Sterilizing apparatus for hydrophilic contact lenses

Claim 2

Hydrophilic contact lens sterilizing apparatus comprising: a. a housing having a top opening to permit access into the housing; b. a first heater block member in said housing, said block having a recess therein defining the bottom and sides of a compartment, said block member including means for maintaining said block at a sterilizing temperature above 100* C.; c. a second block member of heat conducting material in said housing forming an asepticizer compartment including means for maintaining said second block member at an asepticizing temperature below said sterilizing temperature, said second block member being adapted to receive containers of saline solution; d. heat insulating means separating said first and second block members; e. a removable tray of heat conducting material adapted to rest in said recess and receive heat from said first heater block member, said tray being adapted to accomodate a plurality of sealed vials containing saline solution and the hydrophilic contact lenses; and f. timer means controlling the cycle of operation of said means for maintaining temperature of said block members.

Claim 3

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said second block member is provided with a plurality of wells for receiving said containers of saline solution.

Claim 4

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said removable tray is sEctioned into a plurality of compartments, each receiving one of said vials.

Claim 5

Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said means for maintaining the temperature of said block members include two heating elements and two thermostats, one heating element and thermostat being associated with each of said block members.

Claim 6

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein the heater element and thermostat associated with said first heater block member maintain the temperature thereof at about 124* C. and the heater element and thermostat associated with said second block member maintain the temperature thereof at about 90* C.

Claim 7

Apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said timer means controls the operation of both of said heating elements.

Claim 8

Apparatus as set forth in claim 6, wherein said two heater elements and thermostats are in parallel circuits connected in series with a switch, said switch being closed to deliver power to said timer and parallel circuits and said timer operating to open said switch after a timed cycle of operation.

Claim 9

Hydrophilic contact lens sterilizing apparatus comprising: a. a housing having a top opening to permit access into the interior of said housing; b. heat insulating means dividing a portion of the interior of said housing into two compartments, one a sterilizing compartment and the other an asepticizer compartment; c. a first block member of heat conducting material defining the bottom of said sterilizer compartment; d. a second block member of heat conducting material in said asepticizer compartment, said block having a plurality of wells for receiving therein containers of saline solution; e. first heater means including a thermostat for maintaining the temperature of said first block member above 100* C.; f. second heater means including a thermostat for maintaining said second block member at an asepticizing temperature below 100* C. g. a single timer for controlling the cycle of operation of said first and second heater means; and h. a removable tray of heat conducting material adapted to rest on and receive heat from said first block member, said tray being adapted to accomodate a plurality of vials containing saline solution and said hydrophilic contact lenses.

Claim 10

Hydrophilic contact lens sterilizing apparatus comprising: a. a housing having a top opening to permit access into the interior of said housing; b. heat insulating means dividing a portion of the interior of said housing into two compartments, one a sterilizing compartment and the other an asepticizer compartment; c. a first block member of heat conducting material defining the bottom of said sterilizer compartment; d. a second block member of heat conducting material in said asepticizer compartment, said block having a plurality of wells for receiving therein containers of saline solution; e. first heater means including a thermostat for maintaining the temperature of said first block member above 100* C.; f. second heater means including a thermostat for maintaining said second block member at an asepticizing temperature below 100* C. g. a single timer for controlling the cycle of operation of said first and second heater means; and h. a removable tray of heat conducting material adapted to rest on and receive heat from said first block member, said tray being adapted to accomodate a plurality of vials containing saline solution and said hydrophilic contact lenses.

Claim 11

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said block members are in said housing spaced one from another, said insulating means being an air space between said block members.

Claim 12

Apparatus as set forth in claim 8, wherein said first block member has a recess therein adapted to receive said removable tray.