Automated method and apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of the manufacture of ophthalmic lenses, especially molded hydrophilic contact lenses, and more specifically to an automated, high-speed method and apparatus for removing and hydrating lenses after polymerization. .

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE

The molding of hydrophilic contact lenses is described in US Patent No. 4,495,313 to Larsen, in US Patent No. 4,555,348 to Larsen, in US Patent 4,640,489 to Larsen and co-inventors in US Patent No. 4,680,336 to Larsen and Co-Inventors, in US Patent No. 4,889,664, to Larsen and Co-Inventors and in US Patent No. 5,039,459, by Larsen and co-inventors, all of them assigned to the same cause holder of the present invention. This prior art describes a procedure for the production of contact lenses in which each lens is formed by sandwiching a monomer or bonding monomer mixture between a forward curved (lower) mold section and a forward curved mold section. back (top), carried in a 2x4 mold formation. The monomer is polymerized, thereby forming a lens that is removed from the mold sections and further treated in a hydration bath and packaged for consumer use. During polymerization, particularly of hydrogels, lenses tend to shrink. To reduce shrinkage, the monomer is polymerized in the presence of a boric acid ester as an inert diluent, as described in the previous patents, which fills in the gaps in the hydrogel lenses during polymerization. Subsequently, the diluent is exchanged for water during the hydration procedure.

The prior art procedure to exchange the diluent for water and hydrate the lenses has been very time consuming. The two-part mold is opened and the lenses are assembled into large groups and placed in a leach tank for several hours. Each tank includes hot water, small amounts of surfactants, and salts. When the lenses are inserted into the leach tank they immediately expand in the presence of water and are released from the mold in which they were molded. The boric acid ester diluent hydrolyzes to glycerol and boric acid, leaving water in the lens matrix and thereby exchanging for water to hydrate the lenses.

Salts and a pH regulator are used in the water, so that the water placed in a lens has an osrnolarity and a pH substantially similar to that of human tears, so that the lenses do not irritate the eyes when inserted by the user. If the polymer from which the lens is made has ionic characteristics, the regulator neutralizes any ionic spice present in the lens. This neutralization causes the temporary destabilization of the dimensions of the lenses and requires a long period of time to complete.

The lenses are then transferred to a rinse tank where the removal of the diluent and surfactant continues for another long period of time, then the lenses are transferred to a large equilibrium tank, filled with hot water and salts, to complete the removal of the diluent and the surfactant and the balance of the lenses, for several more hours. The balance step involves completing the

-3neutralization of any ionic species present in the polymer of which the lenses are made. The lenses are then removed from the balance tank and rinsed in clean saline and transferred for inspection and packaging.

U.S. Patents No. 5,080,839 and

5,094,609, respectively, describe a method for hydrating soft contact lenses and a chamber for hydrating contact lenses, representing a substantial improvement over the prior art method. Those

1Q patents teach the. use of a single chamber, made up of a male member and a female member, which forms a hydration cavity that allows hydration of the lens without allowing it to flip or roll. Fluid flow is introduced into the cavity around the lens from each side to remove leachable material from the lens. The procedure significantly reduces the amount of leaching fluid that is used and the length of time that is needed for hydration, washing, and extraction. The apparatus described in those patents allows the placement of a suitable frame for automatic handling. The procedure significantly reduces production time by hydrating the lenses and releasing the lenses from the mold cavity with deionized water and a small amount of surfactant without any salt, so that the delayed ion neutralization of the polymer from the that the lens preform is made, does not occur during the hydration procedure. When using deionized water, the final step of the procedure is to introduce regulated saline into the final package with the lenses and seal the lenses inside the package, so that the final balance of the lens is obtained (ion neutralization, final hydration, and dimensioning lens finish) in the packaging, at room temperature or during sterilization.

As taught in those prior art references, the use of deionized water is an important step in that procedure, because it allows for delayed ion neutralization to take place essentially outside of the hydration procedure, after it has been packaged and sealed. the glasses.

Although the camera and the procedure described in the previous patents allowed the automated handling of the lenses during hydration, no adequate automatic equipment was yet available for handling these cameras at high production speeds or the implementation of this procedure in a fully equipped device. automatic, nor was it taught by the prior art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic process and apparatus that allow high production rates in the hydration process described in US Patent No.

5,080,839. It is another object of the present invention to provide a high speed robotic apparatus, to facilitate handling and manipulation of lens molds having a hydrophilic contact lens molded therein, and of the cameras described in US Patent No. 5,094,069. , in an automatic apparatus with high production speed and high production.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic means of hydrating a molded hydrophilic contact lens, wherein a first robotic assembly removes a plurality of contact lens molds from a production line carrier, where each of The lens molds have a contact lens attached to it.

Robotic transports the molds to a stack, where the lens molds are sandwiched between a lens mold holder and an upper chamber plate to form a first hydration carrier. A first rotary transfer device then delivers the first hydration carrier to a first robotic pick-and-place assembly, which immerses the first hydration carrier in a hydration bath to hydrate the lenses and release the lenses from the lens mold, while the lenses are immersed in the hydration bath, each lens is transferred from its respective mold to a lens transfer medium found within the 1st upper chamber plate. After a predetermined period of time, a

The first assembly first area of ​​the second robotic pickup and setter assembly removes the first hydration carrier from the hydration bath and delivers the hydration carrier to a second rotary transfer device, which rotates the first hydration carrier and transports the hydration carrier to a disassembly station, in which e.1 lens mold carrier and lens molds are removed from the upper chamber plate. The first and second robotic pickup and setter assemblies can be collectively referred to as the .10 second robotic assembly. A third robotic assembly aligns the hydration carrier to disassemble the molds and the mold carrier plate. After the mold carrier plate is removed at the disassembly station, the third robotic assembly carries the upper chamber plate and contact lenses through a series of steps to flood the lenses and transport them to the upper chamber plate, to an assembly station for assembly with a hydration base member, to form a second hydration carrier for processing the lenses at subsequent extraction stations. The second hydration carrier is then transported through a plurality of flood or extraction stations, where fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chambers, at each hydration station, to dislodge the lixivi.ab.les substances of the hydration chamber. During the transit movement between the flood stations, the residual fluid present in the hydration chamber extracts the impurities from the contact lenses by means of mass transfer exchange. At each flood station, fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration chamber to remove previously removed impurities and hydrolysis products. A final robotic disassembly device separates the upper chamber plate and lens transfer medium from the hydration base member to provide fully hydrated lenses in a concave lens-bearing medium ready to be transferred to the stations of inspection and packaging.

It is an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for high speed robotic handling of soft, wet and slippery contact lenses, primarily through fluid flow devices that transport the lenses and move them from wearer to wearer without Physically damaging the lenses, losing the lenses, or allowing them to flip or roll.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide a method of handling the lenses that minimizes the formation of air bubbles which, if formed, would prevent subsequent handling of the lenses in a fluid transfer medium.

It is also another object of the present invention to provide a robotic manipulator device that quickly and efficiently manipulates a large number of discrete individual molds, which have contact lenses molded into them, and then eject said discrete mold parts after they have been released and transferred. the lenses to a lens holder. It is another object of the present invention to provide high speed robotic devices for handling a plurality of contact lenses that secure the contact lenses to the lens-bearing elements with surface tension, and that release the lenses from the bearing elements by air flow or of water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a displacing beam device for transporting a plurality of first hydration carriers through a hydration barium from a first robotic pickup and setter assembly to a second robotic pickup and setter assembly, which removes the first carrier of hydration of the hydration barium.

It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an automatic control means for sequencing and coordinating each of the robotic assemblies used in the transfer of lenses from the dais of the production line, through the hydration and extraction stations and, Finally, to an inspection carrier.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide improved handling devices that improve the overall performance of the system, compared to the method and apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses, which was described in the two original patent applications, to which made

-910 reference here previously.

While the invention is described with particular reference to molded contact lenses, wherein the lenses are molded between a first and a second mold half, it should be understood that the hydrating apparatus is equally suitable for hydrating lenses formed by lathe cutting, where the hydrogel is kept in a dry state, while the desired optical surfaces can be used to rotate the molded lenses, which subjects a liquid monomer to centrifugal force in a mold that has the same shape as the desired optical surface of the lens.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for hydrating contact lenses, wherein the volume of solution used to release and hydrate the lenses is significantly reduced, and to significantly reduce the amount of chemicals used in the method of hydration.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an automated, high-speed apparatus and method for removing leaching substances with water, alcohol, or other organic solvents, or a mixture thereof; thereby discharging the unreacted monomers, catalysts and / or partially reacted cornonomers, diluents, or other impurities, from a hydrophilic contact lens.

Finally, it is an objective of the present invention to provide an automated method and apparatus of high

-1011 speed, to hydrate contact lenses formed on an automated production line, such as that most fully described in US Application Serial No. 08 / 258,655, Consolidated Contact Lens Molding, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. .

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objectives; and prior advantages of the present invention, for an automated method and apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses, can be more readily understood by one skilled in the art, a ve2 referring to the following detailed description of the preferred modalities, taken in conjunction with the drawings

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blocks the relative arrangement and location of each of the robotic handling devices of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of the relative motion imparted by each of the robotic handling devices when the lenses are transported through the hydration apparatus of the present invention.

-1112

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the apparatus illustrated in Figure 1, schematically illustrating the main components of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper chamber plate, which is used as a lens transfer device, in the present invention.

Figure 4 (a) is a side elevation view of the upper chamber plate illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 5 is an end view of the upper chamber plate illustrated in Figure 4, connected to a lens mold holder, to form a first hydration assembly.

Figure 5 (a) is a plan view of a single lens transfer element used in the present invention.

Figure 5 (b) is a side elevation view of the lens transfer element illustrated in Figure 5 (a).

Figure 5 (c) is a cross-sectional elevation view of the lens transfer element, taken along section line CC 'of Figure 5 (a).

Figure 6 is a side or elevation view of a hydration holder used in the present invention.

Figure 7 is a top or plan view of the hydration holder illustrated in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a top plan view of a

-1213 .15 lens mold holder that can be used to receive the contact lens molds and lenses from the automatic production line.

Figure 8 (a) is a detailed sectional view, taken along the section line BB of Figure 8.

Figure 8 (b) is a detailed sectional view, taken along the section line CC of Figure 8.

Figure 9 is an elevation view, partially in section, of a single lens transport medium of the first hydration carrier, formed by the upper chamber plate of Figure 4, a contact lens mold and secured contact lenses in it, and the lens mold holder of figure 8, which are assembled to transport them through a hydration barium.

Figure 10 is a partially sectional and elevational view, or side view, of a single lens transport medium of the second hydration carrier, formed when the upper chamber plate of Figure 4 is combined with the hydration base of Figures 6 and 7.

Fig. 11 is a partially sectional side view of the hydration tank of the present invention, illustrating in elevation portions of the first assembly device, the first rotary transfer device, and the first and second collection and placement units of the second assembly. robotic, which transports the first hydration carrier through the hydration tank hereof

-1314 i nvention.

Figure 11 (a) is a partially sectional side view of the hydration tank of the present invention, schematically illustrating the operation of the first and second robotic pickup and setter assemblies.

Figure JLl (b) is a partially sectional end view of the hydration tank of the present invention, illustrating the displacing beam mechanism, and which is taken along section line BB 'in Figure 11.

Figure 11 (c) is a partially sectional end view of the second rotary transfer device, taken along section lines CC 'of Figure 11.

Figure 12 is a top plan view of the portion of the hydration device illustrated in Figure

11.

Figure 13 is an end elevation and diagrammatic view of the first assembly device illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.

FIG. 14 is a top plan view of the first robotic assembly device, the first assembly device, the first rotary transfer device, and the first assembly area.

Figure 15 is a side elevation view of a portion of the hydration apparatus illustrated in Figure 13.

Figure 16 is a detailed top plan view of the assembly station used to assemble the

-1415 first carrier of hydration.

Figure 17 is a sectional detail of a typical transport arm for the robotic assemblies used in the present invention.

Figure 18 (a) is an end elevation view of the first robotic disassembly device of the present invention.

Figure 18 (b) is a detailed view, partially in section, of a portion of the disassembly device illustrated in Figure lB (a).

Figure 19 is a diagrammatic plan view of the robotic pickup and setter elements used in the second robotic assembly illustrated in Figures 11 and 12.

Fig. 20 is a top plan view of a second portion of the hydration apparatus for the present invention, illustrating the second rotary transfer device, the third robotic assembly, the flood station, and the assembly station to form the second carrier. of hydration.

FIG. 21 is a side elevational view of the portion of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 20.

Figure 22 is an end elevation view, partially in section, of the third robotic apparatus illustrated in Figures 20 and 21.

Figure 23 is a diagrammatic elevation view of an extraction station of the present invention.

-1516

Figure 24 is a detailed and partially sectional view of the flood head of the extraction apparatus illustrated in Figure 23.

Figure 24 (a) is an end view of the flood or extraction head illustrated in Figure 24.

Figure 25 is a top plan view of the underside of the lens flooding head used in the extraction station of the invention illustrated in Figures 3, 23 and 24.

Figure 26 is a side elevation view of the separation station used in the present invention.

Figure 27 is an end elevational view, partially in section, of a portion of the second disassembly device used in the present invention.

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partially in section, of a washing station used in the present invention.

-1617

Figure 31 is a partially sectional end view of the washing station illustrated in Figure 30.

Figure 32 is a detailed view, partially in section, of a portion of the washing station illustrated in Figure 30, when taken along section line AA.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED MODALITIES

The present invention consists of an automated method and apparatus for hydrating soft contact lenses, especially molded, hydrophilic contact lenses, manufactured in two-part molds, in the presence of a diluent, and then polymerized in the presence of a catalyst, with ultraviolet light . After the polymerization procedure is complete, the two halves of the mold are separated and removed from the mold, with the contact lenses preferably adhered to the forward curved mold medium, as more fully described in US Patent Application No. series 08 / 258,155, filed on June 10, 1994, entitled

Consolidated molding of contact lenses. Although the invention described here is preferably used in combination with the automated production line described here, it is understood that the present invention is equally suitable for the hydration of lenses formed by cutting around, where the hydrogel is kept in a dry state while the desired optical surfaces are cut and

-1718 polishes, or with contact lenses formed by the centrifugal molding method, where a liquid monomer is subjected to centrifugal force in a mold that has the same shape as the desired optical surface of the lens.

The present invention also consists of an improved and simplified form of the apparatus illustrated in the two US patent applications! Serial No. 88 / 258,556 and Serial No. 08 / 432,935, both entitled Automated Method and Apparatus for Hydrating Soft Contact Lenses, the descriptions of which are incorporated herein by reference.

The present invention is particularly suitable for the hydration of hydrophilic contact lenes, formed from monomers and monomer mixtures including copolymers based on 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (CHEMA) and one or more comonomers, such as 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate , methyl acrylate, methyl methacrylate, vinylpyrrolidone, Nvinylacrylamide, hydroxypropyl methacrylate, isobutyl methacrylate, styrene, ethoxyethyl methacrylate, rnethoxytriethylene glycol methacrylate, glycidyl methacrylate, diacetonoaacrylamide, vinyl acetate, acrylamide, hydroxytrimethylene acrylate, methoxyethyl methacrylate, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, glyceryl methacrylate, and d imethylacrylate.

Preferred polymerizable compositions are described in Larse US Patent No. 4,495,313; in the US patent of Larsen and co-inventors No.

-1819

5,039,459 and in US Patent of Larsen and co-inventors No. 4,680,336, which include anhydrous mixtures of a polymerizable hydrophilic acrylic acid or methacrylic acid hydroxy ester and a polyhydric alcohol, and a water displaceable ester, or boric acid and a polyhydroxy compound which , preferably, it has at least 3 hydroxyl groups. Polymerization of such compositions, followed by displacement of the boric acid ester with water, produces a hydrophilic contact lens.

.10 The polymerizable compositions preferably contain a small amount of a crosslinking agent, usually 0.05 to 2%, and most often 0.05 to 1.0%, of a diester or triester. Examples of representative entanglement agents include: ethylene glycol diarylate, ethylene glycol dirnetacrylate, 1,2-butylene dimethacrylate, 1,3-butylene dimethacrylate, .1,4-t&gt; utylene dimethacrylate, propylene glycol diacrylate, propylene glycol dimethacrylate, diethylglycol dimethacrylate, of dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol diacrylate, dipropylene glycol diacrylate, glycerol trimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, trimethylol propane triethyl acrylate and the like. Typical entanglement agents, although not necessarily, have at least two ethylenically unsaturated double bonds.

Polymerizable compositions generally also include a catalyst, usually from about 0.05 to 1%

-192 0 of a free radical catalyst. Typical examples of such catalysts include: lauroyl peroxide, benzoyl peroxide, isopropyl percarbonate, azobisisobutyronitrile, and known redox systems, such as the combination of ammonium persulfate-sodium metabisulfite , and the like. Irradiation with ultraviolet light, electronic rays, or a radioactive source can also be used to catalyze the polymerization reaction, optionally with the addition of a polymerization initiator. Representative initiators include: camphorquinone, ethyl 4- (N, N-dimethylamino) benzoate, and 4- (2-hydroxyethoxy) pheni.l.-2 -hydroxyl-2-propyl ketone.

Polymerization of the monomer or monomer mixture in the mold assembly is preferably effected by exposing the composition to the polymerization initiation conditions. The preferred technique is also to include in the composition initiators that work by exposing them to ultraviolet radiation; and exposing the composition to ultraviolet radiation of an effective intensity and duration to initiate polymerization and allow it to proceed. For that reason the mold halves are preferably transparent to ultraviolet radiation. After the pre-cure step the monomer is re-exposed to ultraviolet radiation in a curing step in which the polymerization is allowed to proceed to completion. The required duration of the remainder of the reaction can be determined experimentally for any polymerizable composition.

-2021

After the lens has polymerized, it is removed from the mold in preparation for the hydration procedure. The hydration procedure of the present invention is used to hydrolyze the diluent used in the monomer or monomer mixture, and then the hydrolysis products are removed or leached from the lens, together with the unreacted or partially reacted monomer or the inhibitors, surfactants, lens. In the hydration step, a plurality of lenses, still adhered to the mold in which they were formed, are immersed in a deionized water bath having a small amount of surfactant. The hydration bath hydrolyzes the boric acid ester used as a diluent in the lens, to glycerol and boric acid, which is then exchanged, through the physical phenomenon of mass transfer, through the concentration gradient of the hydrolysis products between the . contact lens and hydration tank fluid.

Simultaneously, the lens, in the presence of deionized water and surfactant, swells creating a shear force relative to the mold in which the lens was formed, thereby separating the contact lens from the mold. After the contact lens and mold have been separated, they are removed from the hydration bath, the mold is discarded, and the lens is placed in a hydration chamber, in a manner similar to that described in US Patent No. 5,094,609. While the glasses are in the camera

-21hydration deionized water is introduced through the chamber to periodically flood the chamber and allow the removal of impurities from contact lenses. As extraction continues, the concentration gradient between the lens and each load of fresh deionized water decreases and, therefore, it is useful to provide a residence time between each of the extraction stations. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, extraction is carried out in a series of discrete steps, where fresh deionized water is introduced into the hydration cavity for approximately two seconds; while the residence time for leaching or mass transfer exchange continues for approximately 72 seconds between each extraction or washing station. After six such staged extraction steps, the hydrolysis products, monomers, and surfactants have been reduced to below detectable levels.

In the process for the present invention, the wet contact lens is transferred by a variety of techniques, including by gravity, by surface tension, and by fluids that are introduced through the lens from the lens-retaining surfaces connected to concave, or vice versa. In the present invention both air and water are used as suitable fluids. This avoids direct mechanical manipulation of the lens when it is transferred from one camera to another, thus minimizing physical damage to

-2223 lenses.

LR OPERQCION COnPENDIUM

Figures 1, 2 and 3 illustrate diagrammatically and in block form the preferred embodiment of the automatic means for hydrating a mold and a hydrophilic contact lens of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure .1, an automatic production line having an outlet conveyor 11 supplies a plurality of pallets to a first robotic assembly that transfers the lens molds and contact lenses from the pallets of the conveyor 11 from the production line to the hydration apparatus 10 of the present invention.

While any suitable pallet arrangement would be satisfactory, the invention is described with respect to hydration carriers handling thirty-two lenses at a time, taken from four separate production pallets, simultaneously. This arrangement strikes an adequate compromise between convenient load size and convenient robotic handling; while it should be understood that a variety of pallet configurations and lens arrangements would be suitable, depending on production speed and the configuration of the contact lens production line.

For explanatory purposes, the term X axis refers to the horizontal axis of Figure 1 (the linear axis); the

-2324 Y axis will refer to the vertical axis of figure 1. (the transverse axis) and the Z axis will be perpendicular to the plane of figure 1 (the vertical axis).

Before transferring the lens mold and contact lenses 5 from the production line conveyor 11, a first assembly device, generally denoted by dotted line box 14 in Figure 1, transports a lens mold plate from the return conveyor 21 to a stacking area 24, to provide a carrier to receive the individual lens molds and associated contact lenses, coming from the production line conveyor 11. The first assembly device will be described in greater detail with respect to the description accompanying Figures 11-13, but its diagrammatic movements are illustrated at 14 in Figure 2, where the assembly device makes a first trip on the axis of the Ys to bring the lens mold plate to the stacking area 24, and then deposit the carrier plate with a short stroke on the Z axis. The first robotic assembly, outlined by box 12 of dotted lines in Figure 1, and described in greater detail later in Figures 14 and 15, transfers the individual contact lens molds and associated contact lenses from the pallets of mold on conveyor line 11, a lens mold holder in stacking area 24, with a movement on the X axis, denoted at 12a in figure 2, and a short stroke on the

-2425 Z axis, to deposit the lens molds on the lens mold holder plate. The first assembly device, located in the dotted lines box .1.4, then performs a second return stroke on the Y axis and deposits an upper chamber plate on the assembled lens molds and carrier plate to form a first assembly. hydration.

The first hydration assembly is then moved by a short stroke cylinder on the X axis, illustrated in box 16a of Figure 2, and then rotated 135 ° by means of a first rotary transfer device, which is located adjacent to stacking area 24, within dotted line box 16, illustrated in Figure 1, The area within the dotted line box 16 is more fully described in Figures 10-12 and includes the first assembly area 24, the first rotary transfer device, the first robotic pickup and setter assembly, which moves the first carriers of hydration to the hydration tank 26, - the transport of the moving beam of the hydration tank 26 and the second robotic pick-up and positioning device, which removes the first hydration carrier from the hydration tank. The relative movement of the two robotic picker and setter assemblies is illustrated in box 16 of Figure 2, in which a first picker and setter robot takes the first hydration carrier from the first rotary transfer device, transfers it

-2526 diagonally along the Z axis and then along the X axis and then lower it to the Z axis to deposit it in the hydration tank 26. A second pick-up and placement robot removes the first carrier of hydration of the hydration tank 26, after a predetermined period of time and deposits it with the second rotary transfer device that rotates the carrier 45 ° of movement, as illustrated in box 13a of figure 2. After rotation, the second rotary transfer device transports the first hydraulic carrier on the X axis to the first disassembly station. This allows a first disassembly robotic transfer device 28 to remove the lens holder and associated lens molds from the first hydration carrier. A third robotic assembly assists the second rotary device to align the first hydration carrier. to disassemble. The disassembly device then moves on the Y axis, as illustrated in box 1.8b of Figure 1, unloads the lens molds into a collection tank, and then continues to the return conveyor 21 , to allow the lens holder plate to be returned back to the first assembly device described with respect to the dotted line 14.

A third robotic assembly receives the first hydration carrier, now inverted, at the 1st disassembly station and transports it through a series of movements, such as

-262 7 is illustrated in Box 18b of Figure 2. The third robotic assembly can be found within Box 18 of dotted lines in Figure 1, and will be described and illustrated more fully with respect to Figures 20, 21. and 22.

After the lens mold holder plate has been removed, the 1st upper chamber plate, having a plurality of lens transporting and contact lens means attached thereto, is raised on the Z axis, as illustrated in .'Box 18b of figure 2, to allow contact lenses to be flooded. The upper chamber plate is then inverted and further translated on the X axis, and dropped along the Z axis to a hydration holder to form a second hydration carrier. The second hydration carrier is then advanced by .15 by means of a short stroke step conveyor 30 through the extraction line enclosed within the dotted line box 20 of FIG. 1. The extraction line in Figure 1 includes six extraction stations 32, each of which moves on a Z axis to flood and extract leachable compounds from the contact lens. Two of the movements on the Z axis are illustrated in box 20 of figure 2. The extraction stations will be further described and illustrated in figures 23-25 ​​of the drawings. After flooding and extraction is complete, the upper chamber plate is removed by a second robotic disassembly device

-272 8 generally located in the dotted line box 22 of figure 1. As illustrated in figure 2, the second robotic disassembly device removes the upper chamber plate with a short stroke on the Z axis and then a long stroke on the Y axis, to bring the 1st upper chamber plate to line 21. return conveyor. The carrier with the contact lenses in it is moved along the X axis to the final stacking area 35. A robotic lens transfer device 38 then removes each individual contact lens from the base unit and transports them to a plurality of inspection holders, generally located at 40 in Figure 1. After the lens base has been emptied contact, is moved on the Y axis, as illustrated in box 2 of figure 2, to be returned to the return conveyor 21. The second robotic disassembly device will be described more fully later, with respect to Figures 26-29 of the drawings. The upper chamber plate and base carrier are washed sequentially and cleaned at a washing station generally indicated in the dotted line box 23 of Figure 1. The washing station will be described more fully with respect to Figures 30-32. of the drawings. The timing and relative interaction of the various robotic assemblies and the various devices are determined by means of a programmable logic controller, located in the control means. 5, illustrated

-2829 symbolically in figure 3.

Figure 3 is an elevation view of the hydration apparatus 10, diagrammatically illustrating some, but not all, of the major components of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 3, the first robotic assembly, generally indicated at 12, carries a plurality of contact lens molds and a plurality of contact lenses from the production line conveyor 11 to the assembly stacking area 24 . Robotic assembly device 14 provides the lens mold plate and top chamber plate that are used to create the first hydration carrier that is assembled in assembly area 24. The first hydration carrier is then rotated by means of the first rotary .15 transfer device, indicated at 16a, and located for the first robotic pickup and setter assembly 16, which receives the hydration carrier from the first rotary transfer device before insert it into hydration tank 26. Fill hydration tank 26 with deionized water which

2D has a small amount of surfactant in it, and it is filled by means of filler assembly 43, and maintained at a constant temperature of 70 ~ 80 ° C by means of a thermostatically controlled heater. Tank 45 is for accumulating and pressurizing deionized water for use in the hydration apparatus; and said water is distributed along manifold 33, to the various stations of the assembly.

-2930

The deionized water is also degassed prior to use in the hydration apparatus. Figure 3 also illustrates six extraction stations 32, which are also fed with the deionized water, from a common manifold 33. A collection sink 4 is used for collect the deionized waste water from the extraction stations 32 and discharge the water through a drain pipe 4a to the floor drain. The final disassembly station 40 also includes a robotic disassembly device 34, which floods the lenses when the upper chamber plate is removed from the holder.

THE HYDRATION CARRIERS ASSEMBLIES

The first and second hydration carriers are illustrated in Figures 4-10, in which Figure 4 is a top or plan view of the upper chamber plate and Figure 8 is a plan view of the mold holder plate of lens, which when coupled with an upper one, as illustrated in figure 5, forms the first hydration carrier assembly.

Figures 6 and 7 illustrate the base carrier which, when combined with the upper chamber plate of Figure 4 forms the second hydration carrier. Detailed sections of each of the hydration carriers are illustrated in Figures 9 and 10, where Figure 9 is a sectional detail of a single hydration chamber of the first

-3031 hydration assembly and figure 10 is a sectional detail of a single hydration chamber of the. second hydration assembly.

As shown in Figures 4 and 4 (a), the upper chamber plate 5 is illustrated in a plan view and in elevation for easy explanation, while in Figure 5 it is combined with the plate lens mold holder in an assembled view. The upper chamber plate 50 may be formed of metal, such as hard-coated aluminum, or of a .10 plastic, such as delrin or polycarbonate. The upper chamber • plate 50 includes a plurality of holes 51, which are illustrated in Figure 4 (a). Each of the holes 51 receives a single contact lens transfer means 52, thirty-two of which are illustrated in a .15 4x8 array in Figure 4. The upper chamber plate 50 also includes four apertures. spans 53, two of which receive two registration pins 54, spaced diagonally on the plate. While four pins could be used, two have been found to provide satisfactory results. The use of two pins, mounted diagonally in the four holes, allows e.1 symmetrical use of the mold holder plate, which has 4 cooperating perforated openings. Symmetrical use is convenient since the mold plate is released once in each cycle of operation.

The upper camera plate is secured to the lens mold holder by a plurality of magnets 58, thirteen of which are

-3132 which are illustrated in figure 4. Magnets 59 are secured to upper chamber plate 50 by means of magnet holders 55, 55 (a), 57, 57 (a) and 57 (b). These magnets are aligned with steel magnet buttons on the lens mold holder, as will be explained in more detail later. While magnets have been used in the embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that a variety of quick-release gripping media, such as polycarbonate or liquid crystalline polymer fasteners, could be used, similar to the gripping mechanism illustrated in Original US Patent Application Serial No. 08 / 256,555, titled Automatic Method and Apparatus for Hydrating Soft Contact Lenses.

The lens mold holder 74 is more fully described as illustrated with respect to Figures 8a and 8b. As illustrated in Figure 8, the lens mold plate 74 includes 32 apertures 76 that are used to receive individual lens molds and the molded contact lenses present there. The contact lens mold container is received within the elastic silicone rubber damper washer 78 which centers the container and provides an elastic coupling between the plate and the mold when the mold is contacted with the receiving medium 52 of the upper camera plate, as will be described later with respect to FIG. 9.

As illustrated in Figure 8a, the washer

-3233 damper 78 is centered within the lens holder 74 and is mounted within an annular toroidal ring groove 82, formed in the center of the opening 7b. The operating faces of the damper washer 78 are symmetrical on opposite sides of the plate 74. This allows either side of the lens holder 74 to receive the lens molds at the time the first hydration carrier is assembled.

As illustrated in FIG. 8b, a magnet steel 80 is secured within the recesses 77 by snap-fit ​​the magnet steel into the brass plate 74. The magnet steel, which is a 17-4 ph stainless steel , prevents oxidation or other reactions under normal process conditions. The magnet steel members 80 cooperate with the magnets 58 secured in the upper chamber plate 50 to support the two in a single assembly, as illustrated in Figure 5, as the first hydration carrier. The registration pins 54 engage with two of the registration openings 75, defined on the lens holder plate 74.

An optional form of construction is to form the nose plate 74 into two flat parts and sandwich the damper washers 78 and the magnet steels therebetween at the time of assembly.

The convex lens transfer elements used in the present invention are illustrated in Figures 5 (a) - (c) where the convex surface 53 is molded to receive a soft contact lens, and to retain the

-3334 lens with surface tension during the transfer of the lens from one station to the next. The element is preferably molded from Polyether Ether Ketone (PEEK) that provides the desired surface finish and desired surface energy levels, with a long production life under the process conditions of the present invention. A center hole 62 is provided to provide a fluid flow to settle the contact lenses worn by the 1st convex surface. \ 53. An annular wall 56 surrounds the convex surface to provide for lens loss that may not be properly centered during 1st transfer. A plurality of openings 55 are formed in the annular side wall 56 to allow flood fluids to escape when contact lenses are flooded with a direct stream of deionized water, for example, during discharge from the hydration, when the convex surface is coupled with a concave surface, as illustrated in figure 10.

The hydration base member 60, used to form the second hydration carrier, is more fully described and illustrated with respect to Figures 6 and 7, which illustrate a multi-level carrier, having a plurality of means 61 portalent.es concaves mounted on it. The layers can be formed of metal, such as aluminum, or plastic, such as polycarbonate, or a mixture of them. In the preferred embodiment, the top layer is formed of aluminum; the inner manifold layers are made of

-3435 polycarbonate; the base member is formed of stainless steel, with small protrusions to provide a desired separation between the carriers, and the bottom layer is formed of Delrin, to reduce friction. Each of the concave lens-bearing means 61 includes a central fluid hole 62 for introducing a fluid between the contact lens-holder means and a contact lens contained therein. As will be described hereinafter, this fluid can be air or water. Each of the fluid ports 62 is connected by a plurality of fluid passageways, which extend through each manifold layer, up to four fluid coupling members 63, extending upward, illustrated in FIG. 6. Fluid introduced through these fluid coupler ports 63 is displaced through the coupling to four V-shaped conduits, defined in plate layer 65, to a series of multiple crossings 66. Multiple crossings 66 are defined in the manifold layer 67 and feed directly to the fluid ports 62, defined in each of the means 61 portalent.es concave. Between each row of concave holder means 61. there is a drain channel 70 which extends outwardly to drain the liquid flowing from the hydration chambers defined by the concave lens holder means 61, to a drain tank. collection, 4, located below the extraction stations, for collection and drainage. Sink tank 4 is

-3536 diagrammatically illustrated in Figures 3 and 23.

As illustrated in Figure 10, the hydration base illustrated in Figure 6 and Figure 7 is

<td>combined</td><td>with the upper chamber plate 50, illustrated in</td>

<td>figure 4,</td><td>to form the. second carrier of hydration, which</td>

<td>has a</td><td>plurality of hydration chambers in it. In the</td>

modalities illustrated with the upper chamber plate of figure 4 and the hydration base of figure 6 and of figure 1

<td>7, they are</td><td>thirty-two hydration chambers formed</td>

<td>separated</td><td>between the lens transfer surface 53 of</td>

<td>Contact</td><td>and each of the concave lens holder means 61.</td>

When the upper chamber plate 50 is lowered into engagement with the hydration base 60, the upwardly extending couplings 63 pass through the manhole openings 59 (a), 59 (b) defined in the upper chamber plate 50, to align and match the convex lens transfer surfaces with the concave lens holder means, to form the plurality of hydration chambers. A plurality of openings 55, formed in a circumferential wall 56 of the contact lens transfer element 52 provides a plurality of fluid discharge openings for fluids introduced through the fluid port 62 of the concave lens holder means, and port 51 of the upper chamber plate 50. Thus, fluid can be introduced into the hydration chamber from either side of the contact lens during

-3637 the hydration chamber, and will remain in the lens holder

6.1 convex after discharge, by virtue of the fluid balance established by the eyebrow 61c of the concave lens holder medium. This residual fluid is used for extraction between flood cycles.

The first hydration assembly is illustrated in Figures 5 and 9, where Figure 4 represents an end view of the upper chamber plate 50, illustrated in Figure 4, and Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional illustration of a single hydration chamber formed there. The front curved lens mold 9 is secured within the lens holder plate 74 and is centered within the rubber buffer washer 78, with the annular flange of the lens mold centered within the annular depression 79a. When the upper chamber plate 50, the lens mold 9 and the lens mold holder 74 are assembled, the contact lenses 8 are still adhered to the lens mold 9. During hydration, the assembly illustrated in Figure 9 is inverted when placed in the hydration tank 26 and as the lens hydrates, it becomes free of the lens mold 9 and is transferred to the convex lens transfer medium 53, by gravity. Subsequently, when the first hydration carrier is removed from the hydration bath, the contact lens 8 is secured to the convex lens transfer surface 53 by surface tension.

-3730

THE STAGES AND THE HYDRATION ASSEMBLY

The first and second robotic assemblies, the first and second rotary transfer devices, and the first assembly device are illustrated in Figures 11-10. These areas correspond to the dotted line boxes 12, 14, and 15 of Figure 1.

The first assembly device illustrated in Figures 11-13 initiates the first cycle of operation for the apparatus, placing the lens mold plate in the assembly station.

THE FIRST ASSEMBLY DEVICE

The first assembly device is contained within box 14 of the dotted lines of figure 1, and is illustrated in an elevation view in figure 11, a plan view of figure 12 and a side elevation view in Figure 13. This device includes a series of four reciprocatingly moving vacuum grips 101 that reciprocate back and forth between return conveyor 21 and assembly 24. Vacuum grip assembly 101 is mounted to reciprocate in the Z axis on the reciprocating frame 102 and to reciprocate in the Y axis (of Figure 1) on the .104 carriage member,

-3839 as illustrated in Fig. 13. Carriage member 104 is reciprocally moved to position 104a, together with IKO ball screw actuator which is illustrated in section in Fig. 17. Carriage member 104 is mounted on the ball screw actuator 105, which is reciprocally moved along the Y axis by means of a rotatable threaded rod 106. It is supported to move reciprocally on the linear guides 107, .108, by means of bearing members 109, 1.10, The linear guides 107, 108 are supported by the plate member 111, which is fixedly attached to the frame 112 of the hydration apparatus . Another IKO 103 actuator is used to effect reciprocating movement of frame 102 relative to carriage 104 and provides multi-level operation for the vacuum grip assembly.

Referring to Figure .13, during operation, a lens mold plate 74 is returned to the assembly station by means of return conveyor 21, and is lifted by vacuum grip assembly 101 (a), to the position 102b, illustrated in figure 13. Carriage 104 is reciprocally moved on the Z axis of figure 1, while in the position illustrated at 104a. After vertical clearance is achieved, carriage 104 on the Y axis is reciprocally moved to the position illustrated at 104, after which frame member 102 is reciprocally moved from position 102a to position 102b to release the license plate

-394 0 lens mold holder in assembly area 24.

As illustrated in FIG. 16, the lens mold holder plate 74 is deposited in the register assembly area 24 with a pair of reciprocating pins 128, which are used to align and match the carrier plate during subsequent assembly operations . Registration is further facilitated by means of fixed guides 114, 115 and a movable guide .116, the operation of which will be described hereinafter with respect to FIG. 11. An infrared ray is transmitted along optical path 117 to shut off station operation if a plate or carrier is misaligned or improperly seated.

Referring to Figure 13, the vacuum lugs 101 and frame member 102 are raised to the position illustrated at 102a, and reciprocally move back to the return conveyor 21. When reciprocatingly moving, the lugs vacuum are raised additionally on the Z axis to the position illustrated at 101a and 102c. Two levels of reciprocal movement are necessary when the two elements of the first hydration carrier, the mold holder plate 74 and the upper chamber plate 50 are of different heights. After the mold plate 74 has been placed in position 24, and before the upper chamber plate 50 is aligned therewith, the first robotic assembly supplies a plurality of contact lens molds from production line 1.1 to the plate 74

-4041 lens holder.

THE PRII * 1st ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY

The first robotic assembly is more fully illustrated in Figures 14 and 15, where Figure 14 is a plan view of the area outlined by the stitch line box 12 of Figure 1, and Figure 15 is an elevation view of the same. As illustrated in Figure 14, in the preferred embodiment of the invention thirty-two contact lens molds are transferred in one step from the production line conveyor 1.1 to the first assembly area 24. These contact lens molds are carried on four production line pallets 7a, 7b, 7c and 7d and are supported on the .11 production conveyor by means of a movable limiter lia. A vacuum grip assembly, illustrated in Figure 15 as 120, moves from position 120a on the production line conveyor to position 120 in the direction of 1st arrow c of Figure 15. The vacuum head assembly 120 includes 32 individual vacuum grip cups, which grip the forward curved lens mold around its annular flange for transport between the production line conveyor and first assembly area 24.

The vacuum head assembly 120 illustrated in Figure 15, moves reciprocally along the Z axis.

-4142 by virtue of the pneumatic cylinder present in the carriage 12. Similarly, carriage 122 performs a reciprocal movement on the X axis, by virtue of an IKO ball screw mechanism, previously described with respect to FIG. 17, wherein the stationary or fixed supporting member is fixedly attached to the frame members 124, 125, which cover the distance between the production line conveyor 1.1 and the assembly stacking area 24. Pressure monitoring sensors are provided for the vacuum source, for each of these suction heads carried by the vacuum assembly 120. In the event of a lack of lens mold, or misalignment thereof, it is allowed to pass a defect signal to a programmable logic controller, which controls the operation of the hydration apparatus 10 and the timing of the various robotic elements within the apparatus. While four vacuum grips are illustrated in the end view of FIG. 15, it should be understood that 32 grips are provided in the die formation illustrated in FIG. 14 for the pallets 7a-7d and the lens mold holder plate 74.

The lens mold holder plate 74, illustrated in Figure 14, is matched in position by virtue of tapered registration pins 128, illustrated in Figure 16, reciprocally moving upward, for initial engagement of the lens mold holder by half of a .129 pneumatic cylinder, as illustrated in Figure 15. The registration pins engage two of the

-4243 register 75, illustrated in figure 8. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, two pins 128 are provided that move reciprocally, to securely position the lens mold holder 74 against its movement both in e.1. X axis as well as Y axis. One or more magnets can be provided to cooperate with the 80 magnet steel buttons to keep the lens mold plate on the Z axis. This prevents the plate from jumping on the Z axis when the upper chamber plate (which has a magnet on it) is lowered into position.

After the lens holder 74 has been secured and is matched, as illustrated in FIG. 14, the contact lens molds are transferred by means of vacuum assembly 120, from the position illustrated at 120a, in the FIG. 15, to the position illustrated at 120. Each of the lens molds and contact lenses are then deposited into the lens mold holder 74, as previously described with respect to FIG. 9. While the first robotic assembly is moving reciprocally in the direction of arrow C, the movable limiter lia is lowered, and the pallets 7a-7d are transported along the production line conveyor 11, to the pallet return conveyor 11b , and a new series of pallets is assembled, coming from the production line conveyor at 11c. Once again the limiter lia is lifted and a new die is assembled, as illustrated in figure 14.

-4344

After the lens molds have been deposited on the lens mold plate 74, the first robotic assembly is reciprocally moved in the opposite direction of arrow C, to collect the new lens molds, while the first assembly device, illustrated in figure 13, it picks up an upper chamber plate from the return conveyor 21 and brings it along the Y axis to the assembly position 24 illustrated in figures 11 and 13. The upper chamber plate 50 is then lowered on the Z axis to be deposited on the lens mold holder 74 and on the contact lens molds to form the first hydration assembly illustrated in Figure 5. Then the first device Assembly retracts the vacuum grip assembly 101, first on the Z axis and then in the opposite direction of the arrow ñ, to pick up a new lens mold holder and to start another start cycle of the 'hydration apparatus.

THE FIRST ROTARY TRANSFER DEVICE

Figures 11, 12, 15 and 16 describe the operation of the first rotary transfer device, generally indicated at 16a. After the assembly of the first hydration carrier is completed, the registration pins 128 are removed from the lens mold carrier by means of the pneumatic cylinder 129. Then the pneumatic cylinder 130 reciprocates the alignment guide.

-4445 movable 11.6 on the X axis, as illustrated by arrow c in Figure 15, in order to slide the first hydration carrier along the rails between the jaws 132a, 132b of the first device rotary transfer. Jaws 132a, 132b are opened and closed by means of pneumatic hands and are mounted for rotation about axis 136, by virtue of rotary air cylinder 138, which is illustrated in Figures 12 and 16. This placement stroke transports the assembled hydration carrier from position 24 to position 24 (a), as illustrated by arrow A in Figure 16. The first hydration carrier is initially guided by means of the alignment guides. 114, .115, but then slides over a pair of rails 602, 604, when it is advanced by the thrust plate 116 toward the jaws 132 (a), 132 (b) of the first rotary transfer device in position 24 (a). The stroke of cylinder 130 has been lengthened and axis of rotation 136 has been moved to allow the movement of rotation from position 24 (a) marked by the dotted lines in Figure 16 to be carried out simultaneously with 1st. assembly operation at 24, thereby compressing the assembly cycle time relative to the apparatus illustrated in the original applications. Jaws 132 (a), 132 (b) are supported for rotation on crankshaft shaft 606, the pitch of which provides a mechanical advantage for rotating the assembled hydration carrier about axis 136. A

-4546 Once the hydration carrier has been received by the first rotary transfer device, the jaws and the first hydration carrier are rotated clockwise, at 135 ° of rotation, as illustrated in Figure 16a. 2, up to the dotted line illustrated in Figures 11 and 15, to free the robotic assembly 202 pickup and setter.

THE ROBOTIC COLLECTION AND COLLECTION ASSEMBLIES

The robotic picker and setter assemblies (which may be collectively referred to as the second robotic assembly) include the movements illustrated in box 16 of Figure 2 and include the first and second robotic picker and setter units 202, 204, described with respect to the figures. 1.1, 1.1 (a) and 19.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, the two robotic pickup and setter assemblies 202, 204 are mounted to reciprocate diagonally on the Z axis, on angle brackets 206, 200, and mounted to reciprocate linearly in the X axis, on carriages 21.0, 212. Figure 19 illustrates a drive mechanism for the first pickup and setter robotic assembly 202. The second robotic pickup and setter assembly 204 uses substantially the same drive mechanisms, but from the opposite side of the hydration tank

-4647

26. Each robotic pickup and setter unit includes a pair of gripper jaws 214, 215, which grip the first hydration carrier 200, as illustrated in Figures 11 (a) and 19. The gripping jaws 214, 215 are driven by means of pneumatic motors 216, 217, which are fixedly mounted to a carriage member 206, by means of a deflection bracket 608, which moves reciprocally, diagonally to the axis of the Z, by virtue of an IKO 221 spherical transmission, mounted in housing 218. Inside the.

Housing there are guide rails 219, 220 and a rotary screw drive 221, which is driven by motor 222. Nut member 223 is fixedly attached to robotic member 202 and drives member 202 along guide rails 219. , 220 when motor 222 is rotated. The pickup and setter robot 202 moves reciprocally not only along the range of motion illustrated in Figures 11 (a) and 19 by arrow Z, but also reciprocally moves along the X axis of the Figure 1, as outlined by arrow X in Figure 19, to the position

B illustrated in Figures ll (a) and 19. The lower drive unit 224 drives the carriage member 210 which is secured to the underside of bracket 206, as illustrated in Figure 11 and Figure 11. (to). Lower transmission 224 is also an IKO ball joint mechanism and its operation is essentially identical to that previously described with respect to IKO transmission 218.

-4748

The picker and setter unit 202 reciprocally moves diagonally down the Z axis, as illustrated in Figures 11 and ll (a) to engage with a first hydration carrier 208, which has been rotated by the rotary cylinder 138 of the first rotary transfer device, to the position illustrated in Figures 11 and ll (a). When the pneumatic motors 216 and 217 are actuated, the pneumatic grips are relieved, thereby opening the jaws 132 (a), 132 (b) of the rotary transfer device. The first robotic pickup and setter assembly 202 is then reciprocally moved upward in the direction of arrow Z in Figures 11 and lia, until the first hydration assembly 200 has cleared the hydration tank 26. When sufficient vertical clearance is ensured, transmission 224 is driven, which drives carriage 210 and the first pickup and setter unit 202 on the X axis, as illustrated by arrow X in FIG. 11. The first robotic pickup and setter unit 202 receives each of the first hydration carriers from the first rotary transfer unit and places each of them in the first open slot of a displacer beam assembly mounted in the hydration tank 26. As illustrated in Figure 11, in position B, the first hydration assembly 200 is reciprocally moved down in the Z-axis direction, until the first hydration carrier 200 is in place.

-4849 securely within the 1st offset beam assembly, on the bottom rail member 510. Pneumatic cylinders 216, 217 are then actuated to open gripper jaws 214, 215 and allow the first hydration assembly to rest within hydration tank 26. The first robotic picking and placing unit 202 then returns along the Z axis in the opposite direction, to obtain vertical clearance, and then again around the X axis to receive the next first hydration assembly from the first unit. rotary transfer.

During each cycle of operation, the second robotic pickup and setter unit 204 begins to move on the Z axis at the end of the hydration tank 26. The second robotic pickup and setter unit 204 is reciprocally moved down the axis from the Zs in Figures 11 and ll (a) until it reaches the last hydration assembly 200 in the displacer beam assembly of the hydration tank 26. The jaw members 244, 245 of the second hydration assembly 204 are then actuated by pneumatic cylinders 246, 247 to engage the first hydration assembly 200 for removal from the hydration tank. The upper carriage member is then reciprocally moved upward along the Z axis to remove the first hydration assembly 200 from the hydration tank 26. After the hydration tank 26 is released the second unit is reciprocally moved

-4950 pickup and setter 204 on the X axis in the direction of arrow B, until it reaches position 204a illustrated in Figures 11 and ll (a). The carriage 212 of the second pickup and setter robot 204 is then reciprocally moved down the Z axis, to deposit the first hydration cart with the second rotary transfer device generally indicated by number 18a, in Figures .1.1 and 12. As will be explained here below in greater detail, with respect to the second rotary .10 transfer unit, the unit maintains the first hydration carrier and rotates it 45 ° of motion as illustrated in box 18b of Figure 2, and then translates it on the X axis to allow transfer of the first hydration carrier to the first disassembly station and the third robotic .15 assembly, illustrated and described with respect to Figures 20 to

22.

THE HYDRATION

Ta-1 as illustrated in Figures 11 and .12, the hydration tank 26 provides full and complete immersion of the first hydration carrier 200 in a deionized water solution, where the solution contains a small amount of surfactant, typically on the order of 0.005% to 5% by volume. Suitable surfactants include the family of polymeric surfactants, in this case,

-5051 preferably, a polyethylene oxide / sorbitan monooleate copolymer, commercially available under the Tuieen 8 0 brand.

This solution differs substantially from the hydration solution used in the prior art procedures, typified in Larse US Patent No. 4,495,313, in that the delayed ionic neutralization of the polymer from which the lens preform can be made It does not have to occur during the hydration procedure. When deionized water is used in the hydration procedure, a regulated saline solution is added to the final lens package, so that the final balance of the lens (ion neutralization, final hydration, and final lens dimensioning) is obtained in the package. room temperature, or during the sterilization procedure. That neutralization creates a temporary destabilization of the lens dimension and requires a long period to complete, resulting in an undesirably long intermittent operation when placed on an automatic production line, which has a molding input at serial and a serial packing outlet.

The transit time in the hydration tank 26, to some extent, depends on the temperature of the hydration bath. For a hydration bath with deionized water, with 0.052 surfactant, the residence time

-51 desired for a HELIA soft contact lens varies from 3 to 10 minutes, at a temperature of 55 ° C to 90 ° C. In the preferred embodiment, a residence time of five minutes has been found to be advantageous, when the temperature of the hydration bath is maintained at 70 ° C, plus or minus 5 °.

It should be noted that during the residence time in the hydration tank, the contact lens 0 hydrates and swells, thereby freeing itself from the forward curved mold medium 9. Since the upper chamber plate 50 and the forward curved mold half 9 and mold holder plate 74 have been inverted by the first rotary transfer device at L6a, the lens is subjected to gravity as soon as it is released from the mold medium 9. While movement of the first hydration carrier 200 can move the lens within the defined hydration chamber (illustrated in FIG. 9), that lens will settle on the convex lens transfer surface 53 when the first lens carrier is lifted. hydration 200 to remove it from the hydration bath 26 by means of the robotic collecting and placing unit 204.

The speed of movement for robotic units 202, 204 first and second pickers and setters varies significantly when the first hydration carrier is inserted or removed from hydration tank 26. When pickup and setter unit 202 has reached the point of entry to the tank hydration, the drive motor brakes

-5253

222 significantly and continues 1st entry into the hydration tank at a rate not greater than 40 mm per second. It has been found that if the rate of entry into the tank is greater than 40 rpm per second, air bubbles can be trapped in the hydration chamber, formed between the convex lens holder surface 53 and the contact lens mold 9, and subsequently they can interfere with the transfer of the lens 8 from the mold 9 to the first convex lens holder surface 53. Subsequent handling of the lens by the lens transfer means and the convex carrier surface 563 is by means of surface tension and gravity, while immersed in the hydration tank, and bubbles trapped between the lens and the convex lens holder element will prevent lens handling capacity of transfer media.

Similarly, when the second unit 204 removes the first hydration carrier 200 from the hydration tank, the speed of the carrier, while immersed in the hydration tank, is limited to 24mm / second. After the hydration carrier 200 has delivered the hydration bath, the upward movement is accelerated when the robotic unit 202 moves the carriage to deliver to the second rotary transfer unit.

THE TRANSPORT OF THE HYDRATION TONK

As described above, the first assembly

-5354 robotic picker and setter deposits a first hydration carrier 200 at the front end of hydration tank 26, and the second robotic picker and setter removes the first hydration carrier 200 from the end of the hydration tank. Transport from the front to the end of the hydration tank is achieved by means of the displacement beam assembly, which will be described with respect to Figures 4 and

11-12.

The displacer beam assembly includes two fixed supports for each hydration carrier 200 present in the hydration tank and two movable support members for each hydration carrier present in the hydration tank. The movable bracket begins the cycle by moving vertically to engage with each of the hydration carriers, and to lift them off the fixed supports. The movable supports then move each of the hydration carriers in e.1. tank, en masse, one position towards the rear of the tank. The movable supports are then lowered, lowering the hydration carriers again the fixed supports, and in the final return stroke, the movable carriers are returned to their original position. Thus, in each cycle of operation, each of the individual first hydration carriers 200 is advanced one slot through the hydration tank from start to finish.

As illustrated in Figures ll (b) and 12 a pair of

-5455 elongated rails 610, 612 are spaced parallel to the entire length of the tank and are raised slightly above the bottom of the tank by means of a support bracket 614, which is adjustably mounted by means of adjusting screws 616, 618, to a pair of side blocks 620, 622, mounted inside, 1st tank wall 524. Each of the elongated rails 610, 612, includes a plurality of grooves that can be seen in Figure 12, which receive a hydration carrier in each grooved position, along the transport path. As illustrated in Figure 11 (b) and Figure 12, there are a plurality of fixed supporting pins, two of which are illustrated as 626, 628 in Figure 11 (b) and a row of which is illustrated. as a unit fixedly to an elongated bracket member 630, in Figure 11. As illustrated in Figure .1.1, there are four first hydration carriers, three of which are numbered 200a, 200b, and 200c, with 200a being placed in the first groove of the tank and 200c being placed in the last groove of the tank. As illustrated in Figures 11 and 11 (b), the hydration carriers 200 are placed on fixed supports with their lower edges9 resting on the elongated supporting rail 610, 612 and their upper flanges resting on the supporting pins. fixed, similar to 626 and 628, of figure (b).

Referring to figure 4, it can be seen that

5555 there are four ears 532a, b, 634a, b, 636a, b and 638a, b, which extend outward from each side of the upper chamber plate 50. The ears are symmetrically spaced around the first hydration carrier to allow symmetrical operation of the device without considering the orientation of the first hydration carrier 200. As can be seen from the extreme ear 632a, b and 638a, b, there are a plurality of notches c ,, d, which are used to engage with correspondingly formed protrusions on the mating surfaces of the movable support members carrying the hydration carriers through the tank.

When the first pickup and setter robotic assembly deposits a first hydration carrier in the hydration tank 26, the lower longitudinal edge (illustrated as 50a in Figure 4) rests on the elongated support rails 610, 612 and when opened the elongated supporting jaws 610, 612, the hydration carrier is allowed to relax with the upper ears 632a, b supported on the fixed pins 626, 628, as previously described. When the movable supporting members mate with the first hydration carrier 200, they will mate with the lower ears 638a, b and the ears 634a, b located approximately three-fourths of the height of the hydration carrier. The movable supporting members are mounted on a pair of elongated flush supporting plates 640, 642, which are parallel to the side walls

-5657 of the hydration tank 26 and supported by a pair of elongated beams 644, 646, which also extend the entire length of the hydration tank. One of the plates 640 is illustrated in Figure 11 having a plurality of circular openings drilled therein, to reduce the height of the assembly, and a plurality of grooves machined therein, illustrated as 640a at the various locations. Each of the plates 640, 642 has multiple slots machined therein, where each slot receives a pair of engageable .10 supporting pins, as illustrated in Figure 11 (b). L. The lower pins 548, 550 mate with the lower ears 538a, b of the first hydration carrier, while the second set of pins 652, 654 mate with the ears 634a, b. In the position illustrated in Fig. 11 (b) the hydration carrier 200a is resting in the fixed position with the movable pins mounted on plates 640, 642 located below the coupling ears 634a, b and 638a, b. Although four pins 648-654 are illustrated in Figure 11 (b), it should be understood that there are four pins per plate, with two pins mounted in each slot 640a of the movable support plates 640 and corresponding pins mounted in the grooves formed on plate 642 (not shown). L. 640, 642 movable plates and movable supporting pins generically illustrated in

648-654 move in a circular box as illustrated by arrow box D in Figure 11, the first being

-5758 stroke a vertical stroke to lift the hydration carriers from the support rails 610, 612 and carry the ear members 632a, b above the fixed support pins 626, 628,

After they have been vertically released, all movement is reciprocally moved along the X axis until each of the hydration carriers has advanced a slot through the apparatus. The entire mechanism is then lowered along the vertical axis until each of the hydration carriers rest on the horizontal support rail 610, 612 again. The movable members continue their descent until the movable pins are below the ears formed in the upper chamber plate of the first hydration carrier. When they have reached the lowest portion of the descent, they are reciprocally moved along the X axis again toward the front of the machine to begin a new cycle.

Movement along the vertical axis is obtained by means of a pneumatic cylinder 656 that is centered above the tank and is connected to a yoke assembly 658 that supports frame members 644 and 646 and the horizontal side plate 640, 642 There are four 658a-d guide bearings that are used to dampen the insulation and to guide the reciprocal assembly in the vertical direction during Z-axis travel. Pneumatic cylinder 656 is movably mounted to reciprocate on the X axis,

-5859 on a supporting bracket 660, which is supported by a pair of rolling reinforcing brackets 662, 664 to reciprocally move along rail members 666a, b, 668a, t ', once the pneumatic actuating cylinder 656 has fully raised the first hydration carrier in the hydration tank, from the longitudinal support rail 610, 612. A linear drive motor. 670 moves the entire assembly along rails 666a, b and 668a, b to the approximate distance of one slot. After Reaching the new orientation on the X axis, pneumatic cylinder 656 lowers the first hydration carriers back into position on the fixed support rail 610, 612. As the movable pins 648, 654 continue their descent, the uppermost portions of the hydration carriers 632a, b rest on the fixed support pins 626,

628.

The appliance cycle time may vary, but depends to some extent on the 1st cycle speed of the entire production line. Hydration at the above mentioned temperature can take from 3 to 8 minutes and, preferably, 5 minutes; and therefore, it is desirable to have enough grooves in the hydration tank to accept all production from the line during the selected hydration period, as divided by the cycle speed of the entire production line.

-5960

THE SECOND ROTARY TRANSFER DEVICE

The operation of the second rotary transfer device will be explained below with reference to Figures 11, 1c and 12, in which the rotary device receives the first hydration carrier 200 and rotates it 45^Q arc, as illustrated in box 18b of figure 2. The second rotary device of the present invention can be distinguished from the same device described in the original applications in that the functions previously described in the third robotic assembly have been assumed by the second rotary device, as will be explained in detail later.

As illustrated in FIG. 11, a second rotary transfer device includes a rotary frame 250 that pivots about axis 351 in response to rotation of rotary cylinder 255, which is fixedly secured to a reciprocatingly moving frame 253, by bracket member means 254. Rotary cylinder 255 drives rotary frame 250 through 45 ° of rotation from the position illustrated in Figure 1.1 to the horizontal position illustrated in Figures 12 and 11c. The rotating frame 250 is supported for rotation on the shaft 250 (a) about the axis 351, by means of the rotating cylinder 255 and the bearing 256 rotatably supported; both are bracketed to the reciprocating frame 253.

-606.1

The reciprocating frame 253 is supported on one side by a roller and rail mechanism 257, and on the other by a pneumatic cylinder drive 259, to reciprocally move along the X axis. The pivotable frame 250 includes a pair of L-shaped support rails, 260, 261 and a support plate 258, which receives the first hydration carrier from the second robotic pickup and setter assembly, and carries it during transportation. The L-shaped support rails are slidably mounted on shaft 250 (a) and reciprocally move in and out of engagement with the first hydration carrier by means of pneumatic cylinders 260 (a) and 261 (a). When the second pick-and-place unit 204 begins its descent along the Z-axis, from the position illustrated at 204a, the second rotary transfer device is rotated 45 ° clockwise to the position illustrated at E in Figure 11, with the L-shaped side rails at an angle to the top, and open to receive the first hydration carrier 200. When the hydration carrier is released by means of the second robotic pickup and setter assembly, the hydration carrier rests against the limiter plate 258, between registration blocks 258 (a) and 258 (b). The pneumatic cylinders 260 (a), 261 (a) then close the L-shaped rails 260, 261 to grip the hydration carrier therebetween. The second rotary transfer device is rotated

-616 2 then to the solid line position illustrated in Figures 11c and 12. Rotation is obtained by means of rotary cylinder 255, which rotates frame 250 about axis 251, as illustrated in Figure 11c . Pneumatic impeller 259 is then driven to transport the hydration carrier on the X axis to transport it to the first disassembly area and deliver to the third robotic assembly.

THE THIRD ROBOTIC ASSEMBLY

As illustrated in FIG. 12, and particularly in FIG. 20 at position A, the second rotary assembly has received the first hydration carrier 200 from the second robotic pickup and setter assembly. It then transports the hydration carrier to the first disassembly station, generally indicated at B. The third robotic assembly also moves to position B and is placed under it. hydration carrier 200, which is still supported by the side rails 260, 261 and the support plate 258 of the second rotary device. As previously stated, this transport is obtained with the IKO 259 linear drive. The third robotic assembly includes a pair of tapered registration pins 305, one of which is illustrated in the enlarged detail of Figure 18 (b). The registration pins penetrate the openings 59 of the upper chamber plate 50,

-6253 while a pair of female receptacles 30.1 are descending through opening 53 formed in. Mold plate 74. When registration pin 305 is paired with female receptacle 301, the three robotic assemblies are in alignment. An elastic coupling 365, illustrated in Figure IBa, allows elasticity in the register for the first robotic disassembly device. In position B, the first robotic disassembly device 360 ​​removes the individual, forward cured molds and mold holder plate from the first hydration carrier, leaving the upper chamber plate 50, associated contact lens transfer devices and the counting lenses mounted on them, arranged upwards, as will be described later with respect to Figures 18-20. The first disassembly device includes a plurality of individual vacuum grips 370, one for each mold half, which engage the mold halves for separation. The device also includes vacuum grips 372, which mate with the mold plate, as will be described in greater detail later. After lifting the mold halves and the mold carrier plate from the hydraulic assembly, the device discards the half lens molds in a collection container and returns the mold plate to the return conveyor 21, to return it to the first assembly device. After the first hydration carrier has been disassembled, the third robotic device grasps plate 50

-6364 upper chamber and moves it to the position illustrated in letter C, where the wearer is reciprocally moved up along the Z axis to flood station 380, while the contact lenses remain secured to the convex surface 53 of the lens-bearing means illustrated in Figure 9. The lenses are flooded, partially to cool the lenses from the hydration bath temperature, partially to discharge any residual aqueous solution remaining on the lenses, from the hydration bath; and partially to guarantee the adequate hydration of the lenses while they are in an atmospheric environment. This flood step can be skipped if an open hydration base unit is available to reduce cycle time. After discharge, the third robotic assembly is moved to position D, where it is rotated 180 °.

From bed to second rotary transfer device, a hydration base unit 60 has been advanced into position, as will be explained later with respect to FIG. 20, to receive the upper chamber plate 50. The final movement of the third robotic assembly is down the Z axis to couple the hydration base 60 with the upper chamber plate 50, after which a short stroke conveyor apparatus, generally indicated at 390, advances the second carrier of hydration in the direction of arrow E, to make it

While the plate transported from the top 50 is being

-6465 placed under a first flood station 400. The third robotic assembly is illustrated in Figures 20, 21 and 22, where Figure 22 represents an enlarged end view of the third robotic assembly 300. The scale of movements of its interaction with Another third robotic assembly and devices in the hydration apparatus is complex and is summarized in Figures 18a and 10b of Figure 2.

The apparatus of the third robotic assembly is best illustrated in FIG. 22, wherein the assembly includes a plurality of suction gripping means 301, 302 attached to a rotating plate 304. The suction gripping means 302 includes registration pins 305 for align them with openings 53, defined in the upper chamber plate 50. Rotary plate 304 is rotatably supported for rotation in bearing assembly 306, which is fixedly secured to plate member 307. The plate member 307 is reciprocally moved vertically, by means of the IKO ball joint transmission 308 with respect to the frame 309 stationary and horizontally along the axis of the X, by means of 1 carriage 310. The rotary plate 304 by means of a transmission cylinder 312. The relative interaction of the two IKO drive assemblies is illustrated in Figure 21, where the vertical drive assembly 308 is carried on a driven horizontal member 310, which moves reciprocally along the X axis by virtue of a IKO ball joint transmission 314.

-6566

The first robotic disassembly device 360 ​​is further illustrated in Figure 19a, where a plurality of suction grips secures both lens molds 9 and lens mold plate 74, and lifts them off

<td>the</td><td>camera plate 50</td><td>higher</td><td>for</td>

<td>and</td><td>transport the</td><td>frame</td><td> 74</td>

<td colspan="3">return conveyor 21.</td><td>The</td>

carrier back to

1.5 horizontal.

it is fixedly mounted to move vertically on the X axis on a carrier 362 that moves reciprocally in a direction. A pneumatic cylinder 364 is secured to the displacement carrier 362 and reciprocally moves the disassembly 360 by virtue of its connection to the frame 366.

After the third robotic assembly has been secured to the upper chamber plate in position B, the pneumatic cylinder 364 lowers the frame 366 to bring the vacuum grips of the disassembly apparatus 360 into engagement with the forward bent half molds, individual, and the lens holder plate as illustrated in Figure 18b. Disassembly apparatus 360 includes an array of individual mold grips 370, and each grips each mold half of the array and a plurality of carrier grips 372, which grip lens mold holder 74. Each grip is individually supported by the. frame 366, which is fixedly connected to pneumatic cylinder 364 for vertical reciprocating movement. In a modality

-6667 preferred of the present invention, e.1 disassembly apparatus 360 includes a 4x8 array of 32 individual mold grips 370 and 8 major carrier grips 372. A vacuum is established in each of the grips and a pneumatic cylinder 364 raises the lens mold plate 74 and each of the lens molds 9 away from the upper chamber plate 50 and begins their reciprocal horizontal movement on the axis of the And of figure .1, or in the direction of arrow A of figure 18a. The disassembly apparatus pauses over collection container 368 and opens the vacuum lines to each of the individual lens mold grips 370, allowing the lens molds to drop into collection container 368 for sanding. and recycling. An air puff is also provided to ensure that the molds separate from the 370 grips. Carrier 362 then carries carrier plate 74 to return conveyor 21, a position generally illustrated in 2.1a of FIG. 20. Carrier 352 and disassembly apparatus 360 are conveyed in the direction of arrow A by means of a ball joint transmission Ϊ.Κ0 363, which is secured to the stationary frame member 369. The construction and operation of the IKO 363 ball and socket transmission is essentially the same as previously described with respect to Figures 17 and 19.

After the first hydration carrier has been disassembled, the third robotic assembly transports the upper chamber plate and contact lenses, on the X axis,

-6760 as illustrated in FIG. 1, and then raising the upper chamber plate to position C, illustrated in FIG. 21, to flood the lenses at flood station 380. Flood station 300 includes a formation of nozzles

381 that they are configured in a formation that coincides with the formation of the lenses in the upper chamber plate 50, and that in the preferred embodiment is a 4 x 8 formation of thirty-two nozzles. The 1st deionized water flooding solution is output via a pneumatic .10 382 control valve and has a duration of 0.5 to 5 seconds. The flood cools the lenses to a temperature of about 70 ° C from the hydration path and removes any residual aqueous solution remaining on the lens from the hydration. After the flood cycle is complete, .15 the third robotic assembly moves on the X axis of „Figure 1 and Figure 21, rotates .1.80 ° as illustrated by arrow D in, 1.a Figure 21, and then descends on the Z axis to engage hydration base 60 to form the second hydration carrier. The hydration base 60, as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7, has four vertical conduits 63 which are passed through openings 59 defined in the upper chamber 50 (illustrated in Figure 4) to match the plate upper chamber with the hydration base and thus form the individual hydration chambers illustrated in the figure

10.

-6869

The hydration base member 60 is located by means of a pneumatic cylinder transmission 385, illustrated in FIG. 20, which drives a push arm 386 from the return conveyor 21 to position D illustrated in FIG. 20. The members hydration base, when they are returned along the conveyor 21, they find a bridge 387 that is suspended above the return conveyor 21. The upper chamber plates, which are also returned along the conveyor 21, have a height that allows the upper chamber plate to pass under a bridge 387 and continue to the first assembly mechanism, as previously described with respect to the Figures 11-13. The hydration base members 60, which are taller than the upper chamber plates 50, meet bridge 387 and are held in a position illustrated at 21b of FIG. 20. Push arm 386 begins its stroke at dotted line position 386a and returns hydration base 60 between a pair of guides, one of which is illustrated at 388, to assembly position B, illustrated in FIG. 20.

The base members are held backward by the pneumatic cylinder limiter, while the push arm 386 is in position D, so that the push arm 386 can return without hitting a base member at 21b. The upper chamber plates are also held back by a stopper, located upstream of position 21a, so that the upper chamber and mold holder

-6970 .1. D are moved sequentially in the appropriate way.

After assembly, the second hydration carrier is carried by an intermittently moving conveyor. The intermittent feed conveyor includes a pneumatic cylinder 390, which drives a linear pusher plate 392 in the X-axis direction of Figures 1 and 20. Push plate 392 advances the hydration base at a feed distance flashing equal to the width of the base and then returns to the position illustrated in figure 20. The path of the intermittent feed conveyor is defined by guides 394 and 395 defining a path width equal to the length of the second hydration carrier 400, and supporting the hydration base member 60 for transporting it on top of a collection weir. open 4. Three assembled second hydration carriers 400 are illustrated in FIG. 20, which come from the first extraction station 32. When the pneumatic cylinder is actuated, the pusher plate 392 intermittently advances or moves the entire string of second hydration carriers 400, along the conveyor path defined by guides 394 and 395.

After assembly, the second hydration carrier is transported by means of a step feed conveyor. The step feed conveyor includes a pneumatic cylinder 390 that drives a linear thrust plate 392 in the X axis direction of Figures 1 and 20. The

-7071 Thrust Plate 392 advances the hydration base at an intermittent advance distance equal to the width of the base and then returns to the position illustrated in Figure 20. The path of the intermittent advance conveyor is defined by the guides. 394 and 395 defining a path width equal to the length of the second hydration carrier 400 and supporting the e.1 base member 60 for transporting it over an open collection sump 4. Three assembled second hydration carriers 400 are illustrated in FIG. 20, which come from the first extraction station 32. When the pneumatic cylinder is actuated, the push plate 392 intermittently advances or moves the entire string of the second hydration carriers 400 along the conveyor path defined by guides 394 and 395.

As illustrated in Figure 3, there are six extraction stations located sequentially along the path of the extraction or step feed conveyor. Each of the second hydration carriers is intermittently advanced, step by step, along the extraction conveyor path, by the pneumatic cylinder transmission 390. Each of the six extraction stations 32 receives the second hydration carriers and periodically floods and exchanges it. deionized water from them to continue leaching the hydration by-products of contact lenses, while they are worn

-717 2 within them.

While the prior art hydration baths require .120 to 180 minutes to obtain satisfactory results, it has been found that a five to ten minute cycle of flood and leach cycles will produce a lens with no detectable contaminants in it. In the preferred embodiment, a flood cycle of approximately 18 seconds is provided (with 1 to 2 seconds of actual flood in the cycle), for each extraction station 32; and the extraction stations are spaced from each other at a distance corresponding to the width of three of the hydration base 60 members. Thus, the intermittent stepwise advance of the hydration base members results in a 1 to 2 second flood cycle (in a 17 second flood period) and a 68 second leach cycle, to give a Maximum exchange of leachable materials from the lenses. This cycle is repeated six times for a total of slightly more than seven minutes; the total time for movement through the apparatus of the present invention, which including the time in the hydration tank, is approximately 15 minutes.

THE EXTRACTION STATIONS

A representative extraction station is illustrated in Figures 23-25, where chamber plate 50

-7273 top and hydration base member 60, combined, form the second hydration carrier 400. A flood manifold 410, illustrated in Figures 24 and 25, includes a deionized water supply line 401, manifold members 402 , 403, 404 and 405, and a plurality of attachable nozzles. The mating nozzles include an array of 32 direct mating nozzles 406 and four receptacle couplings 407, which receive within the vertical fluid couplings 63, which pass through the openings 59 of the upper chamber plate 50. Direct contact couplings are received within the individual openings 51 defined in the upper chamber plate and are illustrated in detail in Figure 10. They supply fluid in the form of air or deionized water to the hydration chamber illustrated in Figure 10, through opening 51. E.1 Fluid is also supplied by receptacle couplings 407 to the hydration base, by means of vertical conduit couplings 63, which transport the liquid through manifold passages 64 and 66 to each of the openings 62, defined in the lens holder assemblies. Thus, when the flood manifold 410 is lowered into engagement with a second hydration base member, the lens is flooded from both sides for a period of 1 to 2 seconds, eliminating existing residual deionized water from the previous extraction cycle and provides a fresh leaching solution to the hydration chamber. Deionized water flows through the

-7374 radial openings 55 of the hydration chamber and is collected by the V-shaped shoulder 70, defined by the hydration base member 60. The wastewater is then transported to the side of the hydration base member to drain it to collection sump 4 below. Extraction manifold 410 is reciprocated vertically by means of a pneumatic motor 411, which is fixedly connected to stationary frame 412. A carrier plate 413 is fixedly attached to the pneumatic cylinder actuator piston 411 and reciprocates vertically, on the Z axis, in response to PLC control instructions. A valve member 415 is also provided to regulate the flow of deionized water through the extraction manifold. Extraction manifold 410 is secured to support plate 413 by bracket members 416,

417.

THE SEPARATION STATION

The separation station of the present invention, which provides for separation of the upper chamber plate 50 from the hydration base 70, and the transfer of the contact lenses from the hydration base carrier to a lens transfer medium, it is more fully illustrated and better described with respect to Figures 26-29, where Figure 26 is an end elevational view of the apparatus of

-7475 separation. Figure 27 is a partial sectional view of the final extraction and separation apparatus; Figure 28 is a top plan view and Figure 29 is an end view of the entire hydration apparatus 19.

The apparatus illustrated in Figure 26, 27, 28, and 29 is located within the dotted line box 22 of Figure 1. The second disassembly apparatus 420 is illustrated in Figure 26 in mating contact with a second carrier of hydration 400. The. second disassembly device includes a vertically reciprocal carrier421 which is attached to a pneumatic cylinder 422 for translation on the Y axis (as illustrated in Figure 1) from the extraction conveyor line to the return conveyor

twenty-one. The pneumatic cylinder actuator is fixedly supported by plate 423 which is secured by the hydration frame. Reciprocal vertical movement on the Z axis is accomplished with an IKO 429 ball joint transmission, which reciprocates carriage 424 along the Z axis. Horizontal translation of the second disassembly apparatus is supported by the member frame 423 and drive rollers 425, 426. The reciprocally moving carriage 424 makes its reciprocal movement with respect to the horizontally moving carriage 421, by means of an IKO transmission contained within the housing 429.

As illustrated in Figure 27, the second

-7576 disassembly device includes a conveyor head 430 which is equipped with a formation of fluid injection nozzles 431 and vacuum grips 432, which are used to secure the upper chamber plate 50 to the vacuum carriage 430, to transport it to the conveyor return 21. Each of the individual nozzles 431 is equipped with a toroidal ring seal that seats against an opening 51 defined in the upper chamber plate 50. The second disassembly apparatus 420 is supplied with a vacuum for the vacuum gripping means 432 and with deionized water for the nozzles 431. Both are supplied by means of flexible conduits 435 which move with the second disassembly apparatus. In the preferred embodiment, four vacuum gripping means 432 are used with two at each end of the upper chamber plate. A mounting bracket means 437 secures the water manifold 430 to the second disassembly device and provides the couplings 438, 439 for the vacuum lines feeding the vacuum grips 432. During disassembly of the second hydration carrier, water is supplied deionized through hole 62 in each of the convex lens transfer devices, mounted on the upper chamber plate 50. Deionized water is supplied while vacuum collection is applied to the gripping means 432. The separation of the two occurs during the water dose that guarantees that the contact lenses remain in the concave retention medium 6.1 of the base of hydration.

-7677

Also shown in Figure 26, in side view, is a thrust plate 440, which is used to return the hydration base members to the return conveyor 21, after the lenses have been separated by a transfer medium. lens. The push plate 440 is connected to the carriage member 442 by the arm 441 which is reciprocally moved along the Y axis of FIG. 1, by means of a drive cylinder 443, secured to the frame member 444.

Sensors 445 are used in transferring the lens from the hydration base 60 to the lens transfer medium 450. The lens transfer medium 450 includes a carriage member 451 that is mounted to reciprocate both vertically and horizontal direction, with respect to the horizontal member 452. The lens transfer device includes a 4 xe array of 32 descending fingers, each ending in a contact surface 453 with a convex lens. The lens transfer apparatus is more fully described in pending US patent application Serial No. 08 / 43.1,633, titled Contact Lens Transfer Device, filed May 1, 1995.

As illustrated in Figure 28, the first disassembly apparatus 420 moves the upper chamber plate 50 from the position illustrated in Figure 28 to the position

-7778 illustrated in 2ld, on return conveyor 21, when second disassembly apparatus 420 is moved by pneumatic cylinder actuator 422. When the. second disassembly apparatus 420 has reached the position at 21d, again moves reciprocally on the Z axis to lower the upper chamber plate to the return conveyor 21, before the vacuum grips 432 are relieved. After depositing the upper chamber plate on the return conveyor 21, the second disassembly apparatus returns to the position illustrated in FIG. 28, to start a new cycle.

In a similar matter, after the lens transfer medium 450 has removed the contact lenses from the hydration base 60, the thrust plate 440 translates the hydration base 60 between the guide rails 460, 461 to position 21e, immediately adjacent to return conveyor 21. A second push plate 462, which is driven by another actuating cylinder mechanism 463, is used to drive the push plate 462 along its travel path. Drive cylinder 463 is mounted to reciprocate on the X axis of Figure 1, along support beam 465. Transmission 463 moves pusher plate 462 from the position illustrated in Figure 26 to position 462a, immediately adjacent to return conveyor 21.

Yes, each of the second carriers of

-7879 hydration 400 is disassembled, with the upper chamber plate 50 and the lower hydration base 60 returned sequentially along the return conveyor 21, for the next cycle of operation. Although ball screw or IKO ball bearing transmissions have been used throughout the hydration apparatus for movement of the various components, it should be understood that other actuating mechanisms, such as barless cylinders, pneumatic cylinders, could be used for the same purpose. or hydraulic or mechanical worm or chain drives.

Lfl WASHING STATION

The hydration apparatus of the present invention also includes a washing station illustrated in Figure 1, within the dotted line box 24. This washing station is further illustrated in Figures 30-32, where Figure 30 is an elevation view from the rear side, and Figures 31 and 32 are sectional views, taken following the section lines R-fl 'and BB' of Figure 30.

The washing station 24 includes the return conveyor 21 which is used to alternately transport the upper chamber plates and hydration base members of the present invention. As illustrated in Figure 30, a pair of hydration base members and a single top chamber plate are

-7980 illustrated in wash chamber 500. Wash chamber 500 includes a plurality of nozzle formations 501a, 105b, 502a, 502b, and 503a, 503b. The interaction of the 501a and 501t&gt; nozzles is illustrated in Figure 32, where a plurality of precisely focused shock jets are generated by the high-speed shock nozzles, one of which is indicated at 504. The high-speed shock nozzles are alternated with 505 spray nozzles to provide thorough cleaning of the upper chamber plate and the hydration base member.

The nozzle array 501b is similarly equipped with high speed shock nozzles 504 and rolling nozzles 505, alternating. It should be noted that,

<td>when the</td><td>upper chamber</td><td>and the</td><td>base of</td><td>hydration</td><td>are</td>

<td>returned</td><td>along the</td><td>trans</td><td>carrier of</td><td>return 21,</td><td>the</td>

<td>surface</td><td>recipient of</td><td>lens</td><td colspan="2">of the base member</td><td>of</td>

<td>hydration</td><td>is oriented</td><td>toward</td><td>above,</td><td>while</td><td>the</td>

Lens transfer surface on the top camera plate is facing down. Thus, the nozzle formations 501a, 501b provide high speed direct shock cleaning to remove any contact lens or component thereof that is adhered to any of the members during the hydration cycle. Backward spray from the nozzles is contained within the wash chamber 500 by means of a housing 505 and a trapping tank 505, which also serves to drain the wash water through

-808.1 of drain 507. Nozzle formations 5'02a, 502b, 503a and 503b are flood jet nozzles that are intended to discharge any lens or portions thereof that were dislodged during spray cleaning by means of the. nozzles 501a, 501b.

The wash station includes its own separate supply of deionized water that collects in tank 508.

<td></td><td>The pressure</td><td>of</td><td>water available in</td><td>the</td><td>tank 508 is</td><td>intensified</td>

<td></td><td>through</td><td>of</td><td>a plurality of</td><td>the</td><td>pump 509 and the</td><td>sequence of</td>

<td> .10</td><td>aspersion</td><td>is</td><td>controlled by</td><td>a</td><td>plurality</td><td>of valves,</td>

Generally indicated at 510. The spray sequence can be continuous or cycle as desired.

While the invention has been shown and described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments, those of skill in the art will understand that changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, which is limited only by the scope of the following claims.

-8102