Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Title of the Invention: Contact Lens Package and Assembly
Background of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging and more particularly relates to a
novel
package and package assembly for contact lenses.
Soft contact lenses have been increasing in popularity ever since they were
first
introduced in the 1970's. Improved manufacturing methods have led to reduced
manufacturing costs to the point where disposable contact lenses are an
economically
viable and attractive alternative for the consumer. This, coupled with very
strong
competition in the contact lens market, creates the need for innovative,
inexpensive, and
easy to use disposable packages in which soft contact lenses may be
individually
packaged, safely shipped and stored until ready to use by the consumer, at
which time the
contact lens is removed from the package which is then discarded.
Contact lenses are very small, delicate articles which must be handled with
great
care from the time they are manufactured to the time they are used and
ultimately
discarded. Once manufactured, they are inspected and packaged for shipping to
the
consumer, usually in the hydrated state. A popular contact lens package which
is
especially designed for packaging single contact lenses is the so-called
"blister pack"
which generally comprises a molded, rigid, plastic container having a planar
top surface
with a concave-shaped well formed therein and wherein a single contact lens is
placed
with a quantity of storage fluid. A flexible cover is sealed about the
perimeter of the top
surface of the container whereupon the blister packs are boxed and shipped to
the
consumer who peels back the flexible cover to retrieve the lens. An example of
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disposable contact lens blister package may be seen in commonly owned U.S.
Pat. No.
5,722,536.
Contact lenses which are frequently replaced by the consumer (e.g., daily,
weekly) have become very popular since they do not need to be cleaned and
sterilized as
often as contact lenses used in a traditional wearing regime. Consumers of
frequent
replacement lenses of course need to maintain a larger supply of lenses on
hand than do
consumers of contact lenses using a traditional wearing regime. It is thus
desirable to
maintain as small a package as possible while making it easy for the consumer
to open
the package and retrieve the lens, while also having a package wherein a
plurality of such
packages may be easily and unobtrusively carried by the consumer (e.g., in a
pocket,
purse or suitcase). Efficient shipping and subsequent ha.ndling of a plurality
of disposable
contact lens packages by the consumer are thus very inmportant packaging
design criteria,
especially for frequent replacement lenses.
Summary of the Invention
A disposable package and package assembly are disclosed for contact lenses. A
single package comprises a flange with a well formed therein for holding a
contact lens in
solution. A flexible cover sheet extends over the flange and is sealed about
the perimeter
of the well to seal the lens and solution in the well. The cover sheet may be
easily peeled
from the flange by a user to access the lens held therein_ First and second
support
structures are formed opposite each other and extend generally perpendicularly
from the
flange. The support structures are configured to stably support the package on
a flat
surface such as a table.
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Each support structure includes a major wall and a minor wall lying in
generally
spaced, parallel planes to each other although the major and minor walls may
interconnect or touch along one or more points thereof. In a preferred
embodiment, the
minor wall is located inwardly of a respective major wall.
A package assembly is also disclosed including a second package configured
substantially the same as a first package wherein the first and second
packages may be
releasably attached to each other with the first and second support structures
of each in
meshing engagement with each other.
Brief Description of the Drawing
Figure 1A is a perspective view of a package according to a preferred
embodiment of the
invention;
Figure 1B is the view of Fig. 1 A showing the cover sheet attacried thereto;
Figure 1C is the view of Fig. 1B showing the cover sheet partially lifted from
the
package;
Figure 1D is a fragmented, cross-sectional view of the package well and raised
surface
surrounding the well;
Figure 2 is a front elevational view of Fig. 1A;
Figure 3 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Figure 4 is a side elevational view of Fig. 1B;
Figure 5 is a side elevational view opposite Figure 4;
Figure 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 1A;
Figure 7 is a bottom plan view thereof;
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Figure 8 is a perspective view showing a package assembly cornprising first
and second
packages removably attached together;
Figure 9 is a front elevational view thereof;
Figure 10 is a rear elevational view thereof;
Figure 11 is a side elevational view thereof;
Figure 12 is a side elevational view thereof opposite the view of Figure 11;
Figure 13 is a top plan view thereof;
Figure 14 is a bottom plan view thereof; and
Figure 15 is a side elevational, cross-sectional view taken generally along
the line 15-15
in Fig. 14.
Detailed Description
Referring to the drawing, there is seen in Figures 1-7 a first contact lens
package
designated generally by the reference numeral 10. Package 10 includes a base
member
12 preferably formed of a plastic material such as polypropylene, for example,
although
other materials may be used as desired. Base member 12 is preferably formed by
an
injection molding process as a unitary piece. For the purpose of providing
points of
reference herein, the reference letter "F" denotes what is considered the
front of the
package 10, "R" denotes what is considered the rear of the package, and S 1
and S2 denote
what is considered the opposite sides of the package (Fig. 1). gase member 12
includes a
flange 13 having a top surface 14a and opposite bottom surface 14b (Fig. 7).
Flange 13
extends from the perimeter 16a of a well 16, the well being appropriately
shaped and
sized to hold a contact lens 20 and a quantity of solution 22 therein in
sealed containment
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by a cover sheet 18 (Figs. 1B, 1C, 4 and 5) until ready for use. A raised
surface 16b is
formed about well perimeter 16a against which cover sheet 18 is sealed
(usually with the
application of pressure and/or heat) with the remaining cover sheet portions
remaining
unsealed. As seen best in Figs. 1A and 1D, a ledge 16c is formed between
raised surface
16 and well perimeter 16a. Should raised surface 16b compress during the
sealing
operation, it may spread as indicated at 16b'. By providing ledge 16c, lens 20
may be slid
out of well 16 without encountering spread portion 16b' and potential damage
to the lens
is thereby averted.
In the preferred embodiment shown and described herein, flange 13 has an outer
perimeter 13' preferably having substantially straight, parallel, opposite
sides S1 and S2,
and curved front and rear portions F and R having opposite ends F' and R'
defined along
the maximum length LMAX of base member 12 (Figs. 3 and 6). When placed on a
flat
surface such as surface 40 (Figs. 4 and 5), it is preferred that front end F'
contacts the flat
surface 40 while rear end R' is raised relative thereto (see Fig: 3).
In one aspect of the invention, well 16 is dimensioned to substantially center
lens
therein while at the same time provide a configuration which intuitively
informs a user
how to slide the lens 20 from well 16. More particularly, well 16 is
substantially
symmetrical about the x and y axes and the radius of curvature Rl along the x
axis is
larger than the radius of curvature R2 of the y axis. Well 16 including well
perimete-r 16a
20 tapers inwardly about axis x from the center of the well 16 (where x and y
intersect)
toward front portion F to create a narrowing slope. A user seeing this
narrowing slope
will intuitively slide lens 20 along the slope and out of the well 16.
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In a preferred aspect of the invention, well 16 is dimensioned to
substantially
center lens 20 therein while at the same time provide a configuration which
intuitively
informs a user how to slide the lens 20 from well 16. More particularly, well
16 is
substantially symmetrical about the x axis and the perimeter 16a tapers
inwardly about
axis x from the center of the well 16 (where x and y intersect) towards front
portion F to
create a narrowing slope and an overall .egg-shaped appearance to well 16. A
user seeing
this narrowing slope will intuitively slide lens 20 along the slope and out of
the well 16.
The egg-shaped bottom of the well is slightly flattened and the radius of
curvature of the
sidewall is substantially the same completely around the perimeter.
In another aspect of the invention, base member 12 includes first and second
support structures 24, 26 extending from the flange 13 and located opposite
each other
(Fig. 2). Each support structure 24, 26 includes a major wal128a,b and a minor
wall
30a,b, respectively. Major wall 28a,b lies in a generally spaced, parallel
plane to a
respective minor wall 30a,b, although they may overlap, touch or interconnect
at one or
more points such as at 32a, b thereof (see Fig. 7). In a preferred embodiment,
each minor
wal130a, b tapers inwardly and terminates at a rounded point 30a', b'. In a
further
preferred embodiment, each major wall 28a, b includes in a linear edge 28a',
b' which
supports base member 12 when placed on a flat surface 40 such as a table (see
Figs. 4 and
5). In yet a further preferred embodiment, major wa1128a, b includes a sloped
side edge
28c, d, respectively, which forms an angle "a" with the adjacent side edge
30c, 30d of
minor wa1130a, b, respectively, when viewed from the side. In a further
embodiment,
linear edge 28a', b' blends into a curved wall portion 28e, f, respectively,
the bottom
edge of which extends upward toward flange 13 and terminates at rear end R'.
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Referring to Fig. 7, one or more ribs 35a-d may be formed on the inwardly
facing
surface of major walls 28a and 28b to increase the rigidity and strength
thereof.
In a further preferred embodiment, flange 13 curves slightly downwardly at the
front portion F of the package 10 to form a "tongue" portion 13a. It is
preferred that well
16 has a length Lt that is about the same as the length L2 of tongue portion
13a as viewed
from above (Fig. 6), although this may vary as desired: The curvature of
tongue portion
13a allows a user to grasp it between an index finger and thumb, the index
finger pressing
against the underside of tongue portion 13 a and the thumb resting on the top
surface of
the tongue portion 13a. The tongue portion 13a curves gently about the
roundness of the
finger and the finger may further abut up against the minor wall portions 30a,
30b to
provide a secure yet comfortable hold on the package using either the right or
left hand.
Cover sheet 18 extends in covering relation over substantially the entirety of
flange 13,
including tongue portion 13a (Figs. 1B, 4 and 5). To remove lens 20 from well
16, a user
first lifts cover 18 at front portion F (Fig: 1 C) and then peels cover sheet
18 from raised
surface 16b. This may be easily accomplished by using one hand to grasp and
pull cover
sheet 18 while simultaneously stabilizing base member 12 with the other hand
as
described above.
In another aspect of the invention, tongue portion 13a may include a through
hole
13b wherein the unsealed portions of cover sheet 18 extending thereover may be
pressed
to form a recessed dimple 18a within through hole 13b (see Figs. 4 and 5).
This creates
an interference fit between the unsealed portions of cover sheet 18 and flange
tongue 13a
which helps maintain the unsealed portions of cover sheet 18 in place over
tongue portion
13a during storage of lens 20 in well 16. When a user wishes to open package
10, the user
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presses a finger from beneath and up against recessed dimple 18a to disengage
dimple
18a from through hole 13b. Cover sheet 18 may then be easily lifted away from
flange 13
and peeled off raised surface 16b to expose well 16 and lens 20 contained
therein.
The package 10 has been designed to create a center of gravity closer to rear
portion R than to front portion F. This is particularly useful during
manufacturing
operations where temporary vertical stacking of packages 10 is required (all
in the same
orientation). When stacked in this manner (not shown), the support structures
of the
upper package rests on the flange 13 of the lower package yet the tongue
portions remain
spaced from each other. If the center of gravity were closer to front portion
F, the upper
package may tip and create an unstable stack of packages. By making the center
of
gravity closer to the rear portion R, the front of the packages do not tip and
the stack is
stable.
In yet another aspect of the invention, a package assembly 5 O is disclosed
comprising first and second packages 10, 100 which may be releasably attached
to one
another in nesting relationship (see Figs. 8-15). Parts of package 100 which
correspond to
parts on first package 10 have been increase by a factor of 100. Since second
package
100 is essentially identical to first package 10, detailed description of the
parts of second
package 100 is not deemed necessary.
To releasably attach first and second packages 10, 100 together, the bottom
surfaces thereof 14b, 114b are placed in facing relation with the wells 16,
116 of each
placed in side-by-side relation. In this orientation, first package 10 is
rotated 180 relative
to second package 110. The support structures 24, 26 and 124, 126 of each
package are
placed in meshing engagement with the angled edge 28c, 28d of each major wall
28a,
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28b of the first package 10 lying in abutting relation to the angled edges
128c, 128d of
each major wall 128a, 128b of the second package 110, respectively. The minor
walls
30a, 30b of first package 10 are in coplanar, yet spaced relation and located
inwardly of
major walls 28a, 28b, 128a, 128b, respectively (i.e., toward a respective well
16, 116).
The minor walls 28a, 28b and 128a, 128b are hidden from view when the packages
10,
_100 are attached together (see Figs. 8,. 11 and 12). The.frictional contact
between the
meshing support structures of packages 10, 110 are such that the packages may
be
handled as a single unit, yet are easily separated at time of use.
In the preferred embodiment, when in this nested configuration of packages 10
and 110, the perimeter (as defined by the major walls, major wall curved
portions and
front and rear ends of each attached package) of the package assembly 50 is
cornpletely
closed as seen best in Figs. 8-12. To form a completely closed perimeter, the
lower-most
edges of the entire perimeter of first package 10 are configured so that they
align in
closely abutting relation with the lower-most edges of the entire perimeter of
second
package 110. This is accomplished by making the curvature of the front F of a
package
the reverse profile of the curvature of the rear R of the same package. As
such, by
rotating one package 180 with respect a second, inverted package, the front F
of one
package 10 matches the profile of the rear R of the attached package 100 and
vice-versa.
The combined packages form a package assembly 50 which is easy to handle and
attractive, and easy to use.
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