TW200400061A - In-line steam sterilizer - Google Patents

Abstract

A sterilization apparatus and method for automatically transporting a plurality of ophthalmic lenses packages containing ophthalmic lenses to be sterilized through an in-line apparatus, without off-loading packages from the line, for transport through a sterilizer under optimum conditions of temperature and time for enabling increased throughput.

Description

200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the Invention (1) Related Applications This application claims the priority of US Provisional Patent Application No. 60 / 360,904, filed on March 1, 2002 and named "In-line Steam Sterilizer". 5 FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to contact lens manufacturing technology, and more particularly to novel in-line sterilizers, sterilization trays, and in-line sterilizations for more effective packaging of contact lenses in ophthalmic contact lens manufacturing systems. 10 ways to increase capacity. The production process of the automatic ophthalmic contact lenses printed by the Shelley Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Technology and Economy was previously known, in which each contact lens is molded by the back curve (top) and front curve (bottom) conveyed in the mold cavity 15 It is formed by sandwiching monomers therebetween. The monomers are polymerized (cured) to form a lens blank, and undergo further processing, including (but not limited to) ... removing the lens blank from the mold structure of the lens blank, ie, removing the mold; subjecting the lens to hydration Processes; transferring lenses to individual foam packages; automatic lens inspection of lenses when, for example, the lenses are housed in their foam packages; lens disinfection; and final packaging for consumer use. The reader may refer to the description of an exemplary prior art ophthalmic lens production and packaging control system entitled "Line Tracking and Quality Control System" in US Patent No. 5,555,504. With regard to lens disinfection, ophthalmic lenses manufactured in an aqueous solution are sealed in a foam package and sterilized in a steam sterilizer. Packed contact lenses -3- 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (2) tl The printed examples of the Ministry of Economics and Intellectual Property Bureau's Shellfish Co., Ltd. and the disinfection techniques of the knives are described in US Patents 5,488 815 and 5,577,367 lenses. In particular, a co-owned, published U.S. Patent No. 5,488,815 discloses a device that considers the use of a conveyor system to transport multiple pans, each of which can accommodate a specific number of foam-packed arrays staggered into five pairs, It is sequentially folded in pairs and staggered positions, and then transported into individual metal trays via an intermediate conveyor to fill the space of the latter, which is arranged in specific columns and rows. Then, the metal tray (which is placed in an upright position so as to be able to receive the staggered pair of foam packaging arrays from the shuttle conveyor) is tilted back to the normal horizontal direction during filling, and it depends on the production needs, If desired, then up to three such array-filled metal trays can be stacked or overlapped vertically and transported in a series of such stacked trays. A conveyor is adapted to convey metal trays containing foamed packaging arrays into a sterilization chamber, such as a pressure cooker, where the foamed packaging arrays are collectively sterilized. After the sterilization cycle has been completed, a secondary packaging procedure is performed in which the tray and the sterilized foam packaging array are transported by another conveyor toward an unloaded configuration (where the trays are not stacked) and individual trays, and then erected sequentially. This allows the contents of the pallet to be transferred to an unloaded shuttle conveyor, which facilitates the continuous advancement of a specific number of staggered pairs of foam packaging arrays to a cartoner with 20 open-end cardboard boxes. Array of boxes that can accept foam packaging. The centerpiece of prior art sterilization equipment and technology is that the foam packaging array tray must be transferred from the manufacturing line to the sterilizer in a separate area from the manufacturing station. Thus, one of the main problems with this process is the possibility of mixing sterilized and unsterilized products in the offline area. Other issues include external materials

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5 IX Printed by Shelley Consumer Cooperative, Intellectual Property Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 Processing equipment, additional manufacturing floor space, and added in-process product inventory. Therefore, it has been required before the present invention to provide an in-line disinfection device for contact lens manufacturing and packaging equipment, which eliminates the need for disinfection of unloaded contact lens products. In addition, these prior art lens sterilization processes provide sterilization at a relatively late stage of the manufacturing process before the secondary packaging (ie, the lens foam packaging in a cardboard box is placed). The nature of the equipment involved, that is, the materials, advanced technology equipment, and the ophthalmic lens disinfection process do not properly dry the package, which reduces production capacity because packaging must be discarded. This phenomenon currently prevents sterilized packaging from being packaged immediately during secondary packaging, for example, into cardboard boxes for transport. In order to solve the "drying J" problem, a longer cycle time of disinfection process is typically required for more than 1 hour to achieve the dryness of the package for secondary packaging. Therefore, before the present invention, it has been required to provide a method for manufacturing contact lenses. Of in-line disinfection equipment and packaging equipment, which ensure that the packaging undergoing the sterilization process meets the needs of drying, so that they can be immediately placed in a cardboard box during the subsequent packaging step. It is extremely desirable to provide an automatic contact lens manufacturing equipment, which It is an in-line disinfection machine, which can sterilize ophthalmic lens packaging, and does not need to unload products from the production line. In addition, in the previous manual process of trying to isolate sterilized and unsterilized products, it was extremely desirable to provide an automatic contact lens manufacturing equipment, which is a line Internal disinfection machine itself can prevent disinfection from mixing with non-sterilized products. It is extremely desirable to provide an automatic contact lens manufacturing equipment, which is an in-line disinfection machine that can disinfect ophthalmic lens packaging without the need to unload products from the production line. -5- 200400061 A7 V. Description of the invention (4) 5 10 and improvement Designed to be able to sterilize the large number of tray-containing packages that the current system can achieve, thus increasing the capacity per unit volume. It is highly desirable to provide a novel tray for the automatic contact lens manufacturing process to support the stacking of contact lens packages and to sterilize in-line In-line disinfection, the in-line disinfection machine uses a temperature and steam pressure disinfection process. The method is to make the packaged lens be disinfected in a faster way. The packaging is not actually damaged by moisture, so that the acceptable packaging can be immediately Travel to the subsequent packaging station. It is extremely desirable to provide a novel tray and tray stacking structure for the automatic contact lens manufacturing process, which carries a nested array of foam packaging for simultaneous sterilization, and is durable and can tolerate steam and sterilizers. Temperature conditions. 15 Printed by Shelley Consumer Cooperatives, Bureau of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Economic Affairs. 20 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an in-line disinfection device for disinfecting packaging containing contact lenses, without the need to unload the packaging from the manufacturing line. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for carrying a line. A novel tray structure for packaging containing contact lenses in sterilizing equipment, which can increase the capacity per unit volume. Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel process for sterilizing packaging containing contact lenses in novel in-line disinfection equipment. It requires less disinfection time. Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel tray structure for carrying contact lens packaging in novel in-line disinfection equipment, which performs disinfection under the optimal timing, temperature and pressure conditions. In order to make the sterilization process provide appropriate dry packaging immediately before the secondary packaging immediately after sterilization, another object of the present invention is to provide a control system and method for -6-200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (5) Maintain information related to the tracking of contact lens packages rotated on novel transport structures for disinfection in novel disinfection equipment. Another object of the present invention is to provide an in-line disinfection device for disinfecting The packaging of the fe-shaped glasses is designed to prevent the mixing of disinfection and non-sterile products. Regarding the production of soft contact lenses, according to a feature of the present invention, a sterilization system and method are provided for automatically transporting a plurality of soft contact lens packages containing soft contact lenses to be sterilized. The packaging of the soft contact lenses through unlined equipment must be unloaded from the manufacturing line. Instead, they are placed in a novel consumer tray in order to be transported through the sterilizer under the conditions of high temperature and time, which can increase the production capacity, which ensures the dryness of the package so that the package can travel immediately, so that For additional secondary packaging. Advantageously, the integration of the ophthalmic lens packaging sterilizer in the manufacturing line provides substantial separation of sterilized and non-sterile products. As a result, the product cannot pass through the sterile packaging area without passing through the sterilizer. The integration also allows complete tracking of the product passing through the lens machine by the machine controller 15, ensuring that the product must pass through a complete disinfection cycle before being unloaded into the secondary packaging area. Embodiments of the Invention Printed by the Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economics The present invention includes a device for sterilizing ophthalmic lens packages, including 20: a sterilization room designed to house a plurality of ophthalmic lens packages; a device for transporting the ophthalmology Lens packaging to the sterilization chamber;-means for subjecting a plurality of ophthalmic lens packages to an appropriate sterilization cycle when the Weike lens package is housed in the sterilization chamber;

200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (6) The disinfection room is configured as a primary processing station and a secondary packaging station adjacent to the ophthalmic lens manufacturing line. The term "ophthalmic lens" used herein includes, but is not limited to, hard contact lenses, soft contact lenses, rigid gas-permeable contact lenses, intraocular lenses, and lenses for eyeglasses. The ophthalmic lens examined in the present invention may or may not contain vision correction. Preferred lenses are soft contact lenses with or without vision correction. Soft contact lenses can be made from traditional hydrogels and are generally made from monomers, including (but not limited to) hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA), vinyl pyrrolidone, glycerol methacrylate, Ministry of Economic Affairs The Intellectual Property Bureau Shellfish Consumer Cooperative prints 10 methacrylic acid and acid esters; or a silicone hydrogel. Examples of soft contact lenses include, but are not limited to, U.S. Patent No. 5,998,498, U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 532,943, filed on August 30, 2000 (partial follow-up of U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 532,943), U.S. Patent Application No. 09 / 957,299, U.S. Patent 6,087,415, U.S. Patent 5,760,100, U.S. Patent 5,776,999, U.S. Patent 5,789,461, U.S. Patent 5,849,811, U.S. Patent 5,965,631, US Patent Application No. 60 / 318,536, filed on September 10, 2001 and entitled "Biomedical Device Containing Internal Wetting Agent", and its non-provisional counterpart 20, filed on September 6, 2002 and named the same Prepared etafilcon A, genfilcon A, lenefilcon A, polymacon, acquafilcon A 'balafilcon A, lotrafilcon A, and siloxane hydrogel. These patents and all other patents disclosed in this application are hereby incorporated by reference. Many processes are known for the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, including the manufacture of soft concealed -8- 面 事 获 # β tb «« I by «From / " ΟΙΛ v OCT7 Yatsuma, 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (7) Processes of shaped glasses. Although the present invention can be fully applied to all ophthalmic lens processes, a preferred embodiment and its related manufacturing line stand will now be explained in the context of soft contact lenses. It can be understood that the present invention is not limited to this lens. 5 The phrase "ophthalmic lens package" as used herein means the primary package for personal ophthalmic lenses, or more commonly referred to as a foam package. Examples of this package include, but are not limited to, U.S. Patents 4,691,820; 5,054,610; 5,337,888; 5,375,698; 5,409,104; 5,467,868; 5,515,964; 5,609,246; 5,695,049; 5,697,495; 5,704,468; 5,711,416; 10 5,722,536; 5,573,108; 5,704,468,327; 5,983,468,327; ; 6,029,808; 6,044,966; and 6,401,915 and US Patent Application No. 60 / 436,109 filed on December 23, 2002 and entitled "Contact lens packaging containing additives" and filed on January 26, 2002 and named "Contact Lenses Packaging is disclosed in US Patent Application No. 10 / 183,133. All the aforementioned patents and patent applications are hereby incorporated by reference. Printed by the Betty Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs The term "sterilization room" as used herein means a closure used to disinfect an ophthalmic lens package. The chamber can be opened automatically or manually to allow the package to enter and leave. In addition, the chamber must be constructed to allow heating or cooling (or both) by any of a number of methods, including (but not limited to) drying heat, steam heat, shroud cooling, and the like. Temperature changes in the chamber sterilize the ophthalmic lens package contained therein. The term "device for transport" as used herein includes, but is not limited to, carousel belts, pulleys, and other mechanized systems for moving items along a manufacturing line. In the preferred embodiment, the device for the shipping vessel includes a "disinfection tray". The sterilizing tray has the outer wall and the inner wall that divide the tray. (5) Invention description (8) The tray can be accommodated in the most effective orientation, including a plurality of branches, mirror packaging, and inspection packaging. Secret material of the package is better 疋: 容纳 Vertically accommodate the package, as shown in Figure 5. As used herein, a "device for relaying" includes, but is not limited to, pressure, heat and steam sources, and regulators. As used herein, a "primary processing station" includes, but is not limited to, any station in the ophthalmic lens manufacturing line, such as lens formation, hydration, inspection, and the like. A special example of this processing station is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,958,280, entitled "Apparatus and Method for Meeting Disposable Contact Lens Prescriptions", all of which are hereby incorporated by reference. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the primary processing station includes any one or any of the following: a device for loading the sterilization tray in an ophthalmic lens package, for transferring the loaded sterilization tray to sterilization A device in the chamber, a device for unloading the sterilized work tray, and a device for transferring sterilized ophthalmic lens packages to the second packaging station. 15 The term "disinfection cycle" as used herein means that the package is subjected to different temperatures and pressures' to sterilize the package and the ophthalmic lenses contained therein. "Secondary packaging" as used herein includes, but is not limited to, cardboard boxes, shrink wrap, or other methods of sealing individually packaged ophthalmic lenses in multiple containers. An example of this secondary packaging is disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 5,577,367, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. Reference is made to the following circle to explain the embodiment of the present invention in more detail. Example 0 Refer to FIG. 1, which shows a simplified schematic top view circle of a part 10 of a contact lens production equipment, which includes a processing station designed to be capable of Quickly and strengthen the packaging in the aqueous solution contained in individual foam packaging-200400061 Α7 Β7 V. Description of the invention (9) Ophthalmic lenses manufactured; and a processing station designed to quickly sterilize them and increase productivity. Preferably, for those skilled in the art, a separate formed ophthalmic contact lens is placed in an individual plastic "foam type J package containing an aqueous solution. In a preferred embodiment, each individual foam type package is removably 5 bonded To or more other packages' to form a foam package array including-for example (not shown)-a triple foam package. The resulting ophthalmic lens is then packed into each foam package of the array, and in accordance with this technology The sealed and foamed packaging array 22 is transferred to a tray loading station 20 where they load a novel sterilizer tray 10 (not shown), which will be described in more detail here. In a preferred embodiment, the two foam packaging arrays 22 printed and formed by the Shellfish Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs are printed and sealed before being transferred to the pallet loading station 20, which are rotated in one array and the second array is placed in another The top of an array is staggered (becomes nested). The foam packaging array has been designed to provide staggered features. -Like action from empty pallet stacking near the pallet loading station 20 (not shown)-it is used to receive packaging at the pallet loading station 20_Guide to a new sterilized tray unit (not shown) 'It is designed to accept and support foam M-packing for transporting through the in-line sterilizer. Preferably, at the tray loading station 20, the novel in-line sterilizer tray is properly guided and oriented so that the grabbing mechanisms 20 28 can automatically pick up and transfer each staggered pair The foamed arrays enter correspondingly directed holes formed in the tray. Preferably, when the gripping mechanism picks up five (5) pairs of foamed packaging arrays and places them vertically in a (1) column (which contains the design When it becomes a five-tray hole that accepts nested pairs), the tray is located in the horizontal direction. Second, the trays filled with a plurality of staggered pairs of foam-type arrays are served by -11 · standby secondary 2 Putian lb BB BB Yu suspect turtle « Therefore, Όιλ V 007 Hachimiya, 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the invention (10) The belt-controlled conveyor is automatically transported into the pallet stacking station 25 in the direction marked "A", for example, where a pallet stack is formed In the better In the embodiment, nine trays (each filled with a plurality of staggered pairs of foam-type packaging arrays) are stacked on top of each other, and are automatically rotated in the direction marked "B" to the nearest 5 in-line sterilizers 50. The effective steam / heat sterilization process will be explained here in more detail. The design of the in-line sterilization station 50 combined with a novel sterilization tray design that allows stacking can increase the level of lens sterilization capacity that has not been achieved so far. In addition, The design of the novel in-line sterilizer can implement the new sterilization process parameters' which ensures the dryness of each blister packing array 10, which is important for subsequent automatic secondary packaging. In addition, as shown in Figure 1 After the sterilization cycle is completed, the trays containing the sterilized foam packaging array are automatically rotated in the direction marked "c" to the next tray unstacking station 60, where the trays are removed one by one in a basically reverse process. Stacked. The individually unstacked pallets are then automatically transported to the unloading station 70 in the direction marked "D" 15 where they are picked up in foam packaging for transfer to the secondary packaging station where they are properly placed Into cardboard boxes as part of the secondary packaging process. Printed by Shelley Consumer Cooperative, Bureau of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Economic Affairs. Figure 2 is a side view of the in-line sterilizer station. The in-line sterilizer station includes pallet stacking stations 25, new-type disinfection machines, and pallet destacking stations. As shown in Fig. 20, the pallet stacking station 25 operates as follows: the first sterilizer tray 100 filled with a plurality of staggered pairs of foam arrays is automatically conveyed from the pallet loading station on a pallet carrier 160. This pallet carrier is used to guide the pallets through the pallet loading process one (1) row at a time, and then to the stacking position. Under the precise program control, the stacker cylinder 170 is actuated, and marked with "G," -12-

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The tray carrier carrying the tray 100 is raised above the level of the conveyor 18 (for example, with a driven roller or similar roller system), where the sterilizer tray is locked by a locking mechanism 175 and Hold on to positioning. The lock is actuated by an air cylinder, which is opened by air and closed by spring force. The spring force allows the tray to be pushed over the latch and closed on the tray to hold it in place. The cylinder is then actuated to pull the tray carrier 160 back to obtain a next tray comprising a plurality of staggered pairs of foam arrays. On the second iteration, the process is repeated and the pallet carrier is raised, stacking the pallets in a stackable manner below. The latch mechanism is activated to hold the second tray, and the 101st tray is stacked thereon in a stacked configuration, which will be described here with reference to FIG. 8. After a predetermined number of iterations, for example, nine (9) in the preferred embodiment, the latch mechanism is holding a nested stack of nine sterilizer trays 200. The buckle is finally released, and the stack 200 of the sterilizer tray becomes supported by the conveyor 180, which is driven to transport the stack into the line 15 in the loading direction in the sterilizer 50, as shown in FIG. Preferably, the sterilizer includes a motorized roller conveyor 195 that is synchronized with the conveyor 180. This allows the trays to be stacked into the sterilizer. After sterilization, the stack is unloaded to the conveyor 181 of the unstacking station 60, and at the unstacking station 60, the top tray 100 of the stack 200 is transferred to another tray carrier 161. The staggered bubble pack array is 20 unloaded using a similar gripping mechanism of a loading tray (eg, as illustrated with circle 1). Fig. 8 is a side view of the latch mechanism 175 that holds the pallet stack of the pallet stacking station 25 of Fig. 2. As shown in FIG. 8, the latch fingers 175a, b under the control of the spring are actuated by the stacking cylinder (circle 2) when extended to nest next to the continuous tray 101 at the bottom of the tray. Stack up by tray carrier and stacking cylinder

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The lifting pushes the catch fingers off the first tray and grabs the next up tray in the stack, where the catch fingers engage the peripheral ridge portions 107 on each side of the tray 100 again. Although not shown in FIG. 8, when moving in the direction marked “G”, the spring is actuated, so that the catch finger finally engages the individual ridge portion 107 on each side of the bottom bracket 5 disc 101, To support the stack on it. Fig. 6 shows a front view of the in-line disinfection machine, and Fig. 6 shows that the in-line disinfection machine is stacking the trays 200 on the receiving conveyor. More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the conveyor 195 (such as a roller-type conveyor provided in the sterilizer) is interactively located in the sterilizer at the same height as the conveyor 18 of the pallet stacking station. "H", so that the tray stack 200 can be transported directly into the boundary of the disinfection chamber 53. Before the transfer, the door of the sterilizer is opened under program control, for example, the vertical door can be pulled back. The stack is conveyed simultaneously from the conveyors 180 to 195 in the sterilizer. After loading the sterilizer, the door is closed and the disinfection cycle begins. 15 As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, in the preferred embodiment, the sterilizer 50 is a shroud-type pressure chamber 53 with two doors 56 printed on the shelling consumer cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, and a shroud 307 surrounds the chamber 53. To provide additional heat during the disinfection cycle, as shown in Figure 7. In one embodiment, the size of the in-line disinfection room is about 650 mm high, 450 mm wide and 650 mm deep, so providing a volume of less than one cubic meter (lm3) (which makes 20 uses of the novelty of the present invention) The capacity per unit volume provided by the sterilization tray) is approximately three (3) times larger than the prior art type. Preferably, the sterilizer is a complete system with mechanical / motor process elements, an internal sterilizer tray conveyor 195, and a control system. The sterilizer 50 is integrated in the manufacturing machine, which greatly increases the productivity per unit volume. As will be explained in more detail, this capacity / volume -14- Preparation · Road Shoots · 泷 ® Shitian "1 嫌 将 嫌« 敁 八 __ ....... ........._ 200400061 A7 B7 V. Explanation of the invention (U) is achieved by implementing the novel disinfection tray used. Meeting the required "dryness" criteria is achieved by the design of the sterilizer, the use of novel trays, and the parameters of the sterilization process implemented during the sterilization cycle, as will be explained. In addition, the present invention includes a method for sterilizing ophthalmic lens packaging, including a package of plural ophthalmic lenses packed into a sterilizing room; allowing the plurality of ophthalmic lens packages to receive at least one sterilizing cycle in the sterilizing room; wherein the sterilizing room is configured as Primary 10-level processing station and secondary packaging station adjacent to an ophthalmic lens manufacturing line. The terms ophthalmic lens, packaging, sterilization room, primary processing station, sterilization cycle and secondary packaging station all have their aforementioned meanings and preferred ranges. An embodiment of the present invention (explained but not limited) is disclosed below. Fig. 7: Piping and configuration diagram, showing the main devices and controls used to perform the steam sterilization according to the present invention. As shown in Figure 7 and explained in more detail here, under the programmable control and supervision of an enhanced programmable logic control system (PLC) or the same equivalent control device 99, a rapid and effective lens packaging disinfection process can be performed . In the first sterilization cycle called the preheating phase, the function is to preheat the product compartment only with dry heat in order to prevent steam from condensing on the product. The steps involved in this process include: starting the fan motor labeled 302 in circle 7; in the described embodiment, starting the preheating sequence timer with a preset value of 20 minutes. In the next step, the shrouded steam valve labeled 304 in circle 7 is opened and a shroud pressure switch 控制 set point is controlled, which in the described embodiment is, for example, about 20 bar Switch i «4. Tr ·· • line 丨 printed by the shelling consumer cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs-15-

200400061 into a fixed-point value. Then, the air reading unit 310 and the exhaust chamber are motivated to control the air capacity of the room at the air overpressure set point, with a small percentage of warning limits. In the-embodiment, the air friction set point value is at +105 bar of saturated steam power, and is set within, for example, an overpressure warning limit 5 of 0.2 bar. When the warm-up sequence timer reaches a preset value, the process advances to the secondary phase. The function in the second sterilization cycle called / Xiao poison eaves ring heat load phase is to heat the product to the sterilization temperature by steaming and drying heat. The steps involve opening a shrouded steam valve 304 and setting the shroud pressure switch to a setpoint value of about 20 bar. Then, activate-or more air valves and rows 31, 10, 320 to control the chamber pressure at the set point of air flow to within a percentage of the warning limit. In one embodiment, the air overpressure setpoint value is a saturated steam η * grinding force at +105 bar, and is set within the overpressure warning limit of, for example, + / 〇.2 bar. The steam control valve labeled 305 in Fig. 7 is opened to reach the temperature $ and the pip value plus the excess. In one of the described embodiments, the temperature setpoint 15 value is 124.0 ° C and the excess value is about 0.6F. When the minimum room temperature reaches the temperature setpoint value minus the excess value (123.4 ° C), an exposure start delay timer with a preset value of ι · 0 minutes starts counting, and when the exposure start timer reaches 1.0 minutes, the process advances To secondary phase. In the third disinfection cycle, called the exposure phase of the disinfection cycle, the function is to keep the product at the disinfection temperature for a minimum disinfection time. After reaching the 1.0 minute time period of the previous paragraph, the exposure sequence timer starts counting and is preset to an exposure time value of 18.0 minutes. Then, one or more air valves 310 are actuated to control the chamber pressure at the air overpressure set point within +/- percentage of the warning limit. In one embodiment, the air overpressure setpoint value is between 10 and 16

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200400061 Bar saturated η * pressure and is set within, for example, an overpressure warning limit of + / 〇2 bar. Then, the steam control valve 305 is opened to a set point value, which in the embodiment is 124.0¾. In the preferred embodiment, the overall temperature is maintained no more than rc above the exposure temperature set point. Then, the shrouded steam valve 30 is closed. When the exposure timer reaches the preset value, the cycle advances to the secondary phase. In the fourth sterilization cycle, called the sterilization circulation air cooling phase, the function is to cool the packaged product with air flowing into the chamber to remove steam. In this phase, an air-cooled phase sequence timer starts counting, and its preset value is about 4.0 minutes. Then, one or more air valves and exhaust valves 31, 320 are actuated to control the chamber pressure at the air overpressure set point within the + / _ percentage of the warning limit. In one embodiment, the air over-pressure type is slope control; the slope set point is set to -0.04 bar / min; and, and the over-pressure warning limit value is · +/- 0 · 2 bar. Then, the steam valve 305 is closed; and when the air cooling timer reaches a preset value, the cycle advances to the secondary phase. In the fifth sterilization cycle called the sterilization circulation water cooling load phase, the function is to cool the product with water flowing into the internal heat exchange chamber labeled 315 in FIG. 7 to condense the remaining steam and cool the product to the final temperature. To unload to the secondary packaging area. First, actuate one or more air and drain valves 310, 320 to control the chamber pressure at the air overpressure set point within +/- percentage of the warning limit. In one embodiment, the air overpressure type is ramp control; the ramp set point is set to -0.04 bar / min; and the overpressure warning limit value is +/- 0.2 bar. Then, the water valve 325 is opened to fill the internal heat exchanger 315. When the minimum room temperature reaches the second cooling phase set point, the cycle proceeds to the exhaust phase. In one embodiment, the water cooling load phase setpoint value is equal to -17-

101520 Printed by Shelley Consumer Cooperative of Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of Invention (ιβ) 65.0 ° C ° In the sixth disinfection cycle called the disinfection cycle discharge phase, the chamber drain valve 320 is opened and the air valve 310 is closed . The water valve 325 is opened. When the chamber pressure reaches the set point value, the 'cycle advances to the end of the cycle phase. In one embodiment, the set point value for the 5 emission phase is 0.1 bar. The disinfection cycle is now complete. In the comparative example, the process parameters of the design and use of the disinfection chamber are known. The total disinfection cycle time is approximately forty (40) minutes, which dramatically improves the disinfection of the prior art disinfection equipment. circulation time. Referring now to FIG. 3 (a), a novel plastic tray unit 100 is shown, which is used for a nested stack carrying a foam-type packaging array (which carries an ophthalmic lens) for input to a sterilizer. A detailed closed view of a part 100a of the tray 100 is shown in Fig. 3 (b). In the top view of the plastic tray 100 shown in FIG. 3 (a), the tray includes an outer wall 102 around the periphery of the tray, and four inner partition walls 104a-104d, which form five tray rows 110a-110e. As shown in Fig. 4 (a), printed by the Shellfish Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 15 which shows a side sectional view of the novel tray 100 made along the line 'Έ-Ε "shown in Fig. 3 (a); 120a, 120b, ..., 120v are shown as being separated by the dividing wall 115 formed therebetween. When the tray 100 is guided to be loaded at the foam-type packaging loading station 20 (FIG. 1), the tray is oriented horizontally, and the dividing wall 115 is upward. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the staggered paired foam arrays 150 can be easily placed in the individual holes 120 separated from each other by the dividing wall 115 in the manner shown, and supported by the bottom 101 of the plastic tray. It should be understood that the staggered array of nested packaging arrays for disinfection according to the present invention is substantially similar to the structure of the staggered nested packaging arrays that will eventually be packed in cardboard boxes at subsequent secondary packaging stations (not shown) -18- 200400061 Description of the invention (η) 5 10 5 1Λ Μ Printed by Beida Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economy 20 Turn back to Figure 4 (a), along the periphery of each plastic tray 100 is the outer wall 忉 2, which shows To extend above the height of the dividing wall 115 As shown in Fig. 4 (b), it shows the line "F_F" along the tray 100 shown in Fig. 3 (a), a section view of the front part of the novel tray 100, and the top of the outer wall 102 Sub-103 includes a recessed or "lip" portion 106, which preferably forms an inner frame that surrounds substantially the entire periphery of the tray, and is designed to be stacked to engage the next to be stacked on it. The bottom part of the tray. Thus, the bottom portion 101 of the tray becomes a valley recessed portion that is placed on the periphery of each tray, so that the trays can be nested at the tray stacking station. Circle 3 (b) again shows the opening 109, which is formed in the bottom of the tray 100 to circulate steam and air to the Φ-sealed blister-type packaging array. In addition, in the view of FIG. (B), the outer wall has a peripheral ridge or flange portion 107 that accommodates the placement of the latch fingers to support the tray during the tray stacking station, as described in conjunction with FIG. 8. In a preferred embodiment, a single plastic tray 100 is designed to support the weight of a stack of at least nine trays for input to the sterilizer. In addition, the material of the plastic tray is not only designed to have strength to support the weight of the tray, but also to ensure the temperature and pressure of the steam disinfection cycle. In the preferred embodiment, the tray is injection molded plastic, such as the polyester thioimide Ultem® brand made by General Electric. Referring back to FIGS. 3 (a), 3 (b) and 5, as described, each row ii〇a-ii〇e of the tray 100 formed between the inner dividing walls 104a-104d includes a plurality of inner dividing walls 115, which In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5, 3 (a), and 3 (b), there are two (21) dividing walls in total. A cavity 120 is formed between each pair of partition walls 115a, b for holding individual foam-type packaging arrays (not shown). At -19 ·

I Liang Yushou 遒 × ΚΚΛΛ Shoulder 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of the Invention (18) 5 10 15 Printed by Beiya Consumer Cooperatives, Bureau of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Economic Affairs 20 In this embodiment, the twenty inner dividing wall forms twenty-two (22) holes Each cavity 120 is used to carry nested pairs of staggered packages (which carry a 3-pack array) in a suitable orientation for sterilization. Thus, in a preferred embodiment, 110 cavities are formed in the tray, and each cavities accommodates a total of six lens packages (each of which has an intersecting pair of three foam packages). The total number of packages carried per pallet is then 660. In the preferred embodiment, a single tray can carry a nine-tray stack, and the total number of foam packages that can be conveyed for simultaneous sterilization in a novel sterilization chamber reaches approximately 5,940. Yet another advantage is that molded plastic trays provide the added benefit of being lighter than metal trays, for example, resulting in easier transport into and out of the sterilizer. Metal pallet stacks weigh approximately two (2) times the weight and require larger motors, rollers, and more expensive systems to transport the stacks. The integration of the sterilizer line into the rest of the ophthalmic lens manufacturing equipment, which enables sterilization and packaging without interrupting product flow, can provide a physical barrier between sterilized and unsterilized packaging areas. That is, the product cannot pass through the sterilized packaging area without passing through the sterilizer. In addition, the design results in continuous uninterrupted processing, and when a new tray stack containing ophthalmic lenses is input from the stacking station into the sterilization chamber, the previous tray that has just been sterilized is output from the chamber. In addition, integration allows complete tracking of the product passing through the lens machine through the machine controller 'ensuring that the product must pass through a complete disinfection cycle before being unloaded into the secondary packaging area. The integration of the sterilizer control system 99 (Figure 7) into the lens machine control system provides a complete line of sterilizer design through the packaging and sterilization process. Another advantage of the sterilizer is the higher rotation of the sterilizer per unit volume. . This capability makes the product inventory

: Fatah I 20- V. Description of the invention (19) 200400061 A7 B7 The floor space required is reduced. The sterilization process time and the use of stacked sterilization trays provide this capability. The process also provides dry packaging after sterilization, which is required for immediate packaging of products after disinfection. The invention also includes a sterilization tray for transporting an ophthalmic lens packaging array (each of which includes at least one ophthalmic lens immersed in a disinfecting aqueous solution) through a sterilization chamber in a manufacturing line for sterilizing the secondary packaging prior to secondary packaging. Packaging, the sterilization tray includes an outer wall that surrounds the periphery of the tray and has a plurality of inner dividing walls forming rows therebetween, each dividing wall containing a plurality of cavities for supporting a plurality of packages in a nested structure, the cavities being used in The optimal orientation of the sterilization in the sterilization chamber supports multiple packages, where the tray is designed to have the strength to support the weight of the multiple trays, and to withstand the temperature and pressure of steam sterilization. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sterilization tray is made of a lightweight plastic knee material. In another embodiment of the invention, the sterilization tray contains openings on or below or both above and below the peripheral wall of the tray in order to optimally heat or cool the package contained therein. In addition, the present invention includes an ophthalmic lens manufacturing line, including: a first station for continuously loading and packaging the ophthalmic lens array into individual holes formed in a plastic tray container; a second station for continuously stacking a plurality of plastics Tray reservoirs each containing a packaged ophthalmic lens array; a third station containing a sterilization chamber designed to allow simultaneous sterilization of multiple ophthalmic lens packages; a transport device for synchronously transporting the loaded from the second station The stack of plastic tray receptacles to the third station for disinfecting the plastic silver-21-

101520 Printed by the Betty Consumer Cooperative, Bureau of Intellectual Property, Ministry of Economic Affairs 0 «This Poor" b OR Lets Eat Suspicious Mother / 1 Μ Branch 1 Λ V ΟΙΙ VIII, A7 B7 200400061 V. Description of the invention (2) Ophthalmic lens in the tray; The sterilization room of the third station is arranged adjacent to the second station so that the ophthalmic lens package can be continuously sterilized without interrupting the manufacturing line. Although the present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention to the particular form proposed. Instead, it is intended to cover the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the scope of the appended patent application. This alternative, modification and equivalent. Brief description of the formula 10 Figure 1 is a conceptual top plan view of a part of a lens production device, including stations in which a ophthalmic lens containing a foam package is loaded in a novel tray unit and their in-line disinfection according to the principles of the invention Figure 2 is a side view of the in-line disinfection station 50, including tray stacking, novel sterilizer and tray destacking station; 15 Figure 3 (a) is a top plan view of a novel tray unit 1S3 according to the principles of the present invention. 3 (b) is a detailed closed circle of a circled portion 100a of the tray 100 shown in FIG. 3 (a); FIG. 4 (a) is a line 'Έ-Ε ”along the tray 100 shown in FIG. 3 (a) 20 is a cross-sectional side view of the novel tray 100; FIG. 4 (b) is a front sectional circle of a part of the novel tray 100 made along the line FF of the tray 100 shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 5 shows the configuration of the novel tray 100 Staggered paired foam arrays 150 in individual cavities 120 of the tray 100;

Printed by Shelley Consumer Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs-22- 200400061 Α7 Β7 V. Description of the invention (21) Figure 6 shows the front view of the in-line disinfection machine, which is receiving pallet stacking from the conveyor; Figure 7 It is a pipeline and configuration diagram showing a device and operating parameters for performing steam sterilization according to the present invention; and FIG. 8 is a side view of a latching mechanism 175 that holds the pallet stacking of the pallet stacking station 25 of FIG. 2. Component code descriptions printed by the Wisdom Consumer Cooperative of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Intellectual Property Co., Ltd. Component code name 10 Contact lens production equipment 20 Loading station 22 Foam packaging array 25 Pallet stacking station 28 Grab mechanism 50 In-line disinfection station 53 Disinfection room 53 Shroud-type pressure chamber 56 door 60 Pallet unstacking station 70 Unloading station 99 Device 100 Pallet 100 Plastic Pallet Unit 100a Part of the pallet 101 101 Pallet 102 Outer wall 103 Top part 104a-104d Inner dividing wall 106 recessed or "lip J Part 107 Peripheral ridge part 109 Opening -23- Taxi "Lflt 0 by Tian Shi OR BR Suspected suspicion M therefore V 001 Eight hemp Λ .4. • Order · • Line · 200400061 A7 B7 V. Description of invention (22) Intellectual property of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 110a-110e Pallet Row 115 printed by the Bureau Cooperative Consumer Cooperative, 115 partition wall 115a, b partition wall 120 cavity 120a, 120b ... 120v cavity 150 foam array 160 pallet carrier 161 pallet carrier 170 stacker cylinder 175 latch mechanism 175a, b buckle finger 180 conveyor 181 conveyor 195 roller conveyor 200 sterilizer tray 200 stacking 302 fan horse 304 Shrouded steam valve 305 Steam control valve 307 Shroud 308 Shrouded pressure switch 310 Air valve 315 Internal heat exchange chamber 320 Drain valve 325 Water valve A direction B direction C direction D direction EE line FF line G direction h height- 24- S * la I »

Claims (1)

200400061 gl ------ * ______ /, application scope of patent: A device for sterilizing ophthalmic lens packaging, including:-a sterilization room, designed to accommodate a plurality of ophthalmic lens packaging; a device for transporting the Device for packaging ophthalmic lenses to the sterilization room; a device for receiving a suitable sterilization cycle for a plurality of ophthalmic lens packages when the ophthalmic lens package is accommodated in the sterilization room; wherein the sterilization room is configured adjacent to an ophthalmology Primary processing station and secondary packaging station of lens manufacturing line. 2. The device according to the scope of patent application, wherein the device for transporting the ophthalmic lens coating to the sterilization room is a conveyor system. 10 3. The device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, further comprising a device for transporting the ophthalmic lens package from the sterilization room. 4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein the device for transporting the ophthalmic lens package to the sterilization room is the same as the device for transporting the ophthalmic lens package from the sterilization room. 15 5. The device according to item 4 of the patent application, wherein the transport device includes a conveyor system. 6. The device according to item 1 of the patent application scope, wherein the transport device comprises a disinfection tray. 7: The device according to the scope of the patent application, wherein the disinfection cycle includes heating with dry heat or steam. 8. If the equipment in the scope of patent application for item 7 is applied, where the sterilization cycle includes cold 0. · The equipment in scope of patent application for item 1 of the Shen Qing, where the appropriate sterilization cycle package-25 Home Standard (CNS) A4 Specification ⑽X 297 Public Love) (Please read the precautions on the back before filling out this page) Order ----.----- Printed by the Consumers ’Cooperative of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 200400061 A8 B8, C8, D8 /, and Shen Qing patent scope includes heating for about 18 minutes. 10. The device according to the scope of patent application, wherein the appropriate disinfection cycle comprises heating at about 124 ° C. 11. The device according to the scope of the patent application, wherein the ophthalmic lens package is transported to the sterilization room in a sterilization tray, and a device for unloading the sterilization tray is used, and the ship is directly transported from the sterilization room to the ship. Secondary packing station. 12. · A method for packaging ophthalmic lenses, comprising transporting the plurality of ophthalmic lenses to a sterilization chamber; allowing the plurality of ophthalmic lenses to be packaged in the sterilization chamber for at least one sterilization cycle of 10; wherein the sterilization chamber is configured to be adjacent to a Primary processing station and secondary packaging station for ophthalmic lens manufacturing line. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the disinfection cycle includes first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and sixth disinfection cycles, 15 the first cycle preheats the package with dry heat, The second cycle heats the package with steam and dry heat, the third cycle maintains the second cycle for a time period, the fourth cycle removes the remaining steam, the fifth cycle cools the package, and the second cycle Six cycles open one or more drain valves, close one or more air chambers, and then heat the package until dry. 14. A sterilization tray for conveying an ophthalmic lens packaging array through a sterilization room in a manufacturing line, which is used to eliminate before packaging by a secondary package -26 * This paper size applies to Chinese National Standard (CNS) A4 Specifications (210 X 297 Public Love) ------------- (Please read the precautions on the back before filling this page) Order — ^ ----- Line: Staff of Intellectual Property Bureau, Ministry of Economic Affairs Printed by the Consumer Cooperative 200400061 C8 ------_____ VI. The scope of the patent application poisons the package. The sterilization tray includes an outer wall surrounding the periphery of the tray, and has most of the inner dividing walls, forming a row therebetween. Each dividing wall contains a plurality of A cavity for storing a plurality of packages in a nested structure, the cavity is used to store the plurality of packages in a 5-direction, and is most suitable for sterilization in the sterilization room, wherein the tray is designed to support the weight of the plurality of trays and endure the sterilization Room disinfection cycle. -------- Order --------- line (please read the first > i on the back of ¢ 5 before filling out this page) 1 n «Printed by the Consumer Cooperatives of the Intellectual Property Bureau of the Ministry of Economic Affairs 27 This paper size applies to China National Standard (CNS) A4 (21,297 mm)