Abstract:
A packaging for a disposable contact lens includes a structure that engages the contact lens within an interior of the packaging.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    This invention relates generally to contact lenses, and in particular to packaging for contact lens. 
         [0003]    Description of Related Art 
         [0004]    Disposable contact lenses are formed of silicone hydrogel materials. Preferably, these types of lens are kept hydrated and in curved form, so that they are immediately ready for use when removed from the packaging. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    According to an aspect of the present invention, there is a contact lens packaging including a solution container defining an interior with a convex shape, and an exterior with a concave shape corresponding to the convex shape. A contact lens defines a concave shape on the convex shape of the solution container. A lid member is configured to cover an opening portion of the solution container, the lid member defining a flat shape opposing the convex shape of the solution container. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    References are made, in the following text, to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a contact lens packaging in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the exemplary contact lens packaging. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the exemplary contact lens packaging. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a section view taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view showing a cover in the process of being removed from the exemplary contact lens packaging. 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a side view of a contact lens packaging in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the second exemplary contact lens packaging. 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the second exemplary contact lens packaging. 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a section view taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 8 . 
       
    
    
       [0016]    The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and which constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention, and additional advantages thereof. Certain drawings are not necessarily to scale, and certain features may be shown larger than relative actual size to facilitate a more clear description of those features. Throughout the drawings, corresponding elements are labeled with corresponding reference numbers. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of contact lens packaging  1 . A container  10  defines sidewalls  15  and a bottom  12 . A convex structure  20  is in an interior of the container  10 . 
         [0018]    A flat handle  35  is integrally formed with the container  10 , in a common factory mold. The flat handle  35  and the container  10  are composed of plastic, such as a material selected from a group consisting of polypropylene, polyethylene, polyethylene telephthalate, polycarbonate, polystyrene and copolymers thereof, or acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer resin. 
         [0019]    An aluminum cover  40  is over the handle  35 . The aluminum cover  40  defines a flat part  42  that opposes the entirety of the convex structure  20 . 
         [0020]    The handle  35  is configured to facilitate a fingertip, fingernail, thumbnail or the like gripping and exerting a force to peel off the aluminum cover  40  from the handle  35  to allow access to a contact lens inside. 
         [0021]    The metallic foil cover  40  is applied to the top of the handle  35  and the container  10  so that any lens and aqueous liquid contained in the container  10  will remain sterile. 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the exemplary contact lens packaging  1 . As shown in the phantom lines, an annular ring of adhesive binds the aluminum cover  40  to the handle  35 . The adhesive ring  45  is a peripheral circumferential portion that surrounds the container  10 . 
         [0023]    From the exterior perspective of  FIG. 2 , a concave structure  25  is surrounded by a rim  27  delineating a boundary between the concave structure  25  and the bottom  12  of the packaging  1 . 
         [0024]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the exemplary contact lens packaging  1 . 
         [0025]      FIG. 4  shows a section view of the packaging  1  taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 3 . The container  10  defines sidewalls  15 , a bottom  12 , and a convex structure  20  in an interior of the container  10 . The concave structure  25  defined by the exterior of the container  10  mirrors the convex structure  20  in the interior of container  10 . 
         [0026]    The aluminum cover  40  defines a flat part  42  that opposes the entirety of the convex structure  20 . 
         [0027]    A sterile aqueous liquid  17 , such as a saline solution, is hermetically sealed inside the container  10 . When the packaging line  1  is oriented such that the bottom  12  is the lowest part, a surface  18  of the sterile liquid  17  is over the top of convex structure  16 . 
         [0028]    The packaging line includes a silicone hydrogel contact lens  5 . A radius of curvature of the contact lens  5 , when the contact lens  5  is oriented with the eye contacting part is concave, is greater than a radius of curvature of the convex structure  20 . Thus, when the packaging line  1  is oriented such that the bottom  12  is the lowest part, there is less clearance between the contact lens  5  and the convex structure  20  at the top of convex structure  20 , than the clearance between the rim of contact lens  5  and the convex structure  20 . 
         [0029]    Thus, a cavity, containing the liquid  17  and the contact lens, is defined by the sidewalls  15 , the bottom  12 , the convex structure  20 , and the flat part  42  of the aluminum cover  40 . 
         [0030]    A dimension CB between the rim of the convex structure  20  and the side wall  15  is in the range 0 to 3 millimeters. 
         [0031]    The annular adhesive ring  45  creates a substantially air tight seal between the container  10  and the cover  40  so that, once the package and the contact lens  5  contained therein have been sterilised (e.g. by autoclaving or UV irradiation), the contact lens  5  can remain sterile for prolonged periods (e.g. well over 12 months). 
         [0032]    A curvature radius of the convex structure  20  is smaller than a curvature radius of the contact lens  5 . In other words, the base curve of convex structure  20  is smaller than the base curve of the contact lens  5 . 
         [0033]    The base curve of convex structure  20  is in the range 8 to 10 mm. 
         [0034]    The diameter of the rim  27  of the convex structure  20  is greater than the diameter of the rim of contact lens  5 . 
         [0035]    The diameter of the rim  27  of the rim  27  convex structure  20  is up to 15 mm. 
         [0036]      FIG. 5  is a side view showing the cover  40  in the process of being removed, thereafter allowing a user place a thumb and forefinger onto the contact lens  5 , and remove the contact lens  5  by pressing the contact lens  5  against the convex structure  20 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 6  shows a side view of contact lens packaging  1 ′, in accordance with a second exemplary embodiment. A container  10 ′ defines sidewalls  15 . A convex structure  20  is in an interior of the container  10 . 
         [0038]    A flat handle  35  is integrally formed with the container  10 ′, in a common factory mold. 
         [0039]    An aluminum cover  40  is over the handle  35 . The aluminum cover  40  defines a flat part  42  that opposes the entirety of the convex structure  20 . 
         [0040]    The metallic foil cover  40  is applied to the top of the handle  35  and the container  10 ′ so that any lens and aqueous liquid contained in the container  10  will remain sterile. 
         [0041]      FIG. 7  is a bottom view of the exemplary contact lens packaging  1 ′. As shown in the phantom lines, an annular ring of adhesive binds the aluminum cover  40  to the handle  35 . The adhesive ring  45  is a peripheral circumferential portion that surrounds the container  10 ′. 
         [0042]    From the exterior perspective of  FIG. 7 , a concave structure  25  is surrounded by a rim  27  delineating a boundary between the concave structure  25  and the sidewall  15  of the packaging  1 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 8  is a top view of the exemplary contact lens packaging  1 ′. 
         [0044]      FIG. 9  shows a section view of the packaging  1  taken along the line A-A of  FIG. 8 . The container  10 ′ defines sidewalls  15 , and a convex structure  20  in an interior of the container  10 ′. The concave structure  25  defined by the exterior of the container  10 ′ mirrors the convex structure  20  in the interior of container  10 . 
         [0045]    The aluminum cover  40  defines a flat part  42  that opposes the entirety of the convex structure  20 . 
         [0046]    A sterile aqueous liquid  17 , such as a saline solution, is hermetically sealed inside the container  10 ′. When the packaging line  1  is oriented such that the rim  27  is the lowest part, a surface  18  of the sterile liquid  17  is over the top of convex structure  16 . 
         [0047]    The packaging line includes a silicone hydrogel contact lens  5 . A radius of curvature of the contact lens  5 , when the contact lens  5  is oriented with the eye contacting part is concave, is greater than a radius of curvature of the convex structure  20 . Thus, when the packaging line  1  is oriented such that the bottom  12  is the lowest part, there is less clearance between the contact lens  5  and the convex structure  20  at the top of convex structure  20 , than the clearance between the rim of contact lens  5  and the convex structure  20 . 
         [0048]    Thus, a cavity, containing the liquid  17  and the contact lens, is defined by the sidewalls  15 , the convex structure  20 , and the flat part  42  of the aluminum cover  40 . 
         [0049]    A dimension between the rim  27  of the convex structure  20  and the side wall  15  is 0 mm. In other words, the rim of the convex structure  20  is flush against (contiguous with) the side wall  15 . 
         [0050]    Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or the scope of Applicants&#39; general inventive concept. The invention is defined in the following claims. In general, the words “first,” “second,” etc., employed in the claims do not necessarily denote an order.