FR2496906A1 - Applicator for contact lenses - has pads to keep eyelid open with two circles and sleeve to apply lens and suction pad applies or removes it - Google Patents

Abstract

The contact lens applicator has a part which keeps the eyelids open and another which places the contact lens on the eye. There are also pneumatic actuators to place the lens on the eye or to remove it. There are two flexible, adhesive, pads which separate under the action of a flexible strip and keep the eyelids open. There are two circular parts, one inside the other, and a sleeve to apply the lens to the eye. A suction grip also fits and removes the lens.

Description

1st ADDITION
AU PATENT FRANCS N 8009559 of April 23, 1980
CONTACT LENS FIXER
'object of the invention relates to optical equipment, ophthalmology, which allows easy handling of contact lenses. Contact lenses are cor -rectors of view in the same way as glasses.

They are generally made of plastic, and of suitable dimensions for direct adaptation to the eye.

The object of the addition consists of improvements and modifications to the French patent
Ne 8009559 of April 23, I980, and more particularly to the device for spacing the eyelids, and to the apparatuses for application or removal of contact lenses.

In the accompanying drawings, given by way of non-limiting exemption from one of the embodiments of the subject of the invention:
Figure I shows a simplified device for spacing the eyelids.

 Figure 2 shows an apparatus for applying contact lens to the eye, seen in profile.

 FIG. 3 is a front view of the device according to FIG. 2.

 Figure 4 shows another pneumatic device for placing or removing the contact lens.

 FIG. 5 represents a device with pneumatic suction cups for placing or removing the contact lens.

 FIG. 6 is an end view of the 3 suction cups of the device according to FIG. 5.

 Figures 7 and 8 are detail views of one of the three suction cups.

 FIG. 9 is a section of the pear of the apparatus according to FIG. 5.

 The device according to Figure I consists of an elastic blade I with two flexible and adhesive beads 2 and 3 fixed slightly offset, at the ends of the elastic blade.

The device is used as follows;
The blade is pinched between the two fingers * according to arrows 4 and 5 in order to bring the two beads 2 and 3 practically into contact, which are applied to the closed eyelids, that is to say here the bead 2 at the edge of the upper eyelid , and the bead 3 at the edge of the lower eyelid, then the pressure of the fingers is released and the elastic blade I resumes its position according to the drawing, opening the eyelids and keeping them open. You can also place the beads between the eyelids in contact with the eye.

 Figures 2 and 3 show, seen in profile and from the front, an apparatus consisting of two circles II and I2 connected together by a rod 13 terminated by a handle I4.

 We moisten the circles II and I2 to lightly adhere the contact lens that we present and that we apply to the eye.

 FIG. 4 represents an apparatus for installing and removing the contact lens. It consists of a nozzle 20, closed by a flexible membrane 26 sensitive to the diameter of the contact lens.

 The end piece 20 is extended by a tube 21 and a bulb 22, provided with a pressure relief valve 23 r kept closed by a spring 24 and which can open under the action of a pressure exerted on the pusher 25.

The operation is as follows:
The membrane is slightly moistened at rest according to 26, and it is presented on the contact lens.

The bulb 22 is slightly crushed while keeping the valve 23 open, then the pusher 25 is released to close the valve, and also the bulb 22 which sucks the membrane 26 in position 27 with the contact glass slightly glued. 'eye, and we press the bulb which pushes the membrane in position 28 and releases the contact lens.

To remove the contact lens from the eye, the operations are essentially the same
Figures 5,6,7,8, and 9 give the assembly and the design details of another device which acts by suction on the edges only of the contact lens and therefore facilitates its removal.

 This device consists of 3 suction cups 30, which is presented according to Figure 6 at the edge of the contact lens. Each of these suction cups 30, according to details in Figures 7 and 8 is mounted on a tube 31, and the three tubes end in a pear 32. with three compartments, or, three elongated and joined pears. according to figure 9> so that, If a suction cup falls; apart from the contact lens, there is always suction on the others.

The operation is as follows:
The pear is crushed, the suction cups are placed on the contact glass 10 and the pear is dropped so that the suction causes the contact glass to adhere to the suction cups.

 The whole is applied to the eye and the pear is crushed to release the contact lens.

 For the extraction of the contact lens from the eye, it is essentially the same operation, but the aspirations being made on the edge, the detachment is facilitated.

 The shapes, dimensions, and arrangements of the various elements may vary within the limit of equivalents, as, moreover, the materials used for their manufacture, without thereby changing the general design of the invention which comes between described.

Claims (5)

 R E V E N D I C A T I O N S  I - Contact lens fixer characterized by a device for keeping the eyelids open, by an apparatus for placing the contact lens on the eye, and by pneumatically operated devices for placing the contact lens on the eye or to extract it, all this being done in a simple and fast way.  2 - Contact lens fixer according to claim I, characterized by two flexible and adhesive beads 2 and 3, which move apart under the action of an elastic blade I, and keep the eyelids open.  3 - Contact lens fixer according to claim 1 * characterized by an apparatus consisting of two circles II and 12> of a handle 14, for applying the contact earth on the eye.  4 - Contact lens fixer according to claim I, characterized by a tip 20, covered with an elastic membrane 26, which can take the concave position 27 or the convex position 28 under the action of a pear 22, to grab the contact lens or to release it.  5 - Contact lens fixer according to claim I, characterized by a device consisting of three suction cups 30, which are applied at the edge of the contact lens, and a bulb 32, which allows the suction cups to grab or release the contact lens.