公开(公告)号：US11975881B2

公开(公告)日：2024-05-07

申请号：US17472991

申请日：2021-09-13

Applicant: ALCON INC.

Inventor： Jens Wolfstädter ,  Alfred Fischer ,  Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer

IPC: B65B57/00 ,  B65B25/00 ,  B65B51/10 ,  G01N19/00 ,  G01N25/00

CPC classification number: B65B57/00 ,  B65B25/008 ,  B65B51/10 ,  G01N19/00 ,  G01N25/00

Abstract: A carrier (1) for the simultaneous measurement of sealing temperature, sealing time and sealing force in a primary packaging line for ophthalmic lenses comprises a temperature sensing plate (2), a force sensing plate (3), and a supporting plate (4). Temperature sensing plate (2) is arranged atop force sensing plate (3), which is arranged atop supporting plate (4).

公开(公告)号：US20230083845A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17931227

申请日：2022-09-12

Applicant: Alcon Inc.

Inventor： Matthias Schwab ,  Matthias Braun ,  Roger Biel ,  Nils Schweizer ,  Nicholas Gollas ,  Shu Zong

IPC: B29D11/00 ,  B65B25/00

Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises:
a production line front end comprising: a first and a second injection-molding machine, a casting module, a filling station and a capping station, a stacking module and a curing module, a destacking module and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end comprising:
a treatment module,
an inspection module,
wherein self-driving shuttles in the inspection module can form a queue and act as a buffer for the primary packaging module if an interruption of the primary packaging module and variations of the cycle time in the primary packaging module are buffered so that the extraction module is able to operate largely independently from the upstream and downstream components of the manufacturing line.

公开(公告)号：US20220081143A1

公开(公告)日：2022-03-17

申请号：US17472991

申请日：2021-09-13

Applicant: ALCON INC.

Inventor： Jens Wolfstädter ,  Alfred Fischer ,  Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer

IPC: B65B57/00 ,  G01N25/00 ,  G01N19/00 ,  B65B25/00 ,  B65B51/10

Abstract: A carrier (1) for the simultaneous measurement of sealing temperature, sealing time and sealing force in a primary packaging line for ophthalmic lenses comprises a temperature sensing plate (2), a force sensing plate (3), and a supporting plate (4). Temperature sensing plate (2) is arranged atop force sensing plate (3), which is arranged atop supporting plate (4).

公开(公告)号：US11059680B2

公开(公告)日：2021-07-13

申请号：US16662650

申请日：2019-10-24

Applicant: ALCON INC.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer ,  Gabriela Cocora ,  Alexander Bayer

IPC: B65G47/91 ,  B65B35/38 ,  B25J15/06 ,  B65B35/18 ,  B65B25/00

Abstract: A gripper (1) for an ophthalmic lens comprises a gripper head (14) having a bearing surface (140), the bearing surface (140) having at least one through-opening (14), the bearing surface (140) further having a separate detection through-opening (142) other than the at least one through-opening (141); a suction channel (170) arranged in an interior of the gripper, the suction channel (170) leading to the at least one through-opening (141) in the bearing surface (140); an overpressure channel (130) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the overpressure channel (130) leading to the at least one through-opening (141); and a detection vacuum tube (16) arranged in the interior of the gripper, the detection vacuum tube (16) leading to the separate detection through-opening (142) in the bearing surface (140). The detection vacuum tube (16) has a distal end which is arranged in the detection through-opening (142) in a fluid-tight manner, and the detection through-opening (142) is arranged in the center of the bearing surface (140) of the gripper.

公开(公告)号：US20240319073A1

公开(公告)日：2024-09-26

申请号：US18610384

申请日：2024-03-20

Applicant: Alcon Inc.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Roger Biel ,  Daniel Paulus ,  Nils Schweizer

IPC: G01N21/05 ,  G01M11/02 ,  G01N21/11

CPC classification number: G01N21/05 ,  G01M11/0214 ,  G01M11/0278 ,  G01N21/11 ,  G01N2021/052

Abstract: An inspection cuvette for the optical inspection of an ophthalmic lens comprises a hollow cuvette body defining a cavity for receiving the ophthalmic lens and an inspection liquid, a transparent bottom having a concave upper surface delimiting the cavity at a bottom end thereof, a handling channel having an inner circumferential channel wall and a longitudinal channel axis. The handling channel further has an access opening at a proximal end thereof and is connected to the cavity at a distal end thereof. The inspection cuvette further comprises and an inspection window comprising a flat lower surface delimiting the cavity at an upper end thereof and facing towards the concave upper surface of the transparent bottom. At least that portion of the inner circumferential channel wall which is arranged above the flat lower surface of the inspection window when the cuvette is arranged in an inspection position is round.

公开(公告)号：US20240227328A9

公开(公告)日：2024-07-11

申请号：US18490883

申请日：2023-10-20

Applicant: Alcon Inc.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer

IPC: B29D11/00

CPC classification number: B29D11/00153

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for photolithographically forming an ophthalmic lens (L) comprises:



a container (2) comprising a container bottom (20) with an inner surface (200) including a concave portion (201);
a piston (4) comprising a distal piston end face (400) with a convex portion (401);
wherein the piston (4) is arranged in the container (2) such that the convex portion (401) faces the concave portion (201),
and wherein the piston is movably arranged in the container (2);
a light source (5, 50) being arranged beneath the container bottom (20) for emitting light towards the container bottom (20);
a mask (6) arranged between the light source (5, 50) and the container bottom (20), the mask (6) comprising a plurality of pixels (60) which are configured to be individually controlled to either allow the light emitted from the light source (5, 50) to pass through the individual pixels (60) and to impinge on that part of the container bottom (20) having the concave portion (201) of the inner surface (200), or to not allow the light emitted from the light source (5, 50) to pass through the individual pixels (60) and to prevent the light from impinging the container bottom (20), and
a control unit (7) for controlling the individual pixels (60) of the mask (6) to allow for a formation of the ophthalmic lens (L) layer by layer (L1-L4).

公开(公告)号：US20240131810A1

公开(公告)日：2024-04-25

申请号：US18490883

申请日：2023-10-19

Applicant: Alcon Inc.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer

IPC: B29D11/00

CPC classification number: B29D11/00153

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for photolithographically forming an ophthalmic lens (L) comprises:



a container (2) comprising a container bottom (20) with an inner surface (200) including a concave portion (201);
a piston (4) comprising a distal piston end face (400) with a convex portion (401);
wherein the piston (4) is arranged in the container (2) such that the convex portion (401) faces the concave portion (201),
and wherein the piston is movably arranged in the container (2);
a light source (5, 50) being arranged beneath the container bottom (20) for emitting light towards the container bottom (20);
a mask (6) arranged between the light source (5, 50) and the container bottom (20), the mask (6) comprising a plurality of pixels (60) which are configured to be individually controlled to either allow the light emitted from the light source (5, 50) to pass through the individual pixels (60) and to impinge on that part of the container bottom (20) having the concave portion (201) of the inner surface (200), or to not allow the light emitted from the light source (5, 50) to pass through the individual pixels (60) and to prevent the light from impinging the container bottom (20), and
a control unit (7) for controlling the individual pixels (60) of the mask (6) to allow for a formation of the ophthalmic lens (L) layer by layer (L1-L4).

公开(公告)号：US20230084287A1

公开(公告)日：2023-03-16

申请号：US17931209

申请日：2022-09-12

Applicant: Alcon Inc.

Inventor： Matthias Schwab ,  Matthias Braun ,  Roger Biel ,  Nils Schweizer ,  Nicholas Gollas ,  Susanne Fechner ,  Shu Zong

IPC: B29D11/00 ,  B65B25/00

Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: an inspection module (21); Wherein the inspection module comprising a rail system in which self-driving shuttles carrying the inspection cuvettes are arranged on a closed-loop rail, wherein the rail system can be adapted to the available space in the production plant/hall using curves and straight portions in the manner known from a model railway.

公开(公告)号：US11204297B2

公开(公告)日：2021-12-21

申请号：US16893911

申请日：2020-06-05

Applicant: ALCON INC.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Gabriela Cocora ,  Nils Schweizer ,  Jens Wolfstaedter

IPC: G01M3/00 ,  H04N5/232 ,  B65B25/00 ,  B65B57/00 ,  G01J5/00 ,  G01M3/38 ,  G06T7/00 ,  H04N5/225 ,  H04N5/247

Abstract: A method for determining whether a sealing area of a primary packaging container for an ophthalmic lens is unacceptable for properly sealing a foil to the sealing area is disclosed. The method involves comparing the temperature of an infrared image of the sealing area to a reference temperature to determine if the difference in temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold.

公开(公告)号：US20210323162A1

公开(公告)日：2021-10-21

申请号：US17229006

申请日：2021-04-13

Applicant: ALCON INC.

Inventor： Felix Brinckmann ,  Nils Schweizer ,  Jens Wolfstaedter

IPC: B25J9/16 ,  B25J15/06 ,  B65G47/91 ,  B29D11/00

Abstract: A method for calibrating lens grippers prior to use of the grippers in a lens manufacturing line includes providing a remote gripper calibration tool having an assembly plate and a Z-directional position sensor; providing a master gripper having a length dimension terminating in a tip, the length dimension being predetermined to match a desired final extension length of a lens gripper; mounting the master gripper to the assembly plate; measuring the Z-directional position of the tip of the master gripper with the Z-directional position sensor; unmounting the master gripper from the assembly plate; mounting a lens gripper to be calibrated to the assembly plate, the lens gripper having a tip, and calibrating the lens gripper by adjusting the final extension length of the tip of the lens gripper to a predetermined position relative to the measured Z-directional position of the tip of the master gripper.