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.

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.

A component of an injection molding apparatus for conveying a flow of molten plastic material from a supply channel to an injection channel coaxially crossed by a shutter, said component comprising a body provided with a central part crossed by a through hole defining a longitudinal axis for the passage of said shutter; a first bulkhead protruding from said central part, distal from an end edge of the through hole and adapted to be arranged at one end of the supply channel for dividing the flow of molten plastic material into two portions; a second bulkhead and a third bulkhead, protruding in a diametrically opposite manner from said central part, separated from each other by the through hole and proximal to said end edge of the through hole, and adapted to be arranged at one end of the injection channel to accompany said two flow portions in said injection channel; wherein the first bulkhead is arranged on the same side as the third bulkhead with respect to said central part, and wherein a first lateral surface and a second lateral surface are arranged at a first side and a second side, opposite the first side, of said first bulkhead, respectively, to accompany said two flow portions from said first bulkhead toward the second bulkhead and the third bulkhead.