PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF MOULDINGS AND MOULDINGS MANUFACTURED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THAT PROCESS

摘要

A measured amount of a material that is crosslinkable by impingement of a suitab le form of energy, especially UV light (3), is introduced into a two-part mould (1) of w hich the cavity (15) determines the shape of a moulding (CL) to be produced. The two moul d halves (11, 12) are held a small distance from one another so that a thin annula r gap (16) is formed between them, which gap is in communication with the mould cavity (15) an d through which gap excess material can escape. The crosslinking is triggered by impingement of the selected form of energy, the impingement being spatially rest ricted to the cavity (15) by suitable moulding (21) so that material disposed outside the mould cavity is not crosslinked. In that manner mouldings are obtained that do not require s ubsequent mechanical processing, and the mould is reusable. The process is especially, but not, however, exclusively, suitable for the manufacture of contact lenses.