METHOD FOR THERMALLY BONDING TOGETHER A COVER FILM OF AN OPHTHALMIC LENS PACKAGE AND A BASE PART OF THE OPHTHALMIC LENS PACKAGE

Abstract

A method for thermally bonding together a cover film (3) of an ophthalmic lens package (1) and a base part (2) of the ophthalmic lens package (1), such as a contact lens package, in particular a soft contact lens package, including the steps of providing a package holder (9) supporting a base part (2) and a cover film (3) arranged thereon, the base part (2) comprising a depression (4) containing an ophthalmic lens (5) immersed in a liquid (6); mechanically pressing the cover film (3) and the base part (2) together along a bonding area (7) having a shape completely enclosing the depression (4) while applying heat to the bonding area (7), thereby thermally bonding together the cover film (3) and the base part (2) along the bonding area (7);
wherein the step of providing the package holder (9) includes arranging a flexible support element (18) on an upper surface (10) of the package holder (9) to form a support area (19) corresponding in shape to and being arranged in alignment with the bonding area (7), with the flexible support element (18) having a flexibility higher than the flexibility of the base part (2).

Claims

1. A method for thermally bonding together a cover film (3) of an ophthalmic lens package (1), and a base part (2) of the ophthalmic lens package (1), the method comprising the steps of providing a package holder (9) supporting a base part (2) comprising a depression (4) containing an ophthalmic lens (5), and a cover film (3) arranged on the base part (2); mechanically pressing the cover film (3) and the base part (2) together along a bonding area (7) having a shape completely enclosing the depression (4) while applying heat to the bonding area (7), thereby thermally bonding together the cover film (3) and the base part (2) along the bonding area (7); wherein the step of providing the package holder (9) supporting the base part (2) includes arranging a flexible support element (18) on an upper surface (10) of the package holder (9) to form a support area (19) supporting the base part (2), the support area (19) corresponding in shape to and being arranged in alignment with the bonding area (7), and wherein the flexible support element (18) has a flexibility which is higher than the flexibility of the base part (2).

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the step of mechanically pressing the cover film (3) and the base part (2) together along the bonding area (7) while applying heat to the bonding area (7) includes providing a heatable contact plate (31) having a contact surface (32) corresponding in shape to the bonding area (7) and moving the package holder (9) towards the heatable contact plate (31), or vice versa, until a predetermined bonding force as well as heat are applied through the contact surface to the bonding area (7).

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined bonding force is less than 650 N, and wherein the temperature at the contact surface is selectable from a temperature range of 190 C. to 210 C.

4. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined bonding force is less than 500 N, and wherein the temperature at the contact surface is selectable from a temperature range of 190 C. to 210 C.

5. The method according to claim 2, wherein the predetermined bonding force is 300 N or less, and wherein the temperature at the contact surface is selectable from a temperature range of 190 C. to 210 C.

6. The method according to claim 2, wherein the base part (2) is made of a polyolefin polymer.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible support element (18) is made of an elastic material having an elasticity which is higher than the elasticity of the material the base part (2) is made of.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the elastic material is silicone.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the flexible support element (18) is a ring (18).

10. The method according to claim 2, wherein the flexible support element (18) is a ring (18).

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the ring (18) comprises a lower portion (20) and an upper portion (21), the upper portion (21) having a width which is larger than the width of the lower portion (20), and wherein the upper portion (21) has a continuous top surface forming the support area (19).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the ring (18) comprises fixation pins (22) formed at the lower portion (20) of the ring (18).

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the fixation pins (22) are arranged equally spaced along the lower portion (20) of the ring (18).

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the upper surface (10) of the package holder (9) comprises a support structure (11) having a support structure upper surface (12) corresponding in shape to the shape of the bonding area (7) and having a groove (14) in the support structure upper surface (12), with the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) being arranged in the groove (14) and with the upper portion (21) of the ring (18) protruding from the support structure upper surface (12).

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein the upper surface (10) of the package holder (9) comprises a support structure (11) having a support structure upper surface (12) corresponding in shape to the shape of the bonding area (7) and having a groove (14) in the support structure upper surface (12), with the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) being arranged in the groove (14) and with the upper portion (21) of the ring (18) protruding from the support structure upper surface (12).

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein the groove (14) extends only essentially completely along the support structure upper surface (12) so that the groove (14) has a first end (15) and a second end (16) to form a web (17) between the first end (15) and the second end (16) of the groove (14), and wherein the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) arranged in the groove (12) has a gap (23) accommodating the web (17).

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the groove (14) extends only essentially completely along the support structure upper surface (12) so that the groove (14) has a first end (15) and a second end (16) to form a web (17) between the first end (15) and the second end (16) of the groove (14), and wherein the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) arranged in the groove (12) has a gap (23) accommodating the web (17).

18. A package holder (9) for supporting a base part (2) of an ophthalmic lens package (1), and a cover film (3) of the ophthalmic lens package (1) arranged on the base part (2), the package holder (9) comprising: an upper surface (10) comprising a support structure (11) having a support structure upper surface (12) with a groove (14) therein; a ring (18) made of an elastic material having an elasticity which is higher than the elasticity of the material of the base part (2) to be supported, the ring (18) comprising an upper portion (21) and a lower portion (20), with the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) being arranged in the groove (14) in the support structure upper surface (12), and with the upper portion (21) of the ring (18) protruding from the support structure upper surface (12), the upper portion (21) of the ring (18) having a continuous top surface forming a support area (19) to support the base part (2) of the ophthalmic lens package (9), and wherein the support structure (11) of the upper surface (10) of the package holder (9) is shaped to define a cavity (13) for accommodating a depression (4) of the base part (2) of the ophthalmic lens package (1).

19. The package holder according to claim 18 wherein the groove (14) extends only essentially completely along the support structure upper surface (12) so that the groove (14) has a first end (15) and a second end (16) to form a web (17) between the first end (15) and the second end (16) of the groove (14), and wherein the lower portion (20) of the ring (18) arranged in the groove (12) has a gap (23) accommodating the web (17).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Further advantageous aspects may result from the following detailed description of embodiment of the invention with the aid of the drawings, in which:

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a soft contact lens package;

[0040] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a package holder according to the invention;

[0041] FIG. 3 shows a bottom view of the flexible support element of the package holder shown in FIG. 2;

[0042] FIG. 4 shows a cross section along line IV-IV of the flexible support element shown in FIG. 3;

[0043] FIG. 5 shows detail V of FIG. 4 in an enlarged view;

[0044] FIG. 6 shows a cross section along line VI-VI of the flexible support element shown in FIG. 3;

[0045] FIG. 7 shows a cross section along line VII-VII of the flexible support element shown in FIG. 3;

[0046] FIG. 8 shows an arrangement of five base parts and a continuous strip of cover film arranged thereon;

[0047] FIG. 9 shows a heat-sealing station (bonding station) comprising a plurality of tracks with a package holder being arranged on each of the tracks, and

[0048] FIG. 10 shows a bottom view of a heatable contact plate of the heat-sealing station of

[0049] FIG. 9, the heatable contact plate having a contact surface corresponding in shape to the bonding contour.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0050] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a soft contact lens package 1 (generally representing an ophthalmic lens package) which is of a blister package type. The soft contact lens package 1 comprises a base part 2 and a cover film 3. The base part 2 comprises a depression 4 which contains a soft contact lens 5 (generally representing an ophthalmic lens), which is immersed in a storage and/or preservation liquid 6, for example saline. In the closed state the soft contact lens package 1, the base part 2 and the cover film 3 are tightly bonded together along the bonding area 7, so that neither liquid nor gases can escape from or enter into the depression 4 where the contact lens 5 immersed in the liquid 6 is stored. The bonding area 7 completely surrounds the depression 4. The bonding area 7 (similar to the depression 4 in which the soft contact lens 5 is contained immersed in the liquid 6) may have the shape of a dew drop. The bonding area 7 is located on a portion of the flange 8 which extends outwardly from the depression 4 in a planar manner, and is located directly adjacent to the depression 4.

[0051] Typically, the base part 2 is made of plastics, for example it is made from a polyolefin such as polypropylene, and is manufactured through injection molding. Such a base part 2 can be produced very reliably and is inexpensive to manufacture. In addition, such a plastic base part 2 is suitable for thermal bonding without the need to add any additional bonding material (glue, adhesive or the like) before thermally bonding the cover film 3 and the base part 2.

[0052] The ophthalmic lens 5 is placed into the depression and the liquid 6 is dispensed into the depression 4 before thermally bonding the base part 2 and the cover film 3 together. Generally, the liquid 6 can be dispensed in the depression 4 before or after the ophthalmic lens 5 is placed into the depression 4, or can be dispensed concurrently with placing the lens into the depression 4.

[0053] The cover film 3 may comprise a plurality of layers, for example it may comprise seven layers. The cover film 3 may have a thickness of 600 m or less, and typically have a thickness of more than 200 m or are even as low as 150 m. They can be produced using lamination techniques. That layer of the cover film 3 facing the base part 2 may comprise one or more plastics suitable for thermally bonding together the cover film 3 and the base part 2.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a package holder 9 according to the invention for supporting the base part 2 of the ophthalmic lens package 1 with the cover film 3 being arranged thereon (the cover film 3 not being shown in FIG. 2). The package holder 9 may be used for thermally bonding the cover film 3 to the base part 2 but is not limited to being used for the bonding operation only, but rather may be used in additional operations during the packaging process. The package holder 9 has an upper surface 10 comprising a plurality of support structures 11 (in the embodiment shown five such support structures 11 are shown) each having a support structure upper surface 12. The shape of the support structure upper surface 12 essentially corresponds to the shape of the bonding area 7. As a consequence, the support structure upper surface 12 completely surrounds the depression 4 of the base part 2 in a shape which is similar to that of the bonding area 7 (once the base part is placed on the package holder 9). The support structure 11 defines a cavity 13 allowing for accommodation of the depression 4 of the base part 2. The cavity 13 is sufficiently wide and deep so that the depression 4 of base part 2 is neither supported by any portion of the support structure 11 nor by any other portion of the upper surface 10 of the package holder 9, but rather the base part 2 is only supported in a portion of the flange 8.

[0055] A groove 14 is arranged in the support structure upper surface 12 to partly accommodate and fixedly mount a flexible support element which is embodied as an elastic ring 18, as will be explained in more detail below. The groove 14 does not completely but only essentially completely extend along the support structure upper surface 12 in the circumferential direction. As the groove 14 extends only essentially completely along the support structure upper surface 12, the groove 14 has a first end 15 and a second end 16, with a web 17 being formed between the first end 15 and the second end 16. The elastic ring 18 has a corresponding gap 23 (see FIG. 3, FIG. 4) for accommodating the web 17.

[0056] FIG. 3-FIG. 7 show an embodiment of the elastic ring 18 already shown in FIG. 2. The ring 18 comprises an upper portion 21 and a lower portion 20, with the width of the lower portion 20 being smaller than the width of the upper portion 21.

[0057] As can be seen best from FIG. 4 showing a cross-sectional view of the elastic ring 18 along line IV-IV of FIG. 3, the upper portion 21 of the elastic ring 18when viewed in circumferential directionhas a continuous flat top surface 19 forming a support area for supporting the base part 2 (or to be more precise: for supporting a portion of the flange 8 of the base part 2). The lower portion 20 of the elastic ring 18 comprises the afore-mentioned gap 23 (see FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5) for accommodating the web 17 of the support structure upper surface 12, and further comprises a plurality of fixation pins 22. These fixation pins 22 can be seen best in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, with FIG. 6 showing a cross-section of the ring (through a said fixation pin 22) along line VI-VI of FIG. 3, while FIG. 7 shows a cross-section along line VII-VII (not through a said fixation pin 22). It is evident that at the locations where the fixation pins 22 are arranged, the lower portion 20 of the elastic ring 18 has an increased thickness when compared to the rest of the lower portion 20 of the elastic ring 18 where no such fixations pins 22 are arranged. As can be seen best in FIG. 4, the fixation pins 22 are equidistantly spaced along the lower portion of the ring 18 in circumferential direction.

[0058] To mount the elastic ring 18 to the upper support structure 11 of package holder 9, the fixation pins 22 and the lower portion 20 are inserted into the groove 14 arranged in the support structure upper surface 12. The width of the lower portion 20 of the elastic ring 18 at locations where no fixation pins 22 are arranged may be slightly smaller than the width of the groove 14 to allow for easy insertion of the lower portion 20 into the groove 14. At locations where the fixation pins 22 are arranged, the width of the lower portion including the width of the fixation pins may be slightly larger than the width of the groove 14 so that the fixation pins 22 must be pressed into the groove 14. Mounting the elastic ring 18 in the afore-described manner to the groove 14 arranged in the support structure upper surface 12 results in that the elastic ring 18 is fixedly mounted to the support structure 11 and, accordingly, to the package holder 9. The width of the upper portion 21 of the elastic ring 18 is larger than the width of the lower portion (even including the fixation pins 22) and extends across the groove 14 and over the upper surface 12 of the sidewalls forming the boundary of the groove 14, so that the lower surface of the upper portion 21 may rest on the upper surface 12 of the sidewalls forming the boundary of the groove 14. It goes without saying that the elastic ring 18 is mounted to the groove 14 in a manner such that the gap 23 is arranged to accommodate the web 17 of the support structure upper surface 12. After being mounted to the groove 12, the elastic ring 18 has a shape (when looking from above or below) which is similar or identical to the shape of the bonding area 7.

[0059] The thickness (height) of the upper portion 21 of the flexible support element 18 is selected such thattaking into account the elasticity of the material the elastic ring 18 is made of, the geometry of the elastic ring 18, and the forces and pressures applied during the bonding processthe upper portion 21 is always compressed only partially, so that the portion of the flange 8 of the base part 2 resting on the flat top surface 19 of the upper portion 21 of the elastic ring 18 always remains supported by the upper portion 21 of the elastic ring 18 and is never directly supported by the support structure upper surface 12.

[0060] The package holder 9 including the support structure 11 (however, excluding the elastic ring 18) may be made of a rigid material, for example of a corrosion-resistant metal such as a corrosion-resistant steel or aluminum. The elastic ring 18 can be made of silicone for example.

[0061] For bonding the cover film 3 to the base part 2, for example five base parts 2 are placed onto the corresponding five support structures 11 of the package holder 9, with an elastic ring 18 being arranged in each of the grooves 14 of the respective support structure upper surface 12, as this is shown in FIG. 2 for one base part and one support structure 11. Thereafter, one soft contact lens 5 (see FIG. 1) is placed into each of the depressions 4 of the five base parts 2, and a predetermined amount of storage and/or preservation solution (e.g. saline) is dispensed into each of the five depressions 4. Next, a pre-cut continuous strip of cover film 3 is arranged on the base parts 2 such that the strip of cover film 3 covers the five base parts 2, as this is shown in FIG. 8 (the package holder not being shown). However, at that time the strip of cover film 3 is not yet bonded to the base parts 2. This arrangement of base parts 2 and strip of cover film 3 arranged on the package holder 9 is then forwarded to a bonding station (e.g. a heat-sealing station).

[0062] In the heat-sealing station, a corresponding number of five sealing heads 30 are arranged above the package holder 9 with the base parts 2 and the strip of cover film 3 arranged thereon, as this is shown in FIG. 9. In FIG. 9, while a plurality of tracks for transporting package holders 9 is shown, only one sealing head 30 per track is shown in FIG. 9 as the package holders 9 are transported in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper. Each of the sealing heads 30 comprises a heatable contact plate 31 having a contact surface 32 corresponding in shape to the bonding area 7, as this can be seen best in FIG. 10, with the contact surface 32 facing towards the strip of cover film 3 arranged on the base parts 2.

[0063] Returning to FIG. 9, for bonding the strip of cover film 3 to the base parts 2 (here: heat-sealing) the package holder 9 carrying the base parts 2 with the strip of cover film 3 arranged thereon is raised towards the heatable contact plates 31 arranged in the five sealing heads 30, until each of the five base parts 2 are pressed with a predetermined force or pressure against the contact surface 32 of the heatable contact plate 31 of the respective sealing head 30 (see left half of FIG. 9) where the package holders 9 of the various tracks are shown in the raised position. The contact surface 32 of the respective heatable contact plate 31 and the flat top surface 19 of the upper portion 21 of the respective elastic ring 18 (i.e. the support area for the base part 2) are axially aligned and correspond in shape to one another and to the bonding area 7. Thus, in case any of the base parts 2 does not evenly rest on the respective flat top surface 19 of the upper portion 21 of the elastic ring 18, upon being pressed against the contact surface 32 of the respective heating plate 31 due to its elasticity the elastic ring 18 is compressed at those locations where the pressure is higher than at other locations until the pressure is evenly distributed along the bonding area 7. The cover film 3 is thereby heat-sealed to each individual base part 2 with a uniform pressure distribution along the bonding area 7, thus resulting in a very uniform sealing of the cover film 3 to the respective individual base part 2 along the respective bonding area 7. Thus, it is possible even with reduced mechanical forces or reduced mechanical pressure to achieve an excellent bonding of the cover film 3 to the base parts 2 on one hand while at the same time the peel-off forces needed to peel off the bonded cover film 3 from the base part are in a range where peeling-off of the cover film can be conveniently performed by the customer.

[0064] If the pre-cut strip of cover film 3 is a continuous strip of cover film 3 as shown in FIG. 8, the result is a continuous strip of five heat-sealed contact lens packages. Of course, it is also possible to place an individual precut cover film 3 onto each individual base part 2 to obtain individually heat-sealed contact lens packages.

[0065] Embodiments of the invention have been described with the aid of the drawings. However, it is evident that various changes, modifications, and alternatives are conceivable without departing from the teaching underlying the invention. Therefore, the invention is not intended to be limited to the described embodiments but rather is defined by the scope of the appended claims.