U.S. patent application number 09/747954 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-06 for contact lens cleaning solution overflow collector.
Invention is credited to Stewart, Kenneth G. III.
Application Number | 20010047816 09/747954 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26867293 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010047816 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Stewart, Kenneth G. III |
December 6, 2001 |
Contact lens cleaning solution overflow collector
Abstract
The invention provides for an anti-drip feature for the common
contact lens cleaning cup so as to avoid spillage of cleaning
solution by providing an overflow container which attaches to the
lens cleaning cup to catch spillage.
Inventors: |
Stewart, Kenneth G. III;
(Sarasota, FL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Barnes & Thornburg
Franklin Tower Bldg.
Suite 500
1401 Eye Street, N.W.
Washington
DC
20005
US
|
Family ID: |
26867293 |
Appl. No.: |
09/747954 |
Filed: |
December 27, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60171660 |
Dec 27, 1999 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
134/104.2 ;
134/902 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A45C 11/005 20130101;
A61L 12/086 20130101; G02C 13/008 20130101; Y10S 134/901
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/104.2 ;
134/902 |
International
Class: |
B08B 003/04 |
Claims
1. An anti-spillage system for contact lens cleaning comprising: a
lens cup with an open top to allow filling of the cup with contact
lens solution, a cap to close the lens cup top, an lens holder
mounted in the lens cup to be immersed in contact lens cleaning
solution, an overflow container connected to a bottom portion of
the lens cup, the overflow container provided with an inner wall
that is spaced apart from an outer wall of the container and with a
bottom floor extended between bottom portions of the inner and
outer wall to define a cavity between the walls for collection of
contact lens solution leaking from the lens cup, and wherein the
inner wall of the overflow container has a configuration similar to
the configuration of a bottom of the lens cup so that the overflow
container and lens cup can nest together.
2. The anti-spillage system of claim 1 wherein the inner wall
configuration is slightly larger than the configuration of the
bottom of the lens cap so that the inner wall snugly fits about the
exterior of the lens cap bottom.
3. The anti-spillage system of claim 1 wherein the inner wall
configuration is slightly smaller than the configuration of the
bottom of the lens cap so that the inner wall snugly fits about an
interior recess in the lens cap bottom.
4. The anti-spillage system of claim 1 wherein the configuration of
the inner wall of the overflow container is composed of spaced
segments the totality of which are similar to the configuration of
the bottom of the lens cup to allow flexure to the inner wall for a
tight nested fit.
5. The anti-spillage system of claim 2 wherein the configuration of
the inner wall of the overflow container is composed of spaced
segments the totality of which are similar to the configuration of
the bottom of the lens cup to allow flexure to the inner wall for a
tight nested fit.
6. The anti-spillage system of claim 3 wherein the configuration of
the inner wall of the overflow container is composed of spaced
segments the totality of which are similar to the configuration of
the bottom of the lens cup to allow flexure to the inner wall for a
tight nested fit.
7. The anti-spillage system of claim 1 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
8. The anti-spillage system of claim 2 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
9. The anti-spillage system of claim 3 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
10. The anti-spillage system of claim 4 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
11. The anti-spillage system of claim 5 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
12. The anti-spillage system of claim 6 wherein a sponge is located
within the cavity to absorb lens solution in the cavity.
13. The anti-spillage system of claim 7 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
14. The anti-spillage system of claim 8 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
15. The anti-spillage system of claim 9 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
16. The anti-spillage system of claim 10 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
17. The anti-spillage system of claim 11 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
18. The anti-spillage system of claim 12 wherein the sponge loosely
fits within the cavity.
Description
[0001] This application claims priority benefit from provisional
application No. 60/171,660 filed Dec. 27, 1999.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a spillage collector for a contact
lens cleaning system. In particular, the invention envisions the
placement of a contact lens cleaning system container in a
collector container during lens cleaning so that leakage from the
contact cleaning system is collected in the container.
[0003] In a known lens cleaning system such as the AOSEPT.RTM.
system of CIBA VISION.RTM., a Novartis Company, a plastic container
is provided with an internal lens basket into which a lens is
placed for cleaning. After placement of the lens into the basket,
disinfectant is poured into the container and the lens basket is
inserted into the container. Lens cleaning occurs by the
disinfectant which due to a chemical reaction with a
platinum-coated neutralizer attached to the bottom of the lens
basket causes bubbling of the disinfectant that cleans proteins and
other debris from the lens in the basket. The cleaning process
normally takes place overnight, i.e. the lens is placed into the
container at bedtime and left to be cleaned over night. The plastic
container has a cap to contain the disinfectant and the cap is
provided with a weep hole to allow release of gasses from the
chemical reaction. Usually, some of the bubbling disinfectant
passes out of the plastic container through the weep hole in the
cap and runs down the outer side of the plastic container onto the
surface on which the container is set.
[0004] The invention concerns itself with a collector to accept the
disinfectant that is discharged through the weep hole in the cap
for the plastic container so that the surface on which the plastic
container is placed is not contaminated by the disinfectant coming
out of the weep hole.
[0005] Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present
invention will become apparent from the following detailed
description of the invention when considered in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 shows the prior art lens disinfectant plastic lens
cleaning container AOSEPT.RTM. system.
[0007] FIG. 2 shows a first embodiment of the collector system
wherein the plastic AOSEPT.RTM. lens cleaning container is placed
into a collector.
[0008] FIG. 3 shows schematically and partially in section the
connection between the collector of FIG. 2 and the plastic lens
container.
[0009] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of a collector for a lens
cleaning system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 shows the well-known AOSEPT.RTM. contact lens
cleaning system 10 which includes a hollow plastic container 12
with a base portion 14, a bottom 16, top portion 16 closed by a cap
18. The cap 18 is provided with a weep hole 20 which provides for
an opening into the plastic container 12. Fixedly attached to the
underside of the cap 18 is a plastic contact lens basket 22. The
lens basket 22 has a mesh front 32 and back 34 defined by an outer
solid portion 24, with a circular opening 26. The opening 26 is
provided with an inner circular ring 28 held to the outer solid
portion 24 by a plurality of radial spokes 30. The front 32 is
coupled to the back 34 by hinge 36 and is held closed by a snap
clasp 38. Attached to the lens basket at its bottom 40 is a
platinum-coated neutralizer 42. The top portion 16 of the plastic
container 12 has an enlarged outer diameter to provide a visual
indicator disinfectant fill line 44.
[0011] In use the cap 18 is unscrewed from the plastic container
12. The lens basket 22 clasp 38 is opened by pivoting the front 32
about hinge 36 and the contact lens to be cleaned is set on a lens
pedestal 46 located within the lens basket 22 and attached to the
back 34 of the lens basket 22. The front 32 is then pivoted shut
and the clasp 38 snapped over the front 32 to hold the basket
closed. The plastic container is then filled with disinfectant up
to the fill line 44. The cap 18 with the lens basket 22 inserted
into the plastic container 12 is screwed onto the container 12. The
plastic container 12 bottom 16 in then rested on a flat surface. As
the disinfectant chemically reacts with the platinum-coated
neutralizer 42 it foams or bubbles. This agitation of the
disinfectant through the openings 46 between the spokes 30 and the
interior of inner circle 28 washes the contact lens located within
the lens basket 22. Bubbling of the disinfectant causes a seepage
of disinfectant through weep hole 20 which can run over the edge 48
of the cap 18 and down the outer side of the plastic container 12
to contaminate the surface on which the plastic container 12 is
set.
[0012] To avoid contamination of the supporting surface, the
invention provides for an overflow cup 50 (FIG. 2) preferably
attached to the bottom of the plastic container 12. The overflow
cup 50 has a bottom 52 and a circular outer wall 54 extending
upwardly from an outer edge 52 of the bottom 52. The diameter of
the bottom 52 is larger than that of the outer diameter of cap 18,
so that disinfectant seeping out of the weep hole 20 can run down
the side of the cap 18 and plastic container 12 into the cup 50
where it is collected. Internally of the cup 50 (see FIG. 3) is an
inner circular stabilizing ring wall 56 extending upwardly that is
press fit into a hollow 58 formed by a lower skirt portion 60 of
the outer bottom surface of the plastic container 12. While FIG. 3
shows the inner wall 56 to be a complete ring, it could be formed
by a series of arc wall segments for ease of insertion into the
cavity 58. Ideally, the inner stabilizer ring wall 56 is press fit
into the cavity to insure that the cup 50 is not disengaged from
the plastic container 12. While the inner stabilizer ring wall 56
is shown fitting internally into the cavity 58 of the plastic
container 12 in FIG. 3, it could be external to the skirt portion
60. Here also there should be a press fit between the inner
stabilizer ring wall 56 and the outer wall of skirt 60 to insure
attachment of the cup 50 to the plastic container 12.
[0013] FIG. 4 shows a modification of the cup of FIG. 2. In this
modification, the limit stabilizer ring inner wall 56 is located
outside of the skirt portion 60 of the plastic container 12.
Surrounding the inner stabilizer ring wall is a sponge 70 to
collect the overflow of containments out of the weep hole 20. The
sponge 70 can be loose about the inner stabilizer ring wall 56 or
press fit or fixedly secured about the outer edge of the inner
stabilizer ring wall 56. Having the sponge loose allows for easier
cleaning and replacement, since the sponge can be removed from the
cup 50 for washing.
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