CN116940509A

CN116940509A - Packaged contact lenses

Info

Publication number: CN116940509A
Application number: CN202280016900.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·J·里韦拉·韦莱兹; J·E·阿拉约恩·里韦拉; J·A·布尔戈斯·克鲁兹; L·思埃文斯·菲圭罗阿
Original assignee: Cooper Optics International Ltd
Current assignee: Cooper Optics International Ltd
Priority date: 2021-07-27
Filing date: 2022-07-20
Publication date: 2023-10-24

Abstract

The invention discloses a hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses. The blister package includes a base member (100) made of a plastic material and a sealing member (103) joined to the base member to form a blister cavity configured to hold an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. The base member (100) has an upper surface (130) and a lower surface (132) and includes a blister well (104) and a handle (106). The handle (106) is provided by a flange extending from the blister well (104). The flange includes a female connection feature and a male connection feature, the female connection feature being located between a perimeter of a blister well (104) and an edge of the flange. The male connection feature is located outside the perimeter of the blister well (104). The female connection features on the base members are configured to interlock with corresponding male connection features on substantially identical base members to mechanically secure the base members to the substantially identical base members to form a base member assembly.

Description

Packaged contact lenses

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a packaged contact lens. More particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a sealed blister package comprising: a base member; and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity configured to hold an unworn contact lens and an aqueous solution.

Background

Soft contact lenses, such as hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses, are stored in aqueous solutions to keep them aqueous and in a usable condition. Contact lenses are typically individually packaged in sealed blister packages. Blister packages provide a sterile and secure environment for unused contact lenses to allow them to be safely transported and stored until needed by the end user. Conventional blister packages include a base member made of a plastic material and a sealing member sealed to the base member to form a blister cavity. Typical blister packages of the prior art have a blister cavity in which unused contact lenses are stored and a handle that can be held between a user's finger and thumb. The blister cavity is typically configured as a well in the base member capable of holding a volume of contact lens packaging solution and the contact lens itself.

Martinez (Martinez) U.S. Pat. No. 4,691,820 discloses a molded blister package for storing and dispensing hydrophilic contact lenses comprising a base portion including a cavity surrounded by a protruding flange and a cover sheet sealed to the flange to enclose the cavity.

EP1752058 discloses a blister package containing a contact lens comprising a base member having a gripping region comprising a curved top surface shaped to accommodate the thumb and a curved bottom surface shaped to accommodate the inner curve of the index finger.

WO2021260353 discloses a blister package for contact lenses comprising a base sheet and a sealing sheet, one of which comprises a bowl and the other comprises a dome.

A blister package is disclosed in US10390593 that includes a thermoplastic base member having a gripping portion, a distal region, a first side region extending from a proximal region to a distal region, a second side region opposite the first side region, and a cavity configured to hold a packaging solution and a contact lens.

JP2006016049 discloses a blister package for a contact lens comprising a container body comprising a hemispherical recessed section, a flange section extending to the outer periphery of the recessed section and a support section.

WO03/039969 discloses a package for contact lenses wherein the total volume of the package and the internal volume of the lens holding cavity in the package are minimized.

The disclosure of US10390593 is regarded as the most recent prior art. In contrast to the disclosure of US10390593, claim 1 of the present invention is characterized in that the base member has female and male connection features, and the female connection features are configured to interlock with corresponding male connection features on substantially identical base members to mechanically fasten the base members to the substantially identical base members to form a base member assembly.

In use, a user typically removes the sealing member from the plastic base member, removes unworn contact lenses, and discards the empty blister package in a dustbin where it is not to be recycled. Each individual plastic base member is too small to be recycled as plastic in a recycling center because plastic recycling processes typically require objects to have dimensions greater than a specified minimum dimension, and if these requirements are not met, the recycling line has steps to remove these smaller objects and will not recycle the objects. This means that even if small pieces of plastic (e.g., individual plastic base members) are made of recyclable plastic, due to their small size, they may not be recycled. The material from which the base member of the blister package is made is recyclable and there is therefore a need to address this issue so that the contact lens package can be recycled in the same manner as larger plastic items.

The technical effect of the female connection feature being configured to interlock with a corresponding male connection feature on a substantially identical base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially identical base member to form a base member assembly is that objects can be formed that are large enough to be recovered at a recovery center. The objective technical problem is how to reduce the environmental impact of the base member disclosed in US 10390593.

Disclosure of Invention

According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a hermetically sealed blister pack having the features set out in claim 1. Preferred but optional features of the hermetically sealed blister pack are set forth in the dependent claims 2 to 12.

The female connection feature and the male connection feature allow multiple base members to be mechanically fastened together to form a base member assembly. A base member assembly may be formed by a user when the user is ready to discard the blister pack. A base member assembly may be formed having the size and weight required for recycling by the recycling center. This allows the base member to be recycled, which reduces the environmental impact of the blister pack, as it will not be discarded and sent to landfill.

As used herein, the term "substantially identical base members" encompasses identical base members as well as base members having differences that are not material to the essence of the present invention.

The blister well may have a concave inner surface depending from an upper surface of the base member and a convex outer surface depending from the lower surface of the base member. The blister well may have a sidewall.

The flange may be planar. The flange may have a thickness of 0.3mm to 1.0 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.4mm to 0.7 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.5 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.55 mm.

The base member may have an outer edge that is symmetrical in plan view about a line extending through the center of the handle and the center of the blister well.

The sealing member may be a laminate structure comprising one or more layers of foil and plastic material. The sealing member may be made of a plastic material. The sealing member may be made of foil. The sealing member may have a thickness from about 50 microns to about 100 microns. The sealing member may be printed with text or numerals. The sealing member may have a thickness of 60 to 70 microns. Suitable materials for the sealing member are available from AMCOR (switzerland). The sealing member may have an area equal to an area of the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area greater than an area of the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area smaller than an area of the top surface of the base member.

The blister well may be hemispherical or substantially hemispherical in shape. The blister well may be irregularly shaped. The blister well may be cylindrical. The blister well has walls, referred to herein as sidewalls. The side wall may include a flattened portion that may be adjacent to the handle. The blister well may have a peripheral edge.

The base member may include two or more stabilizing feet. The base member may include three or more stabilizing feet. The stabilizing feet may extend downwardly from a lower surface of the base member. The stabilizing feet may be vertically aligned with the perimeter of the blister well. The stabilizing feet may extend downwardly from the lower surface of the base member such that they extend as far as possible into the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing foot may extend downwardly from a lower surface of the base member such that it extends further than the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing feet may extend far enough to provide stability to the base member when the base member is placed upright on a flat surface. The stabilizing feet may allow for reduced weight of the blister package while still providing a blister package that is stable when placed upright on a flat surface without requiring the handle formed by the flange to act as a stability support, and while maintaining sufficient structural integrity during shipping and storage to avoid problematic deformation and sufficient structural integrity to properly protect the contact lens.

The base member may include at least two side tabs. The side tabs may be positioned on either side of the blister well, with the side tabs extending downwardly from the upper surface of the base member. The side tabs may have a height of from 2.0mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of from 3.0mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 3.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a length along the upper surface of the flange of 6.0mm to 10.0 mm. The side tabs may have a length along the upper surface of the flange of 7.0mm to 9.00 mm. The side tabs may have a length of 8.0mm along the upper surface of the flange. The side tabs may increase the structural integrity of the base member. The side tabs may reduce the likelihood of problematic deformation of the base member. The side tabs may increase the stability of the base member when the base member is placed upright on a flat surface. The side tabs may provide a gripping area.

The female connection feature may include a hole in a flange of the base member. The aperture in the flange of the base member may be rectangular. The aperture in the flange of the base member may be oval. The aperture in the flange of the base member may be circular. The aperture in the flange of the base member may be keyed. The female connection feature may be located at a greater distance from the perimeter of the blister well than from the perimeter of the handle. The female connection feature may be a hole extending through the flange. The aperture may be positioned closer to the outer edge of the handle than the center of the blister well. The aperture may be located at a distance of 10.0mm to 30.0mm from the center of the blister well. The aperture may be located at a distance of 20.0mm from the center of the blister well. The aperture may be a slot having a width of 0.5mm to 1.5mm. The aperture may be a slot having a width of 1.1mm. The aperture may be a slot having a width of 1.0 mm. The aperture may be a slot having a width of 0.9 mm. The width of the aperture may be a shorter dimension of the slot. The aperture may be a slot having a length of 8.0mm to 12.0 mm. The aperture may have a slot of length 9.0mm to 11.0 mm. The aperture may be a slot having a length of 9.0 mm. The aperture may be a slot having a length of 10.0 mm. The sides or length of the aperture may be parallel to the end of the handle. The length of the aperture may be perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base member. The length of the aperture may be parallel to a longitudinal axis of the base member. The length of the aperture may be between about 5 and about 45 degrees from perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the base member. The female connection feature may be a hole including a notch at an edge of the hole. The hole may include a notch in the longest side of the hole. The recess may be centered along the length of the aperture. The recess may be eccentric along the length of the bore. The recess in the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 0.5mm to 1.5mm. The recess in the edge of the hole may protrude 1.1mm from the hole. The recess in the edge of the hole may have a length of 2.0mm to 3.0 mm. The recess in the edge of the hole may have a length of 2.7 mm. The recess may have a square shape. The recess may have a curved shape. The recess may have an oval shape. The recess may have a circular shape. The female connection feature may include only one hole extending through the flange. The female connection feature may include more than one hole extending through the flange. One or more apertures in the handle may reduce the weight of the base member.

The blister pack may include a contact lens. The contact lens may be a hydrogel contact lens. The contact lens may be a silicone hydrogel contact lens.

The base member may be made of a recyclable thermoplastic material.

The sealing member is hermetically sealed to the base member. The sealing member may be hermetically sealed to the base member at a sealing region. The sealing region may be substantially annular when viewed in top plan view. The sealing region may be located on the base member. The sealing region may not be annular when viewed from a top plan view (i.e., from above). The sealing region may have an apex adjacent to the handle of the base member. As used herein, a vertex is understood to be a portion of a geometric shape having the sharpest turn relative to the rest of the shape. For example, the vertex may be a point where two or more line segments intersect. However, if the line segment is curved, it can be appreciated that the intersection points can be blended in such a way that there is a region having a radius less than a portion of the line segment away from the vertex. The sealing region having an apex reduces the separation force required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region. If a lower separation force is required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region, the base member can have reduced structural integrity (i.e., be less robust (and can thus be made lighter)) without reducing the protection provided by the blister package to the contact lens.

The sealing region may have a width of from 1.0mm to 4.0 mm. The sealing region may have a width of from 1.0mm to 2.5 mm. The sealing region may have a width of 2.0 mm. The sealing region may have a width of 1.0 mm. The sealing region may have a width of 1.7 mm. The reduced width of the sealing area may improve the ease of opening the blister pack while maintaining a seal.

The blister well may hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution of 0.4mL to 1.6 mL. The blister well can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution of 0.6mL to 1.4 mL. The blister well can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution of 0.8mL to 1.2 mL. The blister well may hold a volume of 0.6mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister well may hold a volume of 0.7mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister well may hold a volume of 0.8mL of contact lens packaging solution. The base member may have a length from 40.0mm to 50.0mm and a width from 25.0mm to 35.0 mm. The base member may have a length of from 40.0mm to 50.0 mm. The base member may have a length of from 43.0mm to 47.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 46.0 mm. The base member may have a length of 46.31 mm. The base member may have a width of 25.0mm to 35.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 27.0mm to 33.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 28.0mm to 30.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 29.0 mm. The base member may have a weight of 2.25g or less. The base member may have a weight of 1.0g or less. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.90 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.80 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight of from 0.40g to 0.72 g. In an example, the base member has a weight of 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight of 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight of less than 0.65 g. The reduction in weight of the blister pack allows for further reduction of the environmental impact of the blister pack by reducing the amount of fossil fuel required to transport the blister pack.

The blister well may have a depth of 5.0mm to 8.0mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.0mm to 7.0mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.0mm at its centre. The blister well may have a depth of 6.7mm at its centre.

The flange of the base member may have a thickness that is no greater than a thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness of no more than 95% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness of no more than 90% of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member may have a thickness of no more than 85% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well.

The sidewall of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.3mm to 1.0 mm. The sidewall of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.5mm to 0.7 mm. The sidewall of the blister well may have a thickness of 0.6 mm. If the side walls of the blister well are too thin, evaporation can occur through the plastic, which results in a change in packaging solution, possibly causing the contact lens to dry out and become unusable. The blister well sidewall thickness may allow for a weight reduction of the blister package while still being thick enough to avoid any evaporation of the contact lens packaging solution. Which enables the lens to remain hydrated prior to use by the contact lens wearer.

The blister well side walls may facilitate retention of the base component in a base component carrier of a heat sealing system or machine. It will be appreciated that a slot may be provided in the base member carrier to receive one or more side walls to provide a physical fit between the base member and the base member carrier to ensure that the upper surface of the base member remains stable and parallel to the surface of the heat seal die that is pressed against the sealing member on top of the upper surface of the base member to seal the sealing member to the base member.

The flange of the base member may have a thickness of from 50,000psi.mm ² To 150,000psi.mm ² Is a part of the stiffness of the steel sheet. The flange of the base member may have a thickness of from 60,000psi.mm ² To 90,000psi.mm ² Is a part of the stiffness of the steel sheet. The base member material may have a flex modulus of 230,000psi to 276,000psi. The stiffness of the base member of the present invention is calculated by multiplying the flexural modulus of the base member material by the square of the thickness (in mm) of the flange. The flexural modulus can be measured using conventional equipment such as that provided by Instron, inc. (Instron), norwood, mass., USA, or it can be provided by the plastic manufacturer as part of the plastic technical data. The flexural modulus can be used as determined by the ISO 178 test method.

The flange includes a male connection feature. The male connection feature may include a clip, or a barb, or a combination thereof. The male connection feature may comprise a latch. The latch may be configured to interlock with the female connection feature. The male connection feature may be a protrusion. The male connection feature may be a protrusion on an outer edge of the handle. The male connection feature may be located at a gripping portion of the base member. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.0mm to 11.0 mm. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.8 mm. The protrusion may extend from the edge of the base member 2.0mm to 3.0mm. The protrusion may extend 2.3mm from the edge of the base member. Inserting the male connection feature of one base member into the female connection feature of a second substantially identical base member may join the two base members together in a particular orientation and prevent removal of the male connection feature from the female connection feature.

The male connection feature may include a keyed protrusion. The keyed protrusions may be configured to fit within recesses of corresponding female connection features on a substantially identical second base member. The key protrusion and the recess may be configured such that when the key protrusion is inserted into the recess of a second base member, the second base member is oriented in a particular manner relative to the base member. The male connection feature may be a protrusion comprising a tab. The male connection feature may be a rectangular protrusion having tabs extending from sides thereof such that the protrusion is keyed. The male connection feature may be a rectangular protrusion with a tab extending from a lateral center thereof. The tab may be positioned off-center along the side of the rectangle. The tab may extend downwardly from an upper surface of the flange. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.0mm to 3.0mm. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.2mm to 2.4 mm. The tab may have a length of 2.3mm along the flange. The tab may have a height of 1.0mm to 6.0 mm. The tab may have a height of 1.75 mm. The male connection feature may include a protrusion extending downward along the entire width of the end of the handle. The tabs are sized and configured to fit in female connection features of substantially identical base members. The male connection feature is latchable to the female connection feature of the substantially identical base member to mechanically fasten the base member to the substantially identical base member. The female connection feature may be a hole in the flange. The female connection feature may include a recess in the bore in the flange. The male connection feature on the base member is configured to interlock with a corresponding female connection feature on a substantially identical base member. This means that a plurality of base components can be attached together, for example, to form a base component assembly or base component recycling unit, which means that the base components can be accepted for recycling in a recycling center.

The female connection feature may be a concave inner surface of the second well. The male connection feature may be a convex outer surface of the second well. The male connection feature may be a protrusion on a convex outer surface of the second well. The female connection feature may be interlocked with a corresponding male connection feature on substantially the same base member by an interference fit between the male connection feature and the female connection feature.

The base member may include three stabilizing feet. The base member may include four stabilizing feet. The base member may include five stabilizing feet. The base member may include three stabilizing feet positioned approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The base member may include four stabilizing feet positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The stabilizing foot may include a planar lower edge. The stabilizing foot may include a rounded lower edge. The stabilizing foot may include a curved lower edge.

When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than one point of contact with the surface. When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than two points of contact with the surface.

When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than three points of contact with the surface. When the base member is placed upright on a flat surface, it may have more than four points of contact with the surface. Multiple points of contact between the base member and the flat surface may allow forces exerted by the surface on the base member to be distributed across the base member. This may reduce the required stiffness in any individual region of the base member (e.g., the blister well), which may allow for a reduction in the weight of the material used to manufacture the base member. The weight of the material used to manufacture the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection to the contact lens.

According to an embodiment of the invention, when the lower surface of the first base member is placed against the lower surface of the second base member, there may be more than one contact point between the base members according to the same embodiment. There may be more than two points of contact between the base members. There may be more than three points of contact between the base members. There may be more than four points of contact between the base members. The plurality of contact points between the base members may allow forces exerted by the second base member on the first base member to be distributed across the first base member and vice versa. This may reduce the stiffness required for any individual region of the base member, such as the blister well. The reduction in required stiffness may allow for a reduction in the weight of the material used to make the base member. The weight of the material used to manufacture the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection to the contact lens during storage and transport.

The blister well may be reinforced by support ribs. The blister well may be reinforced by two or more supports. The blister well may be reinforced by three or more supports. The blister well may be reinforced by a support such that the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well may be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide proper protection to a contact lens.

The blister well may have a peripheral edge. The perimeter of the blister well may be enclosed on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region.

The male connection feature may be a barb configured to be inserted into the female connection feature of the second base member from a first direction. The female connection feature of the second base member may be configured to prevent the barb from backing out in a second direction opposite the first direction.

The male connection feature can include a first end defining a barb and a second end defining a barb. The first barb and the second barb may be configured to be inserted into a female connection feature of a second base member from a first direction and the female connection feature of the second base member may be configured to prevent the first barb and the second barb from backing out in a second direction opposite the first direction.

As will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, the base member may be manufactured by injection molding a plastic material into a suitably shaped base member cavity of a conventional injection molding machine.

According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a base member assembly as claimed in claim 13. Thus, the base member assembly includes a plurality of base members, wherein the base members are made of a plastic material and have an upper surface and a lower surface and include a blister well and a handle. The handle is provided by a flange extending from the blister well. The flange includes female connection features and male connection features. The female connection feature is located between a perimeter of the blister well and an edge of the flange. The male connection feature is located outside the perimeter of the blister well. The female connection feature on the base member is configured to interlock with a corresponding male connection feature on a substantially identical base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially identical base member to form a base member assembly. The base member assemblies include base members that are each mechanically connected to one or more other base members in the assembly, with each mechanical connection being located between the female connection feature on one of the base members and a corresponding male connection feature on the other of the base members. The base member assembly may comprise at least 14 base members. The base member assembly may comprise at least 16 base members. The base member assembly may comprise at least 20 base members. The base member assembly may have a height of at least 15 cm. The base member assembly may have a height of at least 20 cm.

According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to claim 14 as set forth below.

The step of sealing a sealing member to a sealing region of the base member may be performed by pressing a foil laminated sealing member against a plastic base member under heat to melt together the foil laminated plastic layer and the sealing region of the base member. The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing region may be performed at a temperature of 210 degrees celsius to 240 degrees celsius. The step of sealing a sealing member to the sealing region may be accomplished using a heated die that presses the sealing member against the flange of the base member at a pressure of 25PSI to 60 PSI. The heated mold may press the sealing member against the flange for a time of 100ms to 1100 ms.

Desirably, the sealing region provides a sufficient seal between the base member and the sealing member to withstand the separation forces that occur during the contact lens autoclaving process, and is also relatively easy for a person to peel apart using a person's fingers. If a lower separation force is required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region, the base member can be made lighter without reducing the protection provided by the blister package to the contact lens.

For example, the sealing region may be configured to provide an average separation force of less than 15 newtons (N). In some embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of from about 4N to about 14N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of from about 6N to about 11N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of from about 8N to about 10N.

Peel strength can be measured using an INSTRON model 5943 machine. For these measurements, the pull angle was set at 45 degrees. The machine's load cell was calibrated prior to testing the peel strength. Typically, the operating instructions are set by the manufacturer.

The sealing configuration may be adjusted by controlling the temperature of the heat sealing head surface of the sealing member that is pressed against the top surface of the base member, controlling the pressure that the sealing head applies to the sealing member, or controlling the time that the sealing head applies to the sealing member, or a combination thereof, as described above.

According to a fourth aspect, the present invention provides a method of recycling sealed blister packs comprising: removing the sealing member from the base member; removing the contact lens from the blister well; removing the liquid contact lens packaging solution from the blister well; a base member assembly is formed by interlocking the female connection feature on the base member with a corresponding male connection feature on a substantially identical base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially identical base member. The method may also include the step of mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 14 base members fastened together to form a base member recovery unit. The method may alternatively include the step of mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 20 base members fastened together to form a base member recovery unit. The method may further include the step of mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form a base member recovery unit having a height of at least 15 cm. The method may further include the step of mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form a base member recovery unit having a height of at least 20 cm. The method may also include the step of placing the base member recovery unit in a recovery vessel. This may allow the base component to be recycled because the base component recycling unit has a volume large enough to be recycled.

Of course, it should be appreciated that features described with respect to one aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention. For example, the method of the present invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the present invention and vice versa.

Drawings

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which:

fig. 1A shows a perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of a contact lens package including a base member and a sealing member according to a first embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2A shows a top view of the base member of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2B shows a top view of the female connection feature of the base member of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along line A-A of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the base member of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the assembly of base members of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 5B is a side view of the assembly of the base members of FIG. 1A;

fig. 6 shows a step of a method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment of the present invention;

fig. 7 shows a step of a method of recycling contact lens blister packages in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 8A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 8B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8C shows a perspective view of the base member assembly of the base member of FIG. 8A;

FIG. 8D shows a side view of the base member assembly of the base member of FIG. 8A;

fig. 9A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 9A;

FIG. 9C shows a perspective view of an assembly of the base members of FIG. 9A;

fig. 10A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 10A;

FIG. 10C shows a side view of the base member assembly of the base member of FIG. 10A;

fig. 11A shows a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 11A;

FIG. 11C shows a side view of the pair of base members of FIG. 11A; and

Fig. 12 shows a top view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

In an example embodiment of the invention, the base member is a recyclable plastic material. The base member includes a blister well and a handle. The base member may include a stabilizing foot and side tabs. The base member includes a lower surface designed to face downward during use and an upper surface designed to face upward during use, such as when the aqueous contact lens is presented to a person for removal from the blister package using the blister package. The blister well extends downwardly from an upper surface of the base member having a concave inner surface and projects downwardly from a lower surface of the base member having an opposite convex outer surface. The blister well may have a peripheral edge. The perimeter of the blister well may be where the concave inner surface of the blister well intersects the planar upper surface of the base member. The perimeter of the capsule well may be enclosed on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region. This sealing area in use is the area where the base member of the blister pack is hermetically sealed to the sealing member of the blister pack. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well to the edge of the base member. At the first end of the base member, the flange may extend to a curved edge at a constant distance from the perimeter of the blister well. At the second end of the base member, the flange may extend farther than at the first end and form a handle adapted to be held between the thumb and finger of a user when in use. The flange includes female connection features and male connection features. The female connection feature is located between the perimeter of the blister well and the edge of the flange. The male connection feature is located outside the perimeter of the blister well. The blister well is sized to hold a contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. A plurality of stabilizing feet may extend downwardly from the lower surface of the flange about the convex outer surface of the blister well. The stabilizing feet may allow the base member to be placed with the lower surface of the base member contacting the surface without tilting when in use. The side tabs may extend downwardly from the edges of the flange on either side of the blister well, and thus there may be side tabs that extend symmetrically on either side of a line extending centrally from a first end of the base member to a second end of the base member, wherein the line passes through the centre point of the blister well. The female connection feature may be a hole extending through the flange of the base member. The male connection feature may be located at an end of the handle of the base member. The male connection feature may be a protrusion at the end of the handle. The protrusion may include a tab extending downwardly from a lower surface of the flange of the base member.

The contact lenses contained in the blister pack are preferably soft contact lenses. Soft contact lenses can be hydrogel contact lenses because they have an Equilibrium Water Content (EWC) from 10% to 90%. Preferably, the soft contact lens is a silicone hydrogel contact lens (i.e., a hydrogel contact lens comprising polymer units derived from at least one silicon-containing chemical).

A first example embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to fig. 1A to 5B. Fig. 1A shows a base member 100 formed from a thermoplastic layer. The base member 100 has a weight of 0.72 g. The base member 100 is made of a recyclable plastic material. The base member 100 has a length of 46.31mm at its longest point and a width of 29mm at its widest point. The base member 100 includes a blister well 104 and a handle 106. The capsule well 104 is sized to accommodate a contact lens. The blister well 104 has a sidewall 105 (fig. 3). The blister well 104 has a peripheral edge 101. The peripheral edge 101 is generally circular spaced from the linear portion 154. The handle 106 provides a gripping portion configured to be held between the thumb and finger of a user. Fig. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base member 100.

The base member has a lower surface 132 and an upper surface 130. The lower surface 132 and the upper surface 130 intersect at an edge 134 that extends around the boundary of the base member.

The blister well 104 is formed as a well in the upper surface 130 of the thermoplastic layer that extends downward to form a concave inner surface. The thickness of the sidewall 105 of the blister well 104 is 0.6mm, i.e. the distance between the upper surface 130 of the base member 100 and the lower surface 132 of the base member in the region of the blister well 104 is 0.6mm. The depth of the blister well 104 is 6mm at its maximum point. The blister well 104 is sized to hold a maximum of 1.6mL of contact lens packaging solution.

Fig. 1B shows a base member 100 and a sealing member 103. Wherein the sealing member 103 is joined to the base member 100 at a sealing region 102, the sealing region 102 is shown in dashed lines to indicate that it is located between the sealing member 103 and the base member 100 and not directly visible from above. The sealing region 102 is used to hermetically seal the base member 100 to the sealing member 103 to form a blister cavity. The sealing area 102 has a width of 1.5 mm. Fig. 2A shows a top view of the base member 100. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 104 to the boundary of the base member 100. At the first end 138 of the base member, the flange extends to form a curved edge at a distance of 5mm from the perimeter of the blister well 104. At the second end 136 of the base member, the flange extends farther out to form a generally planar handle 106, which may serve as a gripping portion. Along the width of the base member 100, a flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 104 to form two flat edges 140 at the boundary of the base member 100. The flat edge 140 has a length of 8 mm. The distance between the flat edges 140 is 29mm.

Two side tabs 122 (one of which is visible in fig. 1A) extend downwardly from the lower surface 132 (fig. 3) of the base member 100 from an area adjacent the flat edge 140. The side tabs 122 have a height of 4mm and a length of 8 mm. These side tabs increase the structural integrity of the base member 100 and serve to provide a gripable portion for a user to pinch between his fingers and thumb when lifting the base member 100. The side tabs 122 also serve to stabilize the base member 100 when the base member 100 is placed upright on a flat surface.

The thickness of handle 106 is 0.55mm. At a distance of 8.0mm from the second end 136 of the base member 100, there is a hole 110 extending through the thickness of the flange. The aperture 110 is a female connection feature. Fig. 2B shows the shape of the isolated female connection feature. The aperture 110 is a slot that is substantially rectangular in shape having a length 142 of 10.5mm and a width 143 of 1mm. The aperture 110 has a recess 146 on one side that extends a portion of the long side of the slot facing the second end 136 of the base member. The recess 146 has a length of 2.7mm and protrudes 1.1mm from the slot. As shown in fig. 2A, at the distal end of handle 106 (at second end 136 of base member 100), handle 106 includes a protrusion 150 extending 2.3mm from the edge of base member 100. The protrusions 150 are male connection features. When viewed from above (as in fig. 2A), the protrusion 150 has a linear outer edge 152. The linear outer edge 152 has a length of 9.8 mm. There is a tab 124 extending downwardly from a flat outer edge 152 of the projection 150 (fig. 3 and 4).

The tab 124 has a length of 2.3mm and extends 1.75mm downwardly from the upper surface of the base member 100. Three stabilizing feet 116 a-c extend downwardly from the lower surface 132 of the base member 100 and are vertically aligned with the perimeter 101 of the blister well on the upper surface 130 of the base member 100. Three feet 116 a-c are disposed about the convex outer surface of the blister well 104. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, one of the stabilizing feet 116a is positioned such that it is centered between the width of the base member 100. The second foot 116b and the third foot 116c are shown in fig. 4 and are disposed on either side of a centerline extending along the length of the base member 100 from the first end 138 to the second end 136. The center points of the three feet 116 a-c are positioned approximately 120 degrees apart about an axis extending vertically downward through the center of the blister well.

Fig. 5A and 5B show how 14 base members 100 according to the present embodiment are joined together by inserting the protrusions 150 of one base member 100 into the holes 110 of another base member 100, with tabs 124 for holding each protrusion inside the holes 110 of each base member. The tab 124 has an inward facing surface 121, as shown in fig. 5B. The inwardly facing surface 121 of the tab 124 presses against an area of the flange adjacent to the aperture 110 of the other base member 100, thereby preventing the base members 100 from separating. Each base member 100 is joined to at least one other base member 100 at an approximately 90 degree angle. The base members 100 in the assembly are joined in such a way that one half of the base members 100 are parallel to each other and the other half is joined at a 90 degree angle to the first half.

In a method 200 of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment shown in fig. 6, a contact lens blister package 202 according to the first aspect of the present invention is provided. The contact lens is placed 204 into the blister well of the thermoplastic base member of the blister package. A volume of the liquid contact lens packaging solution is placed 206 into the blister well of the thermoplastic base member. The sealing member is sealed to the sealing region 208 of the thermoplastic base member. The method optionally includes the step 210 of autoclaving the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and packaging solution.

Fig. 7 shows a step of a method 300 of recycling contact lens blister packages of the present invention according to a third embodiment. The method comprises the following steps. The sealing member 312 is removed from the thermoplastic base member. The contact lens 314 is removed from the blister well. The liquid contact lens packaging solution 316 is removed from the blister well in the thermoplastic base member. In step 318, the thermoplastic base member is mechanically fastened to the substantially identical thermoplastic base member by interlocking female connection features on the thermoplastic base member with corresponding male connection features on the substantially identical thermoplastic base member to form a base member assembly. The thermoplastic base members interlock with the substantially identical thermoplastic base members by inserting the protrusions of the thermoplastic base members into the apertures of the substantially identical thermoplastic base members such that the tabs are aligned with the notches in the apertures. The two base members together form a base member assembly 320. The method optionally includes a step 322 of mechanically fastening additional thermoplastic base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly including at least 30 thermoplastic base members coupled together to form a base member recovery unit. The method optionally includes a step 324 of placing the base member recovery unit in a recovery container.

Another example embodiment of the invention (fig. 8A-8D) is similar to the first example embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. The base member 400 includes a blister well 404 and a handle 406. The capsule well 404 has a perimeter 401. The peripheral edge 401 is enclosed by a sealing area 402. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 404 to the boundary of the base member. At one end of the base member, the flange extends to form a handle 406. The base member 400 has an aperture 410 extending through the thickness of the handle 406. The aperture 410 is a female connection feature. The aperture 410 is a slot that is substantially rectangular in shape. The aperture 410 has an inner side wall 433. The aperture 410 has a length 442 of 10.5mm and a width 440 of 1.0 mm. The long sides of the aperture 410 are parallel to a centerline extending along the length of the base member 400. The aperture 410 has a recess 446 on one side that extends a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. The recess 446 is eccentric along the length of the rectangle, which makes the aperture 410 look key-shaped. The recess has a length of 2.7mm and protrudes 1.1mm from the slot. There is a region 431 adjacent to the flange of the aperture 410 on the upper surface of the base member 400. There is a region 429 (fig. 8B) adjacent to the flange of the aperture 410 on the lower surface of the base member 400. On either side of aperture 410, base member 400 has two larger apertures 456a and 456b. The apertures 456a and 456b reduce the amount of material and thus the weight of the base member 400 required to manufacture. At the end of the handle 406 furthest from the blister well 404, the handle includes a protrusion 425 (fig. 8B-8D). The protrusion 425 is a male connection feature. Fig. 8B shows this protrusion 425 from the lower surface of the base member 400. The protrusion 425 has a lower surface 437 parallel to the lower surface of the base member 400. Lip 441 (fig. 8C and 8D) is parallel to the upper surface of base member 400. There is a curved portion 439 (fig. 8B) between the lower surface 437 of the projection 425 and the lip 441 of the projection 425. The protrusion includes a surface 443 facing away from the base member 400 in the plane of the flange (as shown in fig. 8C). Surface 443 is perpendicular to lip 441. The projection 425 includes a tab 424 aligned with a recess 446 in the aperture 410 on the second substantially identical base member. The tab 424 extends away from the lip 441 in a direction perpendicular to the upper surface of the base member 400. The protrusion 425 is shaped such that it can be slotted through the aperture 410 of the second base member 400b (fig. 8C). The protrusion 425 is shaped such that the first base member 400a can be placed perpendicular to the second base member 400b with the protrusion 425 positioned in the aperture 410. In this position, the lip 441 of the first base member 400a is proximate to the side wall 433 of the aperture 410 of the second base member 400B (see fig. 8A and 8B). Tab 424 of first base member 400a is aligned with recess 446 (see fig. 8A) of second base member 400 b. The surface 443 perpendicular to the lip of the first base member 400a is immediately adjacent to the region 431 adjacent to the flange of the aperture 410 of the second base member 400b (fig. 8A).

Once the protrusions 425 of the first base member 400a are aligned with the holes 410 of the second base member 400b, the first base member 400a can be rotated 90 degrees such that the flange of the first base member 400 is parallel to the flange of the second base member 400b, as shown in fig. 8D. In this position, the lip 441 of the first base member 400a applies pressure to a region 429 (fig. 8B) adjacent to the flange of the aperture 410 on the lower surface of the second base member 400B. The lip 441 of the first base member 400a serves to prevent the projection 425 of the first base member 400a from exiting the aperture 410 of the second base member 400 b. Tab 424 of first base member 400a is aligned with notch 446 (fig. 8A) of second base member 400 b. Thus, the act of rotating the first base member 400a 90 degrees relative to the second base member 400b can lock the two base members together.

Another example embodiment of the invention (fig. 9A-9C) is similar to the first example embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. The base member 500 includes a blister well 504 and a handle 506. The blister well has a peripheral edge 501 where the concave inner surface of the well 504 intersects the upper surface of the base member. The perimeter 501 of the capsule well 502 is enclosed by a sealing area 502. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 504 to the boundary of the base member 500. At one end of the base member 500, the flange extends to form a handle 506. The base member 500 has an aperture 510 extending through the thickness of the handle 506. The aperture 510 is a female connection feature. The aperture 510 is a slot that is rectangular in shape. The aperture 510 has a length 542 of 10.5mm and a width 540 of 1.0 mm. The long sides of the aperture 510 are perpendicular to a centerline extending along the length of the base member 500. At the end of the handle 506 furthest from the well 504, the handle contains a protrusion 550 extending in the plane of the flange. The protrusions 550 are symmetrical about a centerline extending along the length of the base member 500. The protrusion 550 has a pair of hooks 551 positioned on either side of the centerline. The hook 551 has a surface 535 facing the blister well in the plane of the flange.

Fig. 9B shows a lower surface of the base member 500. The hook 551 has a diagonally facing outer surface 523 facing away from the base member 500 in the plane of the flange. There is an indent 525 between the widest point of the hook 551 and the rest of the flange of the base member 500. At the end of the protrusion 550 furthest from the well 504 there is a tab 524 extending downwardly from the lower surface. The protrusion 550 and tab 524 are male connection features. The tab 524 includes an outward end of the projection 521 of the base member in a plane facing away from the flange. The tab 524 includes an inward facing surface 527, which is shown in fig. 9C. According to this embodiment, the protrusions 550 and tabs 524 are shaped to enable slots to be inserted through the apertures 510 of the second substantially identical base member 500. The aperture 510 is surrounded by a region 529 of the lower surface of the flange. The aperture 510 is surrounded by a region 531 (fig. 9A) of the upper surface of the flange. The aperture 510 is defined by an inner sidewall 533 (fig. 9B) of the flange. To insert the protrusion 550 and tab 524 into the aperture 510 of the second base member, the user must apply pressure between the diagonally facing outer surface 523 of the hook and the region 531 (fig. 9A) surrounding the aperture 510 on the upper surface of the flange. This will also exert pressure between the end of the projection 521 and the region 531 surrounding the aperture 510 on the upper surface of the flange. The diagonally facing outer surface 523 and the ends of the protrusions 521 will flex slightly under pressure allowing the surface to pass through the aperture 510.

As shown in fig. 9C, once the protrusion 550 has been slotted through the aperture 510 of the other base member 500, the tab 524 and the hook 551 serve to prevent the protrusion 550 from exiting the aperture 510. The inward facing surface 527 of the tab 524 abuts an area 529 of the lower surface of the flange surrounding the aperture 510, which prevents the protrusion 550 from exiting the aperture 510. The indentation 525 of the flange of one base member is immediately adjacent the inner sidewall of the aperture 533 (fig. 9B). The surface 535 (fig. 9A) of the hook facing the blister well of the first base member presses against the flange surrounding the aperture on the lower surface of the base member 529 and prevents the protrusion 550 from escaping from the aperture 510. Once the male connection feature (in this embodiment, the protrusion 550) of one base component has been mechanically fastened to the female connection feature (in this embodiment, the hole 510) of the second base component, the male connection feature of the second base component may be mechanically fastened to the female connection feature of the third base component. This may be repeated to form an assembly of base members 500. Fig. 9C shows how 8 base members 500 according to the present embodiment are joined together by inserting the protrusions 550 of one base member 500 into the holes 510 in another base member 500, with tabs 524 and hooks 551 for holding each protrusion inside the holes 510 of each base member 500. Each base member 500 is joined to at least one other base member 500 at an approximately 90 degree angle. The base members 500 in the assembly are joined in such a way that one half of the base members 500 are parallel to each other and the other half is joined at a 90 degree angle to the first half.

Another example embodiment of the invention (fig. 10A-10C) is similar to the first example embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. The base member 600 includes a blister well 604 and a handle 606. Where the concave inner surface of the well 604 intersects the upper surface of the base member 600, the blister well has a perimeter 601. The perimeter 601 of the capsule well is enclosed by a sealing area 602. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 604 to the boundary of the base member 600. At one end of the base member 600, the flange extends out to form a handle 606. The base member 600 has a second well 611 extending downwardly from the upper surface of the handle 606 to form a concave upper surface and downwardly from the lower surface of the handle 606 to form a convex lower surface. The concave upper surface of the second well 611 is a female connection feature. Fig. 10A shows a concave upper surface of the second well 611. Fig. 10B shows a lower surface of the base member 600. A protrusion 612 extends downwardly from the convex lower surface of the second well 611. Protrusion 612 is a male connection feature. The protrusion 612 is shaped to be able to be pushed into the second well 611 of the other base member 600 according to the present embodiment and then held there by an interference fit. Fig. 10C shows how the protrusion 612 of the first base member 600 is slotted into the second well 611 of the second base member 600. The interference fit between the protrusions 612 and the second well 611 holds the two base members 600 together. This may be repeated to form an assembly of base members 600.

Another example embodiment of the invention (fig. 11A-11C) is similar to the first example embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. The base member 800 includes a blister well 804 and a handle 806. Where the concave inner surface of the well 804 intersects the upper surface of the base member 800, the blister well has a perimeter 801. The perimeter 801 of the capsule well is enclosed by a sealing area 802. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 804 to the boundary of the base member 800. The flange extends from the perimeter of the blister well 804 to a curved edge 821 that is substantially equidistant from the perimeter of the blister well 801 all the way around the well 804. A flange extends from the curved edge 821 to form a handle 806 on one side of the base member. Handle 806 is planar with sealing region 802. Four protrusions 860 extend downwardly from the upper surface of the flange at approximately 90 degree intervals about an axis extending perpendicularly through the center of the blister well 804. The protrusion 860 is a male connection feature. Fig. 11B shows a protrusion 860 extending downward from the upper surface of the base member 800. The end of the projection 860 furthest from the upper surface of the base member 800 is hooked. Fig. 11C shows that when the well 804 of one base member 800 is slotted into the well 804 of a second base member 800 according to the present example embodiment, the protrusions 860 fit over the curved edge 821 of the second base member in a slightly tortuous region 861. Region 861 is a female connection feature. The hooks of the protrusions 860 serve to hold the protrusions in place and to engage the two base members 800 together. This may be repeated to form an assembly of base members.

Another example embodiment of the invention (fig. 12) is similar to the first example embodiment of the invention but has some alternative features. The base member 900 includes a blister well 904 and a handle 906. The base member 900 has a hole 910 extending through the thickness of the handle 906. Hole 910 is a female connection feature. The aperture is a slot that is substantially rectangular in shape. The holes have a length 942 of 10.5mm and a width 940 of 1.0 mm. The long side of the aperture 910 is perpendicular to a centerline extending along the length of the base member. The hole 910 has a notch 946 centrally located along the width of the base member that extends a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. The recess has a length of 2.7mm and protrudes 1.1mm from the slot. The handle 906 includes a protrusion 950 extending in the plane of the flange. Protrusion 950 is a male connection feature.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the invention is applicable to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

If in the foregoing description integers or elements having known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the true scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. The reader will also appreciate that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it should be understood that while such optional integers or features may be beneficial in some embodiments of the invention, they may not be desired in other embodiments and thus may not be present.

Claims

1. A hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the blister package comprises a base member made of a plastic material, and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity configured to hold an unworn contact lens and contact lens packaging solution;

the base member having an upper surface and a lower surface and comprising a blister well and a handle provided by a flange extending from the blister well;

it is characterized in that

The flange includes a female connection feature between a perimeter of the blister well and an edge of the flange and a male connection feature outside the perimeter of the blister well;

the female connection feature on the base member is configured to interlock with a corresponding male connection feature on a substantially identical base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially identical base member to form a base member assembly.

2. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of claim 1, wherein the base member has a weight of from 0.4g to 0.72 g.

3. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein the female connection feature comprises a hole in the flange of the base member.

4. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein the female connection feature is a hole comprising a notch at an edge of the hole.

5. The hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens of any preceding claim, wherein the female connection feature is located at a greater distance from the perimeter of the blister well than from the perimeter of the handle.

6. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein the male connection feature comprises a clip, or barb, or a combination thereof.

7. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein insertion of the male connection feature of one base member into the female connection feature of a second substantially identical base member engages the two base members together in a particular orientation and prevents removal of the male connection feature from the female connection feature.

8. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein the male connection feature comprises a keyed protrusion, wherein the keyed protrusion is configured to fit within a recess of a corresponding female connection feature on a substantially identical second base member, wherein the keyed protrusion and the recess are configured such that when the keyed protrusion is inserted into a recess of a second base member, the second base member is oriented in a particular manner relative to the base member.

9. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any one of claims 1 and 2, wherein the female connection feature is a concave inner surface of a second well and the male connection feature is a convex outer surface of the second well, and the female connection feature interlocks with a corresponding male connection feature on substantially the same base member by an interference fit between the male connection feature and the female connection feature.

10. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses of any preceding claim, wherein the blister well has a perimeter, the perimeter of the blister well being enclosed on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing area.

11. The hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens of any preceding claim, wherein the base member additionally comprises three or more stabilizing feet extending downwardly from the lower surface of the base member and vertically aligned with the peripheral edge of the blister well.

12. The hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens of any preceding claim, wherein the base member includes at least two side tabs positioned on either side of the blister well, wherein the side tabs extend downwardly from the upper surface of the base member.

13. A base member assembly comprising a plurality of base members from the blister package of any of the preceding claims, wherein each base member is mechanically connected to one or more other base members in the assembly, wherein each mechanical connection is located between the female connection feature on one of the base members and a corresponding male connection feature on the other of the base members.

14. The base member assembly of claim 13 wherein the base member assembly comprises at least 14 of the base members.

15. The base member assembly of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the base member assembly has a height of at least 15 cm.

16. A method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens, comprising:

providing a base member for a blister package of a contact lens according to any of the preceding claims;

placing a contact lens in the blister well of the base member;

placing a volume of a liquid contact lens packaging solution in the blister well of the base member;

sealing a sealing member to the sealing region of the base member; and

The sealed contact lens blister package is autoclaved to sterilize the contact lens and the packaging solution.

17. A method of recycling the sealed blister package for contact lenses of any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising:

removing the sealing member from the base member;

removing the contact lens from the blister well;

removing the liquid contact lens packaging solution from the blister well;

a base member assembly is formed by interlocking the female connection feature on the base member with a corresponding male connection feature on a substantially identical base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially identical base member.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form a base member recovery unit comprising at least 14 base members; the base member recovery unit is placed in a recovery container.

19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, further comprising mechanically fastening additional base members to the base member assembly to form a base member recovery unit having a height of at least 15 cm; and

The base member recovery unit is placed in a recovery container.