EP0328246A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Molds for producing intraocular implants
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1989-01-12
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2009-01-12
Abstract
Abstract A thermoplastic mold for producing intraocular implants includes a thin, flexible, substantially knife-edged rim (26,36) projecting from the periphery of the mold cavity on both the male and female portions (20,30) thereof. The mold portions (20,30) together define a reservoir (44) for containing additional monomer. The reservoir (44) is separated from the mold cavity by the two rims (26,36) which normally engage and form a seal but which can yield to admit additional monomer into the mold cavity.
Inventors
- 👤 Thomas H. Shepherd
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:37
CPC Classifications
B; B29; B29D; B29D11/00; B29D11/02; B29D11/023; B29C; B29C33/00; B29C33/0055; B29C43/00; B29C43/32; B29C43/36; B29C43/40; B29K; B29K2105/00; B29K2105/0058; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S425/00; Y10S425/808
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
304 words
A thermoplastic mold for producing an intraocular implant said implant comprising a lens portion and support means therefore, for holding said implant in place when inserted intraoccularly, said mold comprising: a) a male portion comprising a core having a cavity therein said cavity having i) a first molding surface having a principle longitudinal axis and having a predetermined curvature to form a first surface of said desired lens portion of said implant said core having ii) a second molding surface, opening into said first molding surface and having a predetermined shape to provide a first surface of said support means and iii) a first thin, flexible rim means having a lower edge, surrounding the outer periphery of said molding surfaces, and b) a female portion comprising a core having a cavity therein and a core ring surrounding said core, said cavity having i) a third molding surface having a principle longitudinal axis orientable coaxially with the principle longitudinal axis of said first molding surface, and having a predetermined curvature to form a second surface of said desired lens portion of said implant said core having ii) a fourth molding surface, opening into said third molding surface and having a predetermined shape to provide a second surface of said support means and iii) a second thin, flexible rim means having an upper edge, surrounding the edges of said third and fourth molding surfaces, the rim means of said male and female portions being contactable at said lower and upper edges to form a contact seal therebetween and form the outer edges of said implant and a reservoir means for holding excess monomer being thus provided between said male core, said female core ring, the portion of said female core outside said rim means and both of the said rim means in contact with each other.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
304 words
A thermoplastic mold for producing an intraocular implant said implant comprising a lens portion and support means therefore, for holding said implant in place when inserted intraoccularly, said mold comprising: a) a male portion comprising a core having a cavity therein said cavity having i) a first molding surface having a principle longitudinal axis and having a predetermined curvature to form a first surface of said desired lens portion of said implant said core having ii) a second molding surface, opening into said first molding surface and having a predetermined shape to provide a first surface of said support means and iii) a first thin, flexible rim means having a lower edge, surrounding the outer periphery of said molding surfaces, and b) a female portion comprising a core having a cavity therein and a core ring surrounding said core, said cavity having i) a third molding surface having a principle longitudinal axis orientable coaxially with the principle longitudinal axis of said first molding surface, and having a predetermined curvature to form a second surface of said desired lens portion of said implant said core having ii) a fourth molding surface, opening into said third molding surface and having a predetermined shape to provide a second surface of said support means and iii) a second thin, flexible rim means having an upper edge, surrounding the edges of said third and fourth molding surfaces, the rim means of said male and female portions being contactable at said lower and upper edges to form a contact seal therebetween and form the outer edges of said implant and a reservoir means for holding excess monomer being thus provided between said male core, said female core ring, the portion of said female core outside said rim means and both of the said rim means in contact with each other.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A mold of Claim 1 wherein said male portion further comprises a core lip surrounding said core, the lower edge of said core lip contacts the upper edge of said core ring.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
A mold of Claim 1 wherein said rim means are provided with an inner face and an outer face having a common edge therewith and subtending an angle of 10 to 30° thereto at said common edge.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A mold of Claim 1 wherein said rim means are each provided with an inner face and an outer face, the inner faces thereof subtending an angle of at least 180° to each other at their line of contact.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mold of Claim 1 wherein said second and said fourth molding surfaces open into said first and said third molding surfaces respectively around the entire peripheries of said first and said third molding surfaces.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A mold of Claim 1 wherein said second and said fourth molding surfaces open into said first and said third molding surfaces respectively at between two and four locations.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
A mold of Claim 1 further comprising orienting means on said male and female portions to provide that when said mold portions are brought into mutual contact, the rim means thereof form a contact seal.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
34 words
A mold of any one of claims 1 to 7 wherein said second and said fourth molding surfaces open into said first and said third molding surfaces, respectively, at at least two distinct locations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
175 words
A method of producing an intraocular implant said implant comprising a lens portion and support means therefore in a thermoplastic mold of claim 1 comprising the steps of: i) orienting said female mold portion so that the cavity thereof will retain polymerizable material, ii) charging to said female portion a volume of polymerizable material in excess of the combined volumes of the lens and support means to be formed, iii) moving said male portion into position relative to said female portion so that the edges of the said flexible rims from a contact seal with each other whereby a) the cavity between said mold portions is filled with polymerizable material, b) surplus polymerizable material is caused to occupy a substantial portion of said reservoir means then iv) polymerizing said polymerizable material in said mold cavity from the center section of said mold cavity towards the said rim portions whereby the reduction in pressure in said cavity during said polymerization causes said rims to flex inwardly permitting more polymerizable material to flow therebetween into said cavity.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A method of Claim 9 wherein the polymerizable material comprises a heat activatable polymerization initiator, and polymerization is initiated by contacting one of said mold portions with a heat source at a predetermined temperature.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
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