces the user and is therefore visible and transferable from the support, but not so high that the lens slides off the support under the influence of gravity. This may be achieved by a lift angle of between about 15 ° and 60 ° relative to a horizontal plane defining the top of the base when a force is applied by a user. The lens support is preferably configured such that when lifted in this manner, the packaging solution drains sufficiently from the contact lens to enable a one-touch transfer by a user, as shown in the exemplary embodiment, wherein the user transfers the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 by tapping (also interchangeably referred to as "tapping") the convex surface of the contact lens 138, such that the tapping causes the contact lens to release from the lens support 138 and adhere to the user's finger 154.

In this embodiment, the contact lens 138 is conveniently presented to the wearer in a convex orientation, meaning that the convex surface of the lens 138 is available to the wearer without having to reorient the lens prior to placing the concave surface of the lens on the eye surface of the wearer. However, it should be understood that other orientations, such as the concave orientation of a conventional blister package, are possible within the scope of the present invention. The transfer of the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 may be performed by the wearer's finger 154, or directly touching the lens, or indirectly through an application film (e.g., as described in US 20190046353) or other cover applied to the finger, or may be performed by another means of transmission, such as a manual or automatic applicator or tool. In transferring the contact lens 138 from the package 100, the lens rests on the finger 154 (or other transfer device), as shown in the illustrated step, wherein the convex surface of the contact lens 138 rests on the finger 154 and the concave surface of the contact lens 138 is oriented for direct application to the eye surface of a user.

Turning now to fig. 2 and 3, fig. 2 shows a perspective view of contact lens package 100 in an unsealed state, wherein lens support 140 has lifted contact lens 138 from the packaging solution (not shown). Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of contact lens package 100. Contact lens package 100 includes a base 110 having a proximal end (a) and a distal end (B). At its distal end (B), base 110 includes a cavity 136 for receiving a contact lens 138 in a packaging solution and is configured to receive a lensA lever 118 that hinges along the pivot axis 114 in the base when a force is applied to the lever 118. In this embodiment, the lever 118 is formed as part of an integral component that constitutes the base 118. More specifically, base 110, including lever 118, is formed as an integrally injection molded polypropylene plastic component. Those skilled in the art will appreciate alternative materials and methods for forming the base, including thermoforming and 3D printing (using materials such as ABS, PLA, HIPS, PETG, nylon, etc.). Preferably, the material used for the base is relatively rigid, having a glass transition temperature (T) of about 125 ℃ measured according to ASTM D1238-10 (Standard test method for determining melt flow rates of thermoplastics by extrusion plastimeters) _g ). In this embodiment, pivot axis 114 is defined by a plurality of voids 158 in the base. Void 158 is positioned in a linear configuration along a horizontal axis at the point where its lever 118 is hinged. The lack of material creating the gap 158 provides sufficient release along a line in the substrate to cause the lever 118 to hinge in a desired position when a user applies a force to the lever. The distance of the lift arms, i.e. from the pivot axis to the centre of the contact lens when resting on the support, is between 10mm and 12mm, and preferably between 12mm and 17 mm. The use of one or more voids is but one of countless ways in which the pivot axis may be defined within the scope of the present invention. For example, in other embodiments where the lever is formed of the same material as the rest of the base, the pivot axis may be created by molding the plastic thinner along the pivot axis, and/or by cutting, etching, or otherwise applying the pivot axis into the base material, thereby transversely indenting the plastic at the desired location. Furthermore, in embodiments where the lever takes the form of a discrete component, the pivot axis may simply represent a horizontal interface between the lever and the remainder of the base. In such embodiments, the articulation along the pivot axis may be achieved by a hinge component, a rotatable interlocking attachment, or the like. It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments are possible within the scope of the invention, in which the lever is a discrete component coupled to the remainder of the base by attachment means. For example, the lever may be formed as a separate injection molded part and then attached via a series of attachment means (including laser welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives)Adhesive, mechanical connection, heat staking, etc.) to a separately molded (or printed, etc.) part that forms the remainder of the base.

The underside of the base may be beveled, as in the illustrated embodiment, to enable "nesting" of the packages, allowing for more compact secondary packaging during storage and shipping (as further described with reference to fig. 9), in addition to reducing the amount of primary packaging material and packaging solution needed to keep the contact lens hydrated. In this example, the base 110 is inclined at an angle of about 14 ° from the proximal end (a) to the distal end (B) and has a footprint of about 29mm wide, 44mm long and 9.5mm high. The preferred slope ranges between about 10 ° to 20 °, but the slope can be made even steeper as desired, for example about 20 ° to 30 °. The base includes a well, i.e., cavity 136, formed in the tapered region in which contact lens 138 and lens support 140 are received when package 100 is unopened. In this embodiment, the chamber has a volume of about 2240 μ L that is dosed with about 2080 μ L of the packaging solution, which is sufficient to completely immerse the contact lens 138 within the chamber 136. The foil cover 106 is secured to the base 110 via a retortable seal formed between beads 152 on the upper surface of the base around the perimeter of the cavity 136. Such seals may be formed by well-known heat sealing techniques and associated equipment.

Finger engagement features (dimples) 122a, which are sized to receive a user's fingers or thumb, are provided at the end of the base 110 near the user. In this embodiment, finger well 122a is also angled downward such that force, such as pressure applied by a user's thumb, causes lever 118 to hinge downward at pivot axis 114. The finger depression location of the depression and the position of the user's finger relative to the pivot axis affect the amount of squeezing force required to cause the lever to articulate along the pivot axis. In this example, the dimple depth below the pivot axis is 4.5mm as measured from the seal level to the dimple base.

The lens support 140 is coupled to the lever 118 such that a force applied to the lever 118 causes the lens support 140 to lift the contact lens 138 from the packaging solution. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens support 140 is a separately molded (or printed) component that is fixedly attached to the lever 118 portion of the base. Where attachment is via a peg 162 formed in the lever portion of the substrate. The lens support 140 has an opening 166 corresponding to the peg 162 such that when the lens support 140 is placed on the base, the peg 162 mates with the opening 166. Heat is applied to the stake/opening using a hot plate to deform the plastic material using heat and force to securely fix the stake in place like a rivet. The bonding is performed by partially deforming post 162 around opening 166. Within the scope of the claims, many other attachment means than heat staking are possible, including for example laser welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, mechanical clamping, and the like. Further, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments where the lens support may be formed as part of the same integrally molded or printed component as the lever and/or the entire base. The coupling/attachment point of the lens support to the lever is preferably about 2 to 5mm from the pivot axis to the front of the peg/peg. In many embodiments, such as the illustrated embodiment in which the pivot axis is formed by a fold in plastic or other substantially rigid material, the pivot axis may have a thickness, i.e., it may not be completely sharp. In these cases, it may be desirable to make this separation between the attachment point and the pivot axis in order to maximize the lift angle for a given bending force.

As can be seen in fig. 2, the underside of the cover 106 includes a plurality of lens-facing surfaces 168, which in this embodiment are formed as protrusions extending downwardly toward the convex surface of the lens. Lens-facing surface 168 is generally shaped to mirror the convex lens surface of the contact lens to be received in cover cavity 136. The lens-facing surface 168 serves to align the contact lens on the lens support and protect the contact lens from significant optical damage due to gravity or air-induced forces. In some embodiments, the lens-facing surface also serves as an air intake guide that reduces the incidence of contact lenses sticking to the package when unsealed by directing air into the package over the contact lenses. In this case, the lens-facing surface is disposed on a molded plastic lid insert 170, wherein the lid insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of the foil lid 106 by heat sealing. However, in other embodiments, such as where the cover is substantially rigid, the lens-facing surface may be integral with the cover rather than a separate component. It should be understood that all features described as applied to the lid insert are equally applicable to embodiments in which the same features are made integral with the lid.

The lens-facing surface of the present invention serves to support the lens while loaded by these forces to avoid or reduce significant optical damage. For example, gravity and interaction with air bubbles in the packaging solution can cause optical damage if not properly counteracted. In one aspect, as in the lens-facing surface 168 of the illustrated embodiment, the lens-facing surface includes a relatively large contactable surface area, a percentage of at least about 3% and preferably at least about 20% or as large as possible, while still accommodating any desired vent channels. Contactable surface area is understood to mean the contact area between the lens and the lens-facing surface when the lens is loaded, i.e. in contact under an applied force, such as but not limited to gravity or bubble interaction. The contactable surface area determines the pressure exerted on the lens area when/if it is loaded. The larger the area, the more the pressure drop. In the embodiment shown, the lens-facing surface 168 has a thickness of 100mm ² Has a contact surface area of about 215mm, and conventional contact lenses have ² The surface area of (a). As discussed in more detail below, it is preferred that at least 10% of the surface area above the lens is exposed to facilitate air travel into the package, thereby reducing any tendency of the lens to stick to the lens surface/cover insert.

Lens-facing surfaces 168 are also spaced to define air-egress channels 169 that allow air, particularly air bubbles in the packaging solution, to travel from the contact lens into the peripheral volume of cavity 136. Advantageously, the outlet channels have a positive gradient towards the peripheral volume, wherein the vertical rise is at least about 2mm. The air vent channels allow smaller bubbles to escape from the area around the lens surface while avoiding larger bubbles from entering the space above the lens. To this end, preferred embodiments include at least two outlet channels, each channel having a width of between about 1mm to 1.5mm or preferably between 1.5mm to 2mm, and specifically 1.5mm in the illustrated embodiment. In a related aspect, outlet channel 169 advantageously forms an "X" configuration. This configuration of the air outlet channel positions relative to each other allows that when the package is rotated in a side orientation, at least one of the channels always has a central axis from near the center of the cavity, which central axis is angled relative to a plane perpendicular to gravity. This aspect utilizes buoyancy to allow air bubbles to escape from the lens regardless of the orientation adopted by the lens package, thereby reducing optical damage that might otherwise result, for example, from air bubbles forcing the lens into the lens support.

In this embodiment, the lid insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 106 by heat sealing between the multilayer film lid 106 and the flat surfaces 172a-d on the upper side of the lid insert. As discussed in more detail later herein, alignment of the lid insert with the base during the heat sealing process and during storage may be assisted by including one or more alignment features in the base and/or lid insert. For example, the alignment features 174 in the illustrated embodiment take the form of posts on the inner wall of the cavity 136 of the base 110. The alignment features 174 resist rotation and lateral movement of the lid insert 170 when pressure is applied to seal the package 100 or during normal use. Alternative alignment features are possible, such as, but not limited to, forming the cavity and the cap insert (or an integral portion of the cap including the lens-facing surface) into a non-circular shape, such that the components interlock and inherently resist rotation.

Referring now to fig. 4, a close-up view of the cover insert 170 is shown as it is inserted into the cavity 132 of the base 110. The location of the alignment features (e.g., posts 174) on the walls of the cavity 136 of the base 110 correspond to the openings 178 in the cover insert 170. The post 174 and the opening 178 cooperate as an assembly to limit rotation and lateral movement of the lid insert 170. In another aspect, the cover insert can be configured to prevent the lens support from lifting (except for the expected time during unsealing) and ensure that the lens is not compressed in the package by external forces when sealing pressure is applied or during storage, shipping, or when the user unseals the package. For example, locking features may be included to prevent a surface, such as a surface facing the lens (whether integral with the cover or included on the cover insert), from impinging on the lens when pressure is applied overhead, such as when the cover is sealed to the base, or when the cover insert (if any) is sealed to the cover. Other locking features may be included to prevent the lens support from striking the lens (e.g., due to bending the package at a pivot prior to unsealing thereof) by forming a contact point between the lens support and the lid insert. In addition, another locking feature in this embodiment is created by a flange 180 along the perimeter of the bottom of the cavity 136. One function of the flange 180 is to avoid pinch points at the lens periphery during assembly. The height of the flange above the bottom of the cavity is sufficient so that the cover insert and/or lens-facing feature of the cover stops above the height at which the lens is received below. In this embodiment, the flange measures a height of about 0.8mm above the lens base. It should be understood that a flange is yet another exemplary locking feature of many possibilities. It is certain that the cover insert can be locked at any level (e.g., flush with the lens base, flush with the package top).

Fig. 5A and 5B show cross-sectional views of contact lens package 100 in an unopened state. In particular, fig. 5B shows a section resulting from the section plane AA indicated in the perspective side view of fig. 5A. As shown, package 100 is configured such that contact lens 138 is substantially suspended between lens support 140 and lens-facing surface 168 when in an unopened state. The packages of the present invention preferably minimize contact with the contact lens when the package is closed and the lens is suspended in the packaging solution. Ideally, the optical zone of the lens is free floating and contact with the lens support during storage is temporary or non-existent. Depending on the buoyancy and orientation of the lens in the packaging solution, the lens may rest on its peripheral edge on the bottom of the cavity of the package base or on the lens-facing surface on its convex surface. As shown, contact lens package 100 is in a cover orientation, wherein the peripheral edge of the contact lens rests on the bottom of cavity 136 in base 110. However, the optical zone of contact lens 138 is effectively suspended between lens support 140 and lens-facing surface 168.

The cavity 132 is preferably substantially filled with a packaging solution, however the manufacturing process may not allow sealing of the package under vacuum pressure. In this case, it is expected that some amount of air will be trapped in the cavity. If these bubbles are not handled, they may interact with and cause severe optical damage to the lens. Thus, a peripheral volume in the cavity, i.e. a volume in the cavity peripheral to the lens position above the lens support, may be provided. Ideally, such volumes should be located at the distal and proximal ends of the package, such as 132' and 132 "of the cavity 132 of the package 100, so that the bubble has a place to reside during shipping or storage regardless of the orientation of the package.

In one aspect, the lens-facing surface can function as an air intake guide by placement and configuration, which causes air entering the package when unsealed to travel over the contact lens to avoid the contact lens sticking to the cover or its lens-facing surface. As shown in fig. 6, contact lens package 100 is depicted in an assembled, unopened state, in which the foil lid is not shown, such that components located within package 100 are visible in this embodiment, package 100 is configured to be unsealed from the proximal end (a) to the distal end (B) such that air enters the package in the direction indicated by arrow 190. To ensure that air travels over the lens, the cover insert 170 is configured so that the convex surface of the lens 138 is exposed above the lens edge, closest to the point 192 where air enters the cavity when unsealed. This can be accomplished by positioning the lens-facing surface predominantly on the lateral and distal surface areas of the contact lens and exposing at least about 10% of the surface area of the contact lens closest to the point 192 where air enters the cavity. More specifically, in this embodiment, 15% of the surface area of the contact lens is exposed.

The lens support of the present invention can take a myriad of shapes and forms capable of lifting the lens from the packaging solution when a user applies force to the package, such as squeezing the package as described with reference to embodiments herein. As mentioned above, however, it is preferred that,the lens support maintains the lens in a desired convex orientation (bowl down relative to base) and position (centered on the support) during shipping and storage. Desirably, the lens support can provide an open structure below the lens to allow the packaging solution to drain from the lens and support when unsealed without pooling of water between the support and the underside of the lens. It is also preferred that the lens support have a sufficient number of contact points with the lens to prevent the lens from collapsing onto the support, rotating away from, or translating through the support. This allows the apex of the lens to be supported by the elastic stiffness of the lens itself, or minimizes sag of the lens apex while limiting the contact area between the support and the lens. The support and lens are in excessive contact and pooling of water between the support and the lens after the solution has drained can create a surface tension between the lens and water on and around the lens support that is greater than the surface tension between the wearer's finger and the lens, thereby interfering with the effective transfer of the lens. The sum of the contact between the lens and the lens support and the solution drained from the lens and the lens support when the package is unsealed is a total wetted contact area, which may be less than about 30mm ² Less than 25mm ² Or less than 20mm ² And are distributed at least around the periphery of the lens, as described herein. As used herein, "wetted contact area" refers to the direct solid contact area between the lens support and the lens plus less than about the time to lift the lens and allow the packaging solution to drain away<30s, less than about<The area of any meniscus, reservoir or solution bridge formed between the lens and the lens after 5 seconds or less than about 2 seconds, depending on the intended user experience of the package.

For lenses made of polymers with longer shape memory, the lens support can be designed to limit contact between the lens and the support during storage. Such contact may be distributed around the peripheral edge of the lens. Contact between the lens optic zone, the lens support and the interior of the cover (including any air intake guides) may be temporary, or there may be no contact between the optic zone and the support, cover or air intake guides. Lenses such as conventional hydrogels with shorter shape memory are less prone to deformation from packaging contact and the contact points can be distributed over the periphery and the entire lens profile, including the lens central zone (about 9mm or about 5mm diameter).

The lens support of the present invention preferably allows both the fingertips and the lens to deform to match each other's shape upon tapping without causing the lens to invert or damage during removal due to excessive pressure during tapping. Thus, one aspect of removing a lens from a package of the present invention can be to control the ratio of the contact area between the finger and the lens compared to the area between the lens and the lens support such that the contact area between the finger and the lens exceeds the contact surface area of the lens support on the underside of the lens. This will ensure that the surface tension between the finger and the lens exceeds the surface tension between the lens and the lens support. Thus, the lens will adhere to the finger in order to transfer and place the lens on the eye.

The lens support preferably provides at least 2, at least 3, 3 to 14, 4 to 14, 3 to 8 or 4 to 8,4 to 6 or 6 contact points with the edge of the contact lens along the peripheral support. When two peripheral supports are used, they can be wider to provide stability without exceeding the contact area required for consistent lens transfer. The peripheral contact points prevent the lens from rotating off the lens and can be distributed in a variety of configurations, with the space between the furthest adjacent contacts being less than the diameter of the lens. As the number of peripheral supports increases, the likelihood of residual packaging solution forming a film between adjacent peripheral supports and bridging of the solution between the supports and the lens during ejection may increase. Peripheral supports having less than 50% open space, such as supports in the form of screens or filters, often provide insufficient drainage to ensure a touch transfer. Also, the support and lens are in excessive contact after the solution drains off and pooling of water between the support and the lens can create a surface tension between the lens and water on and around the lens support that is greater than the surface tension between the wearer's finger and the lens, thereby interfering with the effective transfer of the lens. The width of the component support members of the lens support varies between the limits of the molding process selected and the width required to effectively expel the packaging solution when unsealed. Suitable widths include about 0.5mm to about 1.5mm, about 0.5mm to about 1mm, or about 0.5mm to about 0.7mm, and it is understood that lens support designs with fewer contact points may have thicker arms.

The lens support enables sufficient drainage of the packaging solution from the lens to enable one-touch transfer by one or a combination of drainage techniques, referred to herein as channel drainage and back drainage. Channel draining involves forming a channel member on the lens support along which the packaging solution is guided away from the lens under gravity when the lens support is lifted. On the other hand, back ejection refers to enhanced ejection from the underside of the lens, where the lens rests on the lens support. Due to the hydrophilic nature of modern contact lens materials, this area under the apex of the lens tends to accumulate packaging solution. In some embodiments, the lens can have a through design of at least about 12mm below the lens vertex ³ To achieve enhanced back drainage.

Referring next to fig. 7A and 7B, an exemplary lens support 140 is shown in side and top views, respectively. Lens support 140 represents an example of a lens support that utilizes a mixture of back drain and channel drain to sufficiently clear packaging solution from the lens to achieve a one-touch transfer. The lens support 140 includes a central support made up of three central support members 200a-c in a semi-circular configuration having a diameter of about 8 mm. The central support members 200a-c are raised 2.5mm by the struts 204. The struts 204 extend upwardly from channel members 204a and 204B that transition along their length from a proximal end (a) to a distal end (B) to form a channel pattern into the peripheral support 208. These members cooperate with each other such that when the contact lens is lifted from the package, it rests on the lens support 240 in a preferred convex orientation (relative to the bowl bottom of the package base) at 7 contact points when the lens is lifted from the packaging solution.

The design of the lens support 140 creates a central opening 212 to allow the packaging solution to flow back from the lens and the lens support 140 when the package is unsealed and the lens support is lifted from the packaging solution. This allows the mirror to be usedThe apex of the sheet is supported by the elastic stiffness of the lens itself and minimizes sag of the apex of the lens while limiting the contact area between the support 140 and the lens. This design also provides adequate support for the contacted edges at points along

channel members

204a and 204b and along perimeter support 208. This configuration substantially reduces the wetted contact area between the lens support 140 and the contact lens to at least about 25mm when measured 2 seconds after the lens support 140 is lifted ² 。

Fig. 8A and 8B show one of countless alternative embodiments of lens supports within the scope of the present invention in side and top views, respectively. Lens support 300 represents an example of a lens support that relies on back drainage to adequately clear packaging solution from the lens for one-touch transfer. The lens support 300 comprises a central support 310 consisting of four equally spaced radial spokes extending through a diameter of about 10.5 mm. The central support member 310 is raised 2.7mm by the stanchion 314. In certain embodiments of the invention, the post 314 extends upwardly from a support member 318 that includes a tab 324 by which the lens support 300 can be coupled to the base of a contact lens package. The

peripheral support members

328 and 330 are formed as a continuous butterfly to provide support for the edges of the contact lens when the lens is lifted from the package and rests on the supports. The central and peripheral support members of support 300 are interfitted such that when a contact lens is lifted from the package, it rests on the lens support 300 in a preferred convex orientation (relative to the bowl bottom of the package base) at 5 contact points as the lens is lifted from the packaging solution.

The design of the lens support 300 includes sufficient open space between the spokes of the center support 310 to allow the packaging solution to flow back from the lenses and the lens support 140 when the package is unsealed and the lens support is lifted from the packaging solution. This allows the apex of the lens to be supported by the elastic stiffness of the lens itself and minimizes subsidence of the lens apex while limiting the contact area between the support 300 and the lens. The design is also peripheralThe points of

support members

328 and 330 provide sufficient support for the edge of the contact lens. This configuration substantially reduces the wetted contact area between the lens support 300 and the contact lens to at least about 25mm when measured 2 seconds after the lens support 300 is lifted ² . It must be emphasized that the lens holder embodiments shown and described herein are only two of a myriad of embodiments of lens holders within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. It will be appreciated that some additional illustrative, but non-limiting, exemplary lens supports are described in appendix a.

As noted above, in one aspect, the contact lens packages of the present invention can be configured to allow for a nested configuration. Fig. 9 illustrates two contact lens packages 100, shown as packages 100' and 100 "in a nested configuration. Nested configurations, such as configurations in which packages fit together securely within a smaller volume, are useful for reducing the number of secondary packages (e.g., cartons or other containers that provide primary packages to consumers). In this embodiment, the packages 100 'and 100' are designed to nest when the bases are arranged base-to-base and inverted relative to each other from proximal to distal end. The ability to nest contact lens packages 100' and 100 "is accomplished by a combination of features including: the taper in bases 110' and 110 "of each package and the finger engagement features (pockets) 122a ' and 122 a" that act as stops to prevent lateral movement of bases 110' and 110 ".

Turning now to fig. 10, an exemplary method of manufacturing/assembling a contact lens package according to an embodiment is illustrated. A first exemplary method of manufacturing/assembling exemplary contact lens package 100 is shown as

steps

1001A, 1002A, 1003A, 1004A, and 1005. At a first step 1001A, in this embodiment, a contact lens 138 is placed onto a lens support 140, wherein the contact lens is placed onto the lens support 140 with the concave surface of the contact lens on the lens support. The lens support may be pre-dosed with packaging solution sufficient to bond the contact lens to the support. In a slightly alternative method, not shown, the lens support may first be inserted into the cavity and then the contact lens is placed on the support. At next step 1002A, lens support 140, with contact lens 130 resting thereon, is inserted into cavity 136 of base 110. Then, at step 1003, a cover insert 170 including a lens-facing surface 168 is placed onto the convex surface of the contact lens 138. Next, at step 1003A, sufficient packaging solution is dosed into the cavity to completely submerge contact lens 138 in the cavity, and ideally as full as possible without overflowing the cavity. Preferably, at least one of the fitment and/or surface feature of the cap insert creates a friction fit against the base cavity such that the cap insert does not float out of position when the packaging solution is added to the cavity. Finally, at step 1005, the cover 106 is sealed to the base 110, for example by heat sealing the foil to the base as described in more detail above, such that the seal encloses the contact lens 138 and packaging solution within the cavity 136 in a sterile environment.

An alternative exemplary method of manufacture/assembly of exemplary contact lens package 100 is shown as

steps

1001B, 1002B, 1003B, 1004B, and 1005. At a first step 1001B, a packaging base 110 is provided, wherein the cavity 136 of the base 110 has the lens support 140 coupled thereto. In this example, the lens support 140 is coupled to the base by a hot rivet welding process as described in more detail above. However, as indicated, other attachment means are possible within the scope of the claims, including for example laser welding, ultrasonic welding, gluing, mechanical clamping, etc. Next, at step 1002B, contact lens 138 is placed onto the lens-facing surface of cover insert 170, in this embodiment, the convex surface of the lens rests on lens-facing surface 168 of cover insert 170. The lens 138 may be placed onto the cap insert by manual or automated means, such as through a lens transfer nozzle. Then, at step 1003B, the cover insert 170 with the contact lens 138 resting thereon is placed onto the lens support 140 in the cavity 136 of the base 110. Next, at step 1004B, sufficient packaging solution is dosed into cavity 136 to completely submerge contact lens 138 within cavity 136, and ideally as full as possible without overflowing the cavity. Finally, at step 1005, the cover 106 is sealed to the base 110, for example by heat sealing the foil to the base as described in more detail above, such that the seal encloses the contact lens 138 and packaging solution within the cavity 136 in a sterile environment.

In some methods of manufacturing/assembling contact lens packages within the scope of the present invention, the provision of the packaging solution to the cavities may be performed in multiple doses at different steps of the assembly process, rather than all at once as described in the exemplary methods above. For example, in embodiments where the lens is placed on the lens support (e.g., step 1001A above), it may be advantageous to pre-dose a small amount of the packaging solution onto the lens support prior to placing the lens on the lens support such that the lens is secured to the lens under the surface tension of the solution. When filling the cavity, it may also be advantageous to dispense a dose of the packaging solution, such as, for example, by dispensing a dose of about 2080 μ Ι _, into two substantially equally sized doses, such as at steps (1001B and 1004B) above.

The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that many specific details are not required in order to practice the embodiments. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching.

The summary and abstract sections may set forth one or more, but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventors, and are therefore not intended to limit the invention and the appended claims in any way.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general nature of the invention that others can, by applying knowledge within the skill of the art, readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments without undue experimentation, without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments, based on the teaching and guidance presented herein. It is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, such that the terminology or phraseology of the present specification is to be interpreted by the skilled artisan in light of the teachings and guidance.

The packages of the present invention can be made using known materials and processes. The packaging material may be solar heated, recyclable or a combination thereof. The volume within the package cavity may vary depending on the design selected.

Not all of the features described herein need be incorporated into each package, and those skilled in the art, using the teachings herein, combine these features to provide various improved contact lens packages. In summary, the contact lens packages of the present invention include several novel functions that can be combined in various combinations as described herein to provide desired improvements and/or one-touch packages. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A contact lens package, comprising:

a cover;

a base, the base comprising:

a cavity containing a contact lens and a packaging solution; and

a lever configured to articulate along a pivot axis in the base when a force is applied to the lever; and

a lens support intersecting the pivot axis such that the force applied to the lever causes the lens support to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution to a position on the lens support that is transferable by a user in one touch.

2. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lever is a discrete component coupled to the base by an attachment means.

3. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is defined by at least one void in the base.

4. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is applied to the base by one or more of: creases, cuts, fine lines, and etching.

5. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the base is comprised of a relatively rigid material.

6. The contact lens package of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a film and the base comprises a plastic material.

7. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the base and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

8. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lever and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

9. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lens support is coupled to the base by at least one of: i) Laser welding; ii) heating; iii) Ultrasonic welding; and iv) a binder.

10. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the base comprises at least one finger engagement feature configured to i) assist a user in gripping the package or i) direct the application of force such that the lever articulates downward.

11. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a protrusion in the base at a distal end of the package.

12. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises an overhang along at least a portion of the perimeter of the package.

13. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the at least one finger-engaging feature comprises a pocket sized to receive a finger or thumb of the user, wherein the pocket is positioned at an end of the base proximate the user.

14. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a proximal finger engagement feature positioned at an end of the base proximal to the user and a distal finger engagement feature positioned at an end of the base distal to the user.

15. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the cover comprises a lens-facing surface that extends downwardly into the cavity above the contact lens when the package is in an unopened state.

16. The contact lens package of claim 15, wherein the lens-facing surface and lens support are configured within the cavity such that the optical zone of the contact lens is suspended in the packaging solution between the lens-facing surface and lens support when the package is in an unopened state.

17. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the cavity contains the contact lens in a convex position when the package is in an unopened or unsealed state.

18. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lens support has a profile that does not substantially match a profile of the contact lens.

19. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein a wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30mm when the package is in an unsealed state ² Less than about 25mm ² Or less than about 20mm ² 。

20. The contact lens package of claim 1, comprising at least one lens-facing surface in the cavity above the convex surface of the contact lens, wherein the at least one lens-facing surface is configured to align the contact lens on the lens support when the package is in an unopened state; or to protect the contact lens from significant optical damage caused by gravity, mechanical or air-induced forces.

21. The contact lens package of claim 20, wherein the at least one lens-facing surface is disposed on a cover insert, wherein the cover insert is attached to an inner surface of the cover.

22. The contact lens package of claim 21, wherein the cover insert comprises at least one alignment feature.

23. The contact lens package of claim 21, wherein the lid insert comprises at least one locking feature.

24. A contact lens package containing a contact lens and a packaging solution, wherein the package is configured to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution when the package is squeezed by a user.

25. The contact lens package of claim 24, wherein the package comprises a lever configured to hinge along a pivot axis in a base of the package when a force is applied to the lever; and a lens support configured such that the force applied to the lever causes the lens support to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution.

26. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the package is configured such that the force applied to the lever causes the lens support to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution to a position on the lens support that is transferable by the user with one touch.

27. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the lever is a discrete component coupled to the base by an attachment device.

28. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the pivot axis is defined by at least one void in the base.

29. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the pivot axis is applied to the base by one or more of: creases, cuts, fine lines, and etching.

30. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the base is comprised of a relatively rigid material.

31. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the base and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

32. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the lever and the lens support are a single, integral component.

33. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the lens support is coupled to the base by at least one of: i) Laser welding; ii) heating; iii) Ultrasonic welding; and iv) a binder.

34. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the base comprises at least one finger engagement feature configured to i) assist a user in gripping the package or i) direct the application of force such that the lever articulates downward.

35. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a protrusion in the base at a distal end of the package.

36. The contact lens package of claim 35, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises an overhang along at least a portion of the perimeter of the package.

37. The contact lens package of claim 35, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a pocket sized to receive a finger or thumb of the user, wherein the pocket is positioned at an end of the base proximate to the user.

38. The contact lens package of claim 35, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a proximal finger engagement feature positioned at an end of the base proximal to the user and a distal finger engagement feature positioned at an end of the base distal to the user.

39. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the cover of the package comprises a lens-facing surface that extends downward into the cavity above the contact lens when the package is in an unopened state.

40. The contact lens package of claim 39, wherein the lens-facing surface and lens support are configured within the cavity such that the optical zone of the contact lens is suspended in the packaging solution between the lens-facing surface and lens support when the package is in an unopened state.

41. The contact lens package of claim 24, wherein the package contains the contact lens in a convex position when the package is in an unopened or unsealed state.

42. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the lens support has a profile that does not substantially match a profile of the contact lens.

43. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30mm when the package is in an unsealed state ² Less than about 25mm ² Or less than about 20mm ² 。

44. The contact lens package of claim 25, comprising at least one lens-facing surface in the cavity above the convex surface of the contact lens, wherein the at least one lens-facing surface is configured to align the contact lens on the lens support when the package is in an unopened state; or to protect the contact lens from significant optical damage caused by gravity, mechanical or air-induced forces.

45. The contact lens package of claim 25, comprising a cover insert, wherein the cover insert is attached to an inner surface of the cover.

46. The contact lens package of claim 45, wherein the cover insert comprises at least one alignment feature.

47. The contact lens package of claim 45, wherein the cover insert comprises at least one locking feature.

48. A method of operating a package comprising a contact lens in a packaging solution, the method comprising:

unsealing the lid of the package;

squeezing the package, wherein squeezing the package causes a lens support to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution; and

transferring the contact lens from the lens support to the eye of a user.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the squeezing comprises the user's hand applying a force at an opposite end of the package.

50. The method of claim 49, wherein the opposite ends of the package are distal and proximal ends of the package relative to the user.

51. The method of claim 49, wherein the opposite ends of the package are left and right sides of the package relative to the user.

52. The method of claim 48, wherein the lid comprises a foil and the unsealing comprises peeling the foil from at least a portion of the package.

53. The method of claim 48, wherein causing the lens support to lift the contact lens creates a lift angle between about 15 ° and 60 ° relative to a horizontal plane defined by the package top.

54. The method of claim 48, further comprising transferring the contact lens from the lens support to the user's hand, wherein transferring the lens comprises tapping a convex surface of the contact lens, such that the tapping causes the contact lens to release from the lens support and adhere to the user's fingers.

55. A method of manufacturing a package comprising a contact lens in a packaging solution, the method comprising:

placing a contact lens on a lens support;

inserting the lens support into a cavity of a base of the package;

placing an insert comprising a lens-facing surface onto the contact lens;

dosing the cavity with a packaging solution; and

sealing the lid to the base, wherein the seal surrounds the contact lens and the packaging solution within the cavity in an aseptic environment.

56. The method of claim 55, wherein placing the contact lens on the lens support occurs after the step of embedding the lens support into the cavity of the base.

57. The method of claim 55, wherein placing the contact lens onto the lens support comprises placing the concave surface of the contact lens onto the lens support.

58. The method of claim 55, further comprising the step of dosing the lens support with a packaging solution prior to placing the contact lens onto the lens support.

59. A method of manufacturing a package comprising a contact lens in a packaging solution, the method comprising:

providing a package base comprising a cavity having a lens support coupled thereto;

placing a contact lens onto a lens-facing surface of a cover insert;

embedding the lens-facing surface on which the contact lens rests onto the lens support in the cavity of the base;

dosing the cavity with a packaging solution; and

60. The method of claim 59, wherein placing the contact lens onto the lens-facing surface of the cover insert comprises placing the convex surface of the contact lens onto the lens-facing surface.

61. The method of claim 55, further comprising aligning the cover insert within the cavity of the base, wherein the aligning comprises translating the cover insert over an alignment feature in the cavity of the base.

62. The method of claim 55, further comprising aligning the cover insert within the cavity of the base, wherein the aligning comprises translating the cover insert over an alignment feature in the cavity of the base.

63. The method of claim 55, further comprising locking the cover insert within the cavity of the base, wherein the locking comprises applying pressure to the cover insert sufficient to cause a protrusion on one side of the cover insert to be secured to a sidewall of the cavity by friction.