JP2024506112A - prepackaged contact lenses - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a contact lens blister package that can be recycled. A blister package includes a base member of plastic material and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity for retaining unworn contact lenses and contact lens packaging solution. The base member has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a blister well and a handle. The handle is provided by a flange extending from the blister well. The flange includes a female coupling feature and a male coupling feature, the female coupling feature being positioned between the periphery of the blister well and the edge of the flange. The male coupling feature is located outside the periphery of the blister well. The female connecting feature on the base member interconnects with the corresponding male connecting feature on the substantially equivalent base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially equivalent base member to assemble the base member. Constructed to form a solid. [Selection diagram] Figure 1A

Description

The present invention relates to prepackaged contact lenses. More specifically, but not exclusively, the invention includes a base member and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to retain an unworn contact lens and an aqueous solution. Concerning sealed blister packages.

Soft contact lenses, such as hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses, are stored in aqueous solutions to keep them hydrated and ready for use. Generally, contact lenses are individually packaged in sealed blister packages. Blister packaging provides a suitable sterile and protective environment for unused contact lenses, allowing these contact lenses to be transported and stored without hindrance until required by the end user. Conventional blister packages include a base member made of plastic material and a sealing member sealed to the base member to form a blister cavity. A typical blister package of the prior art has a blister cavity in which an unused contact lens is stored and a handle that can be held between a user's thumb and fingers. The blister cavity is often configured as a well within the base member, which has the capacity to hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution and the contact lens itself.

No. 4,691,820 to Martinez discloses a method for storing and retrieving hydrophilic contact lenses comprising a base portion including a cavity surrounded by a projecting flange and a cover sheet sealed to the flange and surrounding the cavity. discloses a molded blister package.

European Patent No. 1752058 discloses a contact lens storage blister package that includes a base member that includes a gripping area that includes a curved top surface that is shaped to receive the thumb and a curved bottom surface that is shaped to receive the inner curve of the index finger. Disclosed.

International Patent Application No. 2021260353 discloses a blister package for contact lenses comprising a base sheet and a sealing sheet, one comprising a bowl portion and the other comprising a dome portion.

U.S. Pat. No. 1,039,0593 includes a gripping portion, a distal end region, a first side region extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region, and a second side region opposite the first side region. A blister package is disclosed that includes a thermoplastic base member with side regions and a cavity configured to receive a packaging solution and a contact lens.

JP2006016049 discloses a blister pack for contact lenses that includes a container body with a hemispherical recessed section, a flange section extending to its outer periphery, and a support section.

International Patent Application No. 03/039969 discloses a contact lens package in which the total volume of the package and the internal volume of the lens holding cavity within the package are minimized.

It is to be understood that the disclosure of US Pat. No. 1,039,0593 is current prior art. The features of claim 1 of the invention over the disclosure of US Pat. No. 1,039,0593 provide that the base member has a female connecting feature and a male connecting feature, the female connecting feature having substantially equivalent and is configured to interconnect with corresponding male coupling features on the base member to mechanically secure the base member to a substantially equivalent base member to form a base member assembly.

During use, the user typically removes the sealing member from the plastic base member, removes the unworn contact lenses, and disposes the empty blister packages in the recycling bin, in which case these packages will not be recycled. Become. Plastic recycling processes require objects to have dimensions larger than specified minimum dimensions, and if these requirements are not met, the recycling line has a step to remove these undersized objects. , each individual plastic base member is too small to be recycled as plastic at a recycling center, as they are not meant to be recycled. That is, small pieces of plastic, such as individual plastic base members, cannot be recycled due to their small size, even if they are made of recyclable plastic. The material from which the base member of the blister package is made is recyclable and therefore there is a need to address the above issues so that contact lens packages can be recycled in the same manner as larger plastic articles.

a female connecting feature interconnecting with a corresponding male connecting feature on a substantially equivalent base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially equivalent base member to form a base member assembly; The technical effect of constructing is that objects large enough to be recycled at recycling centers can be formed. The technical problem addressed is how to reduce the environmental impact of the base member disclosed in US Pat. No. 1,039,0593.

U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 European Patent No. 1752058 International Patent Application No. 2021260353 US Patent No. 10390593 Japanese Patent Application No. 2006016049 International Patent Application No. 03/039969

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

The female coupling feature and the male coupling feature enable a plurality of base members to be mechanically secured together to form a base member assembly. The base member assembly can be formed by the user when the user is ready to discard the blister pack. A base member assembly can be formed that is of the size and weight required for recycling by a recycling center. This allows the base components to be recycled, which further reduces the environmental impact of the blister pack as these components are not discarded and sent to landfill.

As used herein, the term "substantially equivalent base members" includes equivalent base members as well as base members having differences that are not material to the subject matter of the invention.

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

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

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

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

The blister well can be hemispherical or substantially hemispherical in shape. Blister wells can be irregularly shaped. The blister well can be cylindrical in shape. Blister wells have walls, referred to herein as sidewalls. The sidewall can include a flat portion that can be adjacent the handle. The blister well can have a periphery.

The base member can include two or more stabilizing legs. The base member can include three or more stabilizing legs. The stabilizing leg can extend downwardly from the lower surface of the base member. The stabilizing legs can be vertically aligned with the periphery of the blister well. The stabilizing leg can extend downwardly from the lower surface of the base member to extend to the farthest extended width of the blister well. The stabilizing leg can extend downwardly from the lower surface of the base member to extend further than the farthest extended width of the blister well. The stabilizing legs can extend far enough to provide stability to the base member when the base member is placed top side up on a flat surface. The stabilizing foot still allows for a blister package that is stable when placed top side up on a flat surface without the need for the handle formed by the flange to act as a stabilizing support. while also maintaining sufficient structural integrity to avoid problematic deformation during transportation and storage, and the weight of the blister package while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to adequately protect the contact lenses. It may be possible to achieve a reduction.

The base member can include at least two side tabs. Side tabs are positionable on opposite sides of the blister well and extend downwardly from the top surface of the base member. The side tabs can have a height of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs can have a height of 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs can have a height of 3.0 mm. The side tabs can have a height of 4.0 mm. The side tabs can have a length along the top surface of the flange from 6.0 mm to 10.0 mm. The side tabs can have a length along the top surface of the flange from 7.0 mm to 9.00 mm. The side tabs can have a length of 8.0 mm along the top surface of the flange. The side tabs can enhance the structural integrity of the base member. The side tabs can reduce the possibility of problematic base member deformation. The side tabs can increase the stability of the base member when placed top side up on a flat surface. The side tabs can provide a gripping area.

The female coupling feature can include a hole in the flange of the base member. The holes in the flange of the base member can be square. The holes in the flange of the base member can be oval shaped. The holes in the flange of the base member can be circular. The holes in the flange of the base member can be key-shaped. The female coupling feature can be located a greater distance from the periphery of the blister well than from the periphery of the handle. The female coupling feature can be a hole extending through the flange. The hole may be located closer to the outer edge of the handle than to the center of the blister well. The holes can be located at a distance of 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The hole can be located at a distance of 20.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The holes can be slots with a width of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The holes may be slots with a width of 1.1 mm. The holes can be slots with a width of 1.0 mm. The holes may be slots with a width of 0.9 mm. The width of the hole can be the shorter dimension of the slot. The holes can be slots having a length of 8.0 mm to 12.0 mm. The holes may be slots having a length of 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 9.0 mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 10.0 mm. The side or length of the hole can be parallel to the end of the handle. The length of the hole can be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base member. The length of the hole can be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the base member. The length of the hole can be between 5 degrees and 45 degrees from perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the base member. The female coupling feature can be a hole including a notch in the edge. The hole can include a notch on its longest side. The notch can be centrally located along the length of the hole. The notch can be located eccentrically along the length of the hole. The notch in the edge of the hole can protrude from 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The notch in the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 1.1 mm. The notch in the edge of the hole can have a length of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The notch in the edge of the hole can have a length of 2.7 mm. The notch can have a square shape. The notch can have a curved shape. The notch can have an elliptical shape. The notch can have a circular shape. The female coupling feature can include only one hole extending through the flange. The female coupling feature can include more than one hole extending through the flange. One or more holes in the handle can reduce the weight of the base member.

The blister package can contain contact lenses. The contact lens can be a hydrogel contact lens. The contact lens can be a silicone hydrogel contact lens.

The base member can be made from a recyclable thermoplastic material.

The sealing member is hermetically sealed to the base member. The sealing member can be hermetically sealed to the base member in the sealing region. The sealing region may be substantially annular when viewed in top plan view. A sealed region can be present on the base member. The sealing region may be non-circular when viewed in top plan view (ie from above). The sealing region can have an apex adjacent the handle of the base member. As used herein, a vertex is to be understood as the portion of a geometric shape that has the most acute turn with respect to the rest of the shape. For example, a vertex can be a point where two or more line segments intersect. However, it should be understood that if multiple line segments are curved, the intersection points can be intermixed so that there is a region with a smaller radius than the portion of the line segment located further away from the vertex. You can do it. A sealing region having an apex reduces the separation force required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region. If only weak separation forces are required to separate the sealing member from the sealing area, the base member may have less structural integrity, i.e., less rigid, without compromising the protection that the blister package provides to the contact lens. (and therefore can be made more lightweight).

The sealed area can have a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The sealing area can have a width of 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm. The sealed area can have a width of 2.0 mm. The sealed area can have a width of 1.0 mm. The sealed area can have a width of 1.7 mm. A smaller width of the sealing area can improve the ease of opening the blister pack while maintaining a hermetic seal.

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

A blister well can have a depth at its center from 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm. A blister well can have a depth of 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm at its center. The blister well can have a depth of 6.0 mm at its center. The blister well can have a depth of 6.7 mm at its center.

The flange of the base member can have a thickness that is less than or equal to the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness that is 95% or less of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness that is 90% or less of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness that is 85% or less of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well.

The sidewalls of the blister well can have a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The side walls of the blister well can have a thickness of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. The side walls of the blister well can have a thickness of 0.6 mm. If the sidewalls of the blister well are too thin, evaporation through the plastic can occur, causing changes in the packaging solution and possibly resulting in the contact lens drying out and becoming unusable. it is conceivable that. The thickness of the blister well sidewalls can allow for a reduction in the weight of the blister package while still having sufficient thickness to avoid evaporation of any of the contact lens packaging solution. This allows the lens to remain hydrated until use by a contact lens wearer.

The blister well sidewalls can facilitate retention of the base member within the base member carrier of a heat sealing system or machine. ensuring that the top surface of the base member remains stable and parallel to the surface of a heat sealing die that is pressed against the top surface of the base member to seal the sealing member to the base member; It will be appreciated that slots may be provided in the base member carrier for receiving one or more side walls to provide a physical fit between the base member and the base member carrier for the purpose of providing a physical fit between the base member and the base member carrier. .

The flange of the base member can have a stiffness from 50,000 psi.mm ² to 150,000 psi.mm ² . The flange of the base member can have a stiffness from 60,000 psi.mm ² to 90,000 psi.mm ² . The flexural modulus of the base member material can be from 230,000 psi to 276,000 psi. The stiffness of the base member is calculated by multiplying the flexural modulus of the base member material by the square of the flange thickness in mm. Flexural modulus can be measured using conventional equipment, such as that supplied by Instron (Norwood, Mass.), or can be provided by the plastics manufacturer as part of their plastics technical data. Flexural modulus can be used as determined by the ISO 178 test method.

The flange includes a male coupling feature. The male coupling feature can include a clip, a barb, or a combination thereof. The male coupling feature can include a latch. The latch can be configured to interconnect with the female coupling feature. The male coupling feature can be a protrusion. The male coupling feature can be a protrusion on the outer end of the handle. The male coupling feature can be positioned on the gripping portion of the base member. The protrusion can have a length along the flange from 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The protrusion can have a length along the flange of 9.8 mm. The protrusion can extend from 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm from the edge of the base member. The protrusion can extend 2.3 mm from the edge of the base member. The two base members are joined together in a particular orientation by inserting the male connecting feature of one base member into the female connecting feature of a second substantially equivalent base member, and the male connecting feature may be prevented from being removed from the female coupling feature.

The male coupling feature can include a keyed protrusion. The keyed projection can be configured to fit into a notch in a corresponding female coupling feature on a substantially equivalent second base member. The keyed projection and the notch are configured such that the second base member is oriented in a particular manner relative to the base member when the keyed projection is inserted into the notch of the second base member. can do. The male coupling feature can be a protrusion including a tab. The male coupling feature may be a square protrusion with tabs extending from its sides so that it appears key-shaped. The male coupling feature can be a square projection having a tab extending from its side through its center. The tabs can be positioned at eccentric locations along the sides of the rectangle. The tab can extend downwardly from the top surface of the flange. The tab can have a length along the flange from 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The tab can have a length along the flange from 2.2 mm to 2.4 mm. The tab can have a length along the flange of 2.3 mm. The tabs can have a height of 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm. The tab can have a height of 1.75mm. The male coupling feature can include a protrusion that extends down the entire width of the end of the handle. The tab can be sized and configured to fit within a female coupling feature of a substantially equivalent base member. The male coupling feature can be hooked over the female coupling feature of a substantially equivalent base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially equivalent base member. The female coupling feature can be a hole in the flange. The female coupling feature can include a notch within the bore in the flange. A male coupling feature on a base member is configured to interconnect with a corresponding female coupling feature on a substantially equivalent base member. This means that a plurality of base parts can be attached to each other to form, for example, a base part assembly or a base part recycling unit, i.e. the base parts can be accepted for recycling at a recycling center. means.

The female coupling feature can be a concave inner surface of the second well. The female coupling feature can be a convex outer surface of the second well. The male coupling feature can be a protrusion on the convex outer surface of the second well. The female coupling feature can be interconnected with a corresponding male coupling feature on a substantially equivalent base member by an interference fit between the male coupling feature and the female coupling feature.

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

The base member can have more than one point of contact with a flat surface when placed top side up on the flat surface. The base member can have more than two points of contact with a flat surface when placed top side up on the flat surface.

The base member can have more than three points of contact with a flat surface when placed top side up on the flat surface. The base member can have more than four points of contact with a flat surface when placed top side up on the flat surface. A plurality of contact points between the base member and the flat surface may enable the force exerted by this surface on the base member to be distributed throughout the base member. This distribution can reduce the stiffness required in any individual region of the base member, such as a blister well, thereby reducing the weight of the material used to make the base member. can be made possible. The weight of the material used to make the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection for contact lenses.

When the lower surface of a first base member is placed facing the lower surface of a second base member according to an embodiment of the invention, there is more than one point of contact between the base members. I can do it. There can be more than two points of contact between the base members. There can be more than three points of contact between the base members. There can be more than four contact points between the base members. The multiple points of contact between the base members can enable the force exerted by the second base member against the first base member to be distributed across the first base member, and vice versa. The same is true. This distribution can reduce the stiffness required by any individual region of the base member, such as a blister well. Reducing the required stiffness can allow the weight of the material used to make the base member to be reduced. The weight of the material used to make the base member can be reduced without compromising the blister package's ability to provide adequate protection to contact lenses during storage and transportation.

The blister well can be reinforced by support ribs. Blister wells can be reinforced by two or more supports. The blister well can be reinforced by three or more supports. The blister well can be reinforced with supports so that the thickness of the sidewalls of the blister well can be reduced without compromising the blister package's ability to provide protection to the contact lens.

The blister well can have a periphery. A periphery of the blister well can be surrounded by a sealing area on the top surface of the base member.

The male coupling feature can be a barb configured to be inserted into the female coupling feature of the second base member from the first direction. The female coupling feature of the second base member can be configured to prevent the barb from exiting in a second direction opposite the first direction.

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

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the base member can be made by injection molding a plastic material into a suitably shaped base member cavity in a conventional injection molding machine.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a base member assembly according to claim 13. In this case, the base member assembly includes a plurality of base members made of a plastic material, having an upper surface and a lower surface, and including a blister well and a handle. The handle is provided by a flange extending from the blister well. The flange includes a female coupling feature and a male coupling feature. The female coupling feature is located between the periphery of the blister well and the edge of the flange. The male coupling feature is located outside the periphery of the blister well. The female connecting feature on the base member interconnects with the corresponding male connecting feature on the substantially equivalent base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially equivalent base member to assemble the base member. Constructed to form a solid. The base member assembly includes a plurality of base members each mechanically coupled to one or more other base members therein, each mechanical coupling being one of the base members. between an overlying female connecting feature and a corresponding male connecting feature on another of the base members. The base member assembly can include at least 14 base members. The base member assembly can include at least 16 base members. The base member assembly can include at least 20 base members. The base member assembly can have a height of at least 15 cm. The base member assembly can have a height of at least 20 cm.

According to a third aspect, the invention is realized as presented below a method for manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to claim 14.

sealing the sealing member to the sealing area of the base member by pressing the foil laminate sealing member against the plastic base member under heat to fuse the plastic layer of the foil laminate and the sealing area of the base member together; be able to. Sealing the sealing member to the sealing region can be performed at a temperature of 210 degrees Celsius to 240 degrees Celsius. Sealing the sealing member to the sealing region may be accomplished by pressing the sealing member against the flange of the base member using a heated die under pressure of 25 PSI to 60 PSI. The heating die can press the sealing member against the flange for a period of from 100ms to 1100ms.

Desirably, the sealing region provides a seal between the base member and the sealing member that is sufficient to withstand the separation forces that occur during the contact lens autoclaving process, and that allows the user to peel away the contact lens using their fingers. Relatively easy to open. If only a weak separation force is required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region, the base member can be made lighter without reducing the protection that the blister package provides to the contact lens.

For example, the sealing region can 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 about 4N to about 14N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 6N to about 11N. In still further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 8N to about 10N.

Peel strength can be measured using an INSTRON Model 5943 testing machine. For the purpose of these measurements, the pull angle is set at 45 degrees. Before testing peel strength, the tester's load cell is calibrated. Operating instructions are generally provided by the manufacturer.

As explained above, the sealing configuration includes controlling the temperature of the surface of the heat sealing head that is pressed against the sealing member on the upper surface of the base member, controlling the pressure when the sealing head is pressed against the sealing member, or by controlling the time that the sealing head is applied to the sealing member, or a combination thereof.

According to a fourth aspect, the invention provides a method for recycling a sealed blister package, comprising the steps of: removing the sealing member from the base member; removing the contact lens from the blister well; removing from the well and securing the base member to the substantially equivalent base member by interconnecting the female connecting feature on the base member with a corresponding male connecting feature on the substantially equivalent base member. forming a base member assembly. The method may further include mechanically securing additional base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 14 base members secured to each other to form a base member recycling unit. can. Alternatively, the method includes mechanically securing additional base members to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 20 base members secured to each other to form a base member recycling unit. can be included. The method can further include mechanically securing an additional base member to the base member assembly to form a base member recycling unit having a height of at least 15 cm. The method may further include mechanically securing an additional base member to the base member assembly to form a base member recycling unit having a height of at least 20 cm. The method can further include placing the base member recycling unit into a recycling bin. Thereby, it may be possible to make it possible for the base part to be recycled as a base part recycling unit to have a sufficient volume to be recycled.

It will, of course, be understood that features described in connection with one aspect of the invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described in relation to the apparatus of the invention, and vice versa.

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

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a contact lens package including a base member and a sealing member according to a first embodiment body of the present invention; FIG. 1B is a top view of the base member shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is a top view of a female coupling feature of the base member shown in FIG. 1A; FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along line AA shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is an end view of the base member shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the base member assembly shown in FIG. 1A; FIG. 1B is a side view of the base member assembly shown in FIG. 1A; FIG. FIG. 4 illustrates steps of a method of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment of the invention. FIG. 7 illustrates steps of a method for recycling contact lens blister packages according to a third embodiment of the invention. FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 8B is a bottom perspective view of the base member shown in FIG. 8A. FIG. 8B is a perspective view of the base member assembly of the base member shown in FIG. 8A; FIG. 8B is a side view of the base member assembly of the base member shown in FIG. 8A; FIG. FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 9B is a bottom perspective view of the base member shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the base member assembly shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. 10B is a bottom perspective view of the base member shown in FIG. 10A. FIG. 10B is a side view of the base member assembly of the base member shown in FIG. 10A. FIG. FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the invention. FIG. 11B is a bottom perspective view of the base member shown in FIG. 11A. 11B is a side view of the pair of base members shown in FIG. 11A. FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of a contact lens package base member according to another embodiment of the invention.

In exemplary embodiments of the invention, the base member is a recyclable plastic material. The base member includes a blister well and a handle. The base member can include stabilizing legs and side tabs. The base member has a lower surface designed to face downward during use, such as when using the blister pack to present hydrated contact lenses to be removed from the blister pack to a user, and an upper surface designed to face upward. including. The blister well extends downwardly from the upper surface of the base member and has a concave inner surface and projects downwardly from the lower surface of the base member and has an opposite convex outer surface. The blister well can have a periphery. The periphery of the blister well may be where the concave inner surface of the blister well meets the planar upper surface of the base member. A periphery of the blister well can be surrounded by a sealing area on the top surface of the base member. 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. A flange extends from the periphery of the blister well to the edge of the base member. At the first end of the base member, a flange may extend to a curved edge at a distance from the periphery of the blister well. At the second end of the base member, the flange extends further than at the first end and forms a handle suitable for being held between the thumb and fingers of a user in use. be able to. The flange includes a female coupling feature and a male coupling feature. The female coupling feature is located between the periphery of the blister well and the edge of the flange. The male coupling feature is located outside the periphery of the blister well. The blister well is sized to hold contact lenses and contact lens packaging solution. A plurality of stabilizing legs may extend downwardly from the lower surface of the flange around the convex outer surface of the blister well. In use, the stabilizing legs may allow the base member to rest with the underside of the base member contacting a surface without tipping. A side tab may extend down from the edge of the flange on each side of the blister well, in this case extending through the center of the base member from the first end of the base member to the second end of the base member. There can be symmetrical side tabs on both sides of the line, in which case the line passes through the center point of the blister well. The female coupling feature can be a hole extending through a flange of the base member. The male coupling feature can be located at the end of the handle of the base member. The male coupling feature can be a protrusion on the end of the handle. The protrusion can include a tab extending downwardly from the underside of the flange of the base member.

The contact lens contained within the blister package is preferably a soft contact lens. Soft contact lenses can be hydrogel contact lenses in that they have an equilibrium water content (EWC) of 10-90%. Preferably, the soft contact lens is a silicone hydrogel contact lens (ie, a hydrogel contact lens comprising polymer units derived from at least one silicone-containing chemical).

A first exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to 5B. FIG. 1A shows a base member 100 formed from a thermoplastic layer. Base member 100 has a weight of 0.72g. Base member 100 is made of recyclable plastic material. Base member 100 has a length of 46.31 mm at its longest point and a width of 29 mm at its widest point. Base member 100 includes a blister well 104 and a handle 106. Blister well 104 is sized to accommodate a contact lens. Blister well 104 has sidewalls 105 (Figure 3). Blister well 104 has a peripheral edge 101 . Peripheral edge 101 departs from straight portion 154 in a substantially circular manner. Handle 106 provides a gripping portion configured to be held between a user's thumb and fingers. 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 meet at an edge 134 that extends around the border of the base member.

The blister well 104 is formed as a well within the top surface 130 of the thermoplastic layer and extends downward to form a concave inner surface. The thickness of the side wall 105 of the blister well 104 is 0.6 mm, ie the distance between the upper surface 130 of the base member 100 and the lower surface 132 of the base member in the area of the blister well 104 is 0.6 mm. The depth of the blister well 104 is 6 mm at its maximum point. Blister well 104 is sized to hold up to 1.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution.

FIG. 1B shows base member 100 and sealing member 103. FIG. Sealing member 103 is joined to base member 100 at a sealing region 102, which is shown in dotted lines to indicate that it is located between it and base member 100 and is not directly visible from above. Sealing region 102 is used to hermetically seal base member 100 to sealing member 103 to form a blister cavity. Sealing area 102 has a width of 1.5 mm. FIG. 2A shows a top view of base member 100. A flange extends from the periphery of the blister well 104 to the boundary of the base member 100. A first end 138 of the base member extends to form a curved edge at a distance of 5 mm from the periphery of the blister well 104. At the second end 136 of the base member, the flange extends further to form a substantially planar handle 106 that can be used as a gripping portion. Along the width of the base member 100, flanges extend from the periphery of the blister well 104 to form two flat edges 140 at the borders of the base member 100. Flat edge 140 has a length of 8 mm. The distance between flat edges 140 is 29 mm.

Two side tabs 122 (one of which can be seen in FIG. 1A) extend downwardly from the area adjacent the flat edge 140 of the lower surface 132 (FIG. 3) of the base member 100. Side tabs 122 have a height of 4 mm and a length of 8 mm. These side tabs serve to enhance the structural integrity of the base member 100 and provide a grippable portion for the user to pinch between the thumb and fingers when lifting the base member 100. Side tabs 122 also serve to stabilize base member 100 when base member 100 is placed top side up on a flat surface.

The thickness of the handle 106 is 0.55 mm. At a distance of 8.0 mm from the second end 136 of the base member 100 is a hole 110 extending through the thickness of the flange. Hole 110 is a female coupling feature. FIG. 2B shows the shape of the female connecting feature. Hole 110 is an essentially square slot in shape having a length 142 of 10.5 mm and a width 143 of 1 mm. The hole 110 has a notch 146 on one side facing the second end 136 of the base member that extends a portion of the long side of the slot. Notch 146 has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. As shown in FIG. 2A, the handle 106 includes a protrusion 150 at its distal end (second end 136 of the base member 100) that extends from the edge of the base member 100. Protrusion 150 is a male connecting feature. The protrusion 150 has a straight outer edge 152 when viewed from above (as in FIG. 2A). Straight outer edge 152 has a length of 9.8 mm. There is a tab 124 extending downwardly from the flat outer edge 152 of the projection 150 (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Tab 124 has a length of 2.3 mm and extends 1.75 mm downward from the top surface of base member 100. Three stabilizing legs 116a-116c 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 legs 116a-116c are arranged around the convex outer surface of blister well 104. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, one of the stabilizing legs 116a is positioned so as to be centered across the width of the base member 100. A second leg 116b and a third leg 116c are shown in FIG. 4 and extend along the length of base member 100 from first end 138 to second end 136. They are arranged on both sides of an extending center line. The center points of the three legs 116a-116c are positioned approximately 120 degrees apart about an axis extending vertically down through the center of the blister well.

5A and 5B illustrate inserting the protrusions 150 of one base member 100 into the holes 110 of another base member 100, with the tabs 124 serving to hold each protrusion inside the hole 110 of each base member. It is shown how fourteen base members 100 according to this embodiment can be joined together by performing the following steps. Tab 124 has an inward facing surface 121 as shown in FIG. 5B. The inward facing surface 121 of the tab 124 compresses the flange area adjacent the hole 110 of another base member 100 to prevent the base members 100 from coming apart. Each base member 100 is joined to at least one other base member 100 at an approximately 90 degree angle. The base members 100 are joined in the manner described above in the assembly, such that half of the base members 100 are parallel to each other and the other halves are joined at a 90 degree angle to the first half. be done.

In a method 200 of manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a contact lens blister package according to a first aspect of the invention is provided 202. A contact lens is placed 204 within the blister well of the thermoplastic base member of the blister package. A volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution is placed 206 within the blister well of the thermoplastic base member. A sealing member is sealed 208 to the sealing area of the thermoplastic base member. Optionally, the method includes autoclaving 210 the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lenses and packaging solution.

FIG. 7 shows a method 300 of recycling a contact lens blister package of the present invention according to a third embodiment. The steps of the method are as follows. The sealing member is removed 312 from the thermoplastic base member. A contact lens is removed 314 from the blister well. Liquid contact lens packaging solution is removed 316 from the blister well within the thermoplastic base member. At step 318, by interconnecting female interlocking features on the thermoplastic base member with corresponding male interlocking features on a substantially equivalent thermoplastic base member to form a base member assembly; A thermoplastic base member is mechanically secured to a substantially equivalent thermoplastic base member. The thermoplastic base member is substantially injected by inserting the protrusion into a hole in a thermoplastic base member that is a substantially equivalent base member such that the tab is aligned with the notch in the hole. It is interconnected with an equivalent thermoplastic base member. The two base members are joined together to form a base member assembly 320. Optionally, the method includes mechanically securing a further thermoplastic base member to the base member assembly to form an assembly including at least 30 thermoplastic base members coupled to each other to form a base member. A step 322 of forming a recycling unit is included. Optionally, the method includes placing 324 the base member recycling unit into a recycling bin.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 8A-8D) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has several alternative features. Base member 400 includes a blister well 404 and a handle 406. Blister well 404 has a peripheral edge 401 . Periphery 401 is surrounded by a sealed area 402 . A flange extends from the periphery of the blister well 404 to the border of the base member. At one end of the base member, a flange extends to form a handle 406. Base member 400 has a hole 410 extending through the thickness of handle 406. Hole 410 is a female coupling feature. Hole 410 is a slot that is essentially square in shape. Hole 410 has an inner wall 433. Hole 410 has a length 442 of 10.5 mm and a width 440 of 1.0 mm. The long sides of holes 410 are parallel to a centerline extending along the length of base member 400. Hole 410 has a notch 446 on one side that extends a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. Notch 446 is located eccentrically along the length of the rectangle so that hole 410 appears key-shaped. The notch has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. On the top surface of base member 400 there is a region 431 of flange adjacent hole 410. On the underside of base member 400 is a flange region 429 (FIG. 8B) adjacent hole 410. Base member 400 has two larger holes 456a and 456b on either side of hole 410. Holes 456a and 456b reduce the amount of material needed to make base member 400, thus reducing its weight. Handle 406 includes a protrusion 425 (FIGS. 8B-8D) at the end of the handle furthest from blister well 404. Protrusion 425 is a male coupling feature. FIG. 8B shows this protrusion 425 from the underside of base member 400. The protrusion 425 has a lower surface 437 parallel to the lower surface of the base member 400. A lip 441 (FIGS. 8C and 8D) is parallel to the top surface of base member 400. Between the lower surface 437 of the protrusion 425 and the lip 441 of the protrusion 425 is a curved portion 439 (FIG. 8B). 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. Protrusion 425 includes a tab 424 that aligns with a notch 446 in hole 410 on a second substantially equivalent base member. Tabs 424 extend from lip 441 in a direction perpendicular to the top surface of base member 400. Protrusion 425 is shaped so that it can be inserted into hole 410 of second base member 400b (FIG. 8C). The protrusion 425 is shaped so that the first base member 400a can be placed perpendicularly to the second base member 400b with it seated within the hole 410. In this position, the lip 441 of the first base member 400a is next to the sidewall 433 (see FIGS. 8A and 8B) of the hole 410 of the second base member 400b. Tabs 424 on first base member 400a are aligned with notches 446 (see FIG. 8A) on second base member 400b. A surface 443 perpendicular to the lip of the first base member 400a is next to a region 431 (FIG. 8A) of the flange adjacent the hole 410 of the second base member 400b.

When the protrusion 425 of the first base member 400a is aligned with the hole 410 of the second base member 400b, the flange of the first base member 400a is aligned with the hole 410 of the second base member 400b, as shown in FIG. 8D. The first base member 400a can be rotated 90 degrees so that it is parallel to the flange. In this position, the lip 441 of the first base member 400a is applying pressure against the region 429 of the flange adjacent the hole 410 (FIG. 8B) on the underside of the second base member 400b. The lip 441 of the first base member 400a serves to prevent the protrusion 425 of the first base member 400a from coming out of the hole 410 of the second base member 400b. Tab 424 on first base member 400a is aligned with notch 446 (FIG. 8A) on second base member 400b. Accordingly, 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 exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 9A-9C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has several alternative features. Base member 500 includes a blister well 504 and a handle 506. Blister well 504 has a peripheral edge 501 where its concave inner surface meets the top surface of the base member. The periphery 501 of the blister well 504 is surrounded by a sealed area 502. A flange extends from the periphery of blister well 504 to the border of base member 500. At one end of base member 500, a flange extends to form a handle 506. Base member 500 has a hole 510 extending through the thickness of handle 506. Hole 510 is a female coupling feature. Hole 510 is a slot that is essentially square in shape. Hole 510 has a length 542 of 10.5 mm and a width 540 of 1.0 mm. The long sides of holes 510 are perpendicular to a centerline extending along the length of base member 500. Handle 506 includes a protrusion 550 extending from the flange plane at the end of the handle furthest from blister well 504 . Protrusion 550 is symmetrical about a centerline extending along the length of base member 500. Protrusion 550 has a pair of hooks 551 positioned on either side of the centerline. Hook 551 has a surface 535 facing the blister well that lies in the flange plane.

FIG. 9B shows the bottom surface of base member 500. Hook 551 has an angled outward facing surface 523 facing away from base member 500 in the flange plane. An indentation 525 exists between the widest point of the hook 551 and the remainder of the flange of the base member 500. At the end of protrusion 550 furthest from well 504 is a tab 524 extending downwardly from the bottom surface. Protrusion 550 and tab 524 are male connecting features. Tab 524 includes an outer end of projection 521 that faces away from the base member in the flange plane. Tab 524 includes an inwardly facing surface 527, which is shown in FIG. 9C. Protrusion 550 and tab 524 are shaped so that they can be inserted into hole 510 of second substantially identical base member 500 according to this embodiment. The hole 510 is surrounded by a region 529 on the underside of the flange. Hole 510 is surrounded by region 531 (FIG. 9A) of the top surface of the flange. Hole 510 is defined by the inner wall 533 of the flange (FIG. 9B). To insert the protrusion 550 and tab 524 into the hole 510 of the second base member, the user must insert the area 531 (FIG. 9A) surrounding the hole 510 on the diagonally outwardly facing surface 523 of the hook and the top surface of the flange. Pressure must be applied between the This application of pressure will also apply pressure between the end of the protrusion 521 and the region 531 surrounding the hole 510 on the top surface of the flange. The oblique outward facing surface 523 and the end of the protrusion 521 will bend slightly under pressure, allowing this surface to pass through the hole 510.

As shown in FIG. 9C, when the protrusion 550 is inserted into the hole 510 of the other base member 500, the tab 524 and the hook 551 serve to prevent the protrusion 550 from coming out of the hole 510. fulfill. The inward facing surface 527 of the tab 524 abuts a region 529 of the underside of the flange surrounding the hole 510, thereby preventing the protrusion 550 from exiting the hole 510. The indentation 525 in the flange of one base member is next to the inner wall 533 of the hole (FIG. 9B). The surface 535 of the hook facing the blister well of the first base member (FIG. 9A) bears against the flange 529 surrounding the aperture on the underside of the base member, preventing the protrusion 550 from exiting the aperture 510. Once the male coupling feature of one base member (protrusion 550 in this embodiment) is mechanically secured to the female coupling feature of the second base member (bore 510 in this embodiment), the second base member The male coupling feature of the member can be mechanically secured to the female coupling feature of the third base member. This fixing can be repeated repeatedly to form the assembly of base member 500. FIG. 9C shows that the protrusions 550 of one base member 500 are inserted into the holes 510 of another base member 500, with tabs 524 and hooks 551 holding each protrusion inside the holes 510 of each base member 500. It is shown how eight base members 500 according to this embodiment can be joined together by playing a role. Each base member 500 is joined to at least one other base member 500 at approximately a 90 degree angle. The base members 500 are joined in the manner described above in the assembly, such that half of the base members 500 are parallel to each other and the other half are joined at a 90 degree angle to the first half. be done.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 10A-10C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has several alternative features. Base member 600 includes a blister well 604 and a handle 606. Blister well 604 has a peripheral edge 601 where its concave inner surface meets the top surface of base member 600. The periphery 601 of the blister well is surrounded by a sealing area 602. A flange extends from the periphery of the blister well 604 to the border of the base member 600. At one end of base member 600, a flange extends to form a handle 606. Base member 600 has a second well 611 that extends downwardly from the upper surface of handle 606 to form a concave upper surface and extends downwardly from the lower surface of handle 606 to form a convex lower surface. The concave top surface of the second well 611 is a female coupling feature. FIG. 10A shows the concave top surface of the second well 611. FIG. 10B shows the bottom surface of base member 600. A protrusion 612 extends downward from the convex lower surface of the second well 611 . Protrusion 612 is a male coupling feature. The protrusion 612 is shaped so that it can be pushed into the second well 611 of another base member 600 according to this embodiment and held therein by an interference fit. FIG. 10C shows how the protrusion 612 of the first base member 600 enters the second well 611 of the second base member 600. The interference fit between the protrusion 612 and the second well 611 holds the two base members 600 together. This interference fit can be repeated repeatedly to form the base member 600 assembly.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIGS. 11A-11C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has several alternative features. Base member 800 includes a blister well 804 and a handle 806. Blister well 804 has a peripheral edge 801 where its concave inner surface meets the top surface of base member 800 . Periphery 801 is surrounded by a sealed area 802 . A flange extends from the periphery of blister well 804 to the border of base member 800. The flange extends from the periphery of blister well 804 to a curved edge 821 that is a substantially equal distance from the periphery of blister well 804 everywhere around the circumference of well 804 . A flange extends from the curved edge 821 to form a handle 806 on one side of the base member. The handle 806, along with the sealing area 802, is planar. Four protrusions 860 extend downwardly from the top surface of the flange at approximately 90 degree intervals around an axis extending vertically through the center of blister well 804 . Protrusion 860 is a male coupling feature. FIG. 11B shows a protrusion 860 extending downwardly from the top surface of base member 800. The end of the protrusion 860 furthest from the top surface of the base member 800 is hooked. FIG. 11C shows that the well 804 of one base member 800 is inserted into the well 804 of the second base member 800 according to this exemplary embodiment, and the protrusion 860 is inserted into the second base member 804 within the slightly recessed region 861. It is shown fitting into the curved edge 821 of the base member. Region 861 is a female connecting feature. The hooks on protrusion 860 serve to hold the protrusion in place and keep the two base members 800 joined together. This joining can be repeated repeatedly to form the base member assembly.

Another exemplary embodiment of the invention (FIG. 12) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the invention, but has some alternative features. Base member 900 includes a blister well 904 and a handle 906. Base member 900 has a hole 910 extending through the thickness of handle 906. Hole 910 is a female coupling feature. This hole is a slot that is essentially square in shape. The hole has a length 942 of 10.5 mm and a width 940 of 1.0 mm. The long sides of holes 910 are perpendicular to a centerline extending along the length of the base member. Hole 910 has a notch 946 centered along the width of the base member and extending a portion of one of the long sides of the slot. This notch has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. Handle 906 includes a protrusion 950 that extends in the plane of the flange. Protrusion 950 is a male coupling feature.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention is susceptible to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. .

Where the foregoing description refers to entities or elements having known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, such equivalents are incorporated herein as if they were individually indicated. Reference is made to the claims to determine the true scope of this invention, which is to be interpreted as encompassing any such equivalents. The reader will also understand that any features or features of the invention described as preferred, advantageous, preferred, or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Furthermore, while such optional features or features have potential advantages in some embodiments of the invention, they may not be desirable and may therefore be absent in other embodiments. Please understand that this is a possibility.

100 Base member 101 Peripheral portion 102 Sealed area 104 Blister well 106 Handle 110 Hole 122 Side tab 130 Top surface 134 Edge 140 Flat edge 152 Straight outer edge 154 Straight portion 116a Stabilizing leg

Claims (19)

An airtight seal for a contact lens comprising a base member made of a plastic material and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to retain an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. In a sealed blister package,
the base member has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a blister well and a handle provided by a flange extending from the blister well;
In hermetically sealed blister packages for contact lenses,
The flange includes a female connecting feature and a male connecting feature, the female connecting feature being positioned between a periphery of the blister well and an edge of the flange, and the male connecting feature comprising: positioned outside the periphery of the blister well;
the female coupling feature on the base member interconnecting with a corresponding male coupling feature on a substantially equivalent base member to mechanically secure the base member to the substantially equivalent base member; configured to form a base member assembly;
An airtight blister package for contact lenses characterized by: The hermetically sealed contact lens blister package of claim 1, wherein the base member has a weight of from 0.4g to 0.72g. 3. A hermetically sealed contact lens blister package as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the female coupling feature comprises an aperture in the flange of the base member. 4. A hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the female coupling feature is a hole including a notch in the edge. 5. A hermetically sealed contact lens blister as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the female coupling feature is located a greater distance from the periphery of the blister well than from the periphery of the handle. package. 6. A hermetically sealed contact lens blister package according to any preceding claim, wherein the male coupling feature comprises a clip, a barb, or a combination thereof. Inserting the male coupling feature of one base member into the female coupling feature of a second substantially equivalent base member joins the two base members together in a particular orientation, and 7. A hermetically sealed contact lens blister package according to any preceding claim, wherein the male connecting feature is prevented from being removed from the female connecting feature. the male coupling feature includes a keyed protrusion, the keyed protrusion configured to fit into a notch of a corresponding female coupling feature on a substantially equivalent second base member; The keyed projection and the notch are arranged such that the second base member is oriented in a particular manner relative to the base member when the keyed projection is inserted into the notch of the second base member. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses according to any one of claims 1 to 7, configured to The female coupling feature is a concave inner surface of the second well, the male coupling feature is a convex outer surface of the second well, and the female coupling feature is a concave outer surface of the second well, and the female coupling feature is a concave outer surface of the second well. 3. A hermetically sealed contact lens blister package as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the contact lens interconnects with a corresponding male coupling feature on a substantially equivalent base member by an interference fit between the female coupling feature. 10. A contact lens according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the blister well is peripheral, and the peripheral edge of the blister well is surrounded by a sealing area on the top surface of the base member. Hermetically sealed blister package. The base member further includes three or more stabilizing legs extending downwardly from the lower surface of the base member and vertically aligned with a periphery of the blister well. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses according to any one of claims 1 to 10. 12. Any of claims 1-11, wherein the base member includes at least two side tabs positioned on opposite sides of the blister well, the side tabs extending downwardly from the top surface of the base member. The hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses according to item 1. 13. A base member assembly comprising a plurality of base members from a blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein each base member is connected to one or more other base members within the assembly. base members, each mechanical link connecting the female linkage feature on one of the base members and the corresponding male linkage on another of the base members. The base member assembly between the features. 14. The base member assembly of claim 13, wherein the base member assembly comprises at least 14 of the base members. 15. A base member assembly according to claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the base member assembly has a height of at least 15 cm. 1. A method of manufacturing a prepackaged contact lens, the method comprising:
preparing a base member of the contact lens blister package according to any one of claims 1 to 15;
placing a contact lens into the blister well of the base member;
placing a volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution into the blister well of the base member;
sealing a sealing member to the sealing region of the base member;
autoclaving the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and the packaging solution;
method including. A method of recycling a sealed blister package for contact lenses according to 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;
mechanically securing the base member to the substantially equivalent base member by interconnecting the female connecting feature on the base member with a corresponding male connecting feature on the substantially equivalent base member; forming a base member assembly;
method including. mechanically securing additional base members to the base member assembly to form a base member recycling unit comprising at least 14 base members; and placing the base member recycling unit into a recycling receptacle. 18. The method of claim 17, further comprising: mechanically securing a further base member to the base member assembly to form a base member recycling unit having a height of at least 15 cm; and placing the base member recycling unit into a recycling container. 19. The method of claim 17 or claim 18, comprising:

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