US-12617569-B2 - Primary packaging line for ophthalmic articles

US12617569B2US 12617569 B2US12617569 B2US 12617569B2US-12617569-B2

Abstract

A Primary Packaging Line using a single carrier tray concept allows to have a lean setup of the lens transfer/ripping process from the upstream Inspection Module, blister strip formation after the inspection and a shell reusage system in case of detected missing or multiple lenses by the inspection. The primary packaging line for packaging ophthalmic articles comprises: shell supply and placement station; saline pre-dosing station; lens transfer station; saline main dosing station; lens presence check station; lens and shell reject station; lot sorter station; foil supply and sealing station and blister labeling station.

Inventors

Felix Brinckmann
Nils Schweizer

Assignees

ALCON INC.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20250123

Claims (15)

1 . Primary packaging line ( 1 ) for packaging ophthalmic articles, the primary packaging line comprising: a plurality of individual single shell carriers ( 2 ), each individual single shell carrier ( 2 ) configured to carry a single primary packaging shell ( 3 ); a supply belt ( 4 ) configured to transport those individual single shell carriers ( 2 ) arranged thereon in a first transportation direction ( 42 ) to a downstream end ( 40 ) of the supply belt ( 4 ); a primary packaging shell placement robot ( 30 ) arranged along the supply belt ( 4 ) and configured to place a said single primary packaging shell ( 3 ) on a said individual single shell carrier ( 2 ) arranged on the supply belt ( 4 ), so that a primary packaging shell ( 3 ) is arranged on each single shell carrier ( 2 ) at the downstream end ( 40 ) of the supply belt ( 4 ); a cyclically and intermittently movable singling conveyor belt ( 5 ) arranged at the downstream end ( 40 ) of the supply belt ( 4 ) and extending in a direction transverse to the supply belt ( 4 ), the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ) configured to receive thereon during an actual cycle the single shell carrier ( 2 ) which is arranged at the downstream end ( 40 ) of the supply belt ( 4 ), and further configured to intermittently transport that single shell carrier ( 2 ) as well as those single shell carriers ( 2 ) received during preceding cycles in a second transportation direction ( 52 ) transverse to the first transportation direction ( 42 ) towards a downstream end ( 50 ) of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ); a guiding rail ( 6 ) arranged at the downstream end of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ) and extending in a direction transverse to the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ), the guiding rail ( 6 ) configured to receive during the respective actual cycle of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ) that single shell carrier ( 2 ) which is arranged at the downstream end ( 50 ) of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ), and further configured to guide the received single shell carrier ( 2 ) along the guiding rail ( 6 ) in a third transportation direction ( 62 ) transverse to the second transportation direction ( 52 ); a pusher ( 60 ) arranged at the downstream end ( 50 ) of the singling shell conveyor belt ( 5 ), the pusher configured to push that single shell carrier ( 2 ) that is arranged at the downstream end ( 50 ) of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ) on the guiding rail ( 6 ) during the respective actual cycle of the singling conveyor belt ( 5 ), thereby moving those single shell carriers ( 2 ) pushed on the guiding rail ( 6 ) during preceding cycles in the third transportation direction ( 62 ) along the guiding rail ( 6 ); an ophthalmic article placement robot ( 63 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) and configured to place an ophthalmic article into a cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) arranged on the respective single shell carrier ( 2 ); an ophthalmic article presence check unit ( 65 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) downstream of the ophthalmic article placement robot ( 63 ) and configured to determine the number of ophthalmic articles present in the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) arranged on the respective single shell carrier ( 2 ); a shell carrier ejector ( 67 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) downstream of the ophthalmic article presence check unit ( 65 ) and configured to eject from the guiding rail ( 6 ) a single shell carrier ( 2 ) with a primary packaging shell ( 3 ) arranged thereon that has been determined by the ophthalmic article presence check unit ( 65 ) to contain in its cavity ( 33 ) a number of ophthalmic articles different from one; a lot sorter ( 68 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) downstream of the shell carrier ejector ( 67 ) and laterally relative to the guiding rail ( 6 ), the lot sorter ( 68 ) configured to receive and store the single shell carriers ( 2 ) arriving at the lot sorter ( 68 ) each carrying a primary packaging shell ( 3 ) containing one ophthalmic article in its cavity ( 33 ), the lot sorter ( 68 ) comprising a plurality of sorter compartments ( 680 ) which is at least as high as the number of different lots of ophthalmic articles to be placed by the ophthalmic article placement robot ( 63 ) into the cavities ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shells ( 3 ), the lot sorter ( 68 ) further configured to receive and store in each sorter compartment ( 680 ) only single shell carriers ( 2 ) all carrying a said primary packaging shell ( 3 ) containing in its cavity ( 33 ) one ophthalmic article of the same lot, the lot sorter ( 68 ) further configured to push all single shell carriers ( 2 ) stored in the respective sorter compartment ( 680 ) out of the respective sorter compartment ( 680 ) back on the guiding rail ( 6 ) when a predetermined number of single shell carriers ( 2 ) is contained in the respective sorter compartment ( 680 ) and once a said single shell carrier ( 2 ) with a said primary packaging shell ( 3 ) containing in its cavity ( 33 ) an ophthalmic article of the same lot is expected to arrive at the lot sorter ( 68 ); a shell carrier block transportation mechanism ( 69 ) arranged at the lot sorter ( 6 ) beneath the guiding rail ( 6 ), the shell carrier block transportation mechanism ( 69 ) configured to engage a shell carrier block which is formed by the predetermined number of single shell carriers ( 2 ) pushed out of the lot sorter compartment ( 680 ) on the guiding rail ( 6 ) and the next shell carrier ( 2 ) arriving at the lot sorter ( 68 ), the shell carrier block transportation mechanism ( 69 ) further configured to move the shell carrier block on a discharge track ( 7 ) extending downstream of the lot sorter ( 68 ) in the third transportation direction ( 62 ); a sealing device ( 70 ) arranged along the discharge track ( 7 ), the sealing device ( 70 ) configured to supply a sealing foil strip ( 701 ) comprising a number of individual sealing foils ( 702 ) connected to one another to form the sealing foil strip ( 701 ), the number of individual sealing foils ( 702 ) of the sealing foil strip ( 701 ) corresponding to the number of single shell carriers ( 2 ) of the shell carrier block, the sealing device ( 70 ) further configured to seal the individual foils ( 702 ) of the sealing foil strip ( 701 ) to the top surfaces ( 32 ) of the primary packaging shells ( 3 ) carried by the shell carriers ( 2 ) of the shell carrier block to form a blister strip ( 703 ) of sealed primary packaging shells ( 3 ) each containing one ophthalmic article of the same lot in the cavity ( 33 ) of the respective primary packaging shell ( 3 ).
2 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , further comprising a return belt ( 8 ) arranged at the distal end of the discharge track ( 7 ) and extending in a fourth transportation direction ( 82 ) transverse to the third transportation direction ( 62 ) to a proximal end of the supply belt ( 4 ), for transporting the single shell carriers ( 2 ) of the shell carrier block to the proximal end of the supply belt ( 4 ) to return them to the supply belt ( 4 ); a number of storage magazines ( 80 ) arranged along the return belt ( 8 ), each storage magazine ( 80 ) configured to accommodate therein a plurality of blister strips ( 703 ) of sealed primary packaging shells ( 3 ), the number of storage magazines ( 80 ) arranged along the return belt ( 8 ) being at least as high as the number of different lots of ophthalmic articles; a blister strip placement robot ( 83 ), the blister strip placement robot ( 83 ) being configured to place into each of the storage magazines ( 80 ) only blister strips ( 703 ) of sealed primary packaging shells ( 3 ) containing in their cavities ( 33 ) the same lot of ophthalmic articles, to allow for a subsequent return of the empty single shell carriers ( 2 ) on the return belt ( 8 ) to the proximal end of the supply belt ( 4 ).
3 . Primary packaging line according to claim 2 , wherein the return belt ( 8 ) is arranged beneath a return track comprising lateral guide walls ( 81 ) for guiding the single shell carriers ( 2 ) of the shell carrier blocks, at least one of the lateral guide walls ( 81 ) being laterally movable in a direction transverse to the fourth transportation direction ( 82 ) of movement of the return belt ( 8 ), for adjusting the lateral width of the return track so as to be capable of guiding shell carrier blocks of different lengths.
4 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , further comprising an ejected single shell carrier return belt ( 671 ) extending from the shell carrier ejector ( 67 ) in a fifth transportation direction ( 670 ) transverse to the third transportation direction ( 62 ) back to a shell carrier insertion station ( 41 ) arranged along the supply belt ( 4 ) at an insertion location upstream of the primary packaging shell placement robot ( 43 ).
5 . Primary packaging line according to claim 4 , further comprising a retainer ( 419 ) arranged along the supply belt ( 4 ) at the insertion location, the retainer ( 419 ) configured to retain those single shell carriers ( 2 ) arranged on the supply belt upstream of the insertion location when an ejected single shell carrier ( 2 ) returned to the insertion location by the single shell carrier return belt ( 671 ) is to be moved on the supply belt ( 4 ).
6 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , wherein the lot sorter ( 68 ) comprises the sorter compartments ( 680 ) arranged one above the other, and wherein the lot sorter ( 68 ) further comprises a lifting mechanism ( 681 ) for moving the sorter compartments ( 680 ) up and down relative to a level at which the guiding rail ( 6 ) is arranged along which the single shell carriers ( 2 ) carrying the primary packaging shells ( 3 ) containing the different lots of the ophthalmic article arrive at the lot sorter ( 68 ), and wherein the lot sorter ( 68 ) is configured to move the lifting mechanism ( 681 ) such that that sorter compartment ( 680 ) is arranged at the level of the guiding rail ( 6 ) which is to contain the single shell carriers ( 2 ) carrying the primary packaging shells ( 3 ) of the particular lot of ophthalmic article actually arriving at the lot sorter ( 68 ).
7 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , wherein each of the single shall carriers ( 2 ) comprises a shell carrier identifier ( 20 ) that is unique for the respective single shell carrier ( 2 ), for tracking each individual single shell carrier ( 2 ).
8 . Primary packaging line according to claim 7 , wherein the shell placement robot ( 43 ) further comprises a reader for reading out the unique shell carrier identifier ( 20 ) present on the single shell carrier ( 2 ).
9 . Primary packaging line according to claim 3 wherein the blister strip placement robot ( 83 ) further comprises a reader for reading out the unique shell carrier identifier ( 20 ) present on the single shell carrier ( 2 ).
10 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , further comprising a main dosing station ( 64 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) downstream of the ophthalmic article placement robot ( 63 ), the main dosing station ( 64 ) configured to dose a predetermined main amount of storage solution into the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) when the shell carrier ( 2 ) is arranged at a main dosing location on the guiding rail ( 6 ).
11 . Primary packaging line according to claim 10 , further comprising a pre-dosing station ( 61 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) upstream of the ophthalmic article placement robot ( 63 ), the pre-dosing station ( 61 ) configured to dose a predetermined initial amount of storage solution into the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) when the shell carrier ( 2 ) is arranged at a pre-dosing location on the guiding rail ( 6 ), the initial amount of storage solution being less than forty percent of the total amount of storage solution to be dosed into the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ).
12 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , further comprising a removal station ( 66 ) arranged along the guiding rail ( 6 ) downstream of the ophthalmic article presence check unit ( 65 ) and upstream of the shell carrier ejector ( 67 ), the removal station ( 66 ) configured to remove at least ophthalmic articles and/or storage solution from the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) arranged along the single shell carrier ( 2 ) in case a primary packaging shell ( 3 ) has been determined by the ophthalmic article presence check unit ( 65 ) to contain in its cavity ( 33 ) a number of ophthalmic articles different from one.
13 . Primary packaging line according to claim 7 , wherein the removal station ( 66 ) is further configured to also remove the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) from the single shell carrier ( 2 ) in case the shell placement robot ( 43 ) has read a said unique shell carrier identifier ( 20 ) a predetermined number of times after the single shell carrier ( 2 ) with the respective primary packaging shell ( 3 ) arranged thereon has been ejected and returned to the supply belt ( 4 ).
14 . Primary packaging line according to claim 1 , further comprising a printing station ( 71 ) arranged along the discharge track ( 7 ) downstream of the sealing station ( 70 ), for printing data associated with the ophthalmic article contained in the cavity ( 33 ) of the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) to the sealing foil ( 702 ) sealed to the primary packaging shell ( 3 ) at the sealing station ( 70 ).
15 . Primary packaging line according to claim 4 , wherein the supply belt ( 4 ) is arranged beneath a supply track comprising lateral guide walls ( 45 ) for guiding the single shell carriers ( 2 ) along the supply track, wherein the supply track comprises a buffer section upstream of the shell carrier insertion station ( 41 ).

Description

FIELD The present invention generally relates to packaging of ophthalmic articles, and more particularly relates to a primary packaging line for ophthalmic articles, for example ophthalmic lenses, in particular contact lenses such as soft contact lenses. BACKGROUND In the automated manufacture of ophthalmic articles, for example ophthalmic lenses, and in particular contact lenses such as soft contact lenses, these articles or lenses are manufactured and subsequently automatically inspected for possible defects. For example, in the automated manufacture of soft contact lenses inspection of the lenses may be automatically performed in inspection cuvettes. Those lenses that have successfully passed inspection are then transferred from the cuvettes into the cavities of a primary packaging shell arranged in a primary packaging line, one lens into one cavity of one primary packaging shell. Transfer of a said successfully inspected lens from the inspection cuvette into the cavity of a said primary packaging shell is typically performed with the aid of a transfer gripper. To simplify placement of the lens adhered to the gripper into the cavity of the primary packaging shell, an initial small amount of storage liquid, e.g. saline, is pre-dosed into the cavity of the primary packaging shell prior to the lens being placed into the cavity. After the lens is placed into the cavity, in a subsequent step the main amount of storage solution, e.g. saline, is dosed into the cavity of the primary packaging shell, and finally a foil is sealed to the top surface of the primary packaging shell. However, before sealing the foil to the top surface of the primary packaging shell, a lens presence check is performed in order to determine that actually only one lens is contained in the cavity. Thereafter, the foil is sealed to the top surface of the primary packaging shell. Typically, a predetermined number of primary packaging shells, for example three or five, are commonly arranged on a shell carrier, and a corresponding number of individual foils which are connected to one another to form a foil strip, are placed onto the top surfaces of the primary packaging shells arranged on the shell carrier and sealed thereto to form a blister strip of three or five blister packages each containing a said lens and the storage solution. And even though this works well, there may be occurrences in which either no lens is actually placed into the cavity or more than one lens is actually placed into the cavity. For example, the lens may not be properly gripped by the gripper from the inspection cuvette or may inadvertently get lost from the gripper during the transfer so that no lens is actually placed into the cavity of the primary packaging shell. Alternatively, the lens may not get properly released from the gripper and placed in the cavity of the primary packaging shell so that the lens continues to adhere to the gripper at the time the next lens is gripped from the inspection cuvette by the same gripper so that subsequently two lenses may adhere to the gripper and may be placed into the cavity of the primary packaging shell. In either case, the result is that the cavity of the primary packaging shell does not contain one single lens. The afore-mentioned occurrences are, however, detected during the lens presence check. In case such occurrence (i.e. either no lens or more than one lens in the cavity) is detected during the lens presence check, the whole blister strip must be discarded after the sealing step, although only one primary packaging shell of the blister strip may actually contain a number of lenses different from one. Obviously, this has a negative effect on the yield. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention overcomes the disadvantages discussed above by suggesting a primary packaging line as it is specified by the features of the independent claim. Further aspects of the primary packaging line according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims. More particularly, in accordance with the invention a primary packaging line for packaging ophthalmic articles, for example ophthalmic lenses, in particular contact lenses such as soft contact lenses is suggested. The primary packaging line comprises: a plurality of individual single shell carriers, each individual single shell carrier configured to carry a single primary packaging shell;a supply belt configured to transport those individual single shell carriers arranged thereon in a first transportation direction to a downstream end of the supply belt;a primary packaging shell placement robot arranged along the supply belt and configured to place a said single primary packaging shell on a said individual single shell carrier arranged on the supply belt, so that a primary packaging shell is arranged on each single shell carrier at the downstream end of the supply belt;a cyclically and intermittently movable singling conveyor belt arranged at the downstream end of the