COLORED HARD CONTACT LENS PRINTING METHOD

Abstract

A colored hard contact lens printing method for printing an iris design on the whole surface of a hard contact lens, the method includes: a preparation step of preparing a hard contact lens, a centering jig, and a composition for printing so as to print an iris design on the hard contact lens; a printing step of mounting the hard contact lens on the centering jig and printing the iris design by using the composition for printing; and a post-treatment step of post-treating the hard contact lens having the iris design printed thereon. Therefore, the present invention prints iris designs of various colors and patterns on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens by using the composition for printing, thereby providing an effect of manufacturing a colored hard contact lens having iris designs of various colors and patterns on the front surface thereof.

Claims

1. A colored hard contact lens printing method for printing an iris design on a front surface of a hard contact lens, the colored hard contact lens printing method comprising: a preparation step of preparing a hard contact lens, a centering jig, and a composition for printing so as print an iris design on the hard contact lens; a printing step of mounting the hard contact lens on the centering jig and printing the iris design by using the composition for printing; and a post-treatment step of post-treating the hard contact lens having the iris design printed thereon, wherein the preparation step comprises: a lens processing step of processing a hard contact lens; a jig fabrication step of fabricating a centering jig to have a size suited for the processed hard contact lens; and a composition mixing step of mixing a composition for printing an iris pattern on a hard contact lens.

2. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 1, wherein the jig fabrication step comprises fabricating a centering jig in accordance with an inner curvature radius of a hard contact lens, a size of an edge portion of the hard contact lens, and a diameter of the hard contact lens.

3. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 1, wherein the composition mixing step comprises mixing an oligomer, which has fluororesin as its main ingredient, and a pigment.

4. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 1, wherein the printing step comprises feeding the composition for printing, contained in a cup mounted in a printing apparatus, to a copper plate and printing the fed composition on the hard contact lens mounted on the centering jig.

5. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 4, wherein the cup contains the composition for printing therein and a number of cups determined by a number of color patterns of the iris design are mounted in the printing apparatus.

6. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 4, wherein a size of the copper plate is determined by a size of the hard contact lens and a number of copper plates determined by a number of color patterns of the iris design are mounted in the printing apparatus.

7. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 1, wherein the post-treatment step comprises: a coating step of coating the hard contact lens with the iris design printed thereon; and a curing step of thermally curing the coated hard contact lens.

8. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 7, wherein the coating step comprises applying a coating liquid onto the front surface of the hard contact lens so as for the iris design to remain its printed state on the front surface of the hard contact lens.

9. The colored hard contact lens printing method of claim 7, wherein the curing step comprises thermally curing the hard contact lens at a temperature of 35 to 45 for 20 to 28 hours.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0037] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a colored hard contact lens printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] FIG. 2 is a view illustrating various parts of a colored hard contact lens according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a printing apparatus for use in the colored hard contact lens printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0040] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0041] FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a colored hard contact lens printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view illustrating various parts of a colored hard contact lens according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a view illustrating a printing apparatus for use in the colored hard contact lens printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, the colored hard contact lens printing method according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is a colored hard contact lens printing method for printing iris designs of various colors and patterns on the outer circumference of the front surface of a hard contact lens and includes a preparation step, a printing step (S40), and a post-treatment step, the preparation step includes a lens processing step (S10), a jig fabrication step (S20), and a composition mixing step (S30), and the post-treatment step includes a coating step (S50) and a curing step (S50).

[0043] The preparation step, which is the step of preparing a hard contact lens, a centering jig, and a composition for printing so as to print iris designs of various colors and patterns on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens, includes the lens processing step (S10), the jig fabrication step (S20), and the composition mixing step (S30).

[0044] In the lens processing step (S10), which is the step of processing a hard contact lens, the front and rear surfaces of a hard contact lens 10 are subjected to a turning operation, and an edge portion E of the hard contact lens 10 is subjected to a grinding operation.

[0045] Accordingly, the hard contact lens 10 is processed to set six variables such as an inner curvature radius B.C, power P, lens diameter D, center thickness C.T, lens depth d, the design of the edge portion E, and the design of an inner curvature radius (B.C) connecting portion.

[0046] In the jig fabrication step (S20), which is the step of fabricating a centering jig 20 so as to match the sizes of various parts of the hard contact lens 10 processed in the lens processing step (S10), the centering jig 20 is fabricated in accordance with the inner curvature radius B.C. of the hard contact lens 10, the size of the edge portion E, and the diameter D.

[0047] In the composition mixing step (S30), which is the step of mixing a composition for printing an iris design on the hard contact lens 10, an oligomer, which has fluororesin as its main ingredient, and a pigment are mixed at a suitable mixing ratio so that an iris design can be properly adhered onto the hard contact lens 10, which is formed into a predetermined shape, and cannot be deformed on the hard contact lens 10, unlike on a soft contact lens where it would be easily deformable.

[0048] In the printing step (S40), which is the step of mounting the hard contact lens 10 on the centering jig 20 and printing an iris design on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens 10 using a composition for printing, a composition for printing contained in a cup 30 mounted in a printing apparatus is fed to a copper plate 40 and is then printed on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens 10, which is mounted manually on the centering jig 20, by using a printing head 50.

[0049] In the cup 30, the composition for printing is contained. Preferably, a number of cups 30 determined by the number of color patterns of an iris design may be mounted in the printing apparatus.

[0050] Preferably, the size of the copper plate 40 may be determined by the size of the hard contact lens 10, and a number of copper plates 40 determined by the number of color patterns of an iris design may be mounted in the printing apparatus.

[0051] Particularly, in the case of a colored soft contact lens, the diameter of a soft contact lens and the diameter of an iris design both increase when the soft contact lens is hydrated in the process of fabricating the colored soft contact lens, and thus, a copper plate having a smaller size than the actual iris design is used. On the other hand, since the diameter of a hard contact lens does not change in the process of fabricating a colored hard contact lens, a copper plate having the same size as an iris design may preferably be used.

[0052] The post-treatment step, which is the step of performing post-treatment to prevent damage to the composition for printing of the hard contact lens with the iris design printed thereon, includes a coating step (S50) and a curing step (S60).

[0053] In the coating step (S50), which is the step of coating the hard contact lens with the iris design printed thereon, the front surface of the hard contact lens is coated with a coating liquid so as for the iris design printed on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens to remain its printed state.

[0054] In the curing step (S60), which is the step of thermally curing the composition for printing of the hard contact lens with the iris design printed thereon and the coating liquid so as to fix them on the hard contact lens, the hard contact lens with the iris design printed thereon may preferably be thermally cured at a temperature of 35 to 45 for 20 to 28 hours. Specifically, for an optimal curing, thermal curing may be performed at a temperature of 40 for 24 hours. The curing temperature is limited for the following reasons: if the curing temperature is lower than 35 C., the composition for printing may not be properly cured thermally on the hard contact lens, and as a result, the adherence of the composition for printing may be degraded; and if the curing temperature is higher than 45 C., the hard contact lens and the composition for printing may be thermally damaged or the physical properties of the hard contact lens and the composition for printing may be deformed due to high temperature. The curing time is limited for the following reasons: if the curing time is shorter than 20 hours, the composition for printing may not be properly cured thermally on the hard contact lens, and as a result, the fixing property of the composition for printing may be degraded; and if the curing time is longer than 28 hours, the thermal curing efficiency may be degraded due to a prolonged thermal curing.

[0055] As discussed above, a hard contact lens having iris designs of various colors and patterns can be fabricated by printing iris designs of various colors and patterns on the outer circumference of the front surface of a hard contact lens with the use of a composition for printing.

[0056] Also, in a preparation step, since a hard contact lens is processed, a centering jig is fabricated, and a composition for printing is mixed, a hard contact lens can be processed to have a size suited for a user, a centering jig can be fabricated to have a size suited for the hard contact lens, and a composition capable of maintaining its adherence on the hard contact lens can be prepared.

[0057] Also, in a jig fabrication step, since a centering jig is fabricated in accordance with the inner curvature radius of a hard contact lens, the size of an edge portion of the hard contact lens, and the diameter of the hard contact lens, the amount of time that it takes to perform centering between the hard contact lens and the centering jig can be reduced, and at the same time, the bonding between the hard contact lens and the centering jig can be improved.

[0058] Also, in a composition mixing step, since an oligomer, which has fluororesin as its main ingredient, and a pigment are mixed. As a result, the adherence of an iris design on a hard contact lens, which is formed into a predetermined shape, can be improved so that the iris design can be properly adhered on the hard contact lens and cannot be deformed on the hard contact lens, unlike on a soft contact lens where it would be easily deformable.

[0059] Also, in a printing step, since a composition for printing contained in a cup mounted in a printing apparatus is fed to a copper plate and is then printed on a hard contact lens, iris designs of various colors and patterns can be printed on the hard contact lens with ease.

[0060] Also, since a composition for printing is contained in each cup and a number of cups determined by the number of color patterns of an iris design are mounted in a printing apparatus, iris designs of various colors and patterns can be realized on the outer circumference of the front surface of a hard contact lens.

[0061] Also, since the size of each copper plate is determined by the size of each hard contact lens and a number of copper plates determined by the number of color patterns of an iris design are mounted in a printing apparatus, iris designs of various colors and patterns can be realized on the outer circumference of the front surface of a hard contact lens.

[0062] Also, in a post-treatment step, since a hard contact lens with an iris design printed thereon is coated and is then thermally cured, the adherence of an iris design printed on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens can be improved, and the discoloration of the iris design can be prevented so as to the durability of the iris design.

[0063] Also, in a coating step, since a coating liquid is applied onto the entire front surface of a hard contact lens so as for an iris design printed on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens to remain its printed state, damage to the iris design can be prevented, and at the same time, the retention period of the iris design can be extended.

[0064] Also, in a curing step, since a hard contact lens with an iris design printed on the outer circumference of the front surface thereof is thermally cured at a predetermined temperature, the adherence of the iris design printed on the outer circumference of the front surface of the hard contact lens can be improved.

[0065] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Thus, the aforementioned exemplary embodiments are merely exemplary in all respects and should not be construed as limiting.

DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0066] 10: Hard Contact Lens 20: Centering Jig

[0067] 30: Cup 40: Copper Plate

[0068] 50: Printing Head