Contact lens package and lens support for use therein

Abstract

The present invention relates to an improved contact lens package and a lens support for use in the improved contact lens package. The contact lens package can have: a cover; the base is provided with a cavity and a lever, wherein the cavity is used for containing the contact lens and the packaging solution. A lens support is configured to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution to a position on the lens support that can be transferred by a single touch by a user. The package can include a locking mechanism configured to lock the lever in place when the lens support is raised to a predetermined raising angle.

Description

[0001] I. Background Technology

[0002] In conventional contact lens packaging, the contact lens is typically located in a molded plastic base having a cavity (or "bowl") that holds the contact lens in a concave-side-up orientation. Therefore, the user experience for transferring the contact lens from the package to the eye typically involves the user "fishing" the contact lens out of the bowl with their fingers and then flipping the lens so that it is in the correct orientation on the fingers for placement on the eye. This process requires multiple touches of the lens, which can transfer contaminants or pathogens from the hands to the lens and ultimately to the eye. This handling experience is not only unsanitary, but is also overly cumbersome, messy, and mechanically stressful on the lens, which can tear, rip, or distort when over-manipulated. Although some packages have been designed to present the lens in a convex-side-up orientation to avoid the need to flip the lens, it is still typically necessary to "fish" the lens out of the packaging solution, or the lens needs to be manipulated and / or touched multiple times to transfer the lens to the eye.

[0003] In view of the growing awareness surrounding eye health and the customer's demand for a more convenient experience, a need has arisen for contact lens packaging that enables a less messy and more sanitary contact lens handling process. In one aspect, it would be desirable to provide a "one-touch" package for contact lens wearers - that is, a package whereby the contact lens wearer can remove a lens from a lens storage package with a single touch of one of their fingers and then properly place the lens on the eye with only a single touch. In such a design, there is no need to transfer and manipulate the lens from one finger to another before placing the lens on the eye. Providing such a one-touch package would not only simplify the lens preparation and insertion process; it would also reduce the likelihood of the lens falling off or exposing the lens to additional bacteria on the wearer's other fingers when the lens is ready to be oriented and inserted on the eye, and it would also reduce the likelihood of the contact lens being intended to contact one side of the eye.

[0004] The design of single-touch lens packages faces some obvious challenges. Ideally, the wearer should be able to consistently position the lens to adhere to the finger during the removal of the lens from the package, and then the lens needs to be consistently released from the finger to the eye. (Both reusable and daily disposable) contact lenses each have their own unique surface, volume and geometric properties. Finger size and contact lens wearer force applied to the lens during transfer can also be different. These factors can affect the process of removing the lens from the package to the finger and then placing it on the eye surface. Among other considerations: the wearer hopes to be able to discharge any packaging solution that may affect the ability to adhere the lens to the finger, because the change in the amount of packaging solution adhered to the lens and the package can affect the process of placing the lens on the finger. It is also hoped that the packaging solution is discharged in a controlled manner to avoid overflow. It is also beneficial for the packaging solution to remain sterile after unsealing and be available to the wearer to allow rewetting or cleaning of the lens. Moreover, the wearer may be concerned about the possibility of transferring bacteria or external products such as cosmetics to the contact lens; and of course, the manufacturing of the package itself should meet the expected industry standards identified by the medical and commercial provider groups.

[0005] Furthermore, it is desirable that the one-touch packaging should not result in an undue increase in the cost of goods relative to current contact lens packaging, as this may result in increased costs to the wearer population. The packaging should not make the lens difficult to hold when removed from the packaging. Additionally, if the configuration of the packaging were to maintain, or even reduce, the volume of solution required to package the lens, the ecological impact of the lens packaging would be reduced. Similarly, it would be beneficial if all or part of the packaging could be made from recycled materials and / or all or part of it could be recyclable.

[0006] Additionally, it would be advantageous if the packaging were composed of materials that have been approved by various regulatory agencies and ideally would not require changes to solution chemistry or lens composition. Likewise, it would be desirable if the functionality of the packaging did not include any electronic or other electrical components if such components could adversely affect the performance of the packaging or lens.

[0007] There are several desirable attributes that make achieving the functionality of a one-touch package challenging, and these attributes are often lacking in known attempts to create one-touch packages. These attributes include, for example, the following: i) Ideally, the package should protect the lens, i.e., it should ensure the integrity of the lens (e.g., lens shape and optical integrity) while preventing crushing or damaging the lens; ii) the lens package should maintain the hydration of the lens while in storage to maintain the performance of the lens; and iii) the lens in its package should preferably be constructed so that it is completely immersed in the packaging solution when needed, but clear of the solution when ready to be transferred from the package; iv) the package should generally have a retortable seal and contain both the lens and the solution; v) the package preferably holds the lens in a convex orientation desired by the wearer; vi) the lens should be positioned so that it can be easily removed by the wearer; and vii) ideally, the package should allow the packaging solution to effectively drain from the lens when the package is opened and before the lens is removed, so that it can be more easily transferred to the wearer's fingers and then to the eye.

[0008] Attempts to provide a known package that reduces touch or single-touch orientation cannot provide one or more of the above-mentioned desired attributes for a single-touch package. For example, WO2014 / 195588, WO2009 / 069265 and JP6339322 disclose packages that present lenses as convex bowl-bottom configurations. Similarly, US20200229560 discloses a package having a lens support member that supports a concave (front or front) surface of a contact lens or a grid that supports the peripheral edge of a contact lens, and allows the packaging solution to be discharged to the bottom chamber through the grid when the lens package is unsealed. However, these package designs produce excessive wetting contact areas between the lens and the lens support member. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 7,540,376 discloses a lens carrier having a rigid member below the vertex of the contact lens, which hinders the user's ability to tap the lens. Therefore, known packages may not support a desired, convenient user experience, such as these packages may not support consistent single-touch transfer of lenses. The aforementioned deficiencies of the prior art are merely exemplary and not exhaustive.

[0009]

[0006] Thus, there remains a need for contact lens packaging that provides a consistent one-touch lens removal experience, efficient solution management, or addresses one or a combination of the above challenges or deficiencies.

[0010] II. Summary of the Invention

[0011] It has now been discovered that some or all of the above and related objects can be achieved in a contact lens package having one or more aspects described herein.

[0012] III. Description of the drawings

[0013] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0014] Figure 1A Exemplary contact lens packages according to embodiments of the present invention are illustrated.

[0015] Figures 1B to 1D The steps of unsealing a contact lens package according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention are illustrated.

[0016] Figure 2 A perspective view of a contact lens package in an unsealed state according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0017] Figure 3 An exploded perspective view of a contact lens package according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0018] Figure 4A and Figure 4B A close up view of a cover insert of an embodiment is illustrated.

[0019] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a contact lens package in an unopened state according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0020] Figure 6 A cross-sectional view of a contact lens package in an unsealed state according to an embodiment is illustrated.

[0021] Fig. 7A and Figure 7B A base of a contact lens package having a locking mechanism in unlocked and locked states according to the embodiment is illustrated, respectively.

[0022] Fig. 8A and Figure 8B The lens support of the embodiment is illustrated in top view and side view, respectively.

[0023] Fig. 9 A method of measuring the wetted contact area of ​​a lens support is illustrated.

[0024] IV. Specific Implementation Methods

[0025] Reference will now be made specifically to the representative embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the reference numerals indicate certain elements. The following description is not intended to limit the numerous embodiments to a preferred embodiment. Instead, it is intended to encompass alternatives, modifications, and equivalents that may be included within the spirit and scope of the embodiments defined by the appended claims.

[0026] References to "one embodiment," "an embodiment," "some embodiments," "an example embodiment," etc., mean that the embodiments may include a particular feature, structure, aspect, or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure, or characteristic. Furthermore, these terms do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment. Furthermore, when a particular feature, structure, aspect, or characteristic is described in conjunction with an embodiment, it should be considered that it is within the knowledge of a person skilled in the art to implement such a particular feature, structure, or characteristic in conjunction with other embodiments, whether or not explicitly described.

[0027] As used herein, the following terms have the following meanings. The benefit of certain embodiments of the present invention is that they facilitate consistent one-touch lens transfer from the package to the wearer's finger and then from the finger to the wearer's eye without the lens being inverted, falling off the finger, or further manipulated. Consistent one-touch lens transfer includes a transfer rate of at least about 70%, at least about 80%, or at least about 90% when the finger first touches (or "pats"). The lens also ideally "sits" on the finger without collapsing or inverting, and then transfers to the eye when placed there. The package of certain embodiments can provide a desired one-touch lens transfer across a range of finger sizes and tapping pressures. Environmental conditions such as temperature and whether the finger is wet or dry may also affect the transfer rate, with higher temperatures generally improving lens transfer.

[0028] Lenses or contact lenses refer to ophthalmic devices that reside on the eye. They have a generally hemispherical shape and can provide optical correction, cosmetic enhancement, UV blocking and visible light or glare reduction, therapeutic effects, including wound healing, drug or nutraceutical delivery, 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 a package and have a relatively low modulus, which enables them to conform to the cornea. Contact lenses suitable for use with the packages of the present invention include all hydrated contact lenses, including conventional and silicone hydrogel contact lenses.

[0029] A hydrogel is a hydrated cross-linked polymer system that contains water in an equilibrium state and may contain at least about 25% or at least 35% water in a hydrated state. Hydrogels generally have oxygen permeability and biocompatibility, making them excellent materials for the production of contact lenses.

[0030] 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 prepared from monomer mixtures containing primarily hydrophilic monomers such as 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate ("HEMA"), N-vinyl pyrrolidone ("NVP"), or polyvinyl alcohol. U.S. Patent Nos. 4,495,313, 4,889,664, and 5,039,459 disclose the formation of conventional hydrogels. Conventional hydrogels can 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 barr-30 barr.

[0031] Silicone hydrogel preparations include balafilcon samfilcon, lotrafilcon A and B, delfilcon, galyfilcon, senofilcon A, B and C, narafilcon, comfilcon, formofilcon, riofilcon, fanfilcon, stenfilcon, somofilcon, kalifilcon, etc. "Silicone hydrogel" refers to a polymer network made of at least one hydrophilic component and at least one silicone-containing component. The silicone hydrogel may have a modulus in the range of 60psi-200psi, 60psi-150psi, or 80psi-130psi, and 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, and stenfilcon, verofilcon, including all variations thereof, and as disclosed in 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, 5,96 5,631、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 the silicone hydrogels prepared in WO 03 / 22321, WO 2008 / 061992 and US 2010 / 0048847. These patents are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. The silicone hydrogels may have a higher shape memory than conventional contact lenses.

[0032] Hydrogel lenses are viscoelastic materials. If the lens interacts with the packaging or any bubbles in the packaging, the contact lens may form optical distortion. The degree of optical distortion and the length of time required for the distortion to relax will depend on the chemical composition and, to a lesser extent, on the geometry of the lens. Compared with silicone hydrogels, conventional lens materials, such as lenses based on polyhydroxyethyl methacrylate such as Etafilcon A or polymacon, have lower loss modulus and loss tangent values, and may form less and less severe optical distortion due to contact with the packaging. The incorporation of silicone (usually increases the overall elastic response), wetting agents (such as PVP) (usually increases the viscous response) or conventional hydrogel material coatings (may reduce the elastic response at the lens interface) can change the viscoelasticity of the lens. Conventional hydrogel contact lenses and silicone hydrogel contact lenses with short or hard crosslinkers and / or hardeners have short shape memory and may be less prone to deformation during storage. As used herein, high or higher shape memory hydrogels exhibit an optical distortion of at least about 0.18 upon contact with a bubble or packaging after accelerated aging at 55°C for 5 weeks. Dynamic mechanical analysis can be used to measure viscoelastic properties, including loss modulus and loss tangent.

[0033] The contact lens may be of any geometry or power and has 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 is contacted by the eyelid during blinking.

[0034] The center or vertex of the lens 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.

[0035] A wet lens is a contact lens and any residual packaging solution that adheres to it after the packaging solution has drained out.

[0036] Embodiments may include a lens support surrounded by a sealable cavity, which may also be interchangeably referred to as a chamber. The cavity may have any convenient form and may include a packaging base and at least one cover, each of which will be described in detail below. As used herein, the phrases "the cover," "lid," "the base," and "base" encompass both the singular and the plural. The cover 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 transportation and storage prior to use. The contact lens package is made of a material that is compatible with the contact lens and solution and is retortable and biologically inert.

[0037] "Film" or "multilayer film" is a film used to seal the package, and is generally referred to as a cover material. The multilayer film used in conventional contact lens packages can be used as a component of the base, cover, or both in the package of the present invention. The multilayer film includes multiple layers, including barrier layers, including foil layers, or coatings, sealing layers, which seal the film to the rest of the package, and may also include additional layers selected from peel-starting layers, laminating layers, and layers that improve other packaging properties (such as stiffness, temperature resistance, printability, puncture resistance, barrier properties to water or oxygen, etc.). The multilayer film forms a steam sterilization (retortable) seal. The multilayer film may contain PET, BON or OPP film layers to increase stiffness and temperature resistance, or contain EVOH or PVDC coatings to improve barrier properties to oxygen or moisture.

[0038] As used herein, "unopened state" or "unopened" refers to a contact lens package that is enclosed and contains a contact lens in solution.

[0039] As used herein, "opened state" or "opened" refers to a contact lens package after the sterile seal has been broken. In the context described herein, the open state extends to the package state when the user has manipulated the package to lift the lens from the packaging solution for transfer by the user.

[0040] As used herein, "wearer" or "user" refers to a person who opens a contact lens package. A user is typically referred to as a person who opens a package and transfers the contact lenses contained therein to their eyes. However, in some cases, a user may be a person who handles the lens package on behalf of the wearer, such as an eye care provider ("ECP") or other individual who demonstrates or assists the wearer.

[0041] The packaging solution is any physiologically compatible solution that is compatible with the selected lens material and packaging. Packaging solutions include buffered solutions having a physiological pH, such as buffered saline solutions. The packaging solution may contain known components, including buffers, pH and tonicity adjusters, lubricants, wetting agents, nutrients, drugs, packaging coating components, etc.

[0042] The packaging base 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 having a shelf life of at least one, two, or five years and is compatible with the chemical and physical properties of the lens, wetting solution, and any additives that may be included therein. The bowl polymer material may be selected from any of the above materials. The bowl polymer material may preferably be polypropylene, COP, COC, and blends of polypropylene blended with COP or COC having a melt temperature greater than about 145°C. Examples of polypropylene include metallocene-catalyzed polypropylene polymers and copolymers, Zielgler-Natta-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 crystallinity homopolymer, MFR=35) from Braskem; Borealis RF366MO (random copolymer with nucleating agent and antistatic agent), BJ380MO (heterogeneous copolymer, controlled rheology, with nucleating agent and antistatic agent) from Borealis; Moplen HE649T (homopolymer) and HP301R (homopolymer) from LyondellBasell; SABIC 512A (controlled rheology PP homopolymer); Formolene 4111T and Formelene 4142T from Formosa Plastics; FHR from Flint Hills Resources. 11T55V, FHRP4C5N-046, FHR P4C6N-041; and Total MR2001 (homopolymer material), Total M3766 (metallocene-catalyzed PP homopolymer) and Total PPH10099 (controlled rheology PP homopolymer) from Total Petrochemicals. The polypropylene can have a melt flow range of about 15 g / 10 minutes to about 44 g / 10 minutes, as measured by ASTM D-1238-10 "Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion plastometer" or similar known methods. The polypropylene can be virgin or can be subjected to a controlled rheology process to increase its melt flow rate.

[0043] The package cover is typically located at the upper portion of the package and is sealed with the base to form a cavity that contains the lens support, the lens, and at least a portion of the packaging solution. The cover can be made of any material suitable for packaging medical devices, including molded foil or plastic sheets, laminated films, or plastics. Packages that include plastic for one structure and foil or laminated film as another structure, or packages that include foil or laminated film as the outer layer of the cover and base are known in the art and are examples of suitable combinations.

[0044] References throughout this description to the use of injection molding processes and materials conventionally used for injection molding should be understood as exemplary. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that other manufacturing methods are possible within the scope of the appended claims, including but not limited to alternative molding processes, thermoforming, 3D printing, etc. Similarly, references to heat sealing are examples of the embodiments described herein. Other ways of securing packaging components will be apparent to those skilled in the art, including the use of adhesives, glues, thermal bonding, welding such as heating, ultrasonic or laser welding, or mechanical traps, etc.

[0045] Certain aspects of the present invention can be used to reduce or prevent significant optical damage to contact lenses due to interactions with air bubbles or the interior of lens packages that may occur during storage or transportation due to gravity or other forces (such as mechanical pressure applied from the outside of the package). As used herein, significant optical damage means a root mean square (RMS) value equal to or greater than about 0.08 μm.

[0046] With reference to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1A An exemplary contact lens package according to an embodiment is illustrated, and Figures 1B to 1D Steps for operating a contact lens package 100 containing a contact lens 138 in a packaging solution (not shown) are illustrated in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1A An unopened contact lens package 100 with a lid 106 and a base 110 is shown. In this embodiment, the lid 106 is a multilayer film, also referred to herein as foil, and the base 110 is made of a thermoplastic polymer (such as polypropylene plastic). Although in this embodiment, the lid 106 is in the form of a relatively flexible material (i.e., a multilayer film), and the base 110 is made of a relatively rigid material, it should be understood that other embodiments may include substantially rigid components for both the lid and the base. For example, in some embodiments, both the base and the lid may be made of polypropylene plastic or other relatively rigid materials. The base 110 includes a pivot axis 114, and when a force is applied to a lever 118, a portion of the base forming the lever 118 may be hinged along the pivot axis. In this embodiment, the force applied to actuate the lever 118 may include a downward moment and a lateral moment simultaneously.

[0047] The base 110 also includes several optional finger engagement features 122a and 122b to assist the user in manipulating the contact lens package during the unpacking process. The finger recess 122a can be sized to accommodate a user's finger or thumb, and the finger recess is disposed at one end of the base 110 near the user and the foot 122b is disposed at the distal end of the base 110. In this embodiment, the finger recess 122a is also angled downward so that a force (e.g., pressure with one or both of a downward moment and a lateral moment applied by the user's thumb) causes the lever 118 to hinge downward at the pivot axis 114. The foot 122b provides a large area to rest a finger or thumb and facilitates the application of the reaction force required to hinge the lever. In this embodiment, the package 100 is further configured with a profile that is inclined from the proximal end to the distal end to further promote the downward moment at the lever, for example, when the lever is pressed or when the user squeezes the package, that is, when the user applies pressure at the opposite ends of the package with his hands, that is, via the fingers at one end and the thumb at the other end. In this embodiment, the package 100 is configured so that an extrusion force is applied at the distal end and the proximal end. This design also allows the package to be pressed against a solid surface (e.g., a work surface) to actuate the lever 118. However, alternative embodiments are possible, whereby the reverse force of squeezing is applied at one or more opposite ends of the package, such as, but not limited to, the left and right sides of the package or its parts.

[0048] exist Figure 1B In the first step shown, the user holds the unopened contact lens package 100 by its base 110. The user's grip on the package 100 may 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 applying a force that causes the contact lens contained in the package to be lifted for presentation to the user and transfer to the user's eye in subsequent steps. Finger dimples 106 ( Figure 1A 1) 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 grasp the package by firmly positioning his finger on the overhang 122b ( Figure 1A122b) to hold the package. In the case of a foot feature such as 122b, the surface area forming the foot may be curved, or may be flattened to provide an increased area through which opposing forces may be supplied when the package is squeezed. Next, the user may open the package by opening the lid 106, which in this embodiment involves the user peeling off the foil 106 from the proximal end to the distal end of the base 110 in the direction indicated by arrow 134, thereby breaking the sterile seal between the foil (lid) 106 and the base 110. Although not required, in this preferred embodiment, the package is optimized for the user to hold the base with one hand and peel off the lid 106 with the other hand.

[0049] like Figure 1C 14. As shown in the steps illustrated, the package cover 106 has been unsealed by completely removing the cover as shown, or alternatively by partially removing enough to substantially expose the lens cavity 136, which contains a contact lens 138 in a packaging solution (not illustrated) above a lens support 140. With the package 100 unsealed, 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 one or both hands of the user provide opposing forces 142 and 146 at the proximal and distal ends of the package, respectively, thereby generating a more significant torque on the lever 118. Optionally, the lever 118 can be locked in place when the lens support 140 has been raised to a predetermined lift angle (also referred to as the lift angle), which is the angle at which the package is configured to present the lens on the lens support to the user relative to the horizontal plane defined by the cover. As described below with reference Figure 2 , Figure 6 , Fig. 7A and Figure 7B Described in more detail, the action of locking the lever and / or lens support at a specific lifting angle can be achieved by one or more locking mechanisms applied to the base of the package. The action of "locking" via the locking mechanism means that the lens support is able to maintain its position in the appropriate position after it has reached the predetermined lifting angle without the need for the user to continuously apply force.

[0050] Steering Figure 1D, at which stage the force applied by the user on the lever has caused the lens support 140 to lift the contact lens 138 from the packaging solution (not illustrated). Ideally, the lens support is configured to lift the contact lens above the packaging cavity high enough to allow the lens to be out of the packaging solution, facing the user, and therefore visible and transferable from the support, but not so high that the lens slides off the support under the action of gravity. This can be achieved by a lift angle 150 between about 15° and 60° relative to the horizontal plane defining the top of the base. The lens support is preferably configured so that when lifted in this manner, the packaging solution is sufficiently drained from the contact lens to enable a one-touch lens transfer by the user, such as in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, where the user transfers the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 by tapping (also interchangeably referred to as "tapping") the convex surface of the contact lens 138, such that the tapping causes the contact lens to release from the lens support 138 and adhere to the user's finger 154.

[0051] In this embodiment, the contact lens 138 is conveniently presented to the wearer in a convex orientation, which means that the convex surface of the lens 138 is available to the wearer without reorienting the lens before placing the concave surface of the lens on the wearer's eye surface. However, it should be understood that other orientations such as the concave orientation of conventional blister packages are also possible within the scope of the present invention. The transfer of the contact lens 138 from the lens support 140 can be performed by the wearer's finger 154 or directly touching the lens or indirectly by applying a film (e.g., as described in US20190046353) or other coverings applied to the finger, or can be performed by another transmission method, such as a manual or automatic application 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 surface of the contact lens 138 is against the finger 154, and the concave surface of the lens 138 is oriented to be directly applied to the user's eye surface. While a single touch / tap of the lens is the preferred lens transfer mode, it should be noted that conventional "clamping" of the lens from the lens support is possible.

[0052] Now turn to Figure 2 and Figure 3 , Figure 2 Illustrated is a perspective view of a contact lens package 100 in an unsealed state wherein a lens support 140 has lifted a contact lens 138 from a packaging solution (not illustrated). Figure 3A perspective view of a contact lens package 100 is illustrated. 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 a contact lens 138 contained in a packaging solution and a lever 118 configured to hinge 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 constituting the base 110. More specifically, the base 110 including the lever 118 is formed as an integral injection molded polypropylene plastic component. Those skilled in the art will appreciate alternative materials and methods for forming the base, including thermoforming and 3D printing (using materials such as ABS, PLA, HIPS, PETG, nylon, etc.). Preferably, the material used for the base is relatively rigid, having a glass transition temperature (T ) of about 125° C. measured according to ASTM D1238-10 (Standard Test Method for Determining Melt Flow Rate of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer) g ). In this embodiment, the pivot axis 114 is defined by a thin folded area in the base that is linearly configured along a horizontal axis, and its lever 118 is hinged along this horizontal axis. The thinned area provides sufficient relief along a line in the substrate to cause the lever 118 to hinge in a desired position when a user applies force to the lever. The use of one or more thinned areas is only one of the countless ways that the pivot axis can be defined within the scope of the present invention. For example, in other embodiments in which the lever is formed of the same material as the rest of the base, the pivot axis can be produced by molding the plastic thinner along the pivot axis, and / or by cutting, etching or otherwise applying the pivot axis to the substrate, thereby lateral indenting the plastic at the desired position. Alternatively or in addition, one or more gaps can be applied to the substrate along the expected pivot axis to promote the bending of the plastic material along the expected axis. In addition, in embodiments in which the lever is in the form of a discrete component, the pivot axis may simply represent the horizontal interface between the lever and the rest of the base. In such embodiments, the articulation along the pivot axis can be achieved by an articulated component, a rotatable interlocking attachment, etc. It should be understood that within the scope of the present invention, alternative embodiments are possible in which the lever is a discrete component that is coupled to the remainder of the base via an attachment member. For example, the lever may be formed as a separate injection molded component and then attached to a separate molded (or printed, etc.) component that forms the remainder of the base via a range of attachment methods (including laser welding, ultrasonic welding, adhesives, mechanical connections, heat riveting, etc.).

[0053] The underside of the base can be sloped, as in the illustrated embodiment, so that the package can be "nested", thereby allowing for more compact secondary packaging during storage and transportation in addition to reducing the amount of primary packaging material and packaging solution required to keep the contact lenses hydrated. In this example, the base 110 is sloped at an angle of about 10° from the proximal end (A) to the distal end (B) and has a footprint of about 29 mm wide, 44 mm long, and 12 mm high. The preferred range of slope is between about 0° and 20°, but the slope can be made even steeper, such as about 20° to 30°, as desired. The base includes a well, i.e., a cavity 136, formed in a conical region, in which the contact lens 138 and the lens support 140 are contained when the package 100 is unopened. In this embodiment, the volume of the cavity is about 2240 μl, which is dosed with about 2080 μL of packaging solution, which is sufficient to completely immerse the contact lens 138 in the cavity 136. The foil cover 106 is secured to the base 110 via a retort seal formed between beads 152 on the upper surface of the base around the perimeter of the cavity 136. Such a seal may be formed by well known heat sealing techniques and associated equipment.

[0054] The finger engagement feature (dimple) 122a is sized to accommodate a user's finger or thumb and is disposed at the end of the base 110 that is proximal to the user. In this embodiment, the finger dimple 122a is also angled downward so that a force, such as pressure applied by a user's thumb, causes the lever 118 to hinge downward at the pivot axis 114. The finger dimple location of the dimple and the position of the user's finger relative to the pivot axis affect the amount of squeezing force required to cause the lever to hinge along the pivot axis. In this example, the depth of the dimple below the pivot axis is 4.9 mm when measured from the seal level to the base of the dimple. The horizontal distance between the dimple and the hinge line affects the lever force required to bend the hinge. In this example, the end of the lever 118 is 14.5 mm from the pivot axis 114.

[0055] 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 from 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. Attachment is here made via laser welding, whereby the tab portion 163 is welded to a corresponding recessed area 164 in the base 110. Many other attachment methods besides laser welding are possible within the scope of the claims, including, for example, ultrasonic or RF welding, bonding, mechanical clamping, heat riveting, etc. In addition, it should be noted that in alternative embodiments, the lens support may be formed as part of an integrally molded or printed component identical to the lever and / or the entire base. In many embodiments, such as an illustrated embodiment in which the pivot axis is formed by a fold in a plastic or other substantially rigid material, the pivot axis may have a thickness, i.e., it may not be completely sharp. In these cases, such a separation between the attachment point and the pivot axis may be desirable in order to maximize the angle of lift for a given compressive force. Figure 6 and Fig. 7A and Figure 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 has been predetermined to be high enough to allow the packaging solution to adequately drain from the lens 138 but not so high that the lens 138 slides off the lens support.

[0056] like Figure 21, the underside of the cover 106 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 surfaces of the contact lenses to be received in the cover cavity 136. The lens-facing surfaces 168 are used to align the contact lenses on the lens support, prevent the lenses from folding or twisting, and protect the contact lenses from significant optical damage caused by gravity or air-induced forces. In some embodiments, the lens-facing surfaces also serve as air intake guides that reduce the incidence of contact lenses sticking to the package when unpacked by directing air over the contact lenses into the package. In this case, the lens-facing surface is disposed on a molded plastic cover insert 170, wherein the cover insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of the foil cover 106 by heat sealing along heat sealing surfaces 172a to 172d, which are distributed and positioned to avoid shearing of the cover insert 170 when the user unseals the multi-foil film forming the cover 106. However, in other embodiments, such as where the cover is substantially rigid, the lens-facing surface may be integral to the cover, rather than a separate component. It should be understood that all features described as being applied to the cover insert may be equally applicable to embodiments in which the same features are made integral to the cover.

[0057] When loaded by force, the surface facing the lens of the present invention is used to support the lens to avoid or reduce significant optical damage. For example, if there is no appropriate offset, gravity and the interaction with bubbles in the packaging solution can cause optical damage. In one aspect, as in the surface 168 facing the lens of the illustrated embodiment, the surface facing the lens includes a relatively large contactable surface area, which is preferably at least about 20 percent of the convex surface area of ​​the lens, or as large as possible, while still satisfying any desired air outlet channel. The contactable surface area is understood to mean when the lens is loaded, that is, when contacted under the applied force (such as but not limited to gravity or bubble interaction), the contact area between the lens and the surface facing the lens. The contactable surface area determines the pressure applied to the lens area when / if it is loaded. The larger the area, the more the pressure is reduced. In the illustrated embodiment, the contactable surface area of ​​the surface 168 facing the lens is about 40 percent of the convex surface area of ​​the lens 138, and more accurately when the surface area is about 215mm 2 In conventional contact lenses, it is approximately 90 mm 2 As discussed in more detail below, it is preferred that at least 10% of the surface area above the lens be exposed to promote air entering the package to travel between the lens-facing surface and the lens, thereby reducing any tendency of the lens to stick to the lens-facing surface / cover insert.

[0058] The surface 168 facing the lens is also spaced apart to define an air outlet channel 169, allowing air, particularly bubbles in the packaging solution, to travel away from the contact lens into the cavity 136. This 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 channel allows 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 of which has a width 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.

[0059] In this embodiment, lid insert 170 is attached to the inner surface of lid 106 by heat sealing between flat surfaces 172a to 172d on the upper side of multilayer film lid 106 and lid insert. As discussed in more detail later herein, during the heat sealing process and during storage, the alignment of lid insert with base can be assisted by including one or more alignment features in base and / or lid insert. For example, the alignment features in the illustrated embodiment adopt the form of protrusion 174 of lid insert 170 and protrusion 176 in cavity 136 of base 110. When applying pressure to seal package 100 or during storage, protrusion 174 cooperates with flange 176 to resist rotation and lateral movement of lid insert 170.

[0060] Referring now to FIG. 4 , a close-up view of the cover insert 170 is illustrated. The positions of the projections 174a and 174b of the cover insert 170 correspond to the flange 180 in the base 110. The projections 174a and 174b and the flange 180 cooperate as an assembly to limit the rotation and lateral movement of the cover insert 170 and prevent the lens support from lifting (except for the expected time during unpacking) and ensure that the lens is not compressed in the package due to external forces during assembly or when heat sealing pressure is applied during storage, transportation, or when the user unpacks the package. In this regard, the projections 174a and 174b and the flange 180 also serve as locking features to prevent the cover features such as the lens-facing surface 168 (whether integral with the cover or included on the cover insert) from hitting the lens when pressure is applied overhead, such as when the cover is sealed to the base, or when the cover insert (if any) is sealed to the cover. Other locking features may be included to prevent the lens support from striking the lens (e.g., due to bending the package at a pivot before it is unsealed) by forming a contact point between the lens support and the cover insert. One function of the flange 180 is to avoid pinch points around the periphery of the lens during assembly. The height of the flange above the bottom of the cavity is sufficient so that the cover insert and / or lens-facing features of the cover stop above the height at which the lens is received below. It should be understood that the protrusion and / or flange are yet another exemplary locking feature of many possibilities. It is to be understood that the cover insert can be locked at any level (e.g., flush with the lens base, flush with the top of the package).

[0061] Figure 5 A cross-sectional view of a contact lens package 100 in an unopened state is illustrated. Specifically, Figure 5 Illustrated the cross section formed by the incision extending longitudinally along the center of package 100.As shown in the figure, package 100 is configured so that when in unopened state, contact lens 138 is contained between lens support 140 and surface 168 facing lens.Package of the present invention preferably minimizes contact with contact lens when package is closed and lens is suspended in packing solution basically.Ideally, the optical zone of lens is free floating and contact with lens support is temporary or non-existent during storage.According to the buoyancy and orientation of lens in packing solution, lens can be placed on its peripheral edge on the cavity bottom of package pedestal or on the surface facing lens on its convex surface.As shown in the figure, contact lens package 100 is in cover orientation, wherein the peripheral edge of contact lens is placed on the bottom of cavity 136 in pedestal 110.

[0062] The cavity 136 is preferably substantially filled with packaging solution, but the manufacturing process may not allow the package to be sealed under vacuum pressure. In this case, it is expected that some amount of air will be trapped in the cavity 136. If these bubbles are not handled, they may interact with the lens and cause serious optical damage to the lens. Therefore, a peripheral volume in the cavity can be provided, that is, the volume in the cavity around the lens position above the lens support. Ideally, such a volume should be provided at the distal and proximal ends of the package, such as 139a and 139b of the cavity 136 of the package 100, so that the bubbles have a place to reside regardless of the orientation of the package during transportation or storage.

[0063] The base 110 of the package 100 also includes a central depression 184 that is applied to the underside of the lens 138. The central depression 184 is domed in this example to generally follow the concave surface of the lens 138 to provide additional support under the lens 138. The central depression 184 also serves to reduce the amount of packaging solution required in the package and to reduce the amount of headspace, i.e., the amount of space in which air bubbles can reside and exert forces on the lens 138 that can potentially cause optical damage.

[0064] refer to Figure 6 , illustrates a contact lens package 100 in an unsealed state, wherein a lens 138 is lifted from a packaging solution into position for transfer by a user. The angle at which the lens emerges from the packaging solution (defined herein as the "emergence angle" (β) (not illustrated) affects the manner and extent to which the packaging solution is expelled from the lens, and thus can affect the likelihood of consistent, one-touch lens transfer. It is observed that it is advantageous to construct 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 138' of the lens 138 (i.e., the upper side when the lens is in the lifted position) emerges from the packaging solution before the lower side 138". Ideally, the package should be constructed so that no matter what the user is doing, This order (i.e., upper side emerging first) holds true when the package is tilted toward or away from itself within the expected range (10 degrees forward or backward) upon unsealing. As the lens emerges from the packaging solution, it is observed that the film of packaging solution remains intact on the lens support during the entire lifting motion. By having the upper side 138' 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 promotes the packaging solution to drain continuously along the path it maintains along the lens support 138, and in some embodiments, through the drainage channel of the lens support (as described below with respect to Fig. 8A and Figure 8BIf, instead, the lower side emerges before the upper side, the film of packaging solution will be more susceptible to rupture before the fluid has a chance to drain, with the result that packaging solution will be more likely to become trapped between the lens and the lens support, thus preventing consistent one-touch transfer.

[0065] The emergent angle depends on at least two aspects of the lens support: the lever length and the principal lens angle. The "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. The "principal lens angle" (θ) is defined as the angle of the lens in the cavity relative to the plane defined by the cover when the package is unopened. Table 1 below provides a range of values ​​for the emergent lens angle produced by various combinations of lever lengths in the range of 11 mm to 16 mm and principal lens angles in the range of -4 degrees to 20 degrees.

[0066]

[0067]

[0068] Table 1. (Emergence angle depending on lever length and main lens angle)

[0069] It is observed that a rise angle greater than 0 degrees can support consistent transfer, however, a rise angle of at least about 5 degrees (preferably 10 degrees) allows the package to be slightly tilted away from the user without hindering the desired discharge effect. Lower rise angles can allow consistent single-touch lens transfer, but do not provide tolerance for package tilt. Package 100 is configured such that lens support 140 has a lever length (L) of 13 mm and a primary angle (θ) of 10 degrees, which produces a rise angle of approximately 10 degrees. However, as described above, countless combinations of lever lengths and primary angles can produce countless acceptable rise angles, including but not limited to those listed in Table 1.

[0070] The package 100 is also configured with a locking mechanism (see Fig. 7A and Figure 7B 190) is a package that is configured to present the lens 138 on the lens support 140 to the user at an elevation angle (α) of about 60 degrees. The elevation angle is preferably between about 45 and 75 degrees, and is ideally selected to be high enough to allow the packaging solution to drain adequately 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 clearance of at least about 3 mm to 5 mm will allow the packaging solution film between the lens and the solution surface to rupture.

[0071] Reference now Fig. 7A and Figure 7B , illustrates a base 110 of a contact lens package having locking mechanisms 159a and 159b in unlocked and locked states, respectively. In this example, two locking mechanisms 159a and 159b are used on either side of the base 100, wherein the lever 118 portion of the base 110 is configured to hinge along the pivot axis 114. Figure 7B , in this example, the locking mechanism takes the form of a snap-fit ​​latch 159b having upper teeth 192 and lower teeth 194. The teeth 192 and 194 are shaped so that when the lever 118 and the lens support 140 attached thereto reach a predetermined angle of lift, the teeth 194 slide over the sides of the teeth 192 as the lever 118 is pressed down before becoming snapped under the upper teeth 192. The snapping of the teeth 194 under the teeth 192 allows the lens support 140 to be positioned and held in place once it has reached the predetermined angle of lift without requiring the user to continuously apply force. It should be understood that other embodiments may use 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 operating 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 clamping, or by a lens embedding tool, or other means; or if desired, allows the user to place the package down on a surface.

[0072] In another aspect, the base 110 includes a secondary support 196. In this example, the secondary support 196 represents the upper side of the central recess 184 formed in the lower side of the base 110, as described above with respect to Figure 5As discussed above. The secondary support 196 has a convex partial dome profile that partially mirrors the profile of the contact lens. The recessed areas 198a and 198b are applied to the secondary support 196 in a shape and position 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 dome shape that mirrors the concave surface of the lens 138. This can be referred to as a split support arrangement, whereby the lens support 140 lifts the lens 138 upon unpacking, so that the secondary support only provides support for the lens when the package is unpacked (i.e., during storage, shipping, and handling), rather than when the package is unpacked, and presents the lens for transfer when the lens 138 is supported only by the (primary) lens support 140. This arrangement reduces the excess wet area that may otherwise exist between the lens and the lens support if the entire support system is lifted with the lens. A split lens support arrangement can 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 air bubble migration, and preventing lens inversion. In achieving some or all of these benefits, it is preferred but optional that the lens support (whether a single component or split between the secondary component and the primary component and potentially other components) fills as much of the space under the contact lens and under the peripheral edge of the lens as possible.

[0073] The lens support of the present invention can take numerous shapes and forms that can lift the lens from the packaging solution when the user applies force to the package (such as squeezing the package as described in the embodiments herein). However, as mentioned above, it is preferred that the lens support maintains the lens in a desired convex orientation (bowl downward relative to the base) and position (centered on the support) during transportation and storage. Ideally, the lens support can provide an open structure below the lens to allow the packaging solution to drain from the lens and the support when unpacked without water accumulating between the support and the underside of the lens. It is also preferred that the lens support provides sufficient support for the lens to prevent the lens from collapsing onto the support, rotating away, or translating through the support. This allows the vertex of the lens to be supported by the elastic stiffness of the lens itself, or minimizes the sinking of the vertex 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 accumulating between the support and the lens can generate a 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 the effective transfer of the lens. The sum of the contact between the lens and the lens support when the package is opened and the solution drained from the lens and the lens support is the total wetted contact area, which may be less than about 30 mm 2 Less than 25mm 2 or less than 20mm2 , and distributed at least around the periphery of the lens, as described herein. As used herein, "wetted contact area" means the area of ​​direct, secure 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 lens and the lens, and the packaging solution is allowed to drain for two seconds and according to the following description of Fig. 9 The measurement scheme described is measured.

[0074] For lenses made from polymers with longer shape memory, 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 optical zone of the lens, 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 optical zone and the support, cover, or air inlet guide. Lenses such as conventional hydrogels with shorter shape memory are less susceptible to distortion due to packaging contact, and contact points may be distributed around the periphery and across the lens contour, including the center area of ​​the lens (about 9 mm or about 5 mm diameter).

[0075] 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 the lens to invert or damage the lens during removal due to excessive pressure during tapping. Therefore, one aspect of removing the lens from the package of the present invention can be to 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 underside 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. As a result, the lens will adhere to the finger so that the lens can be transferred and placed on the eye.

[0076] 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 be in the form of a continuous (also referred to as a "closed loop") design, in which the lens support has no endpoints or interruptions and contact with the lens occurs at various points along the continuous support structure. When two peripheral supports are used, they may be wider to provide stability without exceeding the contact area required for consistent single-touch lens transfer. The peripheral contact points prevent the lens from rotating off the lens and may be distributed in a variety of configurations in which the space between the furthest adjacent contacts 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 support and the lens during drainage may increase. Peripheral supports with less than 50% open space, such as supports in the form of screens or filters, generally provide insufficient drainage to ensure single-touch lens transfer. Likewise, excessive contact between the support and the lens after the solution is drained and water accumulation between the support and the lens can create a 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 transfer of the lens. The width of the component support members of the lens support varies between the limitations of the selected molding process and the width required to effectively drain the packaging solution when unpacked. Suitable widths include about 0.5 mm to about 1.5 mm, about 0.5 mm to about 1 mm, or about 0.5 mm to about 0.7 mm, and it should be understood that lens support designs with fewer contact points can have thicker arms.

[0077] The lens support can achieve sufficient drainage of the packaging solution from the lens, so that a single-touch transfer can be performed by one or a combination of drainage techniques, which are referred to herein as channel drainage and back drainage. Channel drainage involves forming a film on the lens support of a channel member, along which the packaging solution is guided away from the lens under gravity when the lens support is lifted. On the other hand, back drainage refers to enhanced drainage directly from the underside of the lens into the packaging solution reservoir, where the lens rests on the lens support. Due to the hydrophilicity of modern contact lens materials, this area below the lens vertex tends to accumulate packaging solution. In some embodiments, enhanced back drainage can be achieved by designing a lens support with a central opening of at least about 12 mm3 below the lens vertex.

[0078] Then refer to Fig. 8A and Figure 8B, an exemplary lens support 140 is illustrated in side and top views, respectively. The lens support 140 represents an example of a lens support that utilizes a mix of back drain and channel drain to adequately clear packaging solution from the lens to achieve a one-touch transfer. The lens support 140 includes a closed loop design that includes a central support segment including central support segments 200a and 200b having a partial circular configuration with an inner diameter of approximately 6 mm. The central support segments 200a and 200b are elevated 1 mm relative to the lens base.

[0079] The design of the lens support 140 creates a central opening 212 with a 6 mm diameter to allow packaging solution to drain back from the lens and lens support 140 when the package is opened and the lens support is lifted from the packaging solution, and an unsupported area sufficient to allow the lens apex to deform slightly under tapping pressure, thereby achieving sufficient contact area with a finger (or other lens transfer member) to achieve a one-touch transfer. The size of the central opening 212 also allows the apex of the lens to be supported by the elastic stiffness of the lens itself and minimizes 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 edge of the contact lens at points A, B, C, and D along the peripheral support sections 201a to 201d. This configuration substantially reduces the wetted contact area between the lens support 140 and the contact lens to approximately 22 mm after allowing drainage for up to 2 seconds after the lens support 140 is lifted. 2 , and according to this article on Fig. 9 The design of the lens support 140 prevents the lens from collapsing laterally, in part by making the film 206 initially formed on the supports 205a and 205b more stable for packing solution discharge through the peripheral support sections 201a to 201d, and by holding the sides of the lens in tension until the lens is substantially discharged.

[0080] 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 to clear the cover insert 170 when the lens support 140 is lifted. The lens support also includes a drain channel 202 to assist in the discharge of the lens. 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 about 2 mm and a length of 2.3 mm. When the lens is lifted, a film of packaging solution is formed along the lens support member (center and periphery). When there is a drain channel, the drain channel cooperates with the lens support to create a temporary film of packaging solution flowing out of the lens, and a path for draining the film under gravity. In this way, when the package is unsealed and the lens support is lifted or tilted out of the packaging solution, the drain channel helps to minimize the collection of packaging solution between the back of the lens and the lens support structure. The drain channel includes at least one channel member. The drainage channel comprises a gap between two adjacent components, or a crack in a single component when a single component is used. For lens supports without a full perimeter ring, the drainage channel gap can begin at any point inside the lens periphery. The drainage channel can extend a length of at least 2 mm, about 2 mm to about 4 mm, or about 2.5 mm to about 3.5 mm beyond the lens periphery. The drainage channel gap can provide space for airflow outside the contact lens periphery, thereby ensuring that air and packaging solution from the concave surface of the lens can drain when opened without drawing the lens down onto the lens support. Figure 8B As can be seen in FIG. 1 , 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 inclined downward at a primary angle (θ) of 10 degrees. The lens support 140 has a lever length (L) of 13 mm.

[0081] It must be emphasized that the lens support embodiments illustrated 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 appended claims. To be sure, some additional illustrative but non-limiting exemplary lens supports are described in Appendix A.

[0082] References below Fig. 9A protocol for measuring wet contact area is described, which shows digital images for making wet contact area measurements at various stages of digital processing. First, at step 904, the contact lens package cavity is filled with 16 parts packaging solution to 1 part dye (e.g., Stone England Clueret writing ink) so that the contact lens and lens support are minimally immersed. Next, the lens support is raised according to normal operation of the package, such as by pressing a push lever (not shown). Depending on the specific package design, the lens support and lens are maintained in their fully raised position or at a tapping angle. The lens support is then removed, placed on a white surface, and imaged using a digital camera (having at least 12 megapixels) in a neutral lighting environment from directly above the lens support approximately 4 inches above to generate an image such as image 902. The image used for measurement should be captured within 30 seconds of removal from the package to avoid evaporation losses.

[0083] At the next step, the image 902 is digitally scaled according to the diameter of the center segment (6 mm in diameter in this example). The image is then converted to black and white using a threshold selected at a level that removes (e.g., converts to white) any dark segments that are not visibly attached to the lens support. Any areas that are in firm 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.

[0084] Next, the image is divided into segments by cropping it into three different images 903a, 903b, and 903c (at 6 mm diameter, 8 mm diameter, and 14.2 mm diameter) to account for distortion due to vertical projection at the edge of the lens. Then, the white and black pixels of each segment are 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 curve 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).

[0085] For the purpose of explanation, the foregoing description uses specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many specific details are not required to practice the embodiments. Therefore, for the purpose of illustration and description, the foregoing description of the specific embodiments described herein is presented. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the disclosed specific forms. It will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that, in view of the above teachings, many modifications and variations are possible.

[0086] The Summary and Abstract sections may set forth one or more but not all exemplary embodiments of the present invention as contemplated by the inventor(s), and thus, are not intended to limit the present invention and the appended claims in any way.

[0087] Without departing from the general concept of the present invention, the foregoing description of the specific embodiments will fully reveal the general nature of the present invention, that is, others can easily modify and / or adapt such specific embodiments for various applications by applying the knowledge of those skilled in the art without excessive experimentation. Therefore, based on the teachings and guidance presented herein, such adaptations and modifications are intended to be within the meaning and scope of the equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It should be understood that the wording or terminology herein is for the purpose of description rather than limitation, so that the terms or wording of this specification should be interpreted by the technician according to teaching and guidance.

[0088] The packaging of the present invention can be manufactured using known materials and processes. The packaging material can be natural, recyclable, or a combination thereof. The volume within the packaging cavity can vary depending on the selected design.

[0089] Not all of the features described herein need to be incorporated into every package, and one skilled in the art, using the teachings herein, combines these features to provide various improved contact lens packages. In summary, the contact lens packages of the present invention include several novel features that can be combined in various combinations as described herein to provide desired improvements and / or one-touch packaging. The breadth and scope of the present invention should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be limited only in accordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

[0090] Appendix A

[0091]

[0092]

[0093]

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[0096]

Claims

1. A contact lens package, comprising: build; A base, the base comprising: a cavity that holds the contact lens and a packaging solution; and Leverage; and A lens support is coupled to the lever and is configured to lift the contact lens from the packaging solution to a position on the lens support that can be transferred by a single touch of a user.

2. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein at least one of the lever and the lens support is a separate component coupled to the base by an attachment member.

3. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is defined by at least one void in the base.

4. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is applied to the base by one or more of: a crease, a cut, a thin line, and an etching.

5. The contact lens package of claim 1 wherein the base is comprised of a relatively rigid material.

6. The contact lens package of claim 5, wherein the cover comprises a film and the base comprises a plastic material.

7. The contact lens package of claim 1 wherein the base and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

8. The contact lens package of claim 1 wherein the lever and the lens support are a single integral component.

9. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lens support is coupled to the base by at least one of: i) laser welding; ii) heating; iii) ultrasonic welding; and iv) an adhesive.

10. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the base includes at least one finger engagement feature configured to i) assist a user in holding the package or i) direct the application of force to cause the lever to articulate downwardly.

11. The contact lens package of claim 10, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature comprises a recess sized to receive a finger or thumb of the user, wherein the recess is positioned at an end of the base proximal to the user.

12. The contact lens package of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism configured to lock the lever in place when the lens support is raised to a predetermined raising angle.

13. The contact lens package of claim 12, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one of a latch, a ratchet, a bolt, and an adhesive.

14. The contact lens package of claim 12, wherein the predetermined elevation angle is at least about 45 degrees.

15. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the lens support is configured such that, when lifted, an upper side of the contact lens emerges from the packaging solution before a lower side of the contact lens.

16. The contact lens package of claim 15, wherein the lens support has a rise angle of at least zero degrees or at least 5 degrees.

17. The contact lens package of claim 15, 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.

18. The contact lens package of claim 1, wherein the cover includes at least one lens-facing surface that extends downwardly into the cavity above the contact lens when the package is in an unopened state.

19. The contact lens package of claim 18, wherein the at least one lens-facing surface and the lens support are configured within the cavity such that an optical zone of the contact lens resides in the packaging solution between the lens-facing surface and the lens support when the package is in an unopened state.

20. The contact lens package of claim 1 further comprising a secondary support configured to support the lens only when the package is unopened.

21. A contact lens package according to claim 20, wherein the secondary support includes at least one recessed area, the shape and position of the at least one recessed area allowing the lens support to be nested with the secondary support when the package is in an unopened state to form a dome shape that is a mirror image of the concave surface of the lens.

22. The contact lens package of any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the cavity holds the contact lens in a convex position when the package is in an unopened state or an unsealed state.

23. The contact lens package of any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein the wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30 mm2, less than about 25 mm2, or less than about 20 mm2 when the package is in an unsealed state.

24. A contact lens package according to claim 1, comprising at least one lens-facing surface in the cavity above the convex surface of the contact lens, wherein when the package is in an unopened state, the at least one lens-facing surface is configured to align the contact lens on the lens support; or to protect the contact lens from significant optical damage due to gravity, mechanical or air-induced forces.

25. The contact lens package of claim 24, wherein the at least one lens-facing surface is disposed on a cover insert, wherein the cover insert is attached to an inner surface of the cover.

26. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the cover insert includes at least one alignment feature.

27. The contact lens package of claim 25, wherein the cover insert includes at least one locking feature.

28. A contact lens package, comprising a contact lens in a packaging solution, a lens support, and a locking mechanism, 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 on the locking mechanism at a predetermined lifting angle.

29. The contact lens package of claim 28, 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.

30. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein the package is configured such that the force applied to the lever causes the lens support to lift the contact lens from the packing solution to a position on the lens support that can be transferred by a single touch of the user.

31. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein at least one of the lever and the lens support is a separate component coupled to the base by an attachment member.

32. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein the base is comprised of a relatively rigid material.

33. The contact lens package of claim 28, wherein the base and at least one of the lever and the lens support are a single, unitary component.

34. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein the lever and the lens support are a single integral component.

35. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein the lens support is coupled to the base by at least one of: i) laser welding; ii) heating; iii) ultrasonic welding; iv) mechanical clamping; and v) adhesive.

36. A contact lens package according to claim 29, 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 holding the package or i) direct the applied force to cause the lever to articulate downwardly.

37. A contact lens package according to claim 28, further comprising at least one finger engagement feature, wherein the at least one finger engagement feature has a recess sized to accommodate a finger or thumb of the user, wherein the recess is positioned at an end of the base proximal to the user.

38. The contact lens package of claim 28, wherein the locking mechanism comprises at least one of a latch, a ratchet, a bolt, and an adhesive.

39. The contact lens package of claim 28, wherein the predetermined elevation angle is at least about 45 degrees.

40. The contact lens package of claim 28, wherein the lens support is configured such that, when lifted, an upper side of the contact lens emerges from the packaging solution before a lower side of the contact lens.

41. The contact lens package of claim 28, wherein the lens support has a rise angle of at least zero degrees or at least 5 degrees.

42. The contact lens package of claim 28, 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.

43. The contact lens package of claim 29, wherein the cover of the package includes a lens-facing surface that extends downwardly into the cavity above the contact lens when the package is in an unopened state.

44. A contact lens package according to claim 43, wherein the lens-facing surface and the lens support are configured such that when the package is in an unopened state, the optical zone of the contact lens resides in the packaging solution between the lens-facing surface and the lens support.

45. The contact lens package of claim 28, further comprising a secondary support configured to support the lens only when the package is unopened.

46. ​​A contact lens package according to claim 45, wherein the secondary support includes at least one recessed area, the shape and position of the at least one recessed area allowing the lens support to be nested with the secondary support when the package is in an unopened state to form a dome shape that is a mirror image of the concave surface of the lens.

47. A contact lens package according to any one of claims 28 to 45, wherein the package contains the contact lens in a convex position when the package is in an unopened state or an opened state.

48. A contact lens package according to any one of claims 28 to 45, wherein when the package is in an unsealed state, the wetted contact area between the lens support and the contact lens is less than about 30 mm 2 , less than about 25mm 2 or less than about 20mm 2 .

49. A contact lens package according to claim 28, comprising at least one lens-facing surface in the cavity above the convex surface of the contact lens, wherein when the package is in an unopened state, the at least one lens-facing surface is configured to align the contact lens on the lens support; or to protect the contact lens from significant optical damage due to gravity, mechanical or air-induced forces.

50. The contact lens package of claim 28 further comprising a cover insert.

51. The contact lens package of claim 50, wherein the cover insert comprises at least one alignment feature.

52. The contact lens package of claim 50, wherein the cover insert comprises at least one locking feature.

53. A lens support for lifting a contact lens from a packaging solution in a contact lens package, wherein the lens support holds the lens in a convex position and the lens support is configured so that when lifted, an upper side of the contact lens emerges from the packaging solution before a lower side of the contact lens.

54. The lens support of claim 53, wherein the lens support has a emergence angle of at least zero degrees or at least 5 degrees.

55. The contact lens package of claim 53, 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.

56. The contact lens package of claim 53, wherein the lens support is configured to create a gap of less than about 30 mm between the lens support and the contact lens. 2 , less than about 25mm 2 or less than about 20mm 2 of wetted contact area.

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