Pre-packaged contact lenses

Abstract

The aim is to reduce the environmental impact of hermetically sealed blister packages for contact lenses. The blister package of the present invention includes a base member (100) made of a plastic material and a sealing member (103) bonded to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to hold an unworn contact lens and contact lens packaging solution. The base member (100) has an upper surface (130) and a lower surface (132) and includes a blister well (104) and a handle (106). The blister well (104) has a periphery (101). The blister well (104) is surrounded on the upper surface (130) of the base member (100) by a sealing region (102). The handle (106) and sealing region (102) are provided by a flange extending outwardly from the blister well (104). The base member (100) has a weight of 0.72 g or less.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to packaged contact lenses. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to a sealed blister package comprising a base member and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity configured to hold an unworn contact lens and an aqueous solution. The present invention also relates to a blister package comprising a base member weighing 0.72 g or less. [Background technology]

[0002] Soft contact lenses, such as hydrogel and silicone hydrogel contact lenses, are stored in an aqueous solution to keep the contact lenses hydrated and ready for use. The contact lenses are typically packaged individually in sealed blister packages. The blister packages provide a sterile and safe environment for unused contact lenses, allowing them to be safely transported and stored until required by an end user. A conventional blister package includes a base member made of a plastic material and a sealing member that is sealed to the base member to form a blister cavity. A typical conventional blister package has a blister cavity in which unused contact lenses are stored and a handle that can be held between a user's finger and thumb. The blister cavity is often configured as a well in the base member, which can hold a volume of contact lens packaging solution and the contact lens itself. Contact lenses are typically packaged in blister packages in a manufacturing process that includes placing the contact lens in a well in a base member, filling the well with a volume of contact lens packaging solution, sealing the well with a sealing member to seal the contact lens and solution within the packaging container, and then subjecting the sealed blister package to high temperature steam sterilization to sterilize the contact lens and solution within the blister cavity.

[0003] U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 to Martinez discloses a molded blister package for storing and dispensing hydrophilic contact lenses, the package comprising a base portion containing a cavity surrounded by a protruding flange, and a cover sheet sealed to the flange to enclose the cavity.

[0004] European Patent No. 1752058 discloses a blister package for containing an intact lens comprising a base member including a gripping area including a curved upper surface shaped to accommodate the thumb and a curved lower surface shaped to accommodate the inner curve of the index finger.

[0005] WO2021260353 discloses a blister package for contact lenses comprising a base sheet, one of which includes a bowl and the other of which includes a dome, and a sealing sheet.

[0006] A blister package is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,039,0593, which includes a thermoplastic base member having a gripping portion, a distal end region, a first side region extending from the proximal end region to the distal end region, a second side region opposite the first side region, and a cavity configured to contain a packaging solution and a contact lens.

[0007] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-016049 discloses a contactless blister pack including a container body having a hemispherical recessed section, a flange section extending around the outer periphery of the recessed section, and a support section.

[0008] WO 03 / 039969 discloses a package for contact lenses in which the overall volume of the package and the internal volume of the lens-holding cavity within the package are minimized.

[0009] The disclosure of US Patent No. 10390593 is considered to be the closest prior art. The feature of claim 1 of the present invention over the disclosure of US Patent No. 10390593 is that the base member has a weight of less than 0.75 g.

[0010] Many people use daily, weekly, biweekly, and monthly disposable contact lenses packaged in blister packages. This means that many blister packages are shipped to customers around the world every day. The cost and fossil fuel emissions associated with contact lens shipping are significantly increased due to the additional weight of the blister packages and contact lens packaging solution. Furthermore, although the plastic material of the blister packs can be recyclable, it is desirable to recycle less plastic material rather than more plastic material.

[0011] The technical effect of the reduced weight of the blister package of the present invention is to allow the base member to be manufactured using less material than required in US Patent No. 10390593, thereby reducing the fossil fuel emissions associated with the use of the blister package as well as reducing the amount of material that needs to be recycled after the blister package has been used. The targeted technical problem is how to reduce the environmental impact of the base member disclosed in US Patent No. 10390593. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0012] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 [Patent Document 2] European Patent No. 1752058 [Patent Document 3] International Publication No. 2021260353 [Patent Document 4] U.S. Patent No. 10,390,593 [Patent Document 5] JP2006-016049A [Patent Document 6] WO 03 / 039969 Summary of the Invention [Means for solving the problem]

[0013] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a hermetically sealed blister package having the features set out in claim 1. Preferred but optional features are set out in the dependent claims.

[0014] By reducing the weight of the blister package, the environmental impact of the blister package can be reduced by reducing the amount of fossil fuels needed to transport the blister package and by reducing the amount of material that needs to be recycled once the blister package is used.

[0015] The blister well can have a concave inner surface on the upper surface of the base member and a convex outer surface on the lower surface of the base member. The blister well can have a sidewall.

[0016] The sealing member is hermetically sealed to the base member at a sealing region. The sealing region may be substantially annular. The flange may be planar. The flange may have a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.4 mm to 0.7 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.5 mm. The flange may have a thickness of 0.55 mm.

[0017] The base member may have an outer edge that is symmetrical, in plan view, about a line passing through the centre of the handle and the centre of the blister well.

[0018] The sealing member may be a laminated structure including a foil and one or more layers of plastic material. The sealing member may be made of plastic. The sealing member may be made of foil. The thickness of the sealing member may be about 50 micrometers to about 100 micrometers. The sealing member may be printed with words or numbers. The sealing member may have a thickness of 60 micrometers to 70 micrometers. Suitable materials for the sealing member may be available from AMCOR (Switzerland). The sealing member may have an area equal to the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area larger than the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may have an area smaller than the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member may be bonded to the base member at the sealing region.

[0019] The blister well may be hemispherical or substantially hemispherical in shape. The blister well may be irregularly shaped. The blister well may be cylindrical in shape. The blister well has a wall, referred to herein as a sidewall. The sidewall may include a flat portion that may abut the handle. The blister well has a periphery.

[0020] The base member may include two or more stabilizing legs. The base member may include three or more stabilizing legs. The stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the base member. The stabilizing legs may be vertically aligned with the periphery of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend downward from the lower surface of the base member, such that the stabilizing legs extend outward to the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend outward from the lower surface of the base member, such that the stabilizing legs extend further outward than the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may extend outward far enough to provide stability to the base member when placed in an upright position on a flat surface. The stabilizing legs may allow for a reduction in the weight of the blister package to be achieved while still achieving a blister package that is stable when placed in an upright position on a flat surface without the need for a handle formed by a flange to act as a stabilizing support, yet still maintaining sufficient structural integrity to avoid problematic deformation during shipping and storage, and sufficient structural integrity to adequately protect the contact lens.

[0021] The base member may include at least two side tabs. The side tabs may be positioned on either side of the blister well, the side tabs extending downwardly from the top surface of the base member. The side tabs may have a height of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 3.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 3.0 mm. The side tabs may have a height of 4.0 mm. The side tabs may have a length of 6.0 mm to 10.0 mm along the top surface of the flange. The side tabs may have a length of 7.0 mm to 9.00 mm along the top surface of the flange. The side tabs may have a length of 8.0 mm along the top surface of the flange. The side tabs may increase the structural integrity of the base member. The side tabs may reduce the possibility of problematic deformation of the base member. The side tabs may increase the stability of the base member when placed in an upright position on a flat surface. The side tabs may provide a gripping area.

[0022] The handle may include a hole extending through the flange, the hole being located closer to an outer edge of the handle than the center of the blister well. The hole may be located 10.0mm to 30.0mm from the center of the blister well. The hole may be located 20.0mm from the center of the blister well. The hole may be a slot having a width of 0.5mm to 1.5mm. The hole may be a slot having a width of 1.1mm. The hole may be a slot having a width of 1.0mm. The hole may be a slot having a width of 0.9mm. The width of the hole may be the shorter dimension of the slot. The hole may be a slot having a length of 8.0mm to 12.0mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 9.0mm to 11.0mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 9.0mm. The hole may be a slot having a length of 10.0mm. The side or length of the hole may be parallel to the end of the handle. The hole may include a notch on the side of the hole. The hole may include a notch on the longest side of the hole. The notch may be centrally located along the length of the hole. The notch may be off-center located along the length of the hole. The notch at the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 0.5mm to 1.5mm. The notch at the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 1.1mm. The notch at the end of the hole may have a length of 2.0mm to 3.0mm. The notch at the end of the hole may have a length of 2.7mm. The handle of the sealed blister package may include only one hole. The handle of the sealed blister package may include two or more holes. The one or more holes in the handle may reduce the weight of the base member.

[0023] The blister package can include a contact lens. The contact lens can be a hydrogel contact lens. The contact lens can be a silicone hydrogel contact lens. The base member can be made from a recyclable plastic material. The base member can be made from a plastic material. The base member can be made from a thermoplastic material that can be recyclable. This means that the base member can be recycled instead of being sent to a landfill. The sealing area is not annular when viewed in top plan view (i.e., from above). The sealing area can have an apex adjacent to the handle of the base member. As used herein, an apex is understood to be the portion of a geometric shape that has the sharpest turn relative to the rest of the shape. For example, an apex can be a point where two or more line segments intersect. However, it can be understood that if multiple line segments are curved, the intersection points can be intermixed such that there is an area that has a smaller radius than the portion of the line segments located away from the apex. A sealing area with an apex reduces the separation force required to separate the sealing member from the sealing area. Where a weak separation force is required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region, the base member can have reduced structural integrity, i.e., be less robust (and therefore lighter) without reducing the protection that the blister package provides to the contact lens.

[0024] The sealing area may be annular when viewed in top plan view. The sealing area may be annular. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 2.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.0 mm. The sealing area may have a width of 1.7 mm. The smaller width of the sealing area may improve ease of opening of the blister pack while maintaining an airtight seal.

[0025] The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.4 mL to 1.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.6 mL to 1.4 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.8 mL to 1.2 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.7 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The blister wells can hold a volume of 0.8 mL of contact lens packaging solution. The base member can have a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm and a width of 25.0 mm to 35.0 mm. The base member can have a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm. The base member can have a length of 43.0 mm to 47.0 mm. The base member can have a length of 46.0 mm. The base member can have a length of 46.31 mm. The base member may have a width of 25.0 mm to 35.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 27.0 mm to 33.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 28.0 mm to 30.0 mm. The base member may have a width of 29.0 mm. The base member may have a weight of 0.72 g or less. The base member may have a weight less than 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight of 0.4 g to 0.72 g. In one example, the base member may have a weight of 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight of 0.72 g. The base member may have a weight less than 0.70 g. The base member may have a weight less than 0.65 g.

[0026] The blister well may have a depth of 5.0mm to 8.0mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.0mm to 7.0mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.0mm at its center. The blister well may have a depth of 6.7mm at its center.

[0027] The flange of the base member has a thickness less than or equal to the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness less than or equal to 95% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness less than or equal to 90% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness less than or equal to 85% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well.

[0028] The sidewalls of the blister wells can have a thickness of 0.3 mm to 1.0 mm. The sidewalls of the blister wells can have a thickness of 0.5 mm to 0.7 mm. The sidewalls of the blister wells can have a thickness of 0.6 mm. If the sidewalls of the blister wells are too thin, evaporation through the plastic can occur, causing changes in the packaging solution, which can result in the contact lens drying out and becoming unusable. The thickness of the sidewalls of the blister wells can allow for a reduction in the weight of the blister package, while still being thick enough to avoid any evaporation of the packaging solution of the contact lens. This allows the lens to remain hydrated prior to use by the contact lens wearer.

[0029] The side walls of the blister well can facilitate retention of the base member in a base member carrier of a heat sealing system or machine. It can be appreciated that a slot can be provided in the base member carrier to receive one or more side walls to provide a physical fit between the base member and the base member carrier to ensure that the top surface of the base member remains stable and parallel to the surface of a heat sealing die that is pressed against the sealing member over the top surface of the base member to seal the sealing member to the base member.

[0030] The flange of the base member is rated at 50,000 psi.mm 2 to 150,000 psi.mm 2 The flange of the base member may have a stiffness of 60,000 psi.mm. 2 to 90,000 psi.mm2 The stiffness of the base member of the present invention is calculated by multiplying the flexural modulus of the base member material by the square of the flange thickness (mm). The flexural modulus can be measured using conventional equipment, such as that provided by Instron (Norwood, Massachusetts, USA), or can be provided by the plastics manufacturer as part of the plastics technical data. The flexural modulus can be used as determined by the ISO 178 test method.

[0031] The outer edge of the handle may include a protrusion. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.0mm to 11.0mm. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.8mm. The protrusion may extend outwardly from the edge of the base member by 2.0mm to 3.0mm. The protrusion may extend outwardly from the edge of the base member by 2.3mm. On the outer edge of the handle furthest from the blister well there is a tab extending downwardly from the top surface of the flange. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.0mm to 3.0mm. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.2mm to 2.4mm. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.3mm. The tab may have a height of 1.0mm to 6.0mm. The tab may have a height of 1.75mm. The tab may be part of a larger protrusion extending downwardly from the bottom surface of the base member. The larger protrusion may extend downwardly along the entire width of the end of the handle. The tab can be sized and configured to fit into a notch in a hole in the flange of the second base member. The tab and larger protrusion can be sized and configured to fit into a hole in the flange of the second base member. This means that multiple base members can be attached together to form, for example, a base member assembly or base member recycling unit, which means that the base members can be accepted for recycling at a cycle center.

[0032] The base member may include three stabilizing legs. The base member may include four stabilizing legs. The base member may include five stabilizing legs. The base member may include three stabilizing legs positioned approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The base member may include four stabilizing legs positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The stabilizing legs may include a planar lower edge. The stabilizing legs may include a rounded lower edge. The stabilizing legs may include a curved lower edge.

[0033] When the base member is placed in an upright position on a flat surface, the base member can have two or more contact points with the flat surface.When the base member is placed in an upright position on a flat surface, the base member can have three or more contact points with the flat surface.

[0034] When the base member is placed in an upright position on a flat surface, the base member can have 4 or more contact points with the flat surface. When the base member is placed in an upright position on a flat surface, the base member can have 5 or more contact points with the flat surface. Multiple contact points between the base member and the flat surface can allow the force that the surface exerts on the base member to be distributed throughout the base member. This can reduce the stiffness required in any individual area of ​​the base member, such as the blister well, which can allow the weight of the material used to make the base member to be reduced. The weight of the material used to make the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection for the contact lens.

[0035] When the underside of a first base member according to an embodiment of the invention is placed facing the underside of a second base member according to the same embodiment, there can be two or more contact points between the base members. There can be three or more contact points between the base members. There can be four or more contact points between the base members. There can be five or more contact points between the base members. The multiple contact points between the base members can allow the force exerted by the second base member on the first base member to be distributed throughout the first base member and vice versa. This can reduce the stiffness required in any individual area of ​​the base member, for example, the blister well. The reduction in the stiffness required can allow the weight of the material used to make the base member to be reduced. The weight of the material used to make the base member can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection to the contact lens during storage and transportation.

[0036] The blister well can be reinforced by a support rib. The blister well can be reinforced by two or more supports. The blister well can be reinforced by three or more supports. The blister well can be reinforced by supports such that the thickness of the sidewalls of the blister well can be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection for the contact lens.

[0037] According to a second aspect, the present invention provides a method for producing a packaged contact lens according to the first aspect of the present invention, comprising the steps of providing a base member of a blister package, placing a contact lens in a blister well of the base member, placing a volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution in the blister well of the base member, sealing a sealing member in a sealing region of the base member, and high temperature steam sterilizing the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and the packaging solution.

[0038] The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing area of ​​the base member may be performed by pressing the foil laminate sealing member against the plastic base member under heat to fuse the plastic layers of the foil laminate and the sealing area of ​​the base member together. The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing area may be performed at a temperature of 210 to 240 degrees Celsius. The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing area may be performed by pressing the sealing member against the flange of the base member with a heated die under a pressure of 25 to 60 PSI. The heated die may press the sealing member against the flange for a time of 100 to 1100 ms.

[0039] Desirably, the sealing region provides a sufficient seal between the base member and the sealing member to withstand the separation forces encountered during a contact lens high temperature steam sterilization process, and is relatively easy for a user to peel open using their fingers. If only a low separation force is required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region, the base member can be made lighter without reducing the protection that the blister package provides to the contact lens.

[0040] For example, the sealing region can be configured to provide an average separation force of less than 15 Newtons (N). In some embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 4N to about 14N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 6N to about 11N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 8N to about 10N.

[0041] Peel strength can be measured using an INSTRON Model 5943 testing machine. For these measurements, the pull angle is set at 45 degrees. The load cell of the machine is calibrated before testing the peel strength. Generally, the operating instructions are set by the manufacturer.

[0042] The sealing configuration can be adjusted, as described above, by controlling the temperature of the heated sealing head surface that is pressed against the sealing member on the upper surface of the base member, by controlling the pressure that the sealing head applies to the sealing member, by controlling the time that the sealing head is applied to the sealing member, or a combination thereof.

[0043] According to a third aspect, the present invention provides a method for recycling sealed blister packages, the method comprising the steps of removing a sealing member from a base member, removing a contact lens from a blister well, removing a liquid contact lens packaging solution from the blister well, and bonding two base members of two contact lens blister packages together by inserting a handle end of one base member into a hole in a second base member to form a base member assembly. The method may also include bonding a further base member to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 30 base members bonded together to form a base member recycling unit. The method may also include placing the base member recycling unit into a recycling container, thereby allowing the base member to be recycled as the base member recycling unit to have a sufficient volume to be recycled.

[0044] Of course, it will be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the invention may be incorporated in other aspects of the invention, for example a method of the invention may incorporate any feature described with reference to an apparatus of the invention, and vice versa.

[0045] Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings in which: [Brief description of the drawings]

[0046] [Figure 1A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a contact lens package including a base member and a sealing member according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2A] FIG. 1B shows a top view of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Figure 2B] FIG. 1B shows a top view of the handle hole of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along line AA in FIG. 1A. [Figure 4] FIG. 1B illustrates an end view of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Diagram 5] FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of a portion of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Figure 6] 5A-5D show steps of a method for producing packaged contact lenses according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 5A-5D show steps of a method for recycling contact lens blister packages according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8A] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8B] FIG. 8B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 8A. [Figure 8C] 8B shows a pair of perspective views of the base member of FIG. 8A. FIG. [Figure 8D] 8B shows a pair of side views of the base member of FIG. 8A. [Figure 9A] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9B] FIG. 9C is a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 9B. [Figure 9C] FIG. 9B shows a perspective view of the assembly of the base member of FIG. 9A. [Figure 10A] FIG. 13 is a top perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10B] FIG. 10B is a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 10A. [Figure 10C] 10B shows a pair of side views of the base member of FIG. 10A. [Figure 11A] FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 11B] FIG. 11B is a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 11A. [Figure 11C] 11B shows a pair of side views of the base member of FIG. 11A. [Figure 12A] FIG. 2 shows a top perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to another embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12B] FIG. 12B shows a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 12A. [Figure 12C] 12B shows a pair of side views of the base member of FIG. 12A. [Figure 13] FIG. 2 shows a top view of a base member of a contact lens package according to another embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, the base member is a recyclable plastic material. The base member is sized to allow the base member to be lightweight while maintaining structural integrity. The base member may include a blister well, a handle, stabilizing legs, and side tabs. The base member includes a lower surface designed to face downward during use, such as when the blister pack is used to present a hydrated contact lens to a user who removes it from the blister pack, and an upper surface designed to face upward during use. The blister well has a concave inner surface extending downward from the upper surface of the base member and an opposite convex outer surface projecting downward from the lower surface of the base member. Where the concave inner surface of the blister well and the planar upper surface of the base member meet, the blister well has a periphery. The periphery of the blister well is surrounded on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region. In use, this sealing region is the area where the base member of the blister pack is hermetically sealed to the sealing member of the blister pack. The flange extends outwardly from the periphery of the blister well to the edge of the base member. At the first end of the base member, the flange can extend outwardly from the periphery of the blister well to a curved end at a distance. At the second end of the base member, the flange can extend outwardly further than at the first end to form a handle suitable for being held between a user's thumb and finger. The blister well is dimensioned to hold a contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution. A plurality of stabilizing legs can extend downwardly from the underside of the flange around the convex outer surface of the blister well. In use, the stabilizing legs can allow the base member to be positioned with the underside of the base member in contact with a surface without tilting. Side tabs can extend downwardly from the edge of the flange on either side of the blister well, such that there can be side tabs that extend symmetrically on either side of a line that extends through the center from the first end of the base member to the second end of the base member, the line passing through the center point of the blister well. There can be a hole through the thickness of the handle of the base member. At the end of the handle, the lower surface of the base member may project below the lower surface to form a tab.

[0048] The contact lens blister packages of the present invention are believed to have the lightest weight thermoplastic base members known to the inventors.Several commercially available blister pack plastic base members were dried and weighed as shown in Table 1 below.

[0049] For each of the commercially available products, the weights of five blister pack base members were weighed using a conventional balance, and the average weight in grams is shown in Table 1 (weights were rounded to two significant figures). The weight range of the base members is shown in the right column. The Acuvue 2 and Oasys contact lens blister packs had the lightest base member at 0.732 grams. Examples of blister packs are disclosed in the following patent documents: EP 1092645, U.S. Pat. No. 7,213,382, U.S. Pat. No. 5,609,246, U.S. Pat. No. 10,390,593, U.S. Pat. No. 7,426,993, U.S. Pat. No. 7,477,366, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,398,018. The blister pack base members in these patents are visually similar to the actual weighed blister packs of the commercially available products identified in Table 1.

[0050] The blister package of the present invention includes a base member having a weight of 0.72 g or less. For example, the base member of the blister package has a weight of 0.40 g to 0.72 g.

[0051] Table 1 TIFF2025505512000002.tif149154

[0052] The contact lenses contained in the blister package are preferably soft contact lenses. The soft contact lenses can be hydrogel contact lenses in that they have an equilibrium water content (EWC) of 10 to 90%. Preferably, the soft contact lenses are silicone hydrogel contact lenses (i.e., hydrogel contact lenses that include polymeric units derived from at least one silicone-containing chemical).

[0053] A first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1A to 5. Figure 1A shows a base member 100 formed from a thermoplastic layer. The base member 100 has a weight of 0.72g. The base member 100 is made of a recyclable plastic material. The base member 100 has a length of 46.31 mm at its maximum length point and a width of 29 mm at its maximum width point. The base member 100 includes a blister well 104 and a handle 106. The blister well 104 is sized to accommodate a contact lens. The blister well 104 has a sidewall 105 (Figure 3). The blister well 104 has a periphery 101. The periphery 101 is substantially circular except for a straight portion 154. The handle 106 provides a gripping portion configured to be held between a user's thumb and finger. Figure 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the base member 100.

[0054] The base member 100 has a lower surface 132 and an upper surface 130. The lower surface 132 and the upper surface 130 meet at an edge 134 that extends around the perimeter of the base member 100.

[0055] The blister well 104 is formed as a well in the upper surface 130 of the thermoplastic layer, which extends downwardly to form a concave inner surface. The sidewall 105 of the blister well 104 is 0.6 mm thick, i.e., the distance between the upper surface 130 of the base member 100 in the region of the blister well 104 and the lower surface 132 of the base member is 0.6 mm. The depth of the blister well 104 is 6 mm at its maximum point. The blister well 104 is sized to hold up to 1.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution.

[0056] FIG. 1B shows the base member 100 and the sealing member 103. The sealing member 103 is joined to the base member 100 at a sealing area 102, which is shown by a dotted line to indicate that the sealing area is located between the sealing member 103 and the base member 100 and that the base member 100 is not directly visible from above. The sealing area 102 is used to hermetically seal the base member 100 to the sealing member 103 to form a blister cavity. The width of the sealing area 102 is 1.5 mm. FIG. 2A shows a top view of the base member 100. A flange extends outward from the outer periphery of the blister well 104 to the border of the base member 100. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, the flange extends outward to form a curved edge at a distance of 5 mm from the outer periphery of the blister well 104. At the second end 136 of the base member 100, the flange additionally extends outwardly to form a substantially flat handle 106 that can be used as a gripping portion. Along the width of the base member 100, the flange extends outwardly from the periphery of the blister well 104 to form two flat edges 140 at the border of the base member 100. The flat edges 140 have a length of 8 mm. The distance between the flat edges 140 is 29 mm.

[0057] Two side tabs 122 (one of which is visible in FIG. 1) extend downwardly from the underside 132 (FIG. 3) of the base member 100 from an area adjacent the flat edge 140. The side tabs 122 have a height of 4 mm and a length of 8 mm. These side tabs act to increase the structural integrity of the base member 100 and to provide a graspable portion for a user to hold between their fingers and thumb when picking up the base member 100. The side tabs 122 also act to stabilize the base member 100 when placed in an upright position on a flat surface.

[0058] The thickness of the handle is 0.55 mm. At a distance of 8.0 mm from the second end 136 of the base member 100 there is a hole 110 which extends through the thickness of the flange. Figure 2B shows the shape of the hole 110 alone. The hole 110 is a slot which is substantially rectangular in shape with a length 142 of 10.5 mm and a width 143 of 1 mm. The hole 110 has a notch 146 on one side which widens a portion of the long side of the slot facing the second end 136 of the base member 100 (Figure 3). The notch 146 has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. At the distal end of the handle 106 (at the second end 136 of the base member 100), the handle 106 includes a protrusion 150 which extends outwardly from the end of the base member 100 by 2.3 mm. The projection, when viewed from above (as in FIG. 2A), has a straight outer edge 152. The straight outer edge 152 has a length of 9.8 mm. Extending downwardly from the flat outer edge 152 of the projection 150 is a tab 124 (FIG. 4).

[0059] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the tab 124 has a length of 2.3 mm and extends downwardly away from the top surface of the base member 100 by 1.75 mm. Three stabilizing legs 116a-116c extend downwardly from the bottom surface 132 of the base member and are vertically aligned with the periphery 101 of the blister well 104 on the top surface 130 of the base member 100. The three legs 116a-116c are disposed about the convex outer surface of the blister well 104. At the first end 138 of the base member 100, one of the stabilizing legs 116a is positioned to be in the middle of the width of the base member. The second leg 116b and the third leg 116c are shown in Figure 4 and are disposed on either side of a centerline that extends along the length of the base member from the first end 138 to the second end 136. The center points of the three legs 116 a - 116 c are positioned approximately 120 degrees apart about an axis that depends through the center of the blister well 104 .

[0060] In a method 200 for producing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a contact lens blister package 202 according to the first aspect of the present invention is prepared (202). A contact lens is placed (204) into a blister well of a thermoplastic base member of the blister package 204. A volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution is placed (206) into the blister well of the thermoplastic base member 206. A sealing member is sealed (208) into a sealing area of ​​the thermoplastic base member 208. Optionally, the method includes a step 210 of high temperature steam sterilizing the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and packaging solution. FIG. 7 shows the steps of a method 300 for recycling a contact lens blister package of the present invention according to a third embodiment. The steps of the method are as follows: The sealing member is removed (312) from the thermoplastic base member. The contact lens is removed (314) from the blister well. The liquid contact lens packaging solution is removed (316) from the blister well of the thermoplastic base member. In step 318, two of the thermoplastic base members are joined by inserting the second end of one thermoplastic base member into the hole of the second thermoplastic base member so that the tab aligns with the notch in the hole. The two base members come together to form a base member assembly (320). Optionally, the method includes step 322 of joining an additional thermoplastic base member to the thermoplastic base member assembly to form an assembly including at least 30 joined thermoplastic base members to form a thermoplastic base member recycling unit. Optionally, the method includes step 324 of placing the thermoplastic base member recycling unit into a recycling bin.

[0061] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 8A-8D) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. A base member 400 includes a blister well 404 and a handle 406. The blister well 404 has a periphery 401. The periphery 401 is surrounded by a sealing region 402. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 404 to the border of the base member 400. At one end of the base member 400, the flange extends outward to form a handle 406. The base member 400 has a hole 410 that extends through the thickness of the handle 406. The hole 410 is a slot, which is substantially rectangular in shape. The hole 410 has a length 442 of 10.5 mm and a width 440 of 1.0 mm. The long side of the hole 410 is parallel to a centerline through the length of the base member 400. The hole 410 has a notch 446 on one side that widens a portion of the long side of the slot. This notch has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes from the slot by 1.1 mm. The base member 400 has two large holes 456a, 456b on either side of the hole 410. The holes 456a and 456b reduce the amount of material needed to make the base member 400, and therefore reduce the weight. At the end of the handle 406 furthest from the blister well 404, the handle includes a protrusion 425. FIG. 8B shows this protrusion 425 from the underside of the base member 400. According to this embodiment, the protrusion 425 is shaped so that it can be inserted into the hole 410 of another base member 400. FIG. 8C shows how this protrusion 425 can be aligned with the hole 410 of the second base member 400. The protrusion 425 is shaped to allow the first base member 400a to be positioned perpendicular to the second base member 400b with the protrusion 425 positioned within the hole 410. The protrusion 425 includes a tab 424 (FIG. 8B) that aligns with a notch 446 (FIG. 8A) in the hole 410.Once the protrusions 425 of the first base member 400a are aligned with the holes 410 of the second base member 400b, the first base member 400a can be rotated 90 degrees such that the flanges of the first base member 400a are parallel to the flanges of the second base member and the tabs 424 align with the notches 446 so that the two base members are locked together. Figure 8D shows how the two base members 400a, 400b are joined together by inserting the protrusions 425 of one base member 400a into the holes 410 of the other base member 400a and rotating the first base member 400a 90 degrees to lock the base members 400a, 400b together.

[0062] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 9A-9C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. Base member 500 includes a blister well 504 and a handle 506. Blister well 504 has a perimeter 501 where the concave inner surface of well 504 meets the top surface of the base member. Perimeter 501 of blister well 504 is surrounded by a sealing region 502. A flange extends outwardly from the perimeter of blister well 504 to the border of base member 500. At one end of base member 500, the flange extends outwardly to form handle 506. Base member 500 has a hole 510 that extends through the thickness of handle 506. Hole 510 is a slot and is rectangular in shape. Hole 510 has a length 542 of 10.5 mm and a width 540 of 1.0 mm. The long side of the hole 510 is perpendicular to a centerline through the length of the base member 500. At the end of the handle 506 furthest from the well 504, the handle includes a protrusion 550 that extends outward in the plane of the flange. The protrusion 550 is shaped to flare out and then curve inward to form hooks 551 on either side of the protrusion in the plane of the flange. FIG. 9B shows the underside of the base member 500. At the end of the protrusion furthest from the well 504 is a tab 524 that extends downward from the underside. According to this embodiment, the protrusion 550 and tab 524 are shaped so that they can be inserted into a hole 510 of another base member 500. When the protrusion 550 is inserted into the hole 510 of another base member, the tab 524 and hook 551 act to prevent the protrusion 550 from moving out of the hole 510. With the protrusions 550 of one base member 500 inserted into the holes 510 of the second base member 500, the protrusions 550 of the second base member 500 can be inserted into the holes of a third base member 500. This can be repeated to form an assembly of base members 500. Figure 9C shows how eight base members 500 according to this embodiment can be joined together by inserting the protrusions 550 of one base member 500 into the holes 510 of another base member 500, with the tabs 524 and hooks 551 acting to hold each protrusion within the holes 510 of each base member.

[0063] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 10A-10C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. A base member 600 includes a blister well 604 and a handle 606. The blister well 604 has a perimeter 601 where the concave inner surface of the well 604 meets the top surface of the base member. The perimeter 601 of the blister well 604 is surrounded by a sealing region 602. A flange extends outwardly from the perimeter of the blister well 604 to the border of the base member 600. At one end of the base member 600, the flange extends outwardly to form a handle 606. The base member 600 has a second well 611 that extends downwardly from the top surface of the handle 606 to form a concave top surface and downwardly from the bottom surface of the handle 606 to form a convex bottom surface. FIG. 10A shows the concave top surface of the second well 611. FIG. 10B shows the underside of the base member 600. A protrusion 612 extends downwardly from the convex underside of the second well 611. The protrusion 612 is shaped so that it can be pressed into the second well 611 of another base member 600 according to this embodiment and then held there by an interference fit. FIG. 10C shows how the protrusion 612 of the first base member 600 fits into the second well 611 of the second base member 600. The interference fit between the protrusion 612 and the second well 611 holds the two base members 600 together. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members 600.

[0064] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 11A-11C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. A base member 700 includes a blister well 704 and a handle 706. The blister well 704 has a periphery 701 where the concave inner surface of the well 704 meets the top surface of the base member. The periphery 701 of the blister well 704 is surrounded by a sealing region 702. A flange extends outwardly from the outer periphery of the blister well 704 to the boundary of the base member 700. At one end of the base member 700, the flange extends outwardly to form a handle 706. The handle 706 has a curved portion 707 that curves downwardly away from a planar portion of the handle 706. At one end of the base member 700, the flange extends outwardly from the outer periphery of the blister well 704 to a curved edge 721. At the curved edge 721, the protrusion 723 extends downward from the top surface of the flange. The protrusion 723 has a semicircular shape that is disposed around the well 704. FIG. 11B shows the protrusion 723 extending downward a small distance from the top surface of the flange that is less than the depth of the well 704. The blister well 704 has a perimeter that is substantially square with a curved edge where the blister well 704 meets the sealing area 702. The well 704 has a flat bottom surface 703 that is the same shape as the perimeter of the well 704. The sidewalls 705 of the blister well 704 are shaped such that when the outer surface of the blister well 704 of one base member is inserted into the inner surface of the blister well 704 of another base member 700 according to this embodiment, the two will interdigitate to provide an interference fit. The sidewalls 705 of the blister well 704 have a waist 709 at a midpoint along the depth of the blister well 704. 11C shows how the blister well 704 of one base member 700 can be inserted into the blister well 704 of another base member 700 so that the two can be joined together. This can be done repeatedly to form an assembly of base members 700.

[0065] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIGS. 12A-12C) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. Base member 800 includes blister well 804 and handle 806. Blister well 804 has a perimeter 801 where the concave inner surface of well 804 meets the top surface of the base member. Perimeter 801 of blister well 804 is surrounded by sealing region 802. A flange extends outwardly from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 to the boundary of base member 800. The flange extends outwardly from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 to a curved edge 821 that is substantially equal distance from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 around the entire circumference of well 804. The flange extends outwardly from curved edge 821 to form a handle 806 on one side of the base member. Handle 806 is planar with sealing region 802. Four protrusions 860 extend downward from the top surface of the flange at approximately 90 degree intervals about an axis that runs vertically through the center of the blister well 804. FIG. 12B shows the protrusions 860 extending downward from the top surface of the base member 800. The ends of the protrusions 860 that are furthest from the top surface of the base member 800 are hook-shaped. FIG. 12C shows that when the well 804 of one base member 800 is inserted into the well of a second base member 800 according to this exemplary embodiment, the protrusions 860 fit over the curved edge 821 of the second base member at a slightly recessed area 861. The hooks of the protrusions 860 act to hold the protrusions in place and keep the two base members 800 together. This can be repeated to form an assembly of base members.

[0066] Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention (FIG. 13) is similar to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention, but has some alternative features. A base member 900 includes a blister well 904 and a handle 906. The base member 900 has a hole 910 extending through the thickness of the handle 906. The hole is a slot, which is substantially rectangular in shape. The hole has a length 942 of 10.5 mm and a width 940 of 1.0 mm. The long side of the hole 910 is parallel to a centerline through the length of the base member. The hole 910 has a notch 946 centrally positioned along the width of the base member that spans a portion of the long side of the slot. The notch has a length of 2.7 mm and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot.

[0067] Although the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is susceptible to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein.

[0068] In the above description, where integers or elements having known obvious or foreseeable equivalents are referred to, such equivalents are incorporated herein as if they were individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims to determine the true scope of the invention, which should be construed to encompass all equivalents. The reader will also understand that integers or features of the invention described as preferred, beneficial, advantageous, or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. It should further be understood that such optional integers or features may be beneficial in some embodiments of the invention, but may be undesirable in other embodiments, and therefore may not be present in other embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 100 Base material 101 Periphery 102 Sealing area 103 Sealing member 104 Blister Well 106 Handle 130 above 132 Below

Claims

1. 1. A hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens, the blister package comprising: a base member made of a plastic material; and a sealing member joined to the base member to form a blister cavity configured to hold an unworn contact lens and a contact lens packaging solution; the base member has an upper surface and a lower surface and includes a blister well and a handle, the blister well having a periphery, the periphery of the blister well being surrounded on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region, the handle and the sealing region being provided by a flange extending outwardly from the blister well; The hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens, wherein the base member has a weight of 0.4 g to 0.72 g.

2. 2. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the base member further comprises three or more stabilizing legs extending downwardly from the lower surface of the base member and vertically aligned with the periphery of the blister well.

3. 3. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1 or 2, wherein the base member includes at least two side tabs positioned on either side of the blister well, the side tabs extending downwardly from the top surface of the base member.

4. 4. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 3, wherein the side tab has a height of 2.0 mm to 4.0 mm and a length along the top surface of the flange of 6.0 mm to 10.0 mm.

5. 5. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the handle includes a hole extending through the flange, the hole being located closer to an outer edge of the handle than to a center of the blister well.

6. 6. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 5, wherein the hole is a slot having a width of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm.

7. 7. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 5 or 6, wherein the hole includes a notch at an edge of the hole.

8. 8. The sealed blister package for a contact lens according to claim 1, wherein the sealing area is annular when viewed from above.

9. 8. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the sealing area has an apex adjacent the handle of the base member.

10. 10. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the sealing area has a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm.

11. 11. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the blister well holds a volume of 0.4 mL to 1.6 mL of contact lens packaging solution.

12. 12. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the base member has a length of 40.0 mm to 50.0 mm and a width of 25 mm to 35 mm.

13. 13. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein the blister wells have a depth of 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm at center.

14. 14. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, wherein there is a tab on an outer edge of the handle furthest from the blister well that extends downwardly from the top surface of the flange.

15. 3. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 2, wherein the three stabilizing legs are positioned approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through a center of the blister well.

16. The flange of the base member is rated at 50,000 psi. 2 to 150,000 psi.mm 2 16. The sealed blister package for a contact lens of claim 1, having a rigidity of

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