Special receptacle or package – Structural features for vertical stacking – i.e. – similar... – Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
Reexamination Certificate
1998-09-17
2001-01-09
Manuel, George (Department: 3737)
Special receptacle or package
Structural features for vertical stacking, i.e., similar...
Having vertical projecting element or recess for interlock
Reexamination Certificate
active
06170664
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to contact lens holders having a pair of cups for retaining a pair of contact lenses.
1. Definitions
As used herein, a “cup” is a chamber capable of receiving and retaining a contact lens in connection with an appropriate contact lens storage solution. Such a contact lens-receiving chamber may take the form of, and is equivalent to, a recess, well, bowl or compartment as these terms are defined and/or used in the art to which the invention pertains.
As used herein, a “housing” is any structure, one piece or multiple pieces, which includes one or more cups capable of retaining a contact lens immersed in solution.
2. Background of the Invention
There are several different types of contact lens holders or cases. Some contact lens holders include two pairs of hemispherical walls separable from one another, each pair defining a chamber for retaining a contact lens therebetween, whereby the walls and contact lens therebetween are immersed in solution. Others include a housing including two hemispherical cups into which the contact lens and storage solution are placed and covers for covering the cups.
The latter type of contact lens holders is generally made of plastic which is molded to include the hemispherical cups. After each use, the contact lenses are usually cleaned and rinsed, placed in the cups in the holder and then storage solution is introduced into the cups until the contact lenses are entirely immersed in the solution. The contact lenses remain in the holder until the next use.
It is a drawback of the hemispherical cups that the curvature and depth of the cups make it difficult to easily insert and remove the contact lens from the cups, especially for women with long fingernails. Access to the cups is usually provided by a circular opening in the surface on which the cup is formed and the diameter of the circular opening might not be large enough to permit entry of the tip of the wearer's finger in view of the presence of a long fingernail. Thus, the wearer would have to insert her fingernail into the cup to press the contact lens against the surface of the cup and then slide the contact lens out of the cup along this surface. This may result in damage to the contact lens.
Furthermore, covers or lids for the cups in conventional contact lens holders are often screwed over the cups by providing cooperating threading on an inner surface of the cover and on an outer surface of a projection or rim surrounding, and partially defining, the cup. A problem with such fastening arrangements is that the contact lens solution may leak through the cooperating threads, which leakage is detrimental to the storage of the contact lens. In a most severe case, all of the solution may leak out of the cup causing the contact lens to dry out and possibly be damaged. Also, if the contact lens holder is carried in a purse or pockets, other objects in the purse or pocket would become wet as the solution leaks out of the cups.
Conventional contact lens holders often have irregular, non-smooth surfaces, including, for example, ridges, nooks and crannies. It is a problem with such contact lens holders that dirt may accumulate in such areas and during handling of the contact lens holder during insertion and removal of the contact lens therefrom, the dirt may adhere to the contact lens themselves.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders which are designed to provide easier insertion and removal of the contact lens into and from the cups in the holder in comparison to conventional contact lens holders.
It is another object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders which are ergonomically designed to provide for easier insertion and removal of the contact lens into and from the cups in the holder in comparison to conventional contact lens holders.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders in which the angle of the cups is lower in comparison to most if not all conventional contact lens holders so that insertion and removal of the contact lens from the cups are less taxing and reduces the chances of the contacts falling out of the cups.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders which substantially prevent leaks and spills of contact lens solution from the cups when the contact lenses are immersed in the solution therein.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide new and improved contact lens holders which provide smooth outer surfaces designed to prevent the accumulation of dirt.
In view of achieving these objects and others, contact lens holders in accordance with the invention include a housing defining a pair of oval contact lens-receiving cups and cover means for covering the cups. Each cup has a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension smaller than the longitudinal dimension. The oval shape of the cups facilitates easy removal of contact lenses from the cups since a greater portion of a contact lens wearer's finger (and a fingernail if projecting beyond the tip of the finger) may be inserted into the interior of the cups in the longitudinal direction. Further, by dimensioning the shape of the cup and the depth of the cup, the cup may be provided with a lower angle in the longitudinal direction, i.e., the depth of the cup relative to the longitudinal radius of the cup, is lower than in conventional hemispherical cups and lower than the angle in the transverse dimension of the cup.
In one embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises a molded body member made of plastic and which defines the oval cups therein. More specifically, each cup extends from an oval opening in an upper surface of the body member and is defined by a round, flat bottom surface and an arcuate surface extending around and contiguous with the flat bottom surface. The arcuate surface is provided with an elongated portion in the longitudinal direction, along which the contact lens may be conveniently slid for removal thereof, by situating the bottom surface longitudinally offset relative to a center of the oval opening. The cover means comprise a pair of covers, each pivotally mounted about a shaft to the body member. Cooperating latching means are arranged on the covers and body member to latch the covers to the body member. To prevent leakage of the contact lens solution from the cups, a seal ring is arranged in a groove formed in a lower surface of each cover and is positioned to engage an upper surface of the body member when the covers are in a closed position.
In another embodiment of the invention, the housing comprises a tubular, outer housing part defining an interior space and an inner housing part slidable into the interior space of the outer housing part through an open end thereof. The cups are arranged on the inner housing part and covered by covers. To facilitate entry and removal of the inner housing part into and from the outer housing part, the outer housing part includes side walls having a longitudinal slot and the inner housing part has a longitudinal extending planar portion with lateral edges adapted to be received within the slots formed in the side walls of the outer housing part. Each cup has a unique shape in the art of contact lens holders and extends downwardly from an oval opening in the upper surface of the planar portion of the inner housing part. To wit, each cup is defined by an arcuate surface having a constant radius of curvature along a longitudinal axis, a constant radius of curvature along the transverse axis and a variable radius of curvature between the longitudinal axis and transverse axis.
REFERENCES:
patent: D. 155480 (1949-10-01), Castelli
patent: D. 227744 (1973-07-01), Mitchko
patent: D. 341482 (1993-11-01), McMillan
patent: D. 380898 (1997-07-01), Lovell
patent: D
id Studios
Manuel George
Steinberg & Raskin, P.C.
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