Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
212 ~ 6 rJ 1
C_se_f___st_rin~_and _l~a_lng contact lensos
THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION
_________________________
The i~vention relates to a case for ths storing of contact
lenses comprising means for the removal of th~ proteinic and
other rernnants both from the inner and outsr surfaces of th0
I enses .
THE_B~CKGRQyND ART
,, ':
Cas~s for contact lsnsss of the prior art are simpl~,
small baskets, wherein eontact lenses are immsrsed and kept
within puri fy i ng and preserving liquids. In this manner the
lenses can b0 disinfected, -but the organic remnants on ths
surface of the lenses, ~hich are the main cause of irritation
15 - of the eye and of dimn0ss of the lsnses themselves, ara not
removed. That's why in many systems of contact lens~s cleaniny,
soft rubbing of the lenses in bstween ths fingers or with a
special cloth is suggested before ths sterilization. This
specific activity is howevsr a vsry fine process and m~y be
dangerous for the integrity of the lens, whereas it certainly
reduces its ser-vice life.
For ths same purpose, micro-apparatuses of oscillation of
the contact lensss within the liquid of purification have been
also manu~actured. However such d~vices are bulky, thay
~ 21~3~
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function with batteries and they are not suffioiently
eff 8C tive.
The object of the present invention is therefore to
efficiently overcoms the abovementioned probl0~ and drawbacks
S of the prior art by providing a case for storing contact
lenses, wherein ths lenses may also b0 cleaned by simple manual
operation.
Tho case of the present invention can on th~ on0 hand be
used as a typical casa in the form of a small basket for the
contact lenses and on the other hand it comprise~ an
incorporated system of thin soft rubber blades.. The blades can
move and rotate on the same axis in both clockwi 3e and
anticlockwisc course of rotation by instantaneously pressing a
part of the apparatus with the finger. By means of their
rotation, the bladas swe~p ths innsr and outsr surfaces of the
lenses which have bcen placed in botwean tham, thereby romoving
every for0iyn objsct, proteinic and othsr remnant~ stuck upon
the Isn~es.
.
Th0 blades ara mada from soft rubber and they ar0 propsrly
shaped so that the lenses may fit in betwsen them and thareby
avold belng damaged or harassed during rubbing.
rhe ~ntire cas~ i 5 5 lightly largor than a con~sntional
case, it is air-tight and water-tight, and is as handy to U58
as -thc conventional case. Further, the propesed case can be
used in relatlon with all available contact lens cleaning
systems, offering a substantial improvement in their cleaning
performance.
2 ~2~3~''.3
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION_O__THE_DR~WINGS
~ n illustrative 0mbodiment of this invention is herein
prasanted with reference to tha accompanying drawings.
Fig.l shows a perspectiva analytical viaw of all th0 part~
of the casa with indications of th~ m~ntler of their ~embling.
Fig.2 shows a front sectional vi~w of tha case which is
completely assembled.
Figs 3a-b and 4a-b show a front and rHar view of th~
frames 9 and lO respectivaly.
Figs 5a-c show a front, planar and sida vi~w of the base 4
of tha case.
Figs 6a-b show two views of the jaw 13.
Figs 7a-b show a top planar view and a semi-sectional view
of container 3.
Figs 8a-b show a front and rear view of the small basket
means 11. ~
Figs 8c-d show a side view and a side cross-sectional view
oS th0 small basket ll.
Figs 9a-c show a sectional, front and rear view of the
blade b~aring member 7.
Figs lOa-c show a s~ctional, front and rear view of the
blade boaring member 8.
Fiys 11a-b show bottom and top planar viaws of the case
cov~r maans 2.
Figs 11c-d show two side views of the case covering means
2.
Fig.12 shows a partially-sectional frontdl vl0w of h0ad
-4- 2~6~
and piston maans 1.
Figs 13a-c show a front, rear and longitudinal vie~ of
shaft 6.
DETP.ILED_DESCRIPTION_OF,,.~PREFERRED_EMBODIMENTS
The invention will now be made appar0nt to those skill-~d
in ths art by re~erenc0 to th~ accompanying dr~wings wherain i~
depicted a preferred ~mbodlmant.
In a~cordace to the illustrated preferr0d ambodimsnt, the
proposed case for storing and cl~aning contact 12nses comprisas
a container 3 for the cleaning liquid, and a movable mechanism
comprising a cov~r means 2 on top of abovementioned container
3, a head and piston means 1, on top of abovementioned cover
means 2, a compression sprin~ 16 ~round piston memb~r 100 of
head and piston maans 1, a jaw means 13 coDnected to the head
and piston means 1 and to a contact lans supporting unit, th~
contact lens supporting unit comprising a central bass unit 4,
a ~Jear 5 insert0d within a slot of the central base unit-4, a
shaft 6 passing through the central base unit 4, bladc baaring
means 7 and 8 mount~d on ~ithor sids of shaft 6 for the
abrasive cleaning of the inner surface of contact l~nses, frame
members 9 and 10 mounted on eith0r side of central base unit-4,
0ach of the frames 9 and 10 supporting a blade bearing means 11
for the abrasive cleaning of the outer surface of contact
lenses, the above mentioned jaw m0ans 13 acting as transmis~ion
means to transfer th0 move~ent of head and piston means 1 to
the contact lens supporting unit so as to set in clockwise and
anticlock~ise rotation respectively the blad~ baaring me-ans 11
--' 2~2~6~-~
for the abrasive cleaning of the outer surface of contact
lenses and the bl~de bearing means 7 and 8 for the abrasiv~
cleaning of thc inner surface of corltdct lenses, wh~n one of
such contact Icnses is placed in between blade bearing means 11
and 7 and the otherone of thesa contact lenses i 5 p laced in
between blade bearing means 11 and 8.
~ nalytically, as depicted in F igg 1 ,2 and 7a-b, a
generally cylindrical container 3 with slightly outwards
tapered exterior surfaces is used to contain the cleaning
liquid, such liquid being filled up to an indicated level 30
whic-h lies slightly belo~ the c~ntre of the contact lens
supporting unit which is therçfora partially imm~rsed therein.
The upper open end of cleaning liquid containar 3 is provid~d
with an external circumferential threading, wheraupon i 5 fitted
when screwed the cover means 2.
The cover rn~ans 2 depicted in Figs 1,2 and lla-d has 3
g~nerally polygonal outer surfaca and a genne-rally cylindrical
inner surfaee. The cover means 2 has a- central opening 20 to
allow passage of piston 100 an~ a downward extending pair of
20legs 22, each leg 22 with a T-shap0d slot 23 to recaive the
T-shapad prot~rusions of the central base unit 4- of ths contact
lens supporting unit. The covcr means 2 has an internal bottom
threading appropriats for screwing onto the abovementioned
extarnal threading of cleaning liquid containar 3.
25The head and piston unit 1 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 12
comprises a generally cylindrical haad lQOa of a diam~ter such
as to air-tightly fit within the internally cylindrical cipace
-6- ~2~cfi ~
21 of the cover means 2 and a downward axtending piston mamber
100. Piston 100 has a diametar such as to pa~s through centr~l
opening 20 of covsr means 2, whereas it is externally
surrounded by a compression spring 16 extanding betwe~n the
basernont of covar maans 2 and th~ cailing providsd by hqad
lOOa. The jaw means 13 depicted in Figs 1, 2 and 6a-b i~ a n
section with internally toothed legs 132 and 133, a central
circular op~ning 130 at the top and r~ctangular opanings 131 on
either side of the central circular opening 130.
10Piston 1 being form~d with a pair of flexiblt ribs 10~ and
-- ~n int~rlrl~didt~ ~lot 105, is capdbl~ of ssqu~ntidlly pd~ing
through surrounding compression spring 16 located within ~h0
inner space 21 of cover rneans 2, the central opsning 20 of
cover msans 2, a rubbsr washer 12 and tha central circular
15opening 130 of jaw means 13, wher~by ribs 106 are compressed
inwards whan passing through op~ning 130 and extend outwards
after having pass~d through opening-130, thereby prsv~nting
piston 100 from moving out from jaw means 13. Ba ides thi~, it
is noted that the portion of piston 100 ~xtending above jaw
means 13 has a diameter largor than that of the portion passing
through the op~ning 130, so as to obstruct rapproch~tnent of jaw
means 13 and head and piston means 1. In this way`thc ~ertical
rnovement of hsad and piston means 1 will nscessarily lead to
corresponding v~rtical movament of jaw means 13.
-- During the abov~ dascribed ass~mblying procass, h0ad 1 and
spring 16 fit within the cylindrical intcrior 21 of th~ ~over
rrl2ans 2, whilst the legs 22 being provid~d at th~ bottom of
2 ~
--7--
cover m~an~ 2 pass throu~31- the r~otangul~r opaning~ 131 ot JAW
msans 13.
The contact lans supporting unit first comprisss a central
base unit 4 depicted in Figs 1,2 and 5a-c, which is made from
two parallel plates 4a and 4b, has a generally rectangular
shape and a central opening 40, a ~lot 41 in betwsen above
mentioned plates 4a and 4b allowing ths introdustion of a gear
5 with a square central opening 50 within the central base unit
4, so that the central opening 40 of base unit 4 coincides with
the opsning 50 of gear 5, a shaft 6 with a generally square
cross section, corresponding to that of the cantral opening 50,
passing through both these openings 40 and 50 and being
rotatable togethsr with gsar 5. -
Th~ c~ntrdl bdsa unit 4 is provJdsd with d pair of upp~r
T-shaped protrusions 43 which enter within the abovementioned
T-shapsd slots 23 of legs 22 of khe cover msans 2, thereby
fixHdly conn~ct-lng the..central base unit 4 to ths cover means
2. In this assembled condition, legs 133 and 132 of jaw means
13 touch upon the vertlcal sides 45 and 46 oS c~ntral bass unit
4 and thsreby leq 133 lies within the side groove 42 of central
base unit 4 and- allows engagenent of its intsrnally toothed
surfacs 134 to gear 5, whersa~ leg 132 with two paral lel
internally toothad strips 134a and 134b is allowed to engage
with the toothed external ring of blads ~earing m~ans 11 on
eithsr side of central ba5~ unit 4.
The shaft 6 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 13a-c has a
gsnerally squaPe s~ction appropriately sized to Sit within the
-8- 2 ~ 2 ~3 ~
central square opening 50 of gear 5, its two ends 61 and 60
being fixedly fitted within slots 7a and 8a respectively of
corresponding blade bearing rneans 7 and 8, the latter also
aoting as mean~ for securing shaft 6 in position within opening
50.
Each of the abovementioned blade bearing means 7 and 8 is
pr~ferabl~ made from rubber and has a convex surface with an
arrangament of radially disposed blades 70 and 80 respectively.
The radius of curvature of the convex surface of each of blade
bearirlg means 7 and 8 is equal to the radius of curvature of
the concave surface of the contact lenses, so that when ths
contact lenses ara rnounted onto the convex surface of blad0
bearing nleans 7 and 8, the blades 70 and 80 respectively can
perforrn abrasive cleaning ef the inner.concave surfaces of the
contact lenses.
Frame 9 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 4a-b, and frarne 10
depictad in Figs 1,2 and 3a-b, are fitted on 0ither sido of
central base unit 4 by means of a pair of arms 91 and 101
provided at the top of frames 9 and 10 respectiv01y, these arms
being fitted onto shafts 44 extending on aither side of above
mantioned T-shaped protrusions of 43 central base unit 4.
Each of the frames 9 ~nd 10 having a generaiiy rsctangular
external shape and a circular interior such as to allow
mounting of end blade-bearing means 11, has a slot 92 and 102
25 respectively, so as to elastically open the sa~e and allow
ti~ht fitting of frames 9 and 10 within a corresporldingly
circular groove 111 available in. each one of blade bearing~
:;.` ' ~ . ` . .' `. ` ` ' ; ~
~ ~ 2 .3 6~ ~L
_g
means 11.
Each of the ~nd blade bearing ~ans 11 is mada from hard
plastic and has a convex surface with an arrangement of
radially disposed convex strips 112, the concave surface of
which lies within the interior cavity of blade bearing means 11
and being covered by soft rubber so as to form an arrangement
of radially disposed blades 113. The radius of curvature of the
interior cavity of each of the blade b~aring mean~ 11 is equal
to the radius of curvature of the conv0x surface of the contact
lenses, so that when the contact lenses ar~ mounted within the
interior cavity of blade bearing means 11, tha blad~s 113 can
porform abrasi~e cleaning of the outer convex surfaces of the
contact lenses, which are in contact with them. Each blade
bearing means 11 is also provided with a circumfarential groove
111 witllin which fits tightly frdme 9 ~r 10. ~ljacent to thi 5
circumfer0ntial groove 111, each blade bsaring means 11 is
provided with a circumferentially toothed ring 110, which is
sngaged with toothed strips 134a and 134b of aboverrler,tioned jaw
rnoans 13.
The above described device is set in operation as follows:
Container 3 is filled with the desired cleaning liquid up-to
the level indicated by point 30, this lavel being such as to
! ' allow a partial immersion of the contact lens supporting unit
within the cleaning liquid. Each one of a pair of contact
lenses is then placed in between one of the pair of blade
bearing means 11 and one of blade bearing means 7,8, the
contact lenses being kept in place by the downw~rd protrusions
- l o- 2 ~ 2 ~
93,103 of frame membars 9 and 10 r0spectively, whereby the
movabla mechanism of the cas~ is ready to use. Next, the
movable mechanism of the casa with the contact lenses install0d
therein is placed within th~ cleaning liquid container 3Q and
covsr mean~ 2 is ~or~wed onto th~ cl~aning liquid container 30.
In this way ths lensas are immersed in the clsaning liquid.
N~xt the user uses his finger to exert a downward
pressur~ upon h~ad lOOa of the hsad and piston unit 1. Th~n ~s
a result of this vsrtical downward movernent, jaw means 13
performs an equal vertical downward displacement and causes in
th~ first place a clock~ise rotation~ of tha pair of blade
bearing means 11 and an anticlockwise rotation of the pair of
blade bsaring maans 7 and 8. Whsn head and piston means 1 has
reached the bottom of its course, its movement is reversed by
means of th~ pressure exerted by oomprassion spring 16 which is
bound to rsturn itself and th~rsby th~ head and piston maans 1
to its initial position. During the subsequent upward v0rtical
tr,ovement of jaw rneans 13 th0re results a rev~rsal in tha course
of rotation, so that each of ths blade bearing means 11 now
rotates anticlock~ise and each of blad~ bearing means 7 and 8
rotates clockwisa. Howaver each ons of th~ contact lsnsas still
remains in betwean a pair of blad~ baaring means which rotate
revsrs~ly, th~ir courss of rotation belng alternately changed
as the vertlcal movsment of head and piston maans 1 and jaw
means 13 rev~rses ~rom downward to upward. Thus- th~ rotating
bladss 70,80 of blade bearing means 7,8 and 113 of blad~
bearing means 11 mildly ~weep the corlcava inner and conv~x
2~25~ ~
outer surfaces of the lenses and thereby claan thom from the
proteinic and other r~mnants stuck upon them, aftsr a desir3d
pluralit.y of instantaneous down~ard pressura actions onto head
100a of hcad and piston means 1 is p~rformad.
The case is mada completely air-tight and watar-tight by
means of the elastic gaskets t2 and 15, the latter baing placed
in tha yroove 24 of the top covar 2. In this manner the case is
suitable for storing the lenses and it can be usad in all
contact lens care taking systems.
It must herein be noted that tha invantion was descrlbed
by refarence to an il~lustratlve but not confining embodirnent.
Various changes and emendments may ba parformed in the size,
~h~pe and form, material~ u~ed in the con~tructlon of v6r i ous
components without departing from the scope and th~ aims of the
present invention.
