TW202416861A - Contact lens packages and lens supports for use therein - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to improved contact lens packages and lens supports for use therein. A contact lens package may have a lid, a base having a cavity that houses a contact lens and packaging solution and a lever. A lens support configured lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution in a position on the lens support capable of single-touch transfer by a user. The package may include a locking mechanism configured to lock the lever in place when the lens support is lifted to a predetermined lift angle.

Description

Contact lens packaging and lens supports used therein

The present invention relates to an improved contact lens package and a lens support used therein. The contact lens package may have a cover, a base having a cavity for accommodating a contact lens and a packaging solution, and a lever. A lens support is configured to lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution at a position on the lens support that can be shifted by a single touch by a user. The package may include a locking mechanism that is configured to lock the lever in place when the lens support is raised to a predetermined lifting angle.

In known contact lens packaging, the contact lens is typically housed in a molded plastic base having a cavity (or "bowl") that receives the contact lens in a concave-side-up orientation. Thus, the user experience of transferring the contact lens from the package to the eye generally involves the user "fishing" the contact lens from the bowl with their fingers and then flipping the lens over so that it is properly oriented on the fingers for placement on the eye. This procedure requires touching the lens multiple times, which can transfer contaminants or pathogens from the hands to the lens and ultimately to the eye. This handling experience is not only unhygienic, but also excessively cumbersome, annoying, and mechanically stressful to the lens, which may tear, tear, or deform when overhandled. While some packages have been designed to present lenses in a convex-side-up orientation to avoid the need to flip the lens, such packages still typically require "removal" of the lens from the packaging solution, or additional manipulation of the lens and/or multiple touches to transfer the lens to the eye.

Due to the increasing awareness of eye health and customer demand for a more convenient experience, there is a need for contact lens packaging that enables a less cumbersome and more hygienic contact lens removal process. In one aspect, it is desirable to provide contact lens wearers with a "single touch" packaging, that is, a packaging whereby the contact lens wearer can remove the lens from the lens storage package with a single touch of one of the fingers and then correctly position the lens on the eye with the same single touch. In such a design, there would be no need to transfer and manipulate the lens from one finger to another before placing the lens on the eye. Providing this type of single-touch packaging not only simplifies the lens preparation and insertion process; it will also reduce the likelihood of the lens being dropped or exposing the lens to additional germs on the wearer's other fingers (as the lens is prepared for orientation and insertion into the eye), and it also reduces the likelihood of touching the lens intended to touch the side of the eye.

The design of single-touch lens packaging presents several different challenges. Ideally the wearer should be able to consistently position the lens to adhere to the finger during removal from the package, and the lens then needs to be consistently released from the finger onto the eye. Contact lenses (both reusable and daily disposable) each have their own unique surface, body, and geometry. Finger size and the forces exerted on the lens by the contact lens wearer during transfer can also vary. These factors can affect the process of placing the lens from the package onto the finger and then onto the surface of the eye. Among other considerations: since variations in the amount of packaging solution that adheres to the lens and packaging can affect the process of placing the lens on the finger, it would be desirable for the wearer to be able to drain any packaging solution that might affect the ability to adhere the lens to the finger. It would also be desirable to drain the packaging solution in a controlled manner to avoid spillage. It would also be beneficial for the packaging solution to remain sterile after opening and accessible to the wearer to allow rewetting or cleaning of the lens. Furthermore, wearers may be concerned about the possibility of transfer of bacteria or external products (such as cosmetics) to the contact lens; and of course, the manufacture of the packaging itself should adhere to expected industry standards recognized by the medical and product manufacturer communities.

Additionally, the single-touch packaging ideally should not result in an excessive increase in the cost of goods relative to current contact lens packaging, as this could result in increased costs to the wearer population. The packaging should not make it difficult to hold the lens when removing it from the packaging. Furthermore, if the packaging is configured to maintain or even reduce the volume of solution required to package the lens, this would reduce the ecological impact of the lens packaging. Similarly, it would be beneficial if all or part of the packaging could be made from recycled materials and/or be fully or partially recyclable.

Furthermore, it would be advantageous if the packaging was composed of materials that have been approved by various regulatory agencies and ideally did not require changes to solution chemistry or lens composition. Also optimally, if electronic components or other electrical components could adversely affect the performance of the packaging or lens, the functionality of the packaging would preferably not incorporate any such components.

There are several desirable properties that have made achieving single-touch packaging functionality challenging and that are generally lacking in known attempts to create single-touch packaging. These properties include, for example, the following: i) the packaging should ideally protect the lens, that is, should ensure the integrity of the lens (e.g., lens shape and optical integrity) while preventing crushing or damage to the lens; ii) the lens packaging should maintain the hydration of the lens during storage to maintain the properties of the lens; and iii) the lens in its packaging should preferably be configured so that when desired, it is fully immersed in the packaging solution, yet still when ready to be transferred from the packaging. such solutions; iv) the packaging should typically have a retortable seal and contain both the lens and the solution; v) the packaging should preferably maintain the lens in the convex orientation desired by the wearer; vi) the lens should be positioned so that it can be easily removed by the wearer; and vii) the packaging should ideally allow the packaged solution to drain out effectively after the package is opened and before the lens is removed to facilitate easier transfer to the wearer's fingers and then to the eye.

Known packages that have attempted to provide reduced touch or single touch orientations fail to provide one or more of the above-described desirable properties for single touch packages. For example, WO2014/195588, WO2009/069265, and JP6339322 disclose packages that present lenses in a convex, bowl down configuration. Similarly, US20200229560 discloses a package having lens supports that support the concave (anterior or front) surface of a contact lens, or grids that support the peripheral edges of the contact lens and allow the package solution to drain through the grid to the bottom chamber when the lens package is opened. However, such packaging designs create excessive wet contact area between the lens and the lens support. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 7,540,376 discloses a lens carrier having a rigid member below the apex of the contact lens that hinders the user's ability to tap the lens. Therefore, known packaging may not support a desired, convenient user experience, for example, they may not support consistent single-touch transfer of the lens. The above-mentioned deficiencies of the prior art are merely exemplary and non-exhaustive.

Therefore, there remains a need for contact lens packaging that provides a consistent single-touch lens removal experience, effective solution management, or addresses one or a combination of the aforementioned challenges or deficiencies.

It has now been discovered that a contact lens package having one or more aspects described herein can achieve some or all of the foregoing and related objectives.

100:Packaging

106: Cover

110: Base

114: Axis line

118: Leverage

122a: Finger joint features/finger indentation

122b: Finger joint feature/foot/protrusion

126: thumb

134: Arrow

136: Cavity

138: Contact lenses

138': Top/Far Side

138": Inferior/proximal

139a: Remote

139b: proximal

140: Lens support

142: Strength

146: Strength

150: Lifting angle

152: Perfect Fate

154:Fingers

159a: Locking mechanism

159b: Locking mechanism/snap-fit latch

163: Tab part/tab

164: Depression area

168: facing the lens surface

169: Air outlet channel

170: Cover plug-in

172a: Heat-sealed surface/flat surface

172b: Heat-sealed surface/flat surface

172c: Heat-sealed surface/flat surface

172d: Heat-sealed surface/flat surface

174: Protrusion

174a: protrusion

174b: protrusion

176: Ridge/protrusion

180: ridge

184: Center depression

190: Horizontal plane

192: Teeth

194: Teeth

196: Secondary support parts

198a: Depression area

198b: Depression area

200a: Central support section

200b: Central support section

201a: Peripheral support section

201b: Peripheral support section

201c: Peripheral support section

201d: Peripheral support section

202: Discharge channel

204a: Channel components

204b: Channel components

205a: Supporting parts

205b: Supporting parts

206: Membrane

208: Remote

212: Center opening

902: Image

903a: Image

903b: Image

903c: Image

A: Near end/point

B: Remote/Point

C: point

D: point

L: Lever length

α : lifting angle

β: Emergence angle

Θ: Main lens angle/main angle

From the following more detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention, as shown in the attached drawings, the above-mentioned other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood.

[Figure 1A] shows an exemplary contact lens package according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 1B] to [Figure 1D] illustrate the steps of opening the contact lens package according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[Figure 2] shows a perspective view of a contact lens package in an open state according to an embodiment.

[Figure 3] shows an exploded perspective view of a contact lens package according to an embodiment.

[Figure 4A] and [Figure 4B] show close-up views of the cover plug-in of the embodiment.

[Figure 5] shows a cross-sectional view of a contact lens package in an unopened state according to an embodiment.

[Figure 6] shows a cross-sectional view of a contact lens package in an open state according to an embodiment.

[Figure 7A] and [Figure 7B] respectively show the base of a contact lens package having a locking mechanism in an unlocked state and a locked state according to an embodiment.

[Figure 8A] and [Figure 8B] show the lens support of the embodiment in top view and side view respectively.

[Figure 9] shows the method for measuring the wetted contact area of the lens support.

Reference will now be made in detail to the representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein element symbols indicate certain elements. The following description is not intended to limit the numerous embodiments to one preferred embodiment. Rather, it is intended to cover alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the described embodiments as defined by the attached patent claims.

References to "one embodiment", "an embodiment", "some embodiments", etc. indicate that the described embodiments may include specific features, structures, aspects, or characteristics, but each embodiment may not necessarily include the specific features, structures, or characteristics. In addition, such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. In addition, when a specific feature, structure, aspect, or characteristic is described in relation to an embodiment, it is considered herein that, whether or not explicitly described, it is within the knowledge of a person of ordinary skill in the art to which it belongs, and that such feature, structure, or characteristic may be implemented in relation to other embodiments.

As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings. Certain embodiments of the present invention are beneficial in that they facilitate consistent single-touch lens transfer from the package to the wearer's finger and then from the finger to the wearer's eye without causing the lens to invert, fall off the finger, or further manipulation. Consistent single-touch lens transfer includes a transfer rate of at least about 70%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% transfer on the first touch (or "dab") of the finger. It is also desirable for the lens to "sit up" on the finger without collapsing or inverting, and then transfer to the eye when placed in the eye. The packaging of certain embodiments can provide a desired single-touch lens transfer under various finger sizes and dab pressures. Environmental conditions (such as temperature and whether the finger is wet or dry) can also affect the transfer rate, with higher temperatures generally improving lens transfer.

Lens(s) or contact lens(es) refers to an ophthalmic device that is placed on the eye. It has a generally hemispherical shape and can provide optical correction, cosmetic enhancement, UV blocking and visible light or glare reduction, therapeutic effects (including wound healing, delivery of medication or nutrients, diagnostic assessment, or monitoring), or any combination thereof. The term lens includes soft hydrogel contact lenses, which are typically provided to consumers in a hydrated state in packaging and have a relatively low modulus, which allows the lens to conform to the cornea. Contact lenses suitable for the packaging of the present invention include all hydrated contact lenses, including conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

Hydrogels are hydrated, cross-linked polymeric systems that contain water in an equilibrium state, and may contain at least about 25%, or at least 35%, water in a hydrated state. Hydrogels are generally oxygen permeable and biocompatible, making them excellent materials for the production of contact lenses.

Conventional hydrogel contact lenses do not contain silicone-containing components and generally have higher water content, lower oxygen permeability, modulus, and shape memory than silicone hydrogels. Conventional hydrogels are made from a monomer mixture containing primarily hydrophilic monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ("HEMA"), N-vinyl pyrrolidone ("NVP"), or polyvinyl alcohol. U.S. Patents Nos. 4,495,313, 4,889,664, and 5,039,459 disclose the formation of conventional hydrogels. Conventional hydrogels may be ionic or nonionic and include polymacon, etafilcon, nelfilcon, ocufilcon, lenefilcon, and the like. The oxygen permeability of these conventional hydrogel materials is generally less than 20 to 30 barrers.

Silicone hydrogel formulations include balafilcon, samfilcon, lotrafilcon A and B, delfilcon, galyfilcon, senofilcon A, B, and C, narafilcon, comfilcon, formofilcon, riofilcon, fanfilcon, stenfilcon, somofilcon, kalifilcon, and the like. "Silicone hydrogel" refers to a polymeric network made of at least one hydrophilic component and at least one silicone-containing component. Silicone hydrogels can have a modulus in the range of 60 to 200, 60 to 150, or 80 to 130 psi, a water content in the range of 20 to 60%. Examples of silicone hydrogels include acquafilcon, asmofilcon, balafilcon, comfilcon, delefilcon, enfilcon, fanfilcon, formofilcon, galyfilcon, lotrafilcon, narafilcon, riofilcon, samfilcon, senofilcon, somofilcon, stenfilcon, verofilcon (including all variants thereof), and U.S. Patent Nos. 4,659,782, 4,659,783, 5,244,981, 5,314,960, 5,331,067, 5,371,147, 5,998,498, 6,087,415, 5,760,100, 5,776,999, 5,789,461, 5,849,811, 5,9 65,631, 6,367,929, 6,822,016, 6,867,245, 6,943,203, 7,247,692, 7,249,848, 7,553,880, 7,666,921, 7,786,185, 7,956,131, 8,022,158, 8,273,802, 8,399,538, 8,470,906, 8,450,387, 8,487,058, 8,5 07,577, 8,637,621, 8,703,891, 8,937,110, 8,937,111, 8,940,812, 9,056,878, 9,057,821, 9,125,808, 9,140,825, 9156,934, 9,170,349, 9,244,196, 9,244,197, 9,260,544, 9,297,928, 9,297,929 and WO 03/22321, WO 2008/061992, and US 2010/0048847. The entire text of these patents is hereby incorporated by reference. Silicone hydrogels can provide higher shape memory than contact lenses.

Hydrogel lenses are viscoelastic materials. Contact lenses can create optical distortion if the lens interacts with either the packaging or any air bubbles in the packaging. The degree of optical distortion and the length of time required for the distortion to relax will vary depending on the chemistry of the lens and, to a lesser extent, the geometry of the lens. Known lens materials (such as poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) based lenses like etafilcon A or polymacon) have low loss modulus and tan(δ) compared to silicone hydrogels and may create less and less severe optical distortion due to contact with the packaging. Incorporation of silicone (which generally increases bulk elastic response), a wetting agent such as PVP (which generally increases viscous response), or a coating of a conventional hydrogel material (which can reduce elastic response at the lens interface) can alter the viscoelastic properties of the lens. Conventional hydrogel contact lenses, and silicone hydrogel contact lenses with short-acting or hard crosslinkers and or hardeners have short-term shape memory and may be less susceptible to deformation during storage. As used herein, a high or higher shape memory hydrogel exhibits an optical distortion of at least about 0.18 after accelerated aging at 55°C for 5 weeks due to contact with air bubbles or packaging. Viscoelastic properties (including loss modulus and tan δ) can be measured using dynamic mechanical analysis.

Contact lenses can be of any geometry or power, and have a generally hemispherical shape with a concave back side that rests against the eye when in use and a convex front side that faces away from the eye and contacts the eyelid during blinking.

The center of the lens' vertex is the center of the lens' optical zone. The optical zone provides optical correction and may have a diameter between about 7 mm and about 10 mm. The lens perimeter or lens edge is the edge where the front and back sides meet.

Wet lenses are contact lenses and any residual packaging solution attached to them after the packaging solution has been drained.

Embodiments may include a lens support surrounded by a sealable cavity (also interchangeably referred to as a chamber). The cavity may have any convenient form, and may include a packaging base and at least one lid, each of which is described in detail below. As used herein, the phrases "the lid," "a lid," "the base," and "a base" encompass both the singular and the plural. The lid and packaging base are sealed to each other to form a cavity that maintains the contact lens, support, and packaging solution in a sterile state during shipping and storage prior to use. The contact lens packaging is made of a material that is compatible with the contact lens and solution and is retortable and biologically inert.

"Film" or "multilayer film" is used to seal the package and is usually called lidstock. Multilayer films used in conventional contact lens packaging can be used in the package of the present invention as a component of the base, lid, or both. Multilayer films include a plurality of layers, including barrier layers (including foil layers, or coating layers, sealing layers), which seal the film to the rest of the package, and may also include additional layers, which are selected from peeling initial layers, lamination layers, and layers that improve other packaging properties, such as strength, temperature resistance, printability, puncture resistance, water barrier resistance or oxygen barrier resistance, and the like. The multi-layer film forms a steam sterilizable (retortable) seal. The multi-layer film may include PET, BON, or OPP film layers to increase strength and temperature resistance, or include EVOH or PVDC coatings to improve resistance to oxygen or water vapor.

As used herein, "unopened state" or "unopened" refers to a contact lens package that is closed and contains the contact lens in a solution.

As used herein, "opened state" or "opened" refers to a contact lens package after the sterilization seal has been breached. Depending on the context described herein, the open state extends to the state of the package when the user has manipulated the package to lift the lens out of the packaging solution for transfer by the user.

As used herein, "wearer" or "user" refers to a person who opens a contact lens package. A user is generally a person who opens the package and simultaneously transfers the contact lens contained therein to their eye. However, in some scenarios, a user may be a person who handles the lens package on behalf of the wearer, such as an eye care provider ("ECP") or another person who demonstrates or assists the wearer.

The packaging solution is any physiologically compatible solution that is compatible with the selected lens material and packaging. The packaging solution includes a buffer solution having a physiological pH, such as a buffered saline solution. The packaging solution may contain known components, including buffering agents, pH and tonicity adjusters, lubricants, moisturizers, nutrients, drugs, inner coating components of the package, and the like.

The packaging substrate may form the bottom of the package. It may be made of any material suitable for packaging medical devices, including polymers. The bowl polymer material may be any polymer material that can be injection molded and provides a contact lens package with a shelf life of at least one, two, or five years, and is compatible with the chemical and physical properties of the lens, filler solution, and any additives included therein. The bowl polymer material may be selected from any of the aforementioned materials. The bowl polymer material is preferably a blend of polypropylene, COP, COC, and polypropylene blended with COP or COC having a melting temperature greater than about 145°C. Examples of polypropylene include metallocene catalyzed polypropylene polymers and copolymers, Zielgler-Nata catalyzed polypropylene polymers and copolymers. Examples of suitable grades of polypropylene include: ACHIEVE 1605 (metallocene-catalyzed PP homopolymer) and PP1264E1 (PP homopolymer, MFR=20 g/10 min) from ExxonMobil; Braskem CP360H (homopolymer), F350 HC2 (high crystalline homopolymer, MFR=35) from Braskem; Borealis RF366MO (random copolymer with nucleation and antistatic agent), BJ380MO (heterophasic copolymer with controlled rheology containing nucleation and antistatic agent) from Borealis; Moplen HE649T (homopolymer) and HP301R (homopolymer) from LyondellBasell; SABIC 512A (PP homopolymer with controlled rheology); Formolene 4111T and Formelene 4142T from FormaPlastics; FHR 11T55V, FHR P4C5N-046, FHR P4C6N-041 from Flint Hills Resources; and Total MR2001 (homopolymer material), Total M3766 (metallocene-catalyzed PP homopolymer), and Total PPH10099 (controlled rheology PP homopolymer) from Total Petrochemicals. The polypropylene may have a melt flow in the range of about 15 g/10 minutes to about 44 g/10 minutes as determined by ASTM D-1238-10 "Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer" or similar known methods. The polypropylene may be virgin or may have undergone a controlled rheology process to increase its melt flow rate.

The package lid is typically placed over the upper package and sealed with the base to form a cavity containing at least a portion of the lens support, the lens, and the packaging solution. The lid can be made of any material suitable for packaging medical devices, including molded sheets of foil or plastic, laminates, or plastics. Packages that include plastic for one structure and foil or laminate as another structure, or packages that include foil or laminate as an outer layer of the lid and base are known in the art and are examples of suitable combinations.

References throughout this specification to injection molding processes and the use of materials known to be used in injection molding should be understood to be exemplary. Those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that other means of manufacturing are possible within the scope of the accompanying patent applications, including but not limited to alternative molding processes, thermoforming, 3D printing, and the like. Similarly, references to heat seals and heat sealing are exemplary of the embodiments described herein. Other means of securing the packaging components will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art, including the use of adhesives, glues, thermal bonding, welding (such as heat, ultrasonic, or laser welding), or a mechanical trap, and the like.

Certain aspects of the present invention may act to reduce or prevent significant optical damage to contact lenses caused by interaction with the interior of a bubble or lens package, which may occur during storage or transition, caused by gravity or other forces (e.g., mechanical pressure applied from the outside of the package). As used herein, significant optical damage means a root-mean-squared (RMS) value equal to or greater than about 0.08 μm.

Referring to the drawings, FIG. 1A shows an exemplary contact lens package according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B to FIG. 1D show steps of treating a contact lens package 100 containing a contact lens 138 in a packaging solution (not shown) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A shows an unopened contact lens package 100 having a cover 106 and a substrate 110. In this embodiment, the cover 106 is a multi-layer film, which is also referred to herein as a foil, and the substrate 110 is composed of a thermoplastic polymer (such as polypropylene plastic). Although in this embodiment, the cover 106 is in the form of a relatively flexible material (i.e., a multi-layer film) and the base 110 is in the form of a relatively rigid material, it should be understood that other embodiments may include substantially rigid components of both the cover and the base. For example, in some embodiments, the base and the cover may both be composed of polypropylene plastic or other relatively rigid materials. The base 110 includes a pivot axis 114 along which the base forms a portion of a lever 118 that can be hinged when a force is applied to the lever 118. The force applied to activate the lever 118 in this embodiment may include a simultaneous downward moment and a lateral moment.

The base 110 further includes a plurality of optional finger engagement features 122a and 122b to assist the user in handling the contact lens package during the opening procedure. The finger depression 122a can be sized to accommodate a user's finger or thumb disposed at the end of the base 110 proximal to the user and at the foot 122b at the distal end of the base 110. In this embodiment, the finger depression 122a is also angled downward so that a force (e.g., a pressure having one or both of a downward and lateral torque applied by the user's thumb) causes the lever 118 to articulate downwardly at the pivot axis 114. The foot 122b provides a large area to rest a finger or thumb against and facilitates application of the reaction force required to articulate the lever. In this embodiment, the package 100 is further configured to have a sloped profile from the proximal end to the distal end to further facilitate the downward moment at the lever, for example, when the lever is pressed downward or when the package is squeezed by a user (i.e., when the user applies pressure at opposite ends of the package, i.e., via a finger at one end and via a thumb at the other). In this embodiment, the package 100 is configured so that the squeezing pressure is applied at the distal end and the proximal end. This design also allows the package to be pressed against a solid surface, such as a work surface to activate the lever 118. However, alternative embodiments are possible whereby the relative forces involved in squeezing are applied at one or more opposite ends of the package, such as but not limited to the sides (left and right) of the package or portion thereof.

In the first step shown in FIG. 1B , the user holds the base 110 of the unopened contact lens package 100. The user's grip on the package 100 can be improved by one or more finger engagement features 122a and 122b positioned and configured to provide a more secure grip on the package and/or to assist in the application of force in a later step to lift the contact lens contained in the package for presentation to the user and transfer to the user's eye. The finger indent 106 (visible in FIG. 1A ) is positioned on the lever 118 of the base 110 and is sized for the user's thumb 126 to grasp the package. At the opposite end of the package 100, the user can grab the package by firmly positioning a finger under an overhang 122b (visible in FIG. 1A ) at the end of the base 110 as shown. In the case of foot features such as 122b, the surface area forming the foot can be curved or flattened to provide an increased area across which a relative force can be applied when the package is squeezed. Next, the user can open the package by opening the lid 106, which in this embodiment involves the user peeling the foil 106 from the proximal end to the distal end of the base 110 in the direction shown by arrow 134, thereby destroying the sterile seal between the foil (lid) 106 and the base 110. Although not required, in the preferred embodiment, the package is optimized for the user to grasp the base with one hand and peel off the lid 106 with the other hand.

1C, the package cover 106 has been opened, either by completely removing the cover as shown, or alternatively by partially removing enough to substantially expose the lens cavity 136, which contains the contact lens 138 in the packaging solution (not shown) above the lens support 140. With the package 100 open, the user then applies a force 142 to the lever 118. In this embodiment, the package is configured to be squeezed by the user, whereby the user's hand or hands respectfully supply opposing forces 142 and 146 at the proximal and distal ends of the package, thereby generating a more significant torque on the lever 118. Optionally, the lever 118 may be locked in place when the lens support 140 has been raised to a predetermined elevation angle (also referred to as the "lift angle"), i.e., the angle at which the package is configured to present the lens on the lens support to the user relative to a horizontal plane defined by the cover. As described in more detail below with reference to FIGS. 2 , 6 , 7A , and 7B , locking the lever and/or lens support at a particular lift angle may be accomplished by one or more locking mechanisms imparted to the base of the package. The "locking" effect of the locking mechanism means that the lens support is able to maintain its position once it has reached a predetermined lifting angle without the user having to continue to apply force.

1D , at this stage, the force applied by the user to the lever has caused the lens support 140 to lift the contact lens 138 out of the packaging solution (not shown). Ideally, the lens support is configured to lift the contact lens high enough above the packaging cavity so that the lens is free of the packaging solution, facing the user, and is therefore visible and transferable from the support, but not so high that the lens slides off the support under the influence of gravity. This can be achieved by a lift angle 150 of between about 15° and 60° relative to a horizontal plane defining the top of the base. The lens support is preferably configured so that when lifted in this manner, as in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the packaging solution is discharged from the contact lens sufficient to achieve a single-touch lens transfer by a user, in which the user transfers the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 by tapping (also interchangeably referred to as "dabbing") the convex surface of the contact lens 138, such that the tapping releases the contact lens from the lens support 138 and adheres to one of the user's fingers 154.

In this embodiment, the contact lens 138 is conveniently presented to the wearer in a convex orientation, meaning that the convex side of the lens 138 is accessible to the wearer without the need to reorient the lens prior to placing the concave side of the lens on the wearer's eye surface. However, it will be appreciated that other orientations, such as the concave orientation of conventional blister packaging, are feasible within the scope of the present invention. Transfer of the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 may be performed by the wearer's finger 154, either directly touching the lens or indirectly by means of an applicator film (e.g., as described in US20190046353) or other covering applied to the finger, or may be performed by another transfer means, such as a manual or automatic applicator device or tool. When transferring the contact lens 138 from the package 100, the lens rests on the finger 154 (or other transfer member) as shown in the illustrated steps, wherein the convex side of the contact lens 138 rests against the finger 154 and the concave side of the lens 138 is oriented for direct application to the user's eye surface. Although a single touch/tap of the lens is the preferred lens transfer mode, it should be noted that traditional "pinching" of the lens from the lens support is feasible.

Turning now to FIGS. 2 and 3 , FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the contact lens package 100 in an open state, wherein the lens support 140 has lifted the contact lens 138 out of the packaging solution (not shown). FIG. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the contact lens package 100. The contact lens package 100 includes a base 110 having a proximal end (A) and a distal end (B). The base 110 includes a cavity 136 for receiving the contact lens 138 in the packaging solution, and a lever 118 configured to be hinged along a pivot axis 114 in the base when a force is applied to the lever 118. In this embodiment, the lever 118 is formed as part of an integral component that makes up the base 110. More specifically, the base 110 (including the lever 118) is formed as a one-piece injection molded polypropylene plastic part. Those skilled in the art will appreciate alternative materials and processes for forming the base, including thermoforming, 3D printing (using materials such as ABS, PLA, HIPS, PETG, nylon, or others). Preferably, the material used for the base is relatively rigid, having a glass transition temperature ( _Tg ) of about 125C as measured according to ASTM D1238-10 (Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rate of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer). In this embodiment, the cardinal axis 114 is defined by a thin, folded region in the base that is in a linear configuration along the horizontal axis along which the lever 118 is hinged. This thinned area provides sufficient relief along a line in the base material to allow the lever 118 to articulate at the desired location when a force is applied to the lever by a user. The use of one or more thinned areas is only one of countless ways that an axis can be defined within the scope of the present invention. For example, in other embodiments where the lever is formed of the same material as the rest of the base, the axis can be established by folding the plastic laterally at the desired location, by molding the material to be made thinner along the axis, and/or by cutting, etching, or otherwise imparting the axis into the base material. Alternatively or additionally, one or more voids may be imparted in the substrate material along the expected axis of rotation to encourage bending of the plastic material along the expected axis. Furthermore, in embodiments where the lever is in the form of a discrete component, the axis may simply represent the horizontal interface between the lever and the remainder of the substrate. In such embodiments, articulation along the axis may be effected by a hinge assembly, a rotatable interlocking attachment, or the like. It should be understood that alternative embodiments are possible within the scope of the present invention in which the lever is a discrete component coupled to the remainder of the substrate by attachment means. For example, the lever may be formed as a separate injection molded part and then attached to a separate molded (or printed, etc.) part forming the remainder of the base via a series of attachment means including laser welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, mechanical attachment, heat staking, or the like.

The bottom side of the base may be sloped (as in the illustrated embodiment) to allow the package to "nest", thereby allowing for tighter secondary packaging during storage and transport (as further described with reference to FIG. 10 ), in addition to reducing the amount of primary packaging material and packaging solution required to keep the contact lens hydrated. In this example, the base 110 is angled at about 10° from the proximal end (A) to the distal end (B) and has a footprint of about 29 mm in width, 44 mm in length, and 12 mm in height. The preferred slope has a range between about 0° to 20°, but the slope can be made steeper, such as about 20° to 30°, as desired. The base includes a well (i.e., cavity 136) formed in the conical region, in which the contact lens 138 and lens support 140 are contained when the package 100 is not opened. In this embodiment, the cavity has a volume of approximately 2240 μl, which is dispensed with approximately 2080 μl of packaging solution sufficient to completely immerse the contact lens 138 within the cavity 136. The foil cover 106 is secured to the base 110 via a retort seal formed between a rim 152 on the upper surface of the base around the perimeter of the cavity 136. This seal can be formed by well-known heat sealing techniques and associated equipment.

The finger engagement feature (indent) 122a is sized to accommodate a user's finger or thumb disposed at the end of the base 110 proximal to the user. In this embodiment, the finger indent 122a is also angled downward so that a force (e.g., pressure applied by the user's thumb) causes the lever 118 to hinge downward at the pivot axis 114. The finger indent location of this indent and the location of the user's finger relative to the pivot axis affect the amount of squeeze force required to hinge the lever along the pivot axis. In this example, the depth of the indent below the pivot axis is 4.9 mm when measured from the sealing level to the base of the indent. The horizontal distance between the indent and the hinge line affects the lever force required for the bend hinge. In this example, the end of the lever 118 is 14.5 mm from the axis 114.

The lens support 140 is coupled to the lever 118 such that a force applied to the lever 118 causes the lens support 140 to lift the contact lens 138 out of the packaging solution. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens support 140 is a separately molded (or printed) component that is fixedly attached to the lever 118 portion of the base. The attachment here is made by laser welding, whereby the tab portion 163 is welded to a corresponding recessed area 164 in the base 110. Many other means of attachment besides laser welding are possible within the scope of the claimed invention, including, for example, ultrasonic or RF welding, adhesives, mechanical clipping, heat fusion, and the like. Further, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the lens support may be formed as part of the same integrally molded or printed assembly as the lever and/or the entire base. In many embodiments, such as those illustrated where the pivot is formed from a fold in plastic or other substantially rigid material, the pivot may have thickness, i.e., it may not be completely sharp. In such cases, a spacing may be required between the attachment point and the pivot to maximize the lift angle for a given extrusion pressure. As discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 6s and FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B ), the package 100 also includes a locking mechanism (in this example, 159a and 159b) that locks the lever 118 in place when the lens support 140 reaches a lift angle that is predetermined to be high enough to allow the packaging solution to be adequately drained from the lens 138, but not so high that the lens 138 slides off the lens support.

The bottom side of the cover 106 (as seen in FIG. 2 ) includes a cover insert 170 having a plurality of lens facing surfaces 168, which in this embodiment are formed as protrusions extending downwardly toward the convex surface of the lens 138. The lens facing surfaces 168 are generally shaped to mirror the convex lens surface of a contact lens to be received in the cover cavity 136. The lens facing surfaces 168 serve to align the contact lens over the lens support, prevent the lens from folding or twisting, and protect the contact lens against significant optical damage due to gravity or air induced forces. In some embodiments, the lens-facing surface also functions as an air inlet guide by directing air into the package over the contact lens to reduce the incidence of the contact lens sticking to the package when opened. In this case, the lens-facing surface is provided on a molded plastic lid insert 170, wherein the lid insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of the foil lid 106 by heat sealing along heat sealing surfaces 172a to 172d, which are distributed and positioned to prevent the lid insert 170 from being sheared away when the user opens the multi-foil film forming the lid 106. However, in other embodiments, such as where the lid is substantially rigid, the lens-facing surface may be integral to the lid rather than a separate component. It should be understood that all features described as being imparted to the lid insert may equally apply to embodiments where the same features are made integral to the lid.

The lens-facing surface of the present invention acts to support the lens when forces are applied to avoid or reduce significant optical damage. For example, gravity and interactions with air bubbles in the packaging solution can cause optical damage if not properly counteracted. In one aspect, the lens-facing surface (such as lens-facing surface 168 in the illustrated embodiment) includes a relatively large accessible surface area, preferably at least about 20 percent of the convex surface area of the lens, or as large as possible while still accommodating any desired air egress channels. Contactable surface area is understood to mean the contact area between the lens and the lens-facing surface when the lens is loaded (i.e., placed in contact under the action of an applied force (such as but not limited to gravity or bubble interaction). The contactable surface area determines the pressure applied to an area of the lens when/if it is loaded. The larger the area, the more the pressure is reduced. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens-facing surface 168 has a contactable surface area of about 40 percent of the convex surface area of the lens 138, and more precisely about 90 ^mm2 in a conventional contact lens having a surface area of about 215 ^mm2 . As discussed in more detail below, preferably at least 10% of the surface area above the lens remains exposed to promote air entering the package to travel between the lens-facing surface and the lens to reduce any tendency of the lens to stick to the lens-facing surface/cover insert.

The lens-facing surface 168 is also spaced apart to define air outlet channels 169 that allow air, particularly bubbles in the packaging solution, to travel from the contact lens into the cavity 136. The spacing also allows the cover structure to flex when the foil cover is peeled off, thereby preventing the cover structure from scratching and damaging the lens. The air outlet channels allow smaller bubbles to escape from the area around the lens surface while preventing larger bubbles from entering the space above the lens. To this end, a preferred embodiment includes at least two air outlet channels, each having a width of between about 1 mm and 2 mm, or preferably between 1 mm and 1.5 mm, and specifically 1.1 mm in the illustrated embodiment.

In this embodiment, the lid insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of the lid 106 by heat sealing between the multi-layer film lid 106 and the flat surfaces 172a-172d on the upper side of the lid insert. As discussed in more detail herein, the alignment of the lid insert with the substrate during the heat sealing process and during storage can be aided by including one or more alignment features in the substrate and/or the lid insert. For example, the alignment features in the illustrated embodiment take the form of protrusions 174 of the lid insert 170 and protrusions 176 in the cavity 136 of the substrate 110. The protrusions 174 and ridges 176 cooperate to resist rotation and lateral movement of the lid insert 170 when pressure is applied to seal the package 100 or during storage.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , a close-up view of the cover insert 170 is shown. The positioning of the projections 174a and 174b of the cover insert 170 corresponds to the ridge 180 in the base 110. The projections 174a and 174b, and the ridge 180 work together as an assembly to limit the rotation and lateral movement of the cover insert 170, and prevent lifting from the lens support (except for the expected time during opening), and ensure that the lens is not compressed in the package due to external forces when heat sealing pressure is applied during assembly or during storage, transportation, or when the user opens the package. In this regard, projections 174a and 174b, and ridge 180 also function as latching features to prevent lid features, such as lens-facing surface 168 (whether integral to the lid or included on a lid insert), from striking the lens when pressure is applied from the top, such as when the lid is sealed to the base, or when the lid insert (if any) is sealed to the lid. Other latching features may be included to stop the lens support from striking the lens by forming a contact point between the lens support and the lid insert (e.g., by bending the package at the pivot before it is opened). One function of ridge 180 is to avoid pinch points around the lens during assembly. The height of the ridge above the cavity floor is made sufficient so that the lens-facing features of the cover insert and/or cover terminate at a height above the lens received below. It should be understood that the protrusion and/or ridge is yet another exemplary locking feature of many possibilities. Specifically, the cover insert can lock at any level (e.g., at the level of the base of the lens, at the level of the top of the box).

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a contact lens package 100 in an unopened state. Specifically, FIG. 5 shows a cross-section created by a cut running longitudinally along the center of the package 100. As shown, the package 100 is configured such that a contact lens 138 is contained between a lens support 140 and a lens-facing surface 168 when in an unopened state. The package of the present invention preferably minimizes contact with the contact lens when the package is closed, and the lens is substantially suspended in the packaging solution. Ideally, the optical zone of the lens is free-floating, and contact with the lens support is transient or non-existent during storage. Depending on the buoyancy and orientation of the lens in the packaging solution, the lens may rest its peripheral edge on the floor of the cavity in the base of the package, or rest its convex surface on the lens-facing surface. As shown, the contact lens package 100 is oriented lid-up, with the peripheral edge of the contact lens resting on the floor of the cavity 136 in the base 110.

However, wherever manufacturing processes may not permit sealing the package under vacuum pressure, cavity 136 is preferably substantially filled with packaging solution. In such cases, it is expected that some amount of air will become trapped in cavity 136. If such air bubbles are not managed, they can interact with the lens and cause significant optical damage to the lens. Accordingly, a peripheral volume in the cavity may be provided, i.e., a volume of cavity surrounding the location of the lens above the lens support. Ideally, such volumes should be provided at the distal and proximal ends of the package (e.g., 139a and 139b of cavity 136 of package 100) so that air bubbles have a location to reside regardless of the orientation of the package during shipping or storage.

The base 110 of the package 100 also includes a central depression 184 provided beneath the lens 138. The central depression 184 in this example is dome-shaped to generally follow the concave side of the lens 138 to provide additional support beneath the lens 138. The central depression 184 also acts to reduce the amount of packaging solution required in the package and to reduce the amount of head space, i.e., the amount of space where air bubbles can seat themselves and exert forces on the lens 138 that could cause optical damage.

6, the contact lens package 100 is shown in an open state, wherein the lens 138 is lifted from the packaging solution in a position for transfer by the user. The angle at which the lens emerges from the packaging solution (defined herein as the "emergence angle" ( β ) (not shown)) affects the manner and extent to which the packaging solution is drained from the lens, and therefore can affect the likelihood of consistent single-touch lens transfer. It is observed that it is advantageous to configure the lens support 138 relative to the base 110 and the lever 118 so that when the user actuates the lever 118 to lift the lens, the upper side of the lens 138' (i.e., the upper side when the lens is in the lifted position) of the lens 138 emerges from the packaging solution before the lower side 138". Ideally, the package should be configured so that this order (i.e., the upper side emerges first) is maintained. This holds true regardless of whether the user tilts the package toward or away from them within an expected range (10 degrees forward or backward) when opening. As the lens emerges from the packaging solution, a film of packaging solution is observed to remain intact on the lens support throughout the lifting motion. By causing the upper side 138' to emerge first, there is a large amount of fluid flow from the distal end 138' of the lens to the proximal end 138" of the lens. This encourages the packaging solution to be discharged continuously along a path that it maintains along the lens support 138, and in some embodiments, continuously through the discharge channel of the lens support (as discussed in more detail below with respect to Figures 8A and 8B). Conversely, if instead the lower side emerges before the upper side, the film of the packaged solution will be more likely to rupture before the fluid has a chance to escape, with the result that the packaged solution will be more likely to become trapped between the lens and the lens support, thereby preventing consistent single-touch transfer.

The emergence angle varies depending on at least two aspects of the lens support: lever length and primary lens angle. "Lever length" ( L ) is defined as the distance between the pivot point 114 and the vertex of the lens when centered on the lens support. "Primary lens angle" ( θ ) is defined as the angle of the lens in the cavity relative to the plane defined by the lid when the package is not opened. Table 1 below provides a range of values for the emergence lens angle produced by various combinations of lever lengths ranging from 11 mm to 16 mm and primary lens angles ranging from -4 degrees to 20 degrees.

It is observed that an emergence angle greater than 0 degrees can support consistent transfer, however, an emergence angle of at least about 5 degrees (with 10 degrees being preferred) allows the package to be tilted slightly away from the user without hindering the desired discharge effect. Lower emergence angles can allow for consistent single-touch lens transfer, although without providing tolerance for package tilt. The package 100 is configured such that the lens support 140 has a lever length (L) of 13 mm, and a primary angle ( θ ) of 10 degrees, which produces a emergence angle of approximately 10 degrees. However, as mentioned, countless combinations of lever lengths and primary angles can produce countless acceptable emergence angles, including but not limited to those listed in Table 1.

The package 100 is also configured with a locking mechanism (described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B ) that locks the lens support 140 at an elevation angle ( α ) of about 60 degrees (i.e., the angle at which the package is configured to present the lens 138 on the lens support 140 to the user relative to the horizontal plane 190). The elevation angle is preferably between about 45 degrees and 75 degrees, and is ideally selected to be high enough to allow adequate drainage of the packaging solution from the lens, but not so high that the lens slides off the support, it being understood that the maximum feasible angle at which the lens slides off the support will depend on the specific design of the lens support. The minimum value of α is also determined by the clearance required between the base of the lens and the surface of the packaging solution. A residual gap of at least about 3 mm to 5 mm will allow the membrane of the packaged solution between the lens and the solution surface to rupture.

7A and 7B, illustrated is a base 110 of a contact lens package, wherein locking members 159a and 159b are in an unlocked state and a locked state, respectively. In this example, two locking mechanisms 159a and 159b are employed on either side of the base 100, wherein a lever 118 portion of the base 110 is configured to be hinged along a pivot axis 114. As shown in the enlarged view in FIG. 7B, in this example, the locking mechanism is in the form of a snap-fit latch 159b having an upper tooth 192 and a lower tooth 194. Teeth 192 and 194 are shaped so that when the lever 118 and the lens support 140 affixed thereto reach a predetermined angle of lift, tooth 194 slides over the side of tooth 192 as the lever 118 depresses before becoming snapped under upper tooth 192. The snapping of tooth 194 under tooth 192 allows the lens support 140 to retain its position in place once it has reached the predetermined angle of lift without requiring continued application of force by the user. It should be appreciated that other embodiments may utilize only one or alternatively more than two locking mechanisms to achieve the same locking functionality, and may substitute any number of alternative types of locking mechanisms, such as, but not limited to, ratchets, adhesives, and/or a pair of male and female friction fit features. Including a locking mechanism can benefit the handling experience in many ways, including at least that it 1) ensures that the lens support presents the lens to the user at an angle calculated to provide adequate drainage without the lens sliding off the support; the locking mechanism also 2) allows the user to remove their thumb or finger from the lever after lifting the lens so that the same hand that lifted the lens can then be used to transfer the lens from the lens support, for example, preferably by tapping, also by pinching, or by a lens insertion tool, or other means; or allows the user to place the package down on a surface if desired.

In another aspect, the base 110 includes a secondary support 196. The secondary support 196 in this example represents the upper side of the central depression 184 formed in the bottom side of the base 110, as discussed above with respect to FIG. 5. The secondary support 196 has a convex, partially domed profile that partially resembles the profile of a contact lens. The recessed areas 198a and 198b are imparted to the secondary support 196 in a shape and location that allows the lens support (i.e., the primary lens support) to nest with the secondary support when the package 100 is in its unopened state to form a domed shape that resembles the concave side of the lens 138. This may be referred to as a split support configuration, whereby the lens support 140 lifts the lens 138 upon opening, such that the secondary support only provides support to the lens when the package is not opened (i.e., during storage, shipping, and handling), but not when the package is opened, and the lens 138 is presented for transfer when supported only by the (primary) lens support 140. This configuration reduces excess wet areas that may otherwise exist between the lens and the lens support if the entire support system is lifted along with the lens. The split lens support configuration may provide a number of benefits, including that the secondary support 196 fills more volume within the cavity 136, thereby reducing the amount of solution required to hydrate the lens, and reducing lens damage, limiting bubble migration, and preventing lens inversion. In achieving some or all of these benefits, preferably but optionally, the lens support (whether singular, or split between secondary and primary and possibly other components) fills as much of the space beneath the contact lens and beneath the peripheral edge of the lens as possible.

The lens support of the present invention may take numerous shapes and forms that are capable of lifting the lens out of the packaging solution when the user applies force(s) to the package (such as squeezing the package as described with respect to the embodiments herein). However, as mentioned, preferably the lens support maintains the lens in the desired convex orientation (downward relative to the base bowl) and positioning (centered above the support) during shipping and storage. Ideally, the lens support can provide an opening structure under the lens to allow the packaging solution to drain from the lens and support when opened without trapping water between the support and the bottom side of the lens. It is also preferred that the lens support provide sufficient support to the lens to prevent the lens from collapsing on the support, rotating away from the support, or translating across the support. This allows the apex of the lens to be supported by the lens' own elastic strength, or minimizes sinking of the apex of the lens while limiting the contact area between the support and the lens. Excessive contact between the support and the lens after the solution is drained, and water trapped between the support and the lens, can create surface tension between the lens and the water on and around the lens support that is greater than the surface tension between the wearer's finger and the lens, thereby interfering with effective lens transfer. When the package is opened, the sum of the contact between the lens and the lens support and the solution discharged from the lens and the lens support is the total wetted contact area, which can be less than about 30 ^mm2 , less than 25 ^mm2 , or less than 20 ^mm2 and is distributed around at least the periphery of the lens, as described herein. As used herein, "wetted contact area" refers to the area of direct, stable contact between the lens support and the lens after the lens is lifted, plus the area of any meniscus, reservoir, or solution bridge formed between the lenses, and the package solution is allowed to drain for two seconds and measured according to the measurement protocol described below with respect to Figure 9.

For lenses made from polymers with longer shape memories, the lens support may be designed to limit contact between the lens and the support during storage. Such contact may be distributed around the peripheral edge of the lens. Contact between the lens optic, the lens support, and the interior of the cover (including any air inlet guides) may be temporary, or there may be no contact between the optic and the support, cover, or air inlet guide. Lenses with shorter shape memories (such as conventional hydrogels) are less likely to be deformed by packaging contact and may have contact points distributed around the periphery and throughout the lens contour (including the center area of the lens, with a diameter of about 9 mm, or about 5 mm).

The lens support of the present invention preferably allows both the fingertip and the lens to deform to match each other's shape when tapped, without causing lens inversion or damage to the lens during removal due to excessive pressure during tapping. Therefore, one aspect of removing the lens from the present package can control the ratio of the contact area between the finger and the lens compared to the area between the lens and the lens support, so that the contact area between the finger and the lens exceeds the contact surface area of the lens support on the bottom side of the lens. This will ensure that the surface tension between the finger and the lens exceeds the surface tension between the lens and the lens support. Therefore, the lens will be adhered to the finger for lens transfer and placement on the eye.

The lens support preferably provides at least 2, at least 3, 3 to 14, 4 to 14, 3 to 8, or 4 to 8, 4 to 6, or 6 points of contact with the edge of the contact lens along the peripheral support, and may take the form of a continuous (also known as a "closed-circuit") design, in which the lens support has no ends or interruptions and contact with the lens occurs at various points along the continuous support structure. When two peripheral supports are used, they can be wider to provide stability, but do not exceed the contact area desired for consistent single-touch lens transfer. Peripheral contact points prevent the lens from rotating away from the lens and can be arranged in several configurations where the space between the most distant adjacent contact points is less than the diameter of the lens. As the number of peripheral supports increases, the likelihood of residual packaging solution forming a film between adjacent peripheral supports and solution bridging between the supports and the lens during discharge increases. Peripheral supports with less than 50% open space, such as peripheral supports in the form of screens or filters, generally provide insufficient discharge to ensure single-touch lens transfer. Likewise, excessive contact between the support and the lens after solution drainage, and water trapped between the support and the lens, can create surface tension between the lens and the water on and around the lens support that is greater than the surface tension between the wearer's finger and the lens, thereby interfering with effective lens transfer. The width of the component support members of the lens support varies between the constraints of the selected molding process and the width required to efficiently drain the packaged solution upon opening. Suitable widths include about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm, about 0.5 to about 1, or about 0.5 mm to about 0.7 mm, and it will be appreciated that lens support designs with fewer contact points may have thicker arms.

The lens support can achieve sufficient drainage of packaging solution from the lens to achieve a single touch transfer through one or a combination of drainage techniques referred to herein as channel drainage and back drainage. Channel drainage involves the formation of a film on the lens support of the channel member along which the packaging solution is transported away from the lens by gravity when the lens support is lifted. Back drainage, on the other hand, refers to enhanced drainage directly from the bottom side of the lens into the packaging solution reservoir with the lens resting on the lens support. Due to the hydrophilic nature of modern contact lens materials, this area below the apex of the lens tends to capture packaging solution. In some embodiments, enhanced back-drainage can be achieved by designing the lens support to have a central opening of at least about 12 mm3 below the apex of the lens.

Referring next to Figures 8A and 8B, illustrated are side and top views of an exemplary lens support 140, respectively. Lens support 140 represents an example of a lens support that utilizes a mixture of back discharge and channel discharge to sufficiently clear packaging solution from the lens to achieve a single touch transfer. Lens support 140 includes a closed loop design including a central support portion including central support segments 200a and 200b having a partially circular configuration with an inner diameter of approximately 6 mm. Central support segments 200a and 200b are raised 1 mm relative to the lens base.

The design of the lens support 140 is established with a 6 mm diameter central opening 212 to allow the packaging solution to drain away from the lens and the lens support 140 when the package is opened and when the lens support is lifted from the packaging solution; and an unsupported area sufficient to allow the lens apex to deform slightly under light pressure and thereby achieve sufficient contact area with a finger (or other lens transfer means) to achieve a single touch transfer. The size of the central opening 212 also allows the apex of the lens to be supported by the elastic strength of the lens itself, or to minimize the sinking of the lens apex while limiting the contact area between the support 140 and the lens. The design also provides adequate support to the edges of the contact lens at points A, B, C, and D along the peripheral support sections 201a-201d. This configuration substantially reduces the wetted contact area between the lens support 140 and the contact lens to approximately 22 ^mm2 after allowing drainage for 2 seconds after the lens support 140 is lifted, and measurements are taken according to the measurement protocol described herein with respect to FIG. The design of the lens support 140 prevents the lens from collapsing laterally, in part by making the drainage of the packaging solution from the film 206 initially formed on the supports 205a and 205b more stable through the peripheral support sections 201a to 201d, and by holding the sides of the lens in tension until the lens is substantially drained.

The distal end 208 of the lens support 140 is open to reduce the incidence of the lens ejecting from the lens support during lifting, and to facilitate the lens support clearing the cover insert 170 when the lens support 140 is lifted. The lens support also includes a drain channel 202 to assist in lens drainage. The drain channel 202 is formed by channel members 204a and 204b, which extend from the tab portion 163 of the lens support 140, and has a width of approximately 2 mm and a length of 2.3 mm. When the lens is lifted, a film (multiple) of packaging solution is formed along the lens support member (center and periphery). The drain channel, when present, cooperates with the lens support to create a temporary film of packaging solution flowing away from the lens, and a path for the film to drain under the action of gravity. In this way, the drain channel helps to minimize the collection of packaging solution between the back of the lens and the lens support structure when the package is opened and the lens support is lifted or tilted out of the packaging solution. The drain channel includes at least one channel member. The drain channel includes a gap between two adjacent members, or when a single member is used, a break in a single member. For lens supports without a full peripheral ring, the drain channel gap can start at any point within the lens perimeter. The drain channel may extend beyond the perimeter of the lens by at least 2 mm, about 2 mm to about 4 mm, or about 2.5 mm to about 3.5 mm in length. The drain channel gap may provide space outside the perimeter of the contact lens for air flow, thereby ensuring that air and packaging solution from the concave surface of the lens can be drained when opened without sucking the lens down onto the lens support. As can be seen in FIG. 8B , the lens support 140 is also configured with an offset from the horizontal plane of the tab 163 so that the side supports 205a and 205b of the lens support 140 are tilted downward at a primary angle (θ) of 10 degrees. The lens support 140 has a lever length (L) of 13 mm.

It is emphasized that the lens support embodiments shown and described herein are only two of the countless embodiments of lens supports within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the accompanying patent claims. Specifically, several additional illustrative but non-limiting exemplary lens supports are described in Appendix A.

A procedure for measuring wet contact area is described below with reference to FIG. 9 , which shows digital images of wet contact area measurements at various stages of digital processing. First, at one step, the contact lens package cavity is filled with 16 parts packaging solution to 1 part dye (e.g., Stone England Claret ink) so that the contact lens and lens support are minimally submerged. Next, the lens support is raised according to normal operation of the package, such as by depressing an upper and lower lever (not shown). The lens support and lens are maintained in their fully raised position or at a tapped angle depending on the specific package design. The lens support is then removed, placed on a white surface, and a digital camera (with at least 12 megapixels) is imaged directly approximately 4 inches above the lens support in a neutral lighting environment to generate an image (such as image 902). Images for measurement should be captured within 30 seconds of removal from the packaging to avoid evaporation losses.

At the next step, image 902 is digitally scaled based on the diameter of the center segment (6 mm in this example). The image is then converted to black and white using a threshold selected to remove (e.g., convert to white) any dark segments that are not visibly attached to the lens support. Any areas that are in solid contact with the lens support are also converted to white to avoid double counting. This distinguishes the meniscus area from the fluid film attached to the lens.

Next, the image is divided into segments by cropping it into three different images 903a, 903b, and 903c (with 6mm diameter, 8mm diameter, and 14.2mm diameter) to account for distortion due to vertical projection at the edge of the lens. The white pixels and black pixels of each segment are then counted, and the meniscus area is calculated as the ratio of white pixels to black pixels multiplied by the 3D surface area of each segment on the back curved geometry of the lens. Finally, the total wetted area is calculated as the meniscus area plus the solid area of contact of the lens support (which can be measured in CAD).

For purposes of explanation, the foregoing description uses specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the described embodiments. However, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that many of the specific details are not required to implement the described embodiments. Therefore, the foregoing description of the specific embodiments described herein is presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand that in light of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible.

The [Invention Content] and [Abstract] paragraphs may describe one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the invention as contemplated by the present invention, and therefore are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and the accompanying patent applications in any way.

The foregoing description of the specific embodiments will fully disclose the general nature of the present invention, so that others can easily modify and/or adapt such specific embodiments for various applications by applying knowledge in the relevant technical field without undue experimentation and without departing from the general concept of the present invention. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance presented herein, such adjustments and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and scope of equivalent examples of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the terms or expressions used herein are for the purpose of explanation rather than limitation, so that the terms or expressions of this specification are interpreted by those with ordinary knowledge in the relevant technical field in view of the teachings and guidance.

The packaging of the present invention can be manufactured using known materials and processes. The packaging material can be virgin, recycled, or a combination thereof. The volume within the packaging cavity can vary depending on the design selected.

Not all features described herein need be incorporated into every package, and those skilled in the art may combine such features using the teachings herein to provide a variety of improved contact lens packages. In summary, the contact lens packages of the present invention incorporate several novel functionalities that may be combined in a variety of combinations as described herein to provide desired improved and/or single-touch packaging. The breadth and scope of the present invention shall not be limited by any of the above exemplary embodiments, but shall be defined solely in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims (23)

A contact lens package includes: a cover; a base including: a cavity that accommodates a contact lens and a packaging solution; and a lever; and a lens support coupled to the lever and configured to lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution at a position on the lens support that can be shifted by a single touch of a user. A contact lens package as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the lever and the lens support is a discrete component coupled to the base by an attachment means. A contact lens package as described in claim 1, wherein a central axis is defined by at least one void in the substrate. A contact lens package as claimed in claim 1, wherein a cardinal line is imparted to the substrate by one or more of: a crease, a cut, a thinning line, and an etch. A contact lens package as described in claim 1, wherein the lens support is coupled to the substrate by at least one of: i) a laser welding; ii) heat; iii) an ultrasonic welding; and iv) an adhesive. A contact lens package as claimed in claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one finger engagement feature, the at least one finger engagement feature being configured to i) assist a user in grasping the package, or i) direct the application of force to cause the lever to hinge downward. The contact lens package as described in claim 1 further comprises a locking mechanism configured to lock the lever in place when the lens support is raised to a predetermined raising angle. A contact lens package as described in claim 7, wherein the predetermined lifting angle is at least about 45 degrees. A contact lens package as described in claim 1, wherein the lens support is configured so that when lifted, the upper side of the contact lens emerges from the packaging solution before the lower side of the contact lens. A contact lens package as described in claim 9, wherein the lens support has a emergence angle of at least 5 degrees. A contact lens package as described in claim 9, wherein the lens support has a primary lens angle between -4 degrees and 20 degrees, and a lever length between about 11 mm and 16 mm. A contact lens package as described in claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least one lens-facing surface, and the at least one lens-facing surface extends downwardly above the contact lens into the cavity when the package is in an unopened state. The contact lens package as described in claim 1 further comprises a secondary support member, which is configured to support the lens only when the package is not opened. A contact lens package as described in claim 13, wherein the secondary support includes at least one recessed area of a shape and location that allows the lens support to be nested with the secondary support when the package is in an unopened state to form a dome shape that mirrors the concave side of the lens. A contact lens package as described in claim 1, wherein when the package is in an unopened state or an opened state, the cavity accommodates the contact lens in a convex position. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein when the package is in an open state, the wet contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30 mm ² , less than about 25 mm ² , or less than about 20 mm ² . A contact lens package includes a contact lens, a lens support, and a locking mechanism in a packaging solution, wherein the lens support is configured to lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution, and the locking mechanism is configured to lock the lens support with the contact lens thereon at a predetermined lifting angle. A contact lens package as claimed in claim 17, wherein the package comprises a lever configured to cause the lens support to lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution when a user applies force to the lever. A contact lens package as claimed in claim 18, wherein the package is configured so that the force applied to the lever causes the lens support to be positioned on the lens support so as to be displaced by a single touch by the user to lift the contact lens out of the packaging solution. A contact lens package as described in claim 18, wherein the base includes at least one finger engagement feature, the at least one finger engagement feature being configured to i) assist a user in grasping the package, or i) direct the application of force to cause the lever to hinge downward. The contact lens package as described in claim 18 further comprises a secondary support member configured to support the lens only when the package is not opened. A contact lens package as described in claim 18, wherein when the package is in an unopened state or an opened state, the package contains the contact lens in a convex position. The contact lens package of claim 18, wherein when the package is in an open state, the wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30 mm ² , less than about 25 mm ² , or less than about 20 mm ² .

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