EP2576357A1 - Procédés et systèmes de conditionnement de lentilles de contact - Google Patents
Procédés et systèmes de conditionnement de lentilles de contactInfo
- Publication number
- EP2576357A1 EP2576357A1 EP10852622.9A EP10852622A EP2576357A1 EP 2576357 A1 EP2576357 A1 EP 2576357A1 EP 10852622 A EP10852622 A EP 10852622A EP 2576357 A1 EP2576357 A1 EP 2576357A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- contact lens
- customer
- stock
- product
- printing
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B25/00—Packaging other articles presenting special problems
- B65B25/008—Packaging other articles presenting special problems packaging of contact lenses
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B61/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
- B65B61/26—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for marking or coding completed packages
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2203/00—Decoration means, markings, information elements, contents indicators
- B65D2203/02—Labels
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65D—CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES
- B65D2585/00—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials
- B65D2585/54—Containers, packaging elements or packages specially adapted for particular articles or materials for articles of special shape not otherwise provided for
- B65D2585/545—Contact lenses
Definitions
- the present disclosure is directed to methods of producing packaged contact lenses and related systems, as well as contact lens packages produced with the present methods and systems.
- Some contact lens manufacturers supply their contact lenses to private label contact lens companies that market the contact lenses so supplied under their own brand, or market contact lenses under different trade names in different countries or regions.
- Many contact lenses are provided by contact lens manufacturers in plastic contact lens blister packages, which include a relatively rigid plastic base member having a cavity containing an unworn contact lens in a contact lens packaging solution, and a relatively more flexible sealing foil attached to the plastic base member to seal the unworn contact lens and packaging liquid in the cav ity.
- Multiple contact lens blister packages are then provided in a box or carton. Boxes of packaged contact lenses produced for a private label contact lens company or a particular market include generic unlabeled exterior surfaces to which an adhesive label is applied, and the adhesive label has information specific for the private label contact lens company or the market printed thereon.
- the customer-specific information or indicia can comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of information specific to a private label contact lens company, or information specific to a particular country or marketing region, or combinations thereof.
- a method of producing packaged contact lenses comprises providing a stock product.
- the stock product comprises a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package (e.g., a primar package), and a printing surface.
- the method also comprises directing the stock product to a labeling station.
- the stock product is directed through the labeling station to produce a customer-tailored labeled product comprising printed customer-specific indicia directly on the stock product printing surface.
- a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer is used to print the printing surface with ink.
- the ink is ultrav iolet (UV) curable
- the printed surface is exposed to UV radiation to cure the ink on the printing surface.
- the stock product directed through the labeling station may be one or more contact lens primary packages, such as a single sealed contact lens blister package, or an array of a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages: or the stock product may be one or more contact lens secondary packages, such as cartons containing a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages, or the stock product may be one or more contact lens tertiary packages containing a plurality of contact lens secondary packages containing sealed contact lens blister packages.
- the customer-specific indicia may be provided on the stock product before sterilization of the stock product or after sterilization of the stock product, or both.
- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a stock product, which is an unsealed contact lens blister package (primary package) containing a contact lens.
- a stock product which is an unsealed contact lens blister package (primary package) containing a contact lens.
- FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a stock product, which is a sealed contact lens blister package similar to that of FIG. 1 .
- FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a stock product, which is an array of a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages, each blister package containing a single contact lens.
- FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a stock product which is an assembled carton
- FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an illustration of an inventory of a plurality of stock products, which is in this figure, a plurality of the stock products of FIG. 4.
- FIG. 6 is an illustration of a labeling station through which a stock product is directed to produce a customer-tailored labeled product.
- FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a customer-tailored product, which is a sealed contact lens blister package similar to FIG. 2, but bearing customer-specific indicia.
- FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a customer-tailored product which is an array of a plural ity of sealed contact lens blister package similar to FIG. 3, but bearing customer- specific indicia.
- FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a customer-tailored product, which is an assembled carton (secondary package) containing a plural ity of sealed contact lens packages similar to FIG. 4, but bearing customer-specific indicia.
- FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an example of the present methods.
- New methods and systems for producing packaged contact lenses are described herein. Unlike existing methods, with the present methods and systems, new- contact lens packages containing contact lenses are produced, and it is possible to simplify inventor ⁇ requirements in a contact lens manu facturing environment, which can provide significant benefits in the manufacture of private label contact lens products, among other things.
- a stock product can be understood to be a single sealed contact lens blister package: multiple sealed contact lens blister packages coupled together, such as an array of contact lens bl ister packages: or an assembled carton containing one or more sealed contact lens blister packages: or an assembled box containing one or more assembled cartons containing one or more sealed contact lens blister packages.
- the stock product can be understood to be a sealed glass vial containing a contact lens, an assembled carton containing one or more sealed glass vials containing contact lenses, or an assembled box containing one or more assembled cartons containing one or more sealed glass vials containing contact lenses.
- a stock product is an apparatus that comprises an unworn contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package.
- the stock product can be a contact lens primary package (e.g., a single sealed blister package, or an array of a plurality of sealed blister packages) or a contact lens secondary package (e.g.. a carton containin a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages).
- the stock product can be a contact lens tertiary package (e.g., a carton containing one or more contact lens secondary packages).
- the present methods and systems are effective in providing customer-specific information on fully assembled stock products, such as on sealed contact lens blister packages or assembled cartons containing sealed contact lens blister packages.
- FIG. 1 illustrates an unsealed contact lens blister package, which is a component of a stock product 10.
- the stock product 10 comprises a base member 1 1.
- the base member 1 1 has a cavity 13 dimensioned to retain an unworn contact lens 12 in a contact lens packaging solution (not il lustrated).
- the base member 1 1 also has a thumb- grippable region 15 suitable for a person to hold the base member 1 1 between a thumb and finger during the removal of a sealing element, or removal of the contact lens 12. or both.
- FIG. 2 illustrates a stock product 10, which is a single sealed contact lens package 14.
- a sealing element or sealing member is disposed over the cavity 13 of the blister package.
- the sealing element provides a printing surface 1 6 to the stock product.
- the stock product 10 may optionally comprise a lot identifier 17 provided on the printing surface 16.
- the lot identifier can be printed on another surface of the stock product, such as, for example, on an exterior surface of the blister package.
- the lot identifier 17 is illustrated as a conventional bar code for purposes of illustration.
- the lot identifier 1 7 can be another type of machine readable tag.
- FIG. 3 illustrates a stock product 20.
- Stock product 20 is an array of a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages 24.
- the stock product 20 has a printing surface 26 provided by a sealing element disposed over the array of contact lens blister packages 24.
- the sealing element is provided as a single sheet that is fixed to the contact lens blister packages.
- a perforation line in the sealing element is provided between two adjacent contact lens blister packages to faci litate separation of one sealed contact lens blister package from the array without disrupting the seal provided by the sealing element.
- the sealing element of the contact lens blister package(s) is typically a laminated sheet that includes a meltable layer to hermetically seal the contact lens and packaging solution in the cavity of the blister package, such that the contact lens and packaging solution can be sterilized by autoclaving without rupturing the seal, and a metal layer.
- the sealing elements may be referred to as sealing foils.
- the array of contact lens blister packages illustrated in FIG. 3 consists of five individual contact lens blister packages, the array of contact lens blister packages described herein can be less than or greater than five blister packages.
- an array of sealed contact lens blister packages can consist of two blister packages, three blister packages, four blister packages, six blister packages, fifteen blister packages, thirty blister packages, or ninety blister packages, among others.
- FIG. 4 illustrates a stock product 30.
- Illustrated stock product 30 is an assembled carton 34 containing a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages.
- the assembled carton 34 may contain two, three, four, five, six, ten, twelve, fifteen, twenty, thirty, or ninety sealed contact lens blister packages, which may be present in one or more arrays, or packaged individually.
- Another stock product 30 may be an assembled carton containing a single sealed contact lens blister package.
- the stock product 30 has a printing surface 36. Printing surface 36 is illustrated as being the top exterior surface of the carton.
- the illustrated stock product 30 has a plurality of printing surfaces, four of which are shown (36. 36a, 36b. and 36c). and two of which are not shown.
- a lot identifier 37 is illustrated on printing surface 36a, and as described above with respect to lot identifier 17, it can comprise machine readable information, or manually readable information, such as text and numbers. Lot identifier 37 is illustrated as a conventional bar code. It is also understood that lot identifier 37 is an optional component of stock product 30. and that if provided, lot identifier 37 can be provided on any of the surfaces of the stock product 30.
- FIG. 5 illustrates an inv entor 40 of stock products.
- the inventory 40 illustrated in FIG. 5 consists of three assembled cartons, as shown in FIG. 4.
- the inventory of stock products can be any number from one to one hundred, to one thousand, or more.
- the inventory can consist of sealed contact lens packages ( primar packages) that are not present in assembled cartons, assembled contact lens cartons (secondary packages), or combinations thereof.
- FIG. 6 i an il lustration of a labeling station 50.
- the label ing station 50 is configured to receive one or more stock products 30 and direct them through the labeling station 50 to produce a customer-tailored labeled product 38.
- a through-path 52 is prov ided in the labeling station.
- the stock products 30 can be directed along the through- path 52 via any suitable mechanism, such as a conveyor system, which may include a conveyor belt or other automated transport assembly.
- One or more product stoppers, separators, or gates may be provided along the conveyor to prov ide time delays to facilitate product separation or product verification, as desired by the contact lens package labeler.
- the in feed portion of the labeling station 50 may include a cleaning dev ice, such as a wiper or brush, or vacuum, to remove debris from the printing surface of the stock product.
- a cleaning dev ice such as a wiper or brush, or vacuum
- the stock products can be manually or automated ly loaded into the in feed portion of the labeling station 50. where the conveyor system can direct the stock products through the labeling station along the through-path 52.
- the labeling station 50 also includes one or more printing devices 54.
- the printing device comprises one or more printing heads which are effective in forming indicia on the printing surface 36 of the stock product 30.
- the printing heads may be stationary and located an appropriate distance from the printing surface 36 in order to satisfactorily form the indicia on the printing surface 36.
- the printing heads may be moveable such that they can move into a suitable printing position to form the indicia on the printing surface.
- the printing heads can by moveable to allow for printing on different ty pes of stock products such as blister packages, cartons or boxes, or to allow for printing on different surfaces of a stock product, such as the different surfaces of a carton or box.
- the printing device(s) 54 may be a laser printer. Or. the printing device(s) 54 may be an ink-jet printer, such as a continuous ink-jet system or a cartridge-based ink-jet system.
- a printing device 54 includes a thermal ink-jet printer.
- the printing device 54 is a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer, or can comprise a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer.
- the printing device(s) 54 may also include a curing or drying element to cure or dry ink applied by an ink-jet printer, or the curing or drying element may be provided within the labeling station as a separate element from the printing device(s) 54 to cure or dry the ink after it is applied to the printing surface.
- the curing element emits ultraviolet (UV) radiation to provide the desired curing.
- a drop-on-demand ink-jet system provided with a UV curing system is used to print the customer-specific indicia on the stock products.
- These printing systems comprise an ink reservoir containing a UV curable ink, an ink chamber hav ing a piezoelectric actuator, and a nozzle.
- Deformation of the piezoelectric actuator causes ink to be ejected from the nozzle to form a droplet targeted toward the printing surface of the stock product.
- solvents are not required, which can help reduce maintenance issues associated with solvent-based systems.
- the drop-on- demand ink-jet system with a UV curing system is used to print customer-specific indicia on a contact lens secondary package, such as an assembled carton comprising a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages.
- a contact lens secondary package such as an assembled carton comprising a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages.
- Such methods may comprise a step of maintaining the printing surface in substantially a single plane so that the desired indicia are properly printed on the printing surface.
- such methods may comprise a step of printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surface of the stock product without damaging the secondary package.
- Such methods may optionally comprise a step of overprinting the customer-specific indicia on the printing surface of the stock product to cover other existing indicia.
- the other existing indicia can comprise a lot identifier, or can com rise other customer-specific indicia.
- Suitable drop-on-demand printing systems useful in the present methods and systems can be obtained from companies, such as Hapa AG (Switzerland), CSAT
- a customer-tailored product 18 may be a single sealed contact lens blister pack comprising customer-specific indicia 19 on the printing surface of the product.
- the customer-specific indicia 19 may comprise text, numbers, graphics, and the like as discussed herein.
- the customer-specific indicia 19 is illustrated as text, for example the tetters "A B C" and the numbers "1 2 3".
- FIG. 8 illustrates a customer-tailored product 28 that comprises a printing surface 26 comprising customer-specific indicia 29 provided thereon.
- the customer-specific indicia 29 is illustrated as the letters "A B C" and the numbers " 1 2 3".
- the customer-specific indicia 29 may span the entire length of the arra of blister packs, and accordingly, cross the perforations in the sealing element between adjacent blister packs, or the customer specific indicia 29 may be limited to dimensions such that the indicia is confined to the printing surface 26 only overlying a single blister pack.
- the customer-specific indicia 29 may also be repeated on the portions of the sealing element overlying the plurality of individual blister packs.
- FIG. 9 illustrates a customer-tailored product 38.
- the customer-tailored product 38 is a carton and comprises a printing surface 36. as described herein.
- Customer- specific indicia is fonned on the printing surface 36 and can comprise text, such as "A B C", numbers; such as " 1 2 3"; graphical images, such as the image of a contact lens illustrated in FIG. 9; or combinations thereof.
- the contact lenses packaged in accordance with the present methods are polymerized from a polymerizable composition of lens form ing ingredients.
- the polymerizable composition can also be understood to be a contact lens formulation.
- lens forming ingredients include hydrophilic monomers, hydrophobic monomers, hydrophilic macromers, hydrophobic macromers, hydrophilic prepolymers, hydrophobic prepolymers, hydrophilic polymers, or hydrophobic polymers, or
- the contact lenses are silicone containing contact lenses, such as silicone hydrogel contact lenses
- the lens forming ingredients can include one or more siloxanes in addition to the other ingredients described above.
- the lens forming ingredients can include one or more siloxanes in addition to the other ingredients described above.
- polymerizable composition used to form the present contact lenses can include cross- linkers, initiators, tinting agents, or UV blocking agents, or any combination thereof.
- hydrogel formin polymerizable compositions include compositions hav ing the following United States Adopted Names (USANs): etafilcon A. nelfilcon A. ocufilcon A, ocufilcon B, ocufilcon C, ocufilcon D. or omafilcon A
- USNs United States Adopted Names
- silicone hy drogel forming polymerizable composition include compositions having the following USANs: acquafilcon A or aquafilcon A, balafilcon A. com 111 con A, en fi Icon A, galyfilcon A.
- Another hydrogel contact lens has a material name of filcon IV 1
- another silicone hydrogel contact lens has a material name of filcon II 3.
- the polymerizable composition is provided in a molding dev ice. If the contact lenses are lathed contact lenses, the polymerizable composition can be placed in a cylindrical mold or can be placed in a mold assembly to form a contact lens blank. If the contact lenses are static cast molded contact lenses, the polymerizable composition can be placed in a contact lens mold assembly having a cavity having a general shape of the contact lens to be obtained therefrom.
- the contact lens mold assembly is an assembly of a front surface mold section and a back surface mold section.
- the front surface mold section has a concave lens form ing surface that will form the front convex surface of the contact lens.
- the back surface mold section has a convex lens forming surface that will form the back concave surface of the contact lens.
- the front surface mold section and the back surface mold section each have an optical quality surface to form an optical quality surface on the contact lens obtained therefrom.
- the front surface mold section and the back surface mold section are placed in contact with each other to define a lens shaped cavity.
- the polymerizable composition can be placed on the concave lens forming surface of the front surface mold section, and the back surface mold section can be placed in contact with the front surface mold section to seal the polymerizable composition in the lens shaped cavity.
- the molds containing the polymerizable composition are exposed to radiation to cause the polymerizable composition to polymerize.
- radiation include heat, v isible light, ultrav iolet light, and the like.
- the polymerized product obtained from the cylindrical mold is in the shape of a rod. which can be formed into one or more shorter segments, some times referred to as lens buttons, or from a mold assembly in the form of a lens blank having one optical quality surface and a latheable opposing surface, which can then be placed on a lathing machine and lathed into a contact lens having a desired optical design.
- the polymerized product obtained from the contact lens mold assembly is substantially in the shape of the final contact lens. e.g.. the polymerized product has a convex optical qualit front surface and a concave optical quality back surface.
- the unworn polymerized contact lens is separated from the molding device, and the unworn polymerized contact lens is placed in a packaging solution in a contact lens package.
- the unworn polymerized contact: lens can be washed to remove lens forming ingredients that have not formed part o the polymeric matrix that forms the lens.
- the washing can include contacting the polymerized contact lens with an aqueous solution, an organic solvent-containing solution, or combinations thereof. The washing can occur in washing stations or in the final contact lens package.
- the polymerized contact lens can be inspected for defects that would make the contact lens unsuitable for placement on an eye of contact lens wearer.
- the contact lens package can be understood to be a "primary package” since it is the device directly containing the contact lens in the packaging solution, and it is the first seal able container in which the contact lens is placed.
- the contact lens package, or primary package can be a glass v ial or it can be a plastic blister pack.
- the contact lens packaging solution containing the unworn contact lens is typically a buffered saline solution, such as a phosphate buffered saline solution or borate buffered saline solution, having
- the contact lens packaging solution can contain one or more surfactants, such as non-ionic surfactants, and the like, as well as wetting agents, lubricity agents, and the like.
- the contact lens package containing the contact lens and the packaging solution is then sealed.
- the package containing the contact lens is sterilized, such as by autoclaving the package, or by exposing the package to ultraviolet radiation.
- the sterilizing step can be performed on batches of contact lens packages or can be performed as an in-line process as part of the manufacturing line used to produce the contact lenses.
- a secondary package is typically a box having a cavity dimensioned to accommodate multiple primary packages, such as six primary packages, fifteen primary packages, thirty primary packages, ninety primary packages, and the like. As discussed herein, other numbers or amounts of primary packages may be provided in the secondary package.
- a secondary package as used herein may also be understood to be a carton.
- a secondary package differs from a primary package in that the secondary package does not have a cavity that is in direct contact with the contact lens packaging solution, the secondary package contains more than one contact lens ( e.g.. more than one contact lens in more than one contact lens primary package), and the contact lenses are packaged in a second step after being placed in a primary package.
- One or more secondary packages are typically placed in a tertiary package, such as a box, so that the tertiary package containing the secondary package(s) can be shipped to a customer, such as a contact lens distributor, contact lens retailer, eye care practitioner, and the like.
- the customer may also be a private label contact lens company, that is a company that does not manufacture contact lenses, but sells contact lenses produced by another contact lens company, such as a contact lens manufacturer, and sells the contact lenses under its own brand.
- indicia are prov ided on the sealed primary package.
- the seal is typically formed with a laminated foil element that is heat pressed to a plastic base member o the contact lens blister package.
- the indicia can be provided on an adhesive label that can be adhered to the laminated foil element, or the indicia can be provided by using a laser to form indicia directly on the laminated foil element (e.g., without an adhesive label), or combinations thereof.
- the indicia provided on the laminated foil element typically includes lot specific information specific to the contact lens contained in the package.
- the indicia prov ided on the laminated foil element can include brand specific information, such as product names, product logos,
- Brand specific information for a particular contact lens manufacturer is frequently pre-printed by a laminated foil supplier and then provided to a contact lens manufacturer.
- the indicia can be in the form of numbers, letters, graphical images, or machine readable code, such as bar codes, or combinations thereof.
- Lot specific indicia can include lot number, contact lens base curve, contact lens diameter, prescriptive power, or expiration date, or combinations thereof.
- Brand specific information, which may be pre-printed on the sealing element can include brand name. logo, contact lens manufacturer information, or a description of package ingredients, or combinations thereof.
- the secondary package frequently includes lot specific information, such as the prescription of the contact lenses contained in the primary packages provided therein, as well as brand specific information, such as product names, product logos, manufacturer names, and the like.
- lot specific information such as the prescription of the contact lenses contained in the primary packages provided therein
- brand specific information such as product names, product logos, manufacturer names, and the like.
- Many contact lens manufacturers provide contact lenses marketed with the contact lens manufacturer's name.
- the brand specific information for a particular contact lens manufacturer is pre-printed on unassembled secondary packages by the secondary package supplier of the contact lens manufacturer.
- the lot specific information is frequently provided on an adhesive label, which is then applied to the assembled secondary package.
- Some contact lens manufacturers provide packaged contact lenses produced by the contact lens manufacturer to a "private label" contact lens company.
- the private label contact lens company prov ides contact lenses manufactured by another company under the private label contact lens company's own brand.
- the secondary package containing one or more primary contact lens packages is a generic package comprising six unlabeiied exterior package surfaces. Frequently, these secondary packages are boxes that have outer exterior surfaces that are a uniform color, for example, secondary packages have outer exterior surfaces that are white.
- These private label secondary packages are prov ided with an adhesive label containing the private label contact lens company's brand specific information.
- the adhesive label is printed with the private label contact lens company product information and after being printed, the label is applied to the exterior surface of the private label secondary package by a contact lens manufacturer prior to delivering the packages to the private label contact lens company.
- the contact lens manufacturer maintains an inventory of private label packaged contact lenses to ful ill orders from the private label contact lens company.
- the method 100 comprises a step of providing 102 a stock product.
- the stock product comprises a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package.
- the stock product also comprises a printing surface.
- the stock product refers to one or more primary contact lens packages, or one or more secondary contact lens packages, as described above.
- the method also comprises a step of directing 104 the stock product to a labeling station. At the labeling station, a customer-tailored labeled product that comprises printed customer-specific indicia directly on the stock product printing surface is produced.
- the stock product is printed on its printing surface or printing surfaces with customer-specific indicia at the labeling station.
- the resulting printed stock product can be understood to be a customer-tailored labeled product because the product now includes labeling information specific to a specific customer.
- a private label contact lens company may request a contact lens manufacturer to provide certain brand
- customer-speci fic indicia is provided directly on a printing surface of the stock product, which is a fully assembled stock product (for example, one or more sealed contact lens blister packages, or one or more assembled cartons). That is, the customer-specific indicia are provided on a surface of the stock product without including an adhesive label on the stock product.
- the stock product may include an adhesive label that contains other indicia, in addition to the customer-specific indicia provided directly on the stock product printing surface.
- a contact lens manufacturer can maintain a single inventory of a single contact lens product that can be provided to multiple different private label contact lens companies.
- the contact lens manufacturer can maintain a single inventory of a packaged contact lens in a generic secondary contact lens package.
- the ordered amount of generic secondary contact lens packages can be directed to the label ing station to be printed with indicia specific to the first private label contact lens company.
- the ordered amount of generic secondary contact lens packages can be directed to the labeling station to be printed with indicia specific to the second private label contact lens company.
- the customer-specific indicia printed on the stock product printing surface can include brand specific in formation, such as product names or brand names, product logos, contact lens manufacturer name or other information, or a description of package ingredients, or combinations thereof.
- the customer-specific indicia can be in the form of numbers, letters, graphical images, or machine readable code, such as bar codes, or combinations thereof.
- lot speci fic indicia on the stock product, such as lot number, contact lens base curve, contact lens diameter, prescriptive power, or expiration date, or combinations thereof.
- the stock product is a single sealed contact lens blister package, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of a sealing member disposed over a cavity containing the contact lens.
- the stock product comprises more than one, that is a plurality, of sealed contact lens blister packages coupled together, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of one seal ing member disposed over each of the contact lens blister packages.
- the sealing member can be a lam inated foil element that is adhered to a plastic base member of the contact lens blister package.
- the stock product is an assembled carton containing a plurality of sealed contact lens packages, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of the carton.
- the carton is understood to be a contact lens secondary package or contact lens tertiary package, as described herein.
- the assembled carton can comprise six exterior surfaces, and a cavity containing the sealed contact lens packages is provided in the interior o the carton.
- each of the six exterior surfaces consists of an unlabel led surface prior to printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surface of the assembled carton.
- one or more exterior surfaces may comprise one or more lot identifiers, and otherwise be unlabel led except for the lot identifier(s).
- two or more exterior surfaces of the carton are printed with customer-specific indicia.
- the assembled carton may comprise pre-printed generic indicia, such as information for regulatory agencies or descriptions of the contents of the carton.
- the printing surface of the assembled carton is varnish-free.
- the customer-specific indicia can be printed on the stock product printing surface prior to sterilization of the contact lens in the stock product, after sterilization of the contact lens in the stock product, or both.
- the customer-tailored labeled product is one or more sealed contact lens blister packages, and the method further comprises sterilizing the customer-tailored labeled product prior to placement in a carton.
- sterilized contact lens primary packages are placed in a carton, and the carton, or secondary package, is printed with customer specific indicia.
- any of the methods described herein may comprise one or more additional steps.
- some methods may further comprise a step of creating an inventory of a plurality of the stock products prior to directing the stock products to the labeling station.
- methods may comprise receiving an order from a customer, such as a private label contact lens company, for an ordered number of customer-tailored labeled products, and directing at least that number of the corresponding stock products to the labeling station to produce the ordered number of customer-tailored labeled products.
- a private label contact lens company may place an order for six thousand contact lenses.
- the contact lens manufacturer receives that order from the private label contact lens company.
- the contact lenses are provided in sets of six contact lens primary packages located in a single secondary contact lens package. Accordingly, one thousand secondary contact lens packages are to be provided by the contact lens manufacturer to the private label contact lens company.
- the contact lens manufacturer directs at least one thousand secondary contact lens packages (e.g., the stock product) to the labeling station.
- the secondary contact lens packages can be obtained from an inventory of secondary contact lens packages, or can be produced based on the customer's order.
- the tertiary packages can be obtained from an inventory of tertiary contact lens packages, or can be produced based on the customer's order. It may be desirable to direct more than the ordered amount of stock products to the labeling station to ensure that at least the ordered amount are printed properly taking into account any errors in printing or further processing of the stock product or subsequently labeled product.
- any of the preceding methods may also comprise a step of printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the stock product printing surface.
- the customer-specific indicia are laser printed on the printing surface of the stock product.
- the customer specific indicia are ink-jet printed directly on the printin surface of the stock product.
- another method may also comprise a step o curing the ink printed on the printing surface by an ink-jet printer.
- the present methods comprise a step of printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product with a drop on demand ink-jet printing apparatus.
- any of the preceding methods may additionally comprise treating the printing surface of the stock product to make the printed indicia appear clearer than on a printin surface that has not been so treated.
- suitable treatments include corona treatments, or plasma treatments, or combinations thereof.
- the method comprises exposing the printing surface to a corona treatment, or a plasma treatment, or both prior to printing the indicia thereon.
- the surface treatment can occur at the labeling station, or can occur at a surface treatment station located "upstream" in the manufacturing line compared to the labeling station.
- the stock product may include a lot identifier
- the methods comprise verifying the lot identifier of the stock product, and selecting the customer-specific indicia to be printed on the printing surface based on the lot identifier information.
- any of the preceding methods may also comprise providing contact lens manufacturer-specific in ormation on the customer-tailored labeled product.
- Examples of such information may include lot information, expiration date, a listing of package ingredients, such as lens material name, lens properties, and ingredients in the contact lens packaging solution, or other regulators information required by regulatory agencies, or combinations thereof.
- the stock product may comprise a plurality of printing surfaces.
- a secondary package may have from one to six printing surfaces.
- examples of the present methods may also comprise a step of rotating the stock product to print the indicia on different printing surfaces.
- indicia may be printed on a first printing surface of the stock product, and then the stock product can be rotated and directed through the labeling station an additional time to print more indicia on a second printing surface of the stock product.
- the labeling station can include a plurality of printin devices oriented at different angles relative to stock products being printed such that indicia can be printed on more than one printing surface at the same time.
- the stock product used in any of the methods may comprise a printing surface that is free of an adhesive label containing customer-speci fic indicia.
- Any of the present methods may also comprise a step of verifying that the customer-specific indicia printed on the printing surface is correct based on a customer's order for the customer-tailored labeled product.
- the verifying can be performed manually, for example by a package inspector, or can be performed in an automated manner by a package inspection machine.
- a plurality of stock products is provided.
- the stock products are cartons containing a plurality of sealed contact lens packages.
- Each sealed contact lens package contains a contact lens in a contact lens packaging solution.
- the stock products can be understood to be secondary packages containing more than one contact lens primary packages.
- the method comprises a step of creating an inventory of the plurality of stock products, in which each of the stock products contains the same type of contact lens in each package of the stock products.
- the method also comprises processing an order received from a first customer of contact lenses, the customer being a contact lens retailer or eye care practitioner.
- the method comprises printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surfaces of the stock products as the stock products pass through the labeling station, and the customer-specific indicia is specific for the first customer.
- the customer-tailored product so produced is packaged in at least one package.
- This at least one package containing the customer- tailored product can be understood to be a tertiary package as described herein.
- the at least one package is shipped to the first customer.
- the method further comprises repeating the processing, printing, packaging, and shipping steps for at least one additional customer that is a contact lens retailer or eye care practitioner, and in which the at least one additional customer has ordered the same type of contact lens but requires different customer-specific indicia than the first customer.
- the customers are private label contact lens companies.
- a plurality of stock products is provided.
- Each stock product is an array of a plural ity of sealed contact lens packages containing contact lenses in a contact lens packaging solution.
- the methods also comprise processing an order received from a first customer of contact lenses, in which the customer is a contact lens retailer.
- Customer- specific indicia are printed on the printing surfaces of the stock products as the stock products pass through the labeling station.
- the customer-specific indicia so printed are specific for the first customer.
- the customer-specific indicia includes information, such as text, logos, and the like, that the first customer has requested or required, such as when the first customer placed the order.
- the customer-tailored labeled products are sterilized, that is, after the indicia are printed on the printing surfaces.
- the sterilized customer-tailored labeled products are then packaged in at least one carton (e.g., the secondary package).
- the at least one carton is then packaged in at least one package (e.g., the tertiary package).
- the customer-tailored labeled products so packaged are than shipped to the first customer.
- the method further includes one or more steps of repeating the processing, printing, packaging, and shipping steps for at least one additional customer that is a contact lens retailer, wherein the at least one additional customer has ordered the same contact lens type but requires different customer-specific indicia than the first customer.
- the method may also comprise a step of directing the at least one carton to a labeling station to produce a customer-tailored product comprising customer-specific indicia directly on a printing surface of the at least one carton, in which the customer-specific indicia is for the first customer.
- the customer-specific indicia required by the first customer are provided both on the primary packages and the secondary packages produced by the methods.
- One example of the present methods employs using a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer device to provide customer-specific indicia on one or more stock products.
- the stock product is selected from an inventory of a plurality of stock products.
- the selected stock product(s) is then directed through the labeling station and is presented to the drop-on-demand printing device.
- the stock product is automatedly scanned and automatical ly matched to the customer's order via an order control system.
- a printer control system contains the customer's pre-defined artwork format templates, which arc based on the customer's desires or requirements.
- the printer control system receives an instruction from the order control system indicating which templates should be printed on the stock product to produce the customer-tailored product. I f a stock keeping unit (SKU) identifier is provided on the stock product, it can be covered or obliterated on the customer- tailored product by passing through the labeling station.
- SKU stock keeping unit
- Another example of the present methods comprises providing a polymerized contact lens in a contact lens packaging solution in a cavity of a contact lens primary package.
- the contact lens primary package is sealed with a sealing element such that the contact lens and packaging solution can be sterilized by autoclav ing the package by exposing it to steam at a temperature of at least 120 degrees C for at least 15 minutes without rupturing the seal.
- the sterilized sealed contact lens primary package can, optionally, then be directed through a labeling station where a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer dispenses a UV curable ink onto a printing surface of the sealed contact lens primary package.
- the printed or un-printed sterilized sealed contact lens package is then placed in a contact lens secondary package that comprises six adhesive-label-free surfaces.
- One or more contact lens secondary packages containing the sterilized sealed contact lens primary packages, are selected from inventory and directed through a labeling station such that a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer prints customer-specific indicia on one or more printing surfaces of the secondary package(s).
- the ink is cured by exposing the ink to UV radiation.
- the customer-tailored contact lens products so produced are then packaged in a tertiary package for delivery to a customer, such as a private label contact lens company.
- Yet another example of the present methods relates to packaging contact lenses and printing customer-specific indicia on a package as part of the packaging process.
- Such a method comprises placing one or more contact lens primary packages (e.g., one or more sealed contact lens blister packages, each containing an individual unworn contact lens in a contact lens packaging solution) in a contact lens secondary package (e.g., a carton) at a cartoning station.
- the placement of the primary packages in the secondary packages can be performed manually; however, it is preferred that it is performed using automated devices.
- the contact lens secondary package receives one or more contact lens primary packages, and the contact lens secondary package is closed or sealed.
- customer-specific indicia can be printed on one or more printing surfaces of the secondary package at the cartoning station.
- the customer-spec i t c indicia is printed on the printing surface or printing surfaces after the secondary package receives the contact lens primary package or packages.
- the customer-specific indicia is printed on the printing surface or surfaces before the secondary package receives the contact lens primary package or packages.
- the contact lens secondary package may be unassembled when it is printed and prior to placement of the contact lens primary package! s) in the assembled secondary package.
- a tertiary package may be printed in an unassembled state at a cartoning station.
- the printing can also include printing other information on the printing surfaces, as described herein.
- the resulting printed secondary packages are ready for packaging and delivery to customers w ithout requiring a step of storing the printed secondary packages in inventory.
- the printing can be accomplished using any of the printing device(s) described herein.
- the printing device includes a drop-on-demand ink-jet printer.
- a method of producing packaged contact lenses can comprise providing a stock product, in which the stock product is at least one sealed contact lens package including a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution.
- the stock product is placed in a contact lens secondary package at a cartoning station.
- the cartoning station is configured to assemble an unassembled contact lens secondary package into an assembled contact lens secondary package.
- the cartoning station comprises a labeling station configured to print customer-specific indicia directly on a printing surface of the contact lens secondary package, as described herein.
- the cartoning station also comprises other conventional components present in existing cartoning stations, as will be understood by persons of ordinary skill in the art.
- the method further comprises providing printed customer-specific indicia on the printing surface of the contact lens secondary package to produce a customer-tailored labeled product, wherein the printed customer-specific indicia is printed on the printing surface prior to placing the stock product in the contact lens secondary package, or after placing the stock product in the contact lens secondary package, or both.
- the stock product can be understood to be one or more sealed contact lens blister packages, as i llustrated in FIG. 2 or FIG. 3, and as described herein.
- the contact lens secondary packages of this example of the methods can be understood to be one or more cartons, as illustrated in FIG. 4 and as described herein.
- the cartoning station can be understood to be a component or station of a contact lens manufacturing line, and for purposes of illustration, can be represented by a cube-like structure similar to the labeling station illustrated in FIG. 6.
- the foregoing method may further comprise receiving an order from a customer for an ordered number of customer-tailored labeled products, and preparing at least that number of customer-tailored labeled products by printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surface or surfaces at the cartoning station.
- the printing may comprise laser printing or ink-jet printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product.
- a method may comprise a step of curing ink printed on the printing surface by an ink-jet printer, which may be done at the cartoning station.
- the printing is performed with a drop-on-demand ink- jet printing apparatus.
- These methods may also comprise treating the printing surface by exposin the printing surface to a corona treatment, a plasma treatment, or a combination thereof, similar to that described above.
- the method can further comprise verifying the lot identifier of the stock product. and selecting the customer-specific indicia to be printed on the printing surface based on the lot identifier information.
- the method can further comprise rotating the contact lens secondar package to print on the different printing surfaces.
- the method may also comprise a step of verifying that the customer-specific indicia printed on the printing surface is correct based on a customer's order for the customer-tailored labeled product.
- the contact lens secondary package is preferably free of an adhesive label containing customer-specific indicia.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Eyeglasses (AREA)
- Packages (AREA)
Abstract
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
PCT/US2010/037468 WO2011152835A1 (fr) | 2010-06-04 | 2010-06-04 | Procédés et systèmes de conditionnement de lentilles de contact |
Publications (2)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
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EP2576357A1 true EP2576357A1 (fr) | 2013-04-10 |
EP2576357A4 EP2576357A4 (fr) | 2014-12-03 |
Family
ID=45067006
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
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EP10852622.9A Withdrawn EP2576357A4 (fr) | 2010-06-04 | 2010-06-04 | Procédés et systèmes de conditionnement de lentilles de contact |
Country Status (2)
Country | Link |
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EP (1) | EP2576357A4 (fr) |
WO (1) | WO2011152835A1 (fr) |
Families Citing this family (1)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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DE102017009081A1 (de) * | 2017-09-27 | 2019-03-28 | Giesecke+Devrient Currency Technology Gmbh | Durchdrückverpackung |
Citations (5)
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US5620087A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1997-04-15 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Printed label structure for packaging arrangements |
EP1125849A2 (fr) * | 2000-02-01 | 2001-08-22 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. | Emballage personnalisé pour produit prescrit, méthode et dispositif pour produire un tel emballage |
US6414693B1 (en) * | 1999-10-12 | 2002-07-02 | The Gem Group, Inc. | System and method for generating computer displays of custom bag designs |
JP2003104322A (ja) * | 2001-09-28 | 2003-04-09 | Tomey Corp | レンズパッケージ包装装置 |
WO2005054084A1 (fr) * | 2003-11-29 | 2005-06-16 | Provis Limited | Emballage et fourniture de lentilles de contact |
Family Cites Families (6)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5823327A (en) * | 1993-11-02 | 1998-10-20 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Packaging arrangement for contact lenses |
US5577367A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1996-11-26 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Apparatus and method for sterilization and secondary packaging |
US5842325A (en) * | 1997-12-11 | 1998-12-01 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Method for labeling packages |
EP1038782A1 (fr) * | 1999-03-22 | 2000-09-27 | The Procter & Gamble Company | Production en continu d'objets solides |
US6472034B1 (en) * | 1999-09-30 | 2002-10-29 | Eastman Kodak Company | Package and method of formation utilizing photographic images |
WO2005001356A1 (fr) * | 2003-06-27 | 2005-01-06 | Bausch & Lomb Incorporated | Dispositif et procede pour le sechage d'emballages |
-
2010
- 2010-06-04 EP EP10852622.9A patent/EP2576357A4/fr not_active Withdrawn
- 2010-06-04 WO PCT/US2010/037468 patent/WO2011152835A1/fr active Application Filing
Patent Citations (5)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US5620087A (en) * | 1994-06-10 | 1997-04-15 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Products, Inc. | Printed label structure for packaging arrangements |
US6414693B1 (en) * | 1999-10-12 | 2002-07-02 | The Gem Group, Inc. | System and method for generating computer displays of custom bag designs |
EP1125849A2 (fr) * | 2000-02-01 | 2001-08-22 | Johnson & Johnson Vision Care, Inc. | Emballage personnalisé pour produit prescrit, méthode et dispositif pour produire un tel emballage |
JP2003104322A (ja) * | 2001-09-28 | 2003-04-09 | Tomey Corp | レンズパッケージ包装装置 |
WO2005054084A1 (fr) * | 2003-11-29 | 2005-06-16 | Provis Limited | Emballage et fourniture de lentilles de contact |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
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See also references of WO2011152835A1 * |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2011152835A1 (fr) | 2011-12-08 |
EP2576357A4 (fr) | 2014-12-03 |
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