Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Dynamic support or dynamic carrier and female mold – Means to raise or lower mold
Reexamination Certificate
2006-05-09
2006-05-09
Heckenberg, Donald (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Dynamic support or dynamic carrier and female mold
Means to raise or lower mold
C425S174400, C425S454000, C425S808000, C414S222040, C414S222100, C414S222110
Reexamination Certificate
active
07040886
ABSTRACT:
Novel methods and apparatus are disclosed for handling carriers for soft contact lenses in a lens manufacturing system. In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, article handling devices are located beneath a pre-cure station and a curing station of the system to move lens carriers within those stations. As a result of locating these devices beneath these stations, the desired movement of the carriers can be achieved without increasing the footprint of the station. Pursuant to a second aspect of the invention, a complete set of assemblies is provided for moving a multitude of lens carriers into, through, and out from the pre-cure station and the curing station. This set of assemblies accomplishes this movement in a completely automated, high speed, mass production basis. In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, the curing station is provided with an intelligent buffer. This buffer allows the lens carriers to accumulate in the curing station, and then discharges the carriers from the station in an ordered manner at the appropriate time. This enables the output or throughput of the curing station to be controlled or adjusted to accommodate changing conditions or circumstances occurring in the manufacturing system downstream of the curing station.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5578331 (1996-11-01), Martin et al.
patent: 5607642 (1997-03-01), Lepper et al.
patent: 5895192 (1999-04-01), Parnell et al.
patent: 5965172 (1999-10-01), Wang et al.
patent: 6220845 (2001-04-01), Martin et al.
Abrams Richard W.
Calvin Olin
Dolan David
Hall Gary S.
Widman Michael
Heckenberg Donald
Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Inc.
Kincart Joseph
LandOfFree
Apparatus and method for handling lens carriers does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Apparatus and method for handling lens carriers, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Apparatus and method for handling lens carriers will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3605750