Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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FACIiAGING ARRAI~GEMEIZT I~'OR CONTACT TENSES
CROSS~REFERE19C8 TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS
HACK ROL1AD OF TH8 INVENTION
1_ Field of the IAVentlQrl
The present invention relates to a packaging
nrrdrigement for the containment of at least one
hydrophilic Contact lens in a sterile aqueous solution.
More specifically, the invention pertains to a packaging
arrangemstit wherein a plurala.ty of disposable hydrophilic
contact lenses are contained in a specific number of
individual packaging arrangements adapted to lee
I
collectively housed in a box-like container or carton so
as to provide a specified or essentially measured. supply
Of contact lErises for use by a COnSUmer over a
2fl predetermined per~.od of time _
In particular, the invention is directed to the
aspect of prov~,ding an improved attachment between the
'-' base members of blister packages housing the contact
lexlses, and a fXexible cover sheet utilized for sealing
engagement with the base members_
The packaging of hydrophilic contact lerise% is
a sterile aqueous solution is well knov~rn in the contact
lens manufacturing technology. Its particular, such
packaging arrangements generally consist of so-called
blister packages which are employQd for the storage and
dispensing of the hydrophilic contact lenses by a medical
practitioner or to consumer who intends to wear the
contact lenses_ Generally, such hydrophilic contact
lenses, which may be disposable after a single wear or
short-term use, are manufactured rom suitable
hydrophilic polymer~.C materials- These materials may be,
~ongst others, copolymers of hydroxyethyl methacrylate
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containing from about 20~ to 90~ or more of watery
depending upon the polymer composition. Generally, such
contact lenses must. be stored ir-r a sterile aqueous
solution, usually in isotonic saline solution in order to
prevent dehydration and to maint:a.in the lenses in a
ready-to-wear condi.tian.
2. Discussion of the Pr~.or Art
Heretofore, contact. lens manufacturers normally
7.0 utilized stoppered glass bottles containing sterile
saline solutions in which the hydrophilic contact lenses
were immersed as storage and shipping containers for
individual contact lenses. Each bottle was sealed with a
suitable silicone stopper and provided with a metal
1.5 closure as a safety seal ir3 the configuration of an
overcap. When the ~~ontact lens was intended to be
removed from the bottle for use by a patient, the metal
closure safety seal was required to be initially torn off
the bottle, thereafter the stopper withdrawn and the lens
c;0 lifted out from the bottle through the intermediary of a
suitable plastic tweeter or ;pouring the contents out.
This entailed the implementation of an extremely
complicated procedure, sine°e the cant.act lens was
difficult to grasp and remCwe from the saline solution
25 contained in the bottle due to the transparent nature of
the contact lens which rendered it practically invisible
to the human eye.
More recently, containments in the form of
blister packages have been developed for hydrophilic
30 contact lenses, and which enable the storage and shipping
of the hydrophilic contact lenses in a simple and
inexpensive expedient manner, while concurrently
facilitating the conveniently easy removal of the contact
lens by a practitioner or a patient.
~~5 For instance, a k~lister package which is
adapted to provide a sterile sealed storage environment
for a disposable or single-use hydrophilic contact lens,
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wherein the lens is imm87CSed in a sterile aquAOUs
solution; for example, such as in an isotonic sa~,~.ne
solution, is described in U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 to
Martinea; which is assigned-to ,the common.~.s.i~xnee of the
pxesent applicatioa~. . .._ .~_ . ____ __ .-. _...
Thus, in the above-mentioned Martinet U.S.
patent, the blister package for storing and dispensing a
hydrophilic contact lens ineludeS an injection-molded or
thermoformed plastic base portion inGOrpoxatiag a molded
cavity which is surrounded by ari outstanding planar
,.,. flange about th~ xxm of the cavity_ A flexible cover
shee'~ is adhered to the surface of -the flange so as to
sealinc~ly enclose the cavity in a generally liquid-tight
mode_ Within the cavity of the base portion, a
hydrophilic contact lens is immersed ~.n a sterile aqueou:c
solution, such as an isotonic saline soltttion_ A portion
of the side wall of the cavity is inCiined to form a ramp
extending upwardly towards the flange from the bottom of
the cavity, ~snd the cover sheet is adapted tp be stripped
from the flange in ordex to expose the cavity and
inclined side wall thereof whereupon the lens may bE
___... readily manually removed by being slid upwardly and out
of the cavity t~long the inclined ramp surface of the
cavzty._ _. .._ _-__ .__ ._ _. .__--.. . . __-.-_ _._ ..__
Other known embodiments of hl~.ster packages have
the lens-containing cavity shaped to be of an essentially
semi-spherical configuration whi.eh is dimensioned so as to
~'e adapted to closely support the contact lens therein
immersed in an aqueous solution for ease of removal and
also to facil~.tate an inspection pxocess. Moreover, the
foregoing construction primarily considers the
utilizatior~ of such blister packages for the
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dispensing of individual contact lenses, with such
blister packages being ord:i.narily separate or. single
packagings, which may then be housed in larger quantities
in a further container, suG:h as a ~i.gid cardboard or
paperboard carton of usual construction employed for the
retail sales of the lenses.
It is an important aspect to be able to furnish
a user of such disposable hydrophilic contact lenses with
a specific supply of contact lenses, the latter of which
7.0 are normally worn for only a single day; in essence, for
ordinarily 8 to 18 hours within a 24-hour period and
thereafter discarded. Hereby, the packaging of a supply
of contact lenses should enable the user to store and
provide indication for replenishing the supply of contact
1.5 lenses at regular intervals; for example, at periads of
5, 10, 15, 30 days or even longer. Consequently,
provision is made for packaging arrangements including
specified quantities of such hydrophilic contact lenses
contained in blister packages, such as being in suitable
20 interconnected arrays, wherein these packaging
arrangements are adapted tca be boxed in a carton enabling
a rapid and precise determination as to the quantity of
hydrophilic contact lenses contained therein, and with
such packaging arrangements being of a compact nature
25 which is completely protective of the hydrophilic lenses.
~iTMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In essence, the inventive concept pertains to
packaging arrangements in which a plurality of blister
?0 packages each has a cavity containing respectively one
hydrophilic contact lens ir°~ a ster:a.le aqueous solution,
A specified quantity of such blister packages has the
molded plastic base members thereof each containing a
contact lens positioned in a contiguous array, and is
~t5 initially covered by a single flexible cover sheet
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~ 1 i~~i~~~,~
constituted of a laminated foil or other materials, such
as metallized PET, PC to enhance barrier properties, or a
layer of the laminate structure including silicon oxide
on a plastic laminate to provide barrier properties in
order to provide a sealed environment for each of the
contact lenses contained in the c:av~.t:y formed in each
base member. The flexible cover sheet may be dimensioned
to cover a single base member to provide an individual or
single packaging arrangement, or, in an alternative
7.0 concept, may be in the fcarm of str ps whereby adjoining
base members are severable interconnected to enable the
dispensing of individual blister packages each containing
one of the hydrophilic contact lenses as may be required
by a user. In particular, a plurality of such arrays of
packaging arrangements for contact lenses, which arrays
or individual blister packages are adapted to be arranged
in one or more containers.
Each of t:he blister package base members, which
may possess a substantially rectangular outstanding
planar flange encom;~assing a respective contact lens
receiving cavity formed therein, the latter of which may
be offset towards one end c~f the flange, and may
incorporate integral support structure formulating
rigidly supported and coanpact packaging arrangements such
that the cavities containing the hydrophilic contact
lenses of superimposed arrays are substantially protected
against potentially damaging external influences, such as
shocks or impacts which may :be imparted thereto during
handling thereof.
~~0 Each molded plastic base member of a blister
package may be constituted from a suitable injection
molded or thermoformed thermoplastic sheet material, such
as, for instance, polypropylene, PET, PC and other
thermoplastic, materials; whereas the flexible cover sheet
may be constituted of a laminate or other type of barrier
material, as mentioned hereinabove, suitably imprinted
and which is adapted to be heat-sealed to the flange
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extending about the cavity of the package containing the
hydrophilic contact lens. The flexible cover sheet may
be of a material composition and imprinted in a novel
manner as is disclosed in EP-A-0 64G 471, entitled
"Method of Double-Sided Printing of a Laminate and
Product Obtained Thereby", commonly assigned to the
assignee of the present application.
More particularly, the invention provides A
package arrangement for the sealed containment of at
least one hydrophilic contact lens in a sterile aqueous
solution; comprising: (a) a plurality of injection
molded or thermoformed plastic base members each of them
having a cavity for containing a Contact Lens immersed in
said solution, each of said base members including a
flange extending outraardly about the periphery of said
cavity, said cavity consisting of an indentation
extending from the plane of said flange of said each base
member and a continuous groove formed in the plane of
said flange and extending closely inwardly of the
peripheral edge of said flange; and (b) a flex~.ble cover
sheet superimposed over said base members and dimensioned
to be detachably sealed to a surface area of said flange
extending about said cavity and including said cover
sheet having the portions thereof located in alignment
with said peripheral groove depressed into said groove so
as to foam a clamping engagement with said flange
coextensive raith said continuous groove, said flexible
cover sheet being dimensioned to interconnect said
plurality of said base members in a striplike array for
the containment of a specified number of said contact
lenses arranged one in each cavity of each of said base
members, and said flexible cover sheet commonly extending
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avex said plurality of base members and being sealingly
connected to each said flange of respectively each said
base member.
Tn many instances, when arrays of blister
packages are formed, in essence, with the base members
having the cavities therein containing the hydrophilic
contact lenses, the individual base members are
positioned on a production line so as not to be in direct.
contact with each other or only in a closely spaced
relationship, whereby the superposition thereon of the
flexible cover sheet is implemented through apparatus
which does not always accurately position the cover sheet
over the collective sequentially spaced blister package
ba$e members. Consequently, although the surfaces of thc:
flexible cover sheets facing the individual base mettibers
may provide adequate sealing adherence about the
periphery or confines of the cavities containing the
contact lenses, it may be necessary to provide engagement
with at least peripheral surface portions of the flanges
extending in spaced relationship about the cavities to
form essentially closed and peripherally sealed blister
packages without the need for the provision of adhesive
materials.
In order to achieve the foregoing sealing or
joining effect between the base members and the flexible
cover sheet, each of the base members as described
hereinbelow may have the peripheral edges of the flange
suxface provided with a continuously extending groove or
recess extending pxoxzmate the periphery thereof, so as
to enable a pressure die having a configuration
complementary to the shape of the groove to force
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_7_
superimposed flexible cover sheet. into sealing engagement
with the peripheral groove. Thereafter, the cover sheet
may be trimmed and severed to form individual blister
packages while permitting the material of the flexible
cover sheet which is engaged in the flange groove to form
a sealing adherence with the groove wall structure. A
corner of the package may be reduced in size in order to
more easily enable grasping of the li.d or cover sheet so
as to start the removal thereof from the package. This
1.0 will enable the formation of the individual blister
packages, each containing respectively one of the
hydrophilic contact. lenses without the need of having to
precisely position 'the continuous flexible cover sheet
over the sequence o:E blister. packages being produced.
1.5 Although the foregoing is described with regard
to blister packages each containing a hydrophilic contact
lens in a generally semi-spherical cavity, this inventive
concept is equally appli~:a~>1e to blister packages having
the cavity in the shape of a generally rectangular
c.0 configuration with one upwardly sloping ramp surface as
shown in the above-mentioned U.S. Patent No. 4,691,820 to
Martinet. In that .instance, it is also possible to form
a peripheral groove in the edge portion of the flange
surface extending about the :rectangular confines of the
25 base member so as to enable. the pressure die to force the
material of the fle:~cible cover sheet into engagement with
the peripheral groove, thereby forming a sealing
connection with the base member. fhe groove additionally
serves to prevent the foil or material of the cover sheet
30 from extending beyond the edges of the blister package or
base member which, swonceivably, could cause dams to occur
in downstream processing equipment during production. An
embossing die which tucks the cover sheet material into
the peripheral groove on the base member is chamfered at
35 one corner so as not to tuck the material into the groove
as far at that location. This serves as the point at
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which the user may grasp the flexible cover sheet and
detach and remove it from the base member. A tip of
embossing die is designed to "iron out" wrinkles that
form naturally during the actual pressing of the foil.
In other words, simply tucking foil will cause wrinkling,
but this die deforms (draws) the material during
insertion so that no wrinkles appear.
Accordingly, i~ is an object of the present
invention to provide a novel construction for blister
1.0 packages each containing a cavity housing a hydrophilic
contact lens immersed in are aqueous solution, whereby a
flexible cover sheet is adhered to periphery of a flange
of the base portion of the blister package through
interengaging surface structure of the components.
1.5 A more specific: abject of the present invention
is to provide blister packages for the containment of
hydrophilic contact lenses, wherein a planar flange
structure of a base member of the package has a
peripheral groove formed therein and extending along the
20 edges thereof, into which groove there may be sealingly
engaged the materia:L of a flexible saver sheet to provide
an attachment of the cover sheet to the base member,
while preventing the material from extending beyond the
edges of the base member through imparting a reduced size
25 to a corner of the package to mate with a particular
section of the emboss i.ng die .
Yet. another object of the present invention is
to provide a method of attaching a flexible cover sheet
to a flange portion of a base member f_ar a blister
30 package through effectuating a mechanical sealing
engagement between the material of the flexible cover
sheet and a groove structure formed in the flange.
BRIEF' DBSCRIPT~ON OF THE D ~,AWI~iGS
35 Reference rnay ~zow be ha~i to the following
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!~ .~ ~J ~i
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detailed description of an exemplary embodiment of the
invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings; in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a top plan view of a base
portion of a blister package base member pursuant to the
invention;
Figure 2 illustrates a bottom view of the base
member;
Figure 3 illustrates a side view of the base
J.0 member;
Figure 4 illustrates an end view of the base
member;
Figure 5 illustrates a sectianal view taken
along line 5-5 in Figure 1~
7.5 Figure 6 illustrates, on an enlarged scale, a
fragmentary view of the edge portion of the base member
shown in the encircled pardon .A of Figure 5;
Figure 7 illustrates a typical pressure die
which is adapted to force the material of a flexible
a'.0 cover sheet into a peripheral groove formed in the base
member of the blister package;
Figure 8 illustrates an enlarged sectional
fragmentary view taken in the encircled pardon B of
Figure 7: and
a'.5 Figure 9 illustrates, generally
diagrammatically, the blister package of Figure l, shown
with the cover sheet adhered thereto.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
:30 Referring now in specific detail to an
embodiment of a blister package construction, there is
illustrated a base member :LO, as shown in Figure 1, which
has a planar flange 1~ of generally rectangular
configuration in plan view, and which possess rounded end
.35 corners 14, although if desired it is also possible to
produce the flange 12 with sharp end corners.
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Offset towards one end of the f:Lange 12 is a cavity 16
which, in this instance, is of generally semi-circular
configuration and which .is adapted to receive therein a
hydrophilic contact. lens whzich i:; izrzzx~ersed in a sterile
5 saline solution, a5 is well known .ire the technology.
Molded into the ~alanar flange 12 proximate the
cavity 16 is an indentation or depression 18, which may
be of a generally frusto-conical planar configuration,
which is coextensive and spaced from the perimeter of the
J_0 cavity 16, and wherein the depre;~s.ion 18 is formed
primarily for the purpose of reinforcing the planar
flange 12 and to strengthen the latter against lateral
deflection tending to break the seal about the cavity 16
formed with a cover sheet. Imparting pressure against
J_5 the flexible cover material in this xegion may also
assist in detaching the former f-_rom its engagement with
the base member.
Formed along the periphery of the rectangular
flange 12 and slightly offset inwardly of the edge
thereof is a continuous peripheral groove 24 which
imparts a stiffening strengthening tca the structure of
the flange, with an increased radius at one or two
corners 14a to allow the user to attain an easier grip on
the lid or flexible cover :sheet. 'i~he peripheral groove
24 is adapted to be covered, as is the remaining flange
surface, by a flexible cover sheet ofthe type as
described hereinabove, and whereby the surface of the
flexible cover sheet extending about the cavity 16
containing the contact lens is adhesively fastened
thereto.
In order to provide a sealing or clamping
engagement between the surface of the flange 12 facing
flexible cover sheet and the latter, a suitable pressure
die 30 having a protrusion 32 coexteri.sive with the
perimeter of the groove in the flange 12 is forced
downwardly into engagement with the surface of the
flexible cover sheet so as to force the material thereof
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21 ~ 3~'~~
11 ~-
into the groove extending clang the perimeter of the
flange of the blister package base member. fhe width and
depth of the groove is dimensioned to cause a clamping
engagement to take place w.~.th the flexible cover sheet
material which is forced therein by the die 30, so as to
essentially provide a mechanical sealing engagement
between the cover sheet and the flange 12 of the blister
package base member within the confines of the peripheral
groove.
J.0 In case of an embodiment in which the material
of the cover sheet forms arc interconnecting strip with
portions thereof located externally of the perimeter of
the blister package. base member, such material may be
severed or suitable weakening lines formed therein in
1.5 order to form a continuous array or strip of a
predetermined number of detachably interconnected blister
packages.
With respect to the foregoing, although the
invention has been described with regard to a blister
20 package having a generally semi-spherical cavity 16 for
receiving a contact lens, it is also equally applicable
to the flange structure disclosed in (J.S. Patent No.
4,691,820 to Martinet by simply molding a groove into the
peripheral edge portion of the generally rectangular
25 flange portion of the base member. 'his will enable the
material of the flexible cover sheet to be pressed into
the groove by means of the pressure die, as described
hereinabove, and which will provide for a sealing
engagement analogous to that in the previously described
..0 embodiment .
From the foregoing it becomes readily apparent
that by means of the invention incorporating the
peripheral groove in the flange portion of a base member
for a blister package, through a sample cooperating
35 pressure die structure, it is possible to cause the
superimposed flexible cover sheet to come into clampingly
sealing engagement with the peripheral groove in the
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2 ~ 73~~~
flange portion to resultingly form a mechanical seal
between the flexible cover sheet and the periphery of the
base member of the blister package. This will enable the
production of blister packages in a continuous and
sequential manner witYzout t:.he necesity for having to
consider minor deviations and tolerances in the
positioning of the flexible c~ovei: sheet over subsequent
or sequentia7.ly produced blister packages, inasmuch as
the latter will always be aligned in ~oaperation with the
1.0 pressure die superimposed thereover for the formation of
the sealing engagement w:itY~ tYie groove in the base
member.
While there has been shown and described what
are considered to be preferred embodiments of the
1.5 invention, it will, of course, be understood that various
modifications and changes in form or detail could readily
be made without departing from the spirit of the
invention. Tt is, therefore, intended that t:he invention
be not limited to the exact form and detail herein shown
c.0 and described, nor to anytYaing less than the whole of the
invention herein di;~closed as hereinafter claimed.
