Patent ID: 7346416
Filing Date: 2008-03-18
Classification: B29D

Abstract:
1. A method for tracking multiple SKUs of contact lenses in a manufacturing line comprising the steps of: a) molding a plurality of contact lenses, having identifiable marks indicative of a prescription of a lens into the contact lenses and said identifiable marks are read during an inspection to determine information relating to the prescription of the lens, b) providing a plurality of carriers each having a carrier indicator, c) inspecting each contact lens to determine information relating to its prescription, wherein the lens is inspected by directing structured light at an entire 360° peripheral edge of the lens such that the structured light enters the lens at the peripheral edge thereof and internally reflects within the lens, and wherein the internally reflected light diffracts upon encountering a marking on the lens, whereby clear areas of the lens appear dark due to said internal light reflection, and one or more markings on the lens appear bright due to said internally reflected light scattering and exiting the lens at said one or more markings, d) transferring each lens to a carrier, e) reading the carrier indicator of the carrier of step d) and f) storing in machine-accessible memory the information associated with the carrier indicator of the carrier of step (e) and the information relating to the lens for step (c).