WO1994009399A1

WO1994009399A1 - Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses

Info

Publication number: WO1994009399A1
Application number: PCT/GR1993/000019
Authority: WO
Inventors: Nectarios Kissandrakis
Original assignee: Nectarios Kissandrakis
Priority date: 1992-10-20
Filing date: 1993-10-19
Publication date: 1994-04-28
Also published as: GR920100472A; CA2125651A1; AU5154793A; JPH07502612A; EP0629300A1

Abstract

A case for storing and cleaning contact lenses comprising a container (3) being filled with suitable cleaning liquid and a movable mechanism screwed on top (2) of the container. The contact lenses are mounted at suitable locations of the movable mechanism so that they may be immersed within the cleaning liquid and each lies in between a pair of reversely rotating blade bearing means (7, 8, 11). These blade bearing means are set in alternate clockwise and anticlockwise rotation when a top head cover (2) of the case is pressed downwards and then returns under the action of a compression spring (16). This operation results in the above blades mildly sweeping off any proteinic or other remnants from both the inner concave and outer convex surfaces of the contact lenses.

Description

Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses

THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a case for the storing of contact lenses comprising means for the removal of the proteinic and other remnants both from the inner and outer surfaces of the lenses.

THE BACKGROUND ART Cases for contact lenses of the prior art are simple, small baskets, wherein contact lenses are immersed and kept within purifying and preserving liquids. In this manner the lenses can be disinfected, but the organic remnants on the surface of the lenses, which are the main cause of irritation of the eye and of dimness of the lenses themselves, are not removed. That's why in many systems of contact lenses cleaning, soft rubbing of the lenses in between the fingers or with a special cloth is suggested before the sterilization. This speci fic activity is however a very fine process and may be dangerous for the integrity of the lens, whereas it certainly reduces its service l ife.

For the same purpose, micro-apparatuses of oscillation of the contact lenses within the liquid of purification have been also manufactured. However such devices are bulky, they function with batteries and they are not sufficiently effective.

The object of the present invention is therefore to efficiently overcome the abovement 1 oned problems and drawbacks of the prior art by providing a case for storing contact lenses, wherein the lenses may also be cleaned by simple manual operation.

The case of the present invention can on the one hand be used as a typical case in the form of a small basket for the contact lenses and on the other hand it comprises an incorporated system of thin soft rubber blades. The blades can move and rotate on the same axis in both clockwise and anticlockwise course of rotation by instantaneously pressing a part of the apparatus with the finger. By means of their rotation, the blades sweep the inner and outer surfaces of the lenses which have been placed in between them, thereby removing every foreign object, proteinic and other remnants stuck upon the lenses.

The blades are made from soft rubber and they are properly shaped so that the lenses may fit in between them and thereby avoid being damaged or harassed during rubbing.

The entire case is sl ightly larger than a conventional case, it is air-tight and water-tight, and is as handy to use as the conventional case. Further, the proposed case can be used in relation with al l available contact lens cleaning systems, offering a substantial improvement in their cleaning performance. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is herein presented with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Fig.1 shows a perspective analytical view of al l the parts of the case with indications of the manner of their assembl ing.

Fig.2 shows a front sectional view of the case which is completely assembled.

Figs 3a-b and 4a-b show a front and rear view of the frames 9 and 10 respectively.

Figs 5a-c show a front, planar and side view of the base 4 of the 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 smal l basket means 11.

Figs 8c-d show a side view and a side cross-sectional view of the smal l basket 11.

Figs 9a-c show a sectional, front and rear view of the blade bearing member 7.

Figs 10 a-c show a sectional, front and rear view of the blade bearing member 8.

Figs 11 a-b show bottom and top planar views of the case cover means 2.

Figs 11c-d show two side views of the case covering means

2.

Fig.12 shows a partial ly sectional frontal view of head and piston means 1.

Figs 13a-c show a front, rear and longitudinal view of sha ft 6.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The invention wi l l now be made apparent to those ski l led in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein is depicted a preferred embodiment.

In accordace to the i llustrated preferred embodiment, the proposed case for storing and cleaning contact lenses comprises a container 3 for the cleaning liquid, and a movable mechanism comprising a cover means 2 on top of abovementioned container 3, a head and piston means 1, on top of abovementioned cover means 2, a compression spring 16 around piston member 100 of head and piston means 1, a jaw means 13 connected to the head and piston means 1 and to a contact lens supporting unit, the contact lens supporting unit comprising a central base unit 4, a gear 5 inserted within a slot of the central base unit 4 , a shaft 6 passing through the central base unit 4, blade bearing means 7 and 8 mounted on either side of shaft 6 for the abrasive cleaning of the inner surface of contact lenses, frame members 9 and 10 mounted on either side of central base unit 4, each 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 means 13 acting as transmission means to transfer the movement of head and piston means 1 to the contact lens supporting unit so as to set in clockwise and anticlockwise rotation respectively the blade bearing means 11 for the abrasive cleaning of the outer surface of contact lenses and the blade bearing means 7 and 8 for the abrasive cleaning of the inner surface of contact lenses, when one of such contact lenses is placed in between blade bearing means 11 and 7 and the otherone of these contact lenses is placed in between blade bearing means 11 and 8.

Analytically, as depicted in Figs 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 which lies slightly below the centre of the contact lens supporting unit which is therefore partially immersed therein. The upper open end of cleaning liquid container 3 is provided with an external circumferential threading, whereupon is fitted when screwed the cover means 2.

The cover means 2 depicted in Figs 1,2 and 11a-d has a general ly polygonal outer surface and a gennerally cylindrical inner surface. The cover means 2 has a central opening 20 to allow passage of piston 100 and a downward extending pair of legs 22, each leg 22 with a T-shaped slot 23 to receive the T-shaped protrusions of the central base unit 4 of the contact lens supporting unit. The cover means 2 has an internal bottom threading appropriate for screwing onto the abovementioned external threading of cleaning l iquid container 3.

The head and piston unit 1 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 12 comprises a general ly cylindrical head 100a of a diameter such as to air-tightly fit within the internally cyl indrical sp a c e 21 of the cover means 2 and a downward extending piston member 100. Piston 100 has a diameter such as to pass through central opening 20 of cover means 2, whereas it is externally surrounded by a compression spring 16 extending between the basement of cover means 2 and the ceiling provided by head 100a. The jaw means 13 depicted in Figs 1, 2 and 6a-b is a π section with internally toothed legs 132 and 133, a central circular opening 130 at the top and rectangular openings 131 on either side of the central circular opening 130.

Piston 1 being formed with a pair of flexible ribs 106 and an intermediate slot 105, is capable of sequentially passing through surrounding compression spring 16 located within the inner space 21 of cover means 2, the central opening 20 of cover means 2, a rubber washer 12 and the central circular opening 130 of jaw means 13, whereby ribs 106 are compressed inwards when passing through opening 130 and extend outwards after having passed through opening 130, thereby preventing piston 100 from moving out from jaw means 13. Besides this, it is noted that the portion of piston 100 extending above jaw means 13 has a diameter larger than that of the portion passing through the opening 130, so as to obstruct rapprochement of jaw means 13 and head and piston means 1. In this way the vertical movement of head and piston means 1 will necessarily lead to corresponding vertical movement of jaw means 13.

During the above described assemblying process, head 1 and spring 16 fit within the cylindrical interior 21 of the cover means 2, whilst the legs 22 being provided at the bottom of cover means 2 pass through the rectangular openings 131 of jaw means 13.

The contact lens supporting unit first comprises 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 slot 41 in between above mentioned plates 4a and 4b allowing the introduction 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 opening 50 of gear 5, a shaft 6 with a generally square cross section, corresponding to that of the central opening 50, passing through both these openings 40 and 50 and being rotatable together with gear 5.

The central base unit 4 is provided with a pair of upper T-shaped protrusions 43 which enter within the abovementioned T-shaped slots 23 of legs 22 of the cover means 2, thereby fixedly connecting the central base unit 4 to the cover means 2. In this assembled condition, legs 133 and 132 of jaw means 13 touch upon the vertical sides 45 and 46 of central base unit 4 and thereby leg 133 lies within the side groove 42 of central base unit 4 and al lows engagenent of its internal ly toothed surface 134 to gear 5, whereas leg 132 with two paral lel internally toothed strips 134a and 134b is allowed to engage with the toothed external ring of blade bearing means 11 on either side of central base unit 4.

The shaft 6 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 13a-c has a generally square section appropriately sized to fit within the 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 means 7 and 8, the latter also acting as means for securing shaft 6 in position within opening 50.

Each of the abovement I oned blade bearing means 7 and 8 is preferably made from rubber and has a convex surface with an arrangement of radially disposed blades 70 and 80 respectively. The radius of curvature of the convex surface of each of blade bearing means 7 and 8 is equal to the radius of curvature of the concave surface of the contact lenses, so that when the contact lenses are mounted onto the convex surface of blade bearing means 7 and 8, the blades 70 and 80 respectively can perform abrasive cleaning of the inner concave surfaces of the contact lenses.

Frame 9 depicted in Figs 1,2, and 4a-b, and frame 10 depicted in Figs 1,2 and 3a-b, are fitted on either side of central base unit 4 by means of a pair of arms 91 and 101 provided at the top of frames 9 and 10 respectively, these arms being fitted onto shafts 44 extending on either side of above mentioned T-shaped protrusions of 43 central base unit 4.

Each of the frames 9 and 10 having a generally rectangular external shape and a circular interior such as to allow mounting of end blade bearing means 11, has a slot 92 and 102 respectively, so as to elastically open the same and al low tight fitting of frames 9 and 10 within a correspondingly circular groove 111 avai lable in each one of blade bearing me ans 1 1 .

Each of the end blade bearing means 11 is made from hard plastic and has a convex surface with an arrangement of radially disposed convex strips 112, the concave surface of which l ies within the interior cavity of blade bearing means 11 and being covered by soft rubber so as to form an arrangement of radial ly disposed blades 113. The radius of curvature of the interior cavity of each of the blade bearing means 11 is equal to the radius of curvature of the convex surface of the contact lenses, so that when the contact lenses are mounted within the interior cavity of blade bearing means 11, the blades 113 can perform abrasive 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 circumferential groove 111 within which fits tightly frame 9 or 10. Adjacent to this circumferent ial groove 111, each blade bearing means 11 is provided with a circumferentially toothed ring 110, which i s engaged with toothed strips 134a and 134b of abovementioned jaw means 13.

The above described device is set in operation as follows: Container 3 is fi lled with the desired cleaning liquid up to the level indicated by point 30, this level being such as to allow a partial immersion of the contact lens supporting unit within the cleaning l iquid. 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 downward protrusions 93,103 of frame members 9 and 10 respectively, whereby the movable mechanism of the case is ready to use. Next, the movable mechanism of the case with the contact lenses instal led therein is placed within the cleaning l iquid container 30 and cover means 2 is screwed onto the cleaning liquid container 30. In this way the lenses are immersed in the cleaning liquid.

Next the user uses his finger to exert a downward pressure upon head 100a of the head and piston unit 1. Then as a result of this vertical downward movement, jaw means 13 performs an equal vertical downward displacement and causes in the first place a clockwise rotation of the pair of blade bearing means 11 and an anticlockwise rotation of the pair of blade bearing means 7 and 8. When head and piston means 1 has reached the bottom of its course, its movement is reversed by means of the pressure exerted by compression spring 16 which is bound to return itself and thereby the head and piston means 1 to its initial position. During the subsequent upward vertical movement of jaw means 13 there results a reversal in the course of rotation, so that each of the blade bearing means 11 now rotates anticlockwise and each of blade bearing means 7 and 8 rotates clockwise. However each one of the contact lenses still remains in between a pair of blade bearing means which rotate reversely, their course of rotation being alternately changed as the vertical movement of head and piston means 1 and jaw means 13 reverses from downward to upward. Thus the rotating blades 70,80 of blade bearing means 7,8 and 113 of blade bearing means 11 mi ldly sweep the concave inner and convex outer surfaces of the lenses and thereby clean them from the proteinic and other remnants stuck upon them, after a desired plural ity of instantaneous downward pressure actions onto head 100a of head and piston means 1 is performed.

The case is made completely air-tight and water-tight by means of the elastic gaskets 12 and 15, the latter being placed in the groove 24 of the top cover 2. In this manner the case is suitable for storing the lenses and it can be used in al l contact lens care taking systems.

It must herein be noted that the invention was described by reference to an i llustrative but not confining embodiment. Various changes and emendmβnts may be performed in the size, shape and form, materials used in the construction of various components without departing from the scope and the aims of the present invention.

Claims

1. Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses, comprising a cleaning liquid container (3) and a movable mechanism comprising a cover means (2) on top of said cleanin liquid container (3), a head and piston means (1) on top of said cover means (2), a compression spring (16) around said piston means (100) vertical ly oriented between a bottom of said cover means (2) and said head means (100a), a jaw means (13) fixedly connected to said head and piston means ( 1) and to a contact lens supporting unit, said contact lens supporting unit comprising a central base unit (4), a gear (5) inserted within a slot (41) of said sentral base unit (4), a shaft (6) passing through a central opening (40) of said central base unit (4) and a central opening (50) of said gear (5), blade bearing means (7,8) on either side of said shaft (6) for the abrasive cleaning of inner concave surfaces of contact lenses, frame members (9,10) on either side of said central base unit (4), each of said frame members (9,10) supporting a blade bearing means (11) for the abrasive cleaning of outer convex surfaces of contact lenses and each of said frame members (9,10) comprising an arm (91,101) hooked onto shafts (44) of said central base unit (4) to firmly connect said frame members (9,10) to said central base unit (4), said jaw means (13) acting as transmission means to transfer a reciprocating movement of said head and piston means (1) to said contact lens supporting unit setting in respective clockwise and anticlockwise rotation said blade bearing means (11) for the abrasive cleaning of the outer surfaces of contact lenses and said blade bearing means (7,8) for the abrasive cleaning of the inner surfaces of contact lenses when each of said contact lenses is mounted in between one of said blade hearing means (11) and one of said blade bearing means (7,8).

2. Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses according to above claim 1, wherein said shaft (6) is fixedly connected to said gear (5) and rotates together with it and wherein said shaft (6) extending on either end of said central base unit (4) comprises ends (60,61) whereupon are fitted said blade bearing means (7,8) being rotatable together with said shaft (6) and said gear (5) and acting so as to secure said shaft (6) in position onto said central base unit (4) .

3. Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses according to above claim 1, wherein each of said blade bearing means

(7,8) comprises a slot (7a, 8a) for correspondingly, fixedly fitting at an end (60,61) of said shaft (6) and an arrangement of convex radially disposed blades (70, 80), said arrangement of convex radially disposed blades (70, 80) having a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the inner concave surface of said contact lenses.

4. Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses accordin to above claim 1, wherein each of said blade bearing means (11) comprises a circumferential groove (111) within which is tightly fitted one of said frame members (9,10), a circumferentially toothed ring (110) engaged with toothed strips (134a-b) of said jaw means (13) and an arrangement of radially disposed blades (113) within an interior cavity of said blade bearing means (11), said interior cavity having a radius of curvature equal to the radius of curvature of the outer convex surface of said contact lenses.

5. Case for storing and cleaning contact lenses, according to above claim 1, wherein said piston (100) of said head and piston means (1) has an end comprising a pair of flexible ribs (106) and intermediate slot (105), said piston (100) sequentially passing through said compression spring (16), a central opening (20) of said cover means (2), a rubber washer (12) and an opening (130) of said jaw means (13), said ribs (106) opening outwards after passing through said opening (130) of said jaw means (13) and fixedly connect said jaw means (13) with said head and piston means (1), wherein said cover means (2) extends downwards to a pair of legs (22), said legs (22) being fixedly connected to a corresponding pair of openings (131) of said jaw means (13), wherein said central base unit (4) comprises a pair of upper T-shaped protrusions (43), said T-shaped protrusions (43) firmly locking within a pair of T-shaped clots (23) of said legs (22) of said cover means (2) and fixedly connecting said central base unit (4) with said cover means (2), wherein said jaw means (13) is a π-section with internal ly toothed legs (132, 133), said legs (132, 133) touching upon vertical sides (45, 46) of said central base unit, wherein said gear (5) is engaged to said internal ly toothed leg (133) and said circumferentiably toothed rings (110) of said blade bearing means (11) on either side of said central base unit (4) are engaged to a pair of toothed strips (134a, b) of said leg (132) and wherein an instantaneous downward pressure of said head (100a) results to a vertical downward movement of said piston (100) and said jaw means (13), wherein said vertical downward movement of said jaw means (13) results to a respective clockwise and anticlockwise rotation of said pair of blade bearing means (11) and said gear (5) and associated pair of blade bearing means (7,8) and return of said compression spring (16) results to a vertical upward movement of said piston (100) and said jaw means (13), said vertical upward movement of said jaw means (13) resulting to a respective anticlockwise and clockwise rotation of said pair of blade bearing means (11) and said gear (5) and associated pair of blade bearing means (7,8).

6. A method for storing and cleaning contact lenses from the proteinic and other remnants stuck upon their inner concave and outer convex surfaces, comprising the following steps :

- placing each one of a pair of contact lenses in between one of said blade bearing means (7,8) and one of said blade bearing means (11) of said movable mechanism of said case for storing and cleaning contact lenses as claimed in any of the above claims 1-5;

- fi lling said container (3) of said case for storing and cleaning contact lenses with cleaning liquid up to a predetermined level (30) such as to obtain a partial immersion of said contact lens supporting unit within said cleaning l iquid; - inserting said movable mechanism of said case for storing and cleaning contact lenses within said cleaning l iquid container (30) and screwing said cover means (2) onto said cleaning liquid container (3) ;

- using one finger to exert an instantaneous downward pressure upon said head (100a) of said head and piston means (1), said downward pressure resulting to a vertical downward movement of said piston (100) and said jaw means (13), said vertical downward movement of said jaw means (13) resulting to α respective clockwise and anticlockwise rotation of said pair of blade bearing means (11) and said gear (5) and associated pair of blade bearing means (7,8) and a consequent return of said compression spring (16) resulting to a vertical upward movement of said piston (100) and said jaw means (13), said vertical upward movement of said jaw means (13) resulting to a respective anticlockwise and clockwise rotation of said pair of blade bearing means (11) and said gear (5) and associated pair of blade bearing means (7,8), whereby a mild reciprocating sweep of the inner concave and outer convex surfaces of said contact lenses is effected by the alternately clockwise and anticlockwise rotating blades of said blade bearing means (7,8 and 11) and said contact lenses are cleaned from the proteinic and other remnants stuck upon their surfaces, after a plural ity of instantaneous downward pressure actions onto said head (100a) of said head and piston means (1).