FR2551891A1 - Device for cleaning and preserving hydrophylic contact lenses using suitable solutions - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device enabling contact lenses to be cleaned and preserved using suitable solutions, limiting manual operations which are exacting and septic. It consists of a case 1 having two small reservoirs 2 communicating with each other at their base via a straight narrow channel 9 tangential to them. A hemispherical radial grid 3 remains locked in place at the bottom of each reservoir. Each reservoir is closed by screwing a rigid annular cap 10 which applies a membrane 11 made from elastic material to the opening of the reservoir. After having filled the reservoirs with the suitable solution, positioned each contact lens 8 in each reservoir and hermetically sealed the reservoirs by screwing the caps 10, the user, by alternately imparting finger pressure on the elastic membrane 11, enables the contact lenses to be cleaned by forming a circular liquid-like flow in each reservoir. The device according to the invention is particularly intended for cleaning and preserving hydrophylic contact lenses.

Description

 The present invention relates to a device for cleaning and preserving hydrophilic contact lenses with suitable solutions.

 The cleaning of hydrophilic soft contact lenses with appropriate solutions before their installation in their storage bowl is traditionally carried out by demanding manual manipulation increasing the risk of harm or contamination of contact lenses.

 The device according to the invention overcomes these drawbacks.

 I1 in fact comprises a housing having two small identical vertical cylindrical tanks with a flat bottom communicating with each other at their base by a small rectilinear channel which is tangent to them. A thin circular radial grid, hemispherical in shape concave upwards, remains blocked at the bottom of each tank. This radial grid has a dozen concentric spokes profiled in a propeller blade whose beveled end is in perfect continuity with the vertical internal face of the tank. Furthermore, the grid is pierced in its center with a small orifice and present on the underside , opposite its central orifice, three equidistant pins resting on the bottom of the tank. Each of the two tanks is closed by screwing a rigid annular capsule applying a circular elastic membrane to the opening of the tank. In the most common form of use of the device, the user first fills the reservoirs;: up to a level determined by the appropriate solution which may not be distilled water, physiological saline, a solution of cleaning soaking, a dissolving solution of proteins. Secondly, after having taken your eyes off the contact lenses, he positions each of them in each reservoir and thirdly he seals the reservoirs by screwing on the capsules. With the case closed, the user alternately prints digital pressure on the elastic membrane of each capsule.

The digital pressure thus exerted on the elastic membrane has the effect of increasing the pressure prevailing in the underlying reservoir and therefore tends to discharge part of the liquid contained in this first reservoir into the second reservoir, through the channel tangent to the said tanks. The linear liquid flow thus created in the channel is transformed as soon as it enters the second reservoir into a circular liquid flow parallel to the circular wall of said reservoir.

Said circular fluid flow, by imparting a circular movement through the radial grid to the contact lens, allows the cleaning of the latter by detachment and centrifugal elimination of its n foreign articulations through the grid, in the bottom of the tank. The operation thus renewed from one reservoir to another for a few seconds allows the cleaning of the contact lenses inside the case itself, considerably limiting the risks of loss or contamination of the latter. In addition, the housing provides the function of soaking or storing contact lenses.

 According to a preferred embodiment, the elastic membrane integrated into the capsule has a planar upper face adhering at its periphery to the capsule and a lower face comprising a perinherical circular bead ensuring the role of seal when the capsule is screwed onto the tank. In addition, the underside of the elastic membrane has, inside the bead, a convex nozzle defining a hemispherical air chamber communicating outside by an orifice pierced in the center of said nozzle. This convex tip is optionally intended to serve as a temporary external support for the contact lens, the capsule being turned outside of the housing. The central orifice is intended to facilitate the gripping of the lens by the user; in fact, a digital pressure exerted on the external part of the membrane has the result of expelling the air contained in the hemispherical chamber through the central orifice of the endpiece, and thus allows easy detachment of the lens deposited on said endpiece.

 An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of indication and in no way limitative with reference to the accompanying drawings.

 Figure 1 shows a longitudinal section of the open device, capsules removed.

 Figure 2 shows a horizontal section of the device passing through the channel tangent to the reservoirs.

 Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the capsule with the membrane.

 The device represented in FIG. 1 comprises a bolt bowl (1) having dimensions of the order of 6 centimeters for the length, 2, 5 centimeters for the height and 4.5 centimeters for the width.

The upper side of the housing has two holes of approximately 2 centi
s meters in diameter and 2 centimeters deep serving as tanks (2) surmounted by a threaded circular rim. Each reservoir (2) contains a grid (3) with a circular outer contour of the same diameter as the reservoir. This upwardly concave hemispherical grid has a dozen concentric spokes (4), the end (5) of which is bevelled so that it is in perfect continuity with the vertical internal face of the reservoir. Said grid being pierced in its center with an orifice (6) of about 3 millimeters in diameter and having on its underside, opposite its central orifice, three spikes (7) equidistant about 1 millimeter in height resting on the bottom of the tank (2). The contact lenses (8) are positioned on the grids (3). Each reservoir can be closed by screwing a rigid annular capsule (10) applying a membrane of elastic material (îî) to the opening of the reservoir. The elastic membrane has on its lower face a peripheral circular bead (12) and a convex endpiece (13) delimiting a hemispherical air chamber (14) communicating outside by an orifice (15) pierced in the center of said endpiece.

 Figure 3 shows a bottom view of the capsule with the membrane.

 In FIG. 2 representing a horizontal cover of the device, the reservoirs (2) communicate with each other at their base by a channel (9) which is tangent to them.

 The housing and the grid can be produced separately from plastic in a single injection molding operation.

 The elastic membranes adhering to the Deu capsules can be made of rubber.

 The device according to the invention is particularly intended for cleaning hydrophilic contact lenses with suitable solutions such as physiological saline, distilled water, soaking cleaning solution, protein dissolving solution, etc. The device also makes it possible to soak or store contact lenses with suitable solutions.

 It is understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described and shown which is only an example to which modifications can be made without departing from the present invention.

Claims (8)

 REENDICATI0N5  lj Device for cleaning and storing hydrophilic contact lenses with suitable solutions, characterized in that it comprises a housing (1) having two small cylindrical reservoirs (2) containing an appropriate solution and a hemispherical radial grid (3) on which positions the contact lens (8). The reservoirs (2) communicate with each other by a channel (9) and are closed separately by screwing an annular capsule (10) applying an elastic membrane (11) to the opening of the reservoir.  2) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the vertical cylindrical tanks (2) have a flat bottom on which is positioned the grid (3).  3) Device according to claims 1 and 2 characterized in that the grid (3) is circular, of hemispherical shape concave upward having a dozen rays (4) concentric and pierced in its center with an orifice (6).  4) Device according to claims 1, 2, 3 characterized in that the grid supports the contact lens (8) and rests on the bottom of the tank by three pins (7) equidistant.  5) Device according to claim 3 characterized in that ale each radius shaped propeller blade has a beveled end (5) so that it is in perfect continuity with the vertical internal face of the tank.  6) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the two tanks (2) communicate with each other at their base by a channel (9) straight and tangent to said tanks.  7) Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the elastic membrane (11) has on its underside a circular peripheral bead (12) and a convex central nozzle (13) delimiting a hemispherical air chamber (14).  8) Device according to claim 7 characterized in that oue the hemispherical chamber (14) communicates to the outside by an orifice (15) pierced in the center of convex tip (13).