Packaged contact lens

Abstract

To reduce the environmental impact of a hermetically sealed blister package for a contact lens.SOLUTION: The blister package includes a base member (100) made of a plastic material and a sealing member (103) joined to the base member to form a blister cavity arranged to hold an unworn contact lens and a 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). Blister well (104) has a perimeter (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. 72g or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to packaged contact lenses. More particularly, but not exclusively, the present invention relates to sealed blister packages 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 blister packages 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 them hydrated and ready for use. Contact lenses are typically individually packaged in sealed blister packages. Blister packages provide a sterile and safe environment for unused contact lenses, allowing them to be safely transported and stored until needed by the end user. A conventional blister package includes a base member made of a plastic material and a sealing member sealed to the base member to form a blister cavity. A typical conventional blister package has a blister cavity in which the unused contact lens is 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 certain 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 intact lenses, which comprises a base member including a gripping area with 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 and a sealing sheet, one of which comprises a bowl and the other of which comprises a dome.

[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 packs. This means that numerous blister packs are shipped to customers around the world every day. The costs and fossil fuel emissions associated with shipping contact lenses are significantly increased due to the additional weight of the blister packs and contact lens packaging solution. Furthermore, although the plastic material of blister packs can be recyclable, it is desirable to recycle less plastic material rather than more.

[0011] The technical effect of the lighter blister package of the present invention is to allow the base member to be manufactured using less material than required in US Patent No. 10,390,593, thereby reducing the fossil fuel emissions associated with the use of the blister package and similarly 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. 10,390,593. [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] JP 2006-016049 [Patent Document 6] International Publication No. 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 may 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 may 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 can be a laminated structure including a foil and one or more layers of plastic material. The sealing member can be made of plastic. The sealing member can be made of foil. The thickness of the sealing member can be about 50 micrometers to about 100 micrometers. The sealing member can be printed with words or numbers. The sealing member can have a thickness of 60 micrometers to 70 micrometers. Suitable materials for the sealing member are available from AMCOR GmbH (Switzerland). The sealing member can have an area equal to the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member can have an area larger than the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member can have an area smaller than the area of ​​the top surface of the base member. The sealing member can be bonded to the base member at the sealing region.

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

[0020] The base member can include two or more stabilizing legs. The base member can include three or more stabilizing legs. The stabilizing legs can extend downwardly from the lower surface of the base member. The stabilizing legs can be vertically aligned with the periphery of the blister well. The stabilizing legs can extend downwardly 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 can extend outwardly from the lower surface of the base member, such that the stabilizing legs extend outward beyond the furthest extent of the blister well. The stabilizing legs can extend outward far enough to provide stability to the base member when placed in an upright position on a flat surface. The stabilizing legs can still provide a blister package that is stable when placed in an upright position on a flat surface without requiring a handle formed by a flange to act as a stabilizing support, while still allowing for a reduction in the weight of the blister package while maintaining sufficient structural integrity to avoid problematic deformation during transportation and storage and sufficient structural integrity to adequately protect a 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, and the side tabs may extend downward 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 can include a hole extending through the flange, the hole being located closer to the outer edge of the handle than the center of the blister well. The hole can be located 10.0 mm to 30.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The hole can be located 20.0 mm from the center of the blister well. The hole can be a slot having a width of 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The hole can be a slot having a width of 1.1 mm. The hole can be a slot having a width of 1.0 mm. The hole can be a slot having a width of 0.9 mm. The width of the hole can be the shorter dimension of the slot. The hole can be a slot having a length of 8.0 mm to 12.0 mm. The hole can be a slot having a length of 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The hole can be a slot having a length of 9.0 mm. The hole can be a slot having a length of 10.0 mm. The edge or length of the hole can be parallel to the end of the handle. The hole can include a notch on the edge 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 0.5 mm to 1.5 mm. The notch at the edge of the hole may protrude from the hole by 1.1 mm. The notch at the end of the hole may have a length of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The notch at the end of the hole may have a length of 2.7 mm. 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. One or more holes in the handle may reduce the weight of the base member.

[0023] The blister package can contain 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 region is not annular when viewed in a top plan view (i.e., from above). The sealing region 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 angle 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 interspersed such that there is a region with a smaller radius than the portion of the line segments located away from the apex. A sealing region with an apex reduces the separation force required to separate the sealing member from the sealing region. If a weaker 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 region can be annular when viewed in a top plan view. The sealing region can be annular. The sealing region can have a width of 1.0 mm to 4.0 mm. The sealing region can have a width of 1.0 mm to 2.5 mm. The sealing region can have a width of 2.0 mm. The sealing region can have a width of 1.0 mm. The sealing region can have a width of 1.7 mm. A smaller width of the sealing region can improve ease of opening the blister pack while maintaining an airtight seal.

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

[0026] The blister wells can have a depth of 5.0 mm to 8.0 mm at their centers. The blister wells can have a depth of 6.0 mm to 7.0 mm at their centers. The blister wells can have a depth of 6.0 mm at their centers. The blister wells can have a depth of 6.7 mm at their centers.

[0027] The flange of the base member has a thickness equal to or less than the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness equal to or less than 95% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness equal to or less than 90% of the thickness of the sidewall of the blister well. The flange of the base member can have a thickness equal to or less than 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 the packaging solution to change, 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 contact lens packaging solution. 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 will be appreciated that slots 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 it to the base member.

[0030] The flange of the base member is rated for 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 base member material may have a stiffness of 230,000 psi to 276,000 psi. The flexural modulus of the base member material may be 230,000 psi to 276,000 psi. 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). Flexural modulus can be measured using conventional equipment, such as that provided by Instron (Norwood, Massachusetts, USA), or can be provided by the plastic manufacturer as part of the plastics technical data. 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 9.0 mm to 11.0 mm. The protrusion may have a length along the flange of 9.8 mm. The protrusion may extend outward from the edge of the base member by 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The protrusion may extend outward from the edge of the base member by 2.3 mm. On the outer edge of the handle farthest from the blister well, there is a tab extending downward from the upper surface of the flange. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.0 mm to 3.0 mm. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.2 mm to 2.4 mm. The tab may have a length along the flange of 2.3 mm. The tab may have a height of 1.0 mm to 6.0 mm. The tab may have a height of 1.75 mm. The tab may be part of a larger protrusion extending downward from the lower surface of the base member. The larger protrusion may extend downward 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 can include three stabilizing legs. The base member can include four stabilizing legs. The base member can include five stabilizing legs. The base member can include three stabilizing legs positioned approximately 120 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The base member can include four stabilizing legs positioned approximately 90 degrees apart from each other about a vertical axis extending through the center of the blister well. The stabilizing legs can include a planar lower edge. The stabilizing legs can include a rounded lower edge. The stabilizing legs can 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 points of contact 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 points of contact with the flat surface.

[0034] When the base member is placed in an upright position on a flat surface, the base member can have four 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 five or more contact points with the flat surface. Multiple contact points between the base member and the flat surface can allow the force exerted by the surface on the base member to be distributed throughout the base member. This can reduce the rigidity required in any individual region of the base member, such as the blister well, thereby allowing 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 one embodiment of the present invention is positioned facing the underside of a second base member according to the same embodiment, there may be two or more contact points between the base members. There may be three or more contact points between the base members. There may be four or more contact points between the base members. There may be five or more contact points between the base members. Multiple contact points between the base members may 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 may reduce the stiffness required in any individual region of the base member, such as the blister well. Reducing the required stiffness may 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 may be reduced without compromising the ability of the blister package to provide adequate protection for contact lenses during storage and transportation.

[0036] The blister wells can be reinforced by support ribs. The blister wells can be reinforced by two or more supports. The blister wells can be reinforced by three or more supports. The blister wells can be reinforced by supports such that the thickness of the blister well sidewalls 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 packaged contact lenses 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 into a blister well of the base member, placing a volume of liquid contact lens packaging solution into the blister well of the base member, sealing a sealing member into a sealing region of the base member, and high-temperature steam sterilizing the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and packaging solution.

[0038] The step of sealing the sealing member to the sealing area of ​​the base member can 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. Sealing the sealing member to the sealing area can be performed at a temperature of 210 to 240 degrees Celsius. Sealing the sealing member to the sealing area can be performed by using a heated die to press the sealing member against the flange of the base member under a pressure of 25 to 60 PSI. The heated die can press the sealing member against the flange for a time of 100 to 1100 ms.

[0039] Desirably, the sealing region provides a seal between the base member and the sealing member that is sufficient to withstand the separation forces encountered during the contact lens 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 4 N to about 14 N. In further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 6 N to about 11 N. In still further embodiments, the sealing region is configured to provide a separation force of about 8 N to about 10 N.

[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 peel strength. The operating instructions are generally set by the manufacturer.

[0042] The sealing configuration can be adjusted by controlling the temperature of the heated sealing head surface that presses against the sealing member on the top 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, as described above.

[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 joining two base members of two contact lens blister packages together to form a base member assembly by inserting a handle end of one base member into a hole in a second base member. The method may also include joining an additional base member to the base member assembly to form an assembly comprising at least 30 base members joined 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 for recycling.

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

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

[0046] [Figure 1A] 1 is a perspective view of a base member of a contact lens package according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. [Figure 1B] 1 is 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] 1B shows a top view of the handle hole of the base member of FIG. 1A. FIG. [Figure 3] 1B shows a cross-sectional view of the base member taken along line AA in FIG. 1A. [Figure 4] FIG. 1B shows an end view of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Figure 5] FIG. 1B shows a top view of a portion of the base member of FIG. 1A. [Figure 6] 5A-5C illustrate steps in a method for manufacturing packaged contact lenses according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] 5A-5C illustrate steps of a method for recycling contact lens blister packages according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8A] FIG. 10 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] 8B is a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 8A. FIG. [Figure 8C] 8B shows a set 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. 10 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] 9B shows a perspective view of the base member assembly of FIG. 9A. FIG. [Figure 10A] FIG. 10 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] 12B is a bottom perspective view of the base member of FIG. 12A. FIG. [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 INVENTION

[0047] In an exemplary embodiment of the present 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 can 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 protruding downward from the lower surface of the base member. The blister well has a periphery where the concave inner surface of the blister well and the planar upper surface of the base member intersect. The periphery of the blister well is surrounded on the upper surface of the base member by a sealing region. During 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 outward from the outer periphery of the blister well to the edge of the base member. At the first end of the base member, the flange can extend outward a certain distance from the outer periphery of the blister well to a curved end. At the second end of the base member, the flange can extend further outward than at the first end to form a handle suitable for being held between a user's thumb and finger. The blister well is sized to hold a contact lens and contact lens packaging solution. A plurality of stabilizing legs can extend downward 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 its underside in contact with a surface without tilting. Side tabs can extend downward from the edge of the flange on both sides of the blister well, such that there can be side tabs extending symmetrically on both sides of a line extending 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 extending 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 downwardly to form a tab.

[0048] The contact lens blister package of the present invention is believed to have the lightest weight thermoplastic base member 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, 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 TIFF2026012195000002.tif149154

[0052] The contact lenses contained in the blister packages are preferably soft contact lenses. The soft contact lenses may 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 FIGS. 1A through 5. FIG. 1A shows a base member 100 formed from a thermoplastic layer. The base member 100 has a weight of 0.72 g. The base member 100 is made of a recyclable plastic material. The base member 100 has a length of 46.31 mm at its longest point and a width of 29 mm at its widest 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 (FIG. 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. FIG. 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] Blister well 104 is formed as a well in the upper surface 130 of the thermoplastic resin layer, with the well extending downward to form a concave inner surface. The thickness of sidewall 105 of blister well 104 is 0.6 mm, i.e., the distance between upper surface 130 of base member 100 and lower surface 132 of the base member in the region of blister well 104 is 0.6 mm. The depth of blister well 104 is 6 mm at its greatest point. 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 region 102, which is indicated by a dotted line to indicate that the sealing region 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 region 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 region 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 boundary 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 outward 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 outward from the periphery of the blister well 104 to form two flat edges 140 at the borders 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 are 4 mm high and 8 mm long. These side tabs act to increase the structural integrity of the base member 100 and provide a grippable portion for a user to hold between their fingers and thumb when lifting 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 handle has a thickness of 0.55 mm. A distance of 8.0 mm from the second end 136 of the base member 100 is a hole 110 extending through the thickness of the flange. FIG. 2B shows the shape of the hole 110 in isolation. The hole 110 is a substantially rectangular slot having a length 142 of 10.5 mm and a width 143 of 1 mm. The hole 110 has a notch 146 on one side that extends a portion of the long side of the slot facing the second end 136 of the base member 100 (FIG. 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 that extends outward from the end of the base member 100 by 2.3 mm. The protrusion, 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 downward from the flat outer edge 152 of the protrusion 150 is a tab 124 (FIG. 4).

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

[0060] In a method 200 for manufacturing a packaged contact lens according to a second embodiment shown in Figure 6, a contact lens blister package 202 according to a first aspect of the present invention is provided (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) to a sealing region of the thermoplastic base member 208. Optionally, the method includes the step 210 of high-temperature steam sterilizing the sealed contact lens blister package to sterilize the contact lens and packaging solution. Figure 7 shows the steps of a method 300 for recycling contact lens blister packages 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; and 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 in the second thermoplastic base member so that the tab aligns with the notch in the hole. The two base members are joined together to form a base member assembly (320). Optionally, the method includes step 322 of joining additional thermoplastic base members to the thermoplastic base member assembly to form an assembly including at least 30 joined thermoplastic base members, forming 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 several 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 boundary 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 extending through the thickness of the handle 406. The hole 410 is a slot, and the slot 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 extends a portion of the long side of the slot. This notch is 2.7 mm long and protrudes 1.1 mm from the slot. The base member 400 has two large holes 456a and 456b on either side of the hole 410. The holes 456a and 456b reduce the amount of material required to make the base member 400, resulting in a reduced weight. At the end of the handle 406 farthest 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. Protrusion 425 is shaped to allow first base member 400a to be positioned perpendicular to second base member 400b with protrusion 425 positioned within hole 410. Protrusion 425 includes tab 424 (FIG. 8B) that aligns with notch 446 (FIG. 8A) in 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 so that the flange of the first base member 400a is parallel to the flange of the second base member and the tabs 424 align with the notches 446 to lock the two base members together. Figure 8D shows how the two base members 400a, 400b are joined together when the protrusions 425 of one base member 400a are inserted into the holes 410 of the other base member 400a and the first base member 400a is rotated 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 several alternative features. Base member 500 includes blister well 504 and 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 outward from the perimeter of blister well 504 to the boundary of base member 500. At one end of base member 500, the flange extends outward to form handle 506. Base member 500 has a hole 510 extending through the thickness of handle 506. Hole 510 is a slot and 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 running the length of the base member 500. At the end of the handle 506 farthest 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. The end of the protrusion farthest from the well 504 has 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 the 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 extending out of the hole 510. With the protrusions 550 of one base member 500 inserted into the holes 510 of a 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 several alternative features. A base member 600 includes a blister well 604 and a handle 606. The blister well 604 has a periphery 601 where the concave inner surface of the well 604 meets the top surface of the base member. The periphery 601 of the blister well 604 is surrounded by a sealing region 602. A flange extends outward from the periphery of the blister well 604 to the boundary of the base member 600. At one end of the base member 600, the flange extends outward to form a handle 606. The base member 600 has a second well 611 that extends downward from the top surface of the handle 606 to form a concave top surface and downward 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 downward 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 repeated 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 several alternative features. Base member 700 includes blister well 704 and handle 706. Blister well 704 has a periphery 701 where the concave inner surface of well 704 meets the top surface of the base member. Periphery 701 of blister well 704 is surrounded by a sealing region 702. A flange extends outward from the outer periphery of blister well 704 to the boundary of base member 700. At one end of base member 700, the flange extends outward to form handle 706. Handle 706 has a curved portion 707 that curves downward away from the planar portion of handle 706. At one end of base member 700, the flange extends outward from the outer periphery of blister well 704 to a curved edge 721. At the curved edge 721, a protrusion 723 extends downward from the top surface of the flange. The protrusion 723 has a semicircular shape that is disposed around the periphery of the well 704. FIG. 11B shows the protrusion 723 extending downward from the top surface of the flange a small distance that is less than the depth of the well 704. The blister well 704 has a substantially square perimeter with a curved edge where the blister well 704 meets the sealing region 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 so 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 telescope 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 wells 704 of one base member 700 can be inserted into the blister wells 704 of another base member 700 so that they 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 several 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 outward from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 to the boundary of base member 800. The flange extends outward from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 to a curved edge 821 that is substantially equidistant from the outer perimeter of blister well 804 around the entire perimeter of well 804. The flange extends outward from curved edge 821 to form 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, centered on 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 wells 804 of one base member 800 are inserted into the wells 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 in a slightly recessed region 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 several 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, and the slot 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] Where the above description refers to integers or elements having known, obvious, or foreseeable equivalents, such equivalents are incorporated herein as if 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. Furthermore, it should be understood that such optional integers or features may be beneficial in some embodiments of the invention, but may not be desirable in other embodiments and, therefore, may not be present in other embodiments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0069] 100 Base member 101 Periphery 102 Sealing area 103 Sealing member 104 Blisterwell 106 Handle Above 130 132 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; A hermetically sealed blister package for contact lenses, 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 includes 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, wherein the base member includes at least two side tabs positioned on either side of the blister well, the side tabs extending downward from the top surface of the base member.

4. 4. The sealed blister package for contact lenses of claim 3, wherein the side tabs have 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 the outer edge of the handle than to the center of the blister well.

6. 6. The sealed blister package for contact lenses 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 the edge of the hole.

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

9. 8. The sealed blister package for contact lenses 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 contact lens packaging solution of 0.4 mL to 1.6 mL.

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 their centers.

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

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

16. The flange of the base member is rated to 50,000 psi.mm 2 to 150,000 psi.mm 2 16. The sealed blister package for contact lenses of claim 1, having a rigidity of 0.01 to 0.15.

Images