AUTOMATED IN-LINE MOULDING/HEATING PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CONTACT LENSES

摘要

Method and apparatus for preparing a silicone hydrogel lens including heating a cast lens to drive off an organic diluent by moving the cast lens continuously through heating (22) and cooling zones (24) to provide a first-in-first-out handling system. The zones are either horizontally or vertically arranged. An apparatus embodiment of a vertical heating zone includes outer (32) and inner (34) concentric shells arranged in a heating chamber. One of the shells rotates about a vertical axis (40) relative to the other. The outer shell has a spiral rail (42) extending into the space between the outer and inner shells and the inner shell has a plurality of vertical ribs spaced about its periphery. A lens carrier (18) placed on the rail is engaged and driven along the spiral rail by one of the ribs responsive to the relative motion between the outer and inner shells.