Contact Lens Packaging With Side Gating for Faster Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cycle-time associated with injection molding of contact lens packages in blister packs is limiting production throughput.
Innovation Solution
The use of side gating in injection molding to form contact lens packages, which includes features such as draft and wipe surfaces, facilitates faster cooling and reduces overall cycle time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional top surface gating is used in injection molding, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but cycle time increases and production throughput decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional top surface gating (horizontal dimension) to side gating (vertical dimension perpendicular to the mold parting line). This dimensional change in gate location allows molten plastic to flow from the side into the recess, significantly reducing the cooling time required and enabling faster production cycles while maintaining manufacturing simplicity
2Productivity
If side gating is used to reduce cooling time, then cycle time decreases and productivity increases, but manufacturing complexity increases due to draft and wipe surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The mold structure is segmented into distinct functional surfaces: draft surfaces on the walls that slope away from the recess to facilitate part release, and wipe surfaces that are perpendicular to the mold parting line to cleanly separate the molded package from the gate. This segmentation manages complexity by assigning specific functions to specific surface orientations
Solution Approach 2:
The package geometry is designed with asymmetric wall orientations relative to the mold parting line. The draft surfaces are angled obliquely to promote easy ejection, while wipe surfaces are perpendicular to the parting line. This asymmetric design optimizes both manufacturing efficiency and part release while controlling structural complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If side gating with draft surfaces is used, then package ejection is facilitated, but wall surface area increases compared to traditional gating
Solution Approach 1:
The wall surfaces are designed with different local properties: draft surfaces with oblique angles optimized for ejection facilitation, and wipe surfaces perpendicular to the parting line for clean separation. This local differentiation of surface orientation optimizes ejection while controlling overall wall surface area
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Side gating reduces cycle time by 2 seconds compared to traditional top surface gating, enhancing production throughput and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
injection molding of plastic is used to fabricate the package
Implementation Method 2
the time required to cool plastic in the injection mold
Data Source
AI summary
Packages, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are generally directed to the use of side gating in injection molding to form packaging for contact lenses. As compared to gating along a top surface of a contact lens package, the use of a side gate in injection molding to form a package for contact lenses may significantly reduce the time required to cool plastic in the injection mold, thus offering potential to reduce the overall cycle time for the injection molding process and increase fabrication throughput of the package.