Movable Arm Wash Station for Ophthalmic Lens Transfer Tips

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing methods for cleaning ophthalmic lens transfer tips are prone to mechanical issues due to the precision required to align tips with washing holes, leading to damaged tips and jammed machinery, resulting in contaminated products being discarded.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus with a wash station and movable arm, featuring a hollow channel with apertures on both walls, allows for pressurized water to be directed through the channel to remove residual lenses from transfer tips, which can be moved horizontally or vertically to facilitate efficient cleaning.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If transfer tips are inserted into washing holes for cleaning, then debris can be removed from transfer tips, but mechanical problems occur due to precision alignment requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidalignment precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of inserting transfer tips into fixed washing holes, the invention inverts the approach by having washing holes move to contact the transfer tips. The movable arm with wash station travels along the transfer tip path, eliminating the need for precise alignment of tips with stationary holes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a movable arm as an intermediary carrier that holds the wash station. This intermediary component facilitates the cleaning process by bringing the washing mechanism into contact with transfer tips without requiring precise alignment, thus resolving the mechanical problems associated with direct tip-to-hole insertion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If transfer tips are cleaned frequently to remove adhered lenses, then product contamination is prevented, but manufacturing efficiency decreases due to cleaning downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveproduct contaminationVSAvoidmanufacturing efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The movable arm is designed to clean transfer tips continuously as they pass through the manufacturing process. The wash station moves along with the production flow, enabling cleaning to occur without interrupting the manufacturing sequence, thus maintaining both product purity and production efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The cleaning action is performed preliminarily before transfer tips can accumulate significant debris or before contaminated lenses are transferred to packaging. By cleaning tips at the point of use in the manufacturing flow, the system prevents contamination without requiring separate cleaning cycles that would reduce productivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

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

This solution effectively removes adhered lenses and debris from transfer tips without causing mechanical problems, reducing the need for discarding infected products and improving the efficiency of the manufacturing process.

Implementation Method 1

A source of pressurized water is in communication with the hollow channel

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPressurized water flow: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

the movable arm comprises at least two ophthalmic lens transfer tips

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical movement:

Data Source

PatentUS7850785B2Lens wash station and methods of its use

Publication Date: 2010.12.14 JOHNSON & JOHNSON VISION CARE INC

AI summary

An apparatus and method for removing debris from ophthalmic lens transfer tips during the manufacturing or the ophthalmic lenses.