JP5466344B1 - Contact lens packaging container - Google Patents

Abstract

It has a novel structure that can reduce the amount of preservative liquid injected into the contact lens storage area and can be easily removed with one hand when opening the contact lens while stably positioning and holding the contact lens in the storage state. To provide contact lens packaging containers.
A convex spherical crown-shaped lens support surface 28 on the base side plate 20 and a concave spherical crown-shaped lens cover surface 36 on the lid side plate 22 are overlapped to contact the accommodation region 12 formed between the opposing surfaces. The lens 18 and the storage solution 16 are accommodated. Further, the radius of curvature of the lens support surface 28 is made larger than the radius of curvature of the lens rear surface 38 of the contact lens 18, and a gap 46 is provided between the overlapping surfaces of the lens support surface 28 and the contact lens 18.

Description

  The present invention relates to a contact lens packaging container that contains a contact lens together with a preservation solution, and more particularly to a contact lens packaging container that is suitably used when providing a soft contact lens to the market.

  Contact lenses are provided on the market in a sealed state accommodated in a packaging container, and in particular, hydrous soft contact lenses are generally provided in a contact lens packaging container together with a storage solution. As such a contact lens packaging container, conventionally, a blister package described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-322911 (Patent Document 1) and US Pat. No. 4,691,820 (Patent Document 2) has been adopted. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, this blister package has a structure in which a storage liquid 4 and a contact lens 5 are accommodated in a recess 3 formed in a container body 2 made of a hard resin and sealed with a cover film 6. It is said that.

  However, such a blister package having a conventional structure is one in which the contact lens 5 is housed in the storage solution 4 stored in the depression 3 in a floating state and held in an equilibrium state (a state in which there is no deformation due to external force). . Therefore, it is necessary to form the recess 3 with a sufficient depth and volume, and since a large amount of the storage solution 4 is accommodated in the recess 3, the lens user may have difficulty in disposing the storage solution 4 when opening the package. there were.

  In addition, since the contact lens 5 is accommodated in the recess 3 that opens upward with the concave lens rear surface 7 facing upward, handling when the lens user wears the contact lens 5 is troublesome. There was a problem that various germs were easily attached. That is, as shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B, the fingertip 8 of one hand is overlapped on the lens rear surface 7 of the contact lens 5 and is picked up while sliding on the inner surface of the recess 3. As shown in FIG. 12 (c), the contact lens 5 had to be transferred to the fingertip 9 of the other hand before it was worn on the eye. As described above, it is necessary to transfer the contact lens 5 between both hands, and the contact lens 5 easily folds and sticks to a finger during the transfer. In addition, since the fingertip 8 directly touches the lens rear surface 7 superimposed on the cornea at the time of wearing, there is also a problem that adverse effects on the eyes such as bacteria adhering to the contact lens 5 from the fingertip 8 are likely to increase.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-313928 (Patent Document 3) discloses a contact lens housing container in which a spherical convex portion is provided on the bottom surface of a recess and the concave surface of the contact lens is placed on the convex portion. Proposed. However, since a large-capacity storage portion is formed around the convex portion by a curved peripheral wall that expands upward, a large amount of storage solution is required, and processing of the storage solution at the time of opening becomes a problem. It will not change. In addition, since the concave surface of the contact lens is placed in close contact with the spherical convex portion, the contact lens is attracted to the convex portion, and it is difficult to take out the contact lens with a fingertip. In addition, since the convex portion is accommodated in a large-capacity storage portion formed around and does not protrude outward from the storage portion, let's pick up the contact lens placed on the convex portion with a fingertip However, there was also a problem that the fingertips did not enter the storage unit and the work was difficult.

JP-A-7-322911 US Pat. No. 4,691,820 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-313928

  The present invention has been made in the background of the above-mentioned circumstances, and the problem to be solved is that it is possible to reduce the amount of preservative liquid injected into the contact lens storage region and to stably stabilize the contact lens in the storage state. An object of the present invention is to provide a contact lens packaging container having a novel structure in which a contact lens can be easily taken out with one hand at the time of opening while being held in position.

  A feature of the present invention is that the lid side plate is overlaid on the upper surface of the base side plate, and a contact lens in which a contact lens is accommodated together with a storage solution in an accommodation area formed between the overlapping surfaces of the two plates. In the lens packaging container, the formation surface of the accommodation region in the base side plate is a lens support surface having a convex spherical crown shape, and the formation surface of the accommodation region in the lid side plate is a concave spherical crown A concave lens rear surface of the contact lens is superimposed on the lens support surface at an outer peripheral portion and is accommodated in the accommodation area, and the contact lens on the lens support surface A spherical crown having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the rear surface of the contact lens. Are the, with gaps between overlapping faces of the central portion of the lens supporting surface and the contact lens is provided, in that the preservative solution in the gap is accommodated.

  In the contact lens packaging container structured according to the present invention, the contact lens housing region has a substantially dome shape between the opposing surfaces of the convex spherical crown-shaped lens support surface and the concave spherical crown-shaped lens cover surface. It is formed. Therefore, such a storage area can be made to correspond to a spherical crown-shaped contact lens, and the volume of the storage area and thus the amount of the storage liquid stored can be sufficiently reduced to facilitate the processing of the storage liquid at the time of opening. It becomes possible.

  Further, in the storage area, the rear surface of the contact lens having a concave spherical crown shape is superimposed on the lens support surface having a convex spherical crown shape, and therefore, the storage lens is disposed in close proximity to each other. The contact lens is stably housed in shape between the lens support surface and the rear surface of the contact lens. As a result, the contact lens can be held in a stable position in the accommodation region even during transportation or carrying before opening, and deformation and damage of the contact lens can be effectively prevented.

  On the other hand, when the contact lens is taken out after being opened, the contact lens is adsorbed and held in a state where the storage solution is sealed with respect to the lens support surface due to the surface tension of the storage solution and the atmospheric pressure acting on the contact lens. . Therefore, by pressing the front surface of the contact lens with the fingertip, the adsorption action between the lens support surface and the rear surface of the contact lens is reduced or eliminated, and the contact lens can be easily picked up with fingers. . That is, since a gap is formed between the lens support surface and the contact lens, the contact lens is partially pressed and deformed by pressing the contact lens toward the lens support surface, and the lens support surface and The preserving liquid filled in the gap between the contact lenses is pushed out toward the outer peripheral side. As a result, the contact lens can be easily detached from the lens support surface by raising the contact lens from the lens support surface and reducing the attractive force.

  Moreover, the contact lens placed on the lens support surface having a convex spherical crown shape can be picked up with the fingertip of one hand and worn as it is without being held in the other hand. Therefore, the operation from opening the contact lens packaging container to wearing the contact lens can be performed easily and quickly, and contact of the fingertip with the rear surface of the contact lens can be avoided as much as possible.

  By the way, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention as described above, the following various aspects can be appropriately combined and employed as necessary.

  That is, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, an aspect in which the radius of curvature of the lens cover surface is larger than the radius of curvature of the lens front surface of the contact lens can be employed. In this aspect, even when the front surface of the contact lens is in contact with the lens cover surface, since the contact area is suppressed by suppressing partial contact, the contact lens front surface is closely attached to the lens cover surface. Is prevented. Therefore, when opening the lid side plate away from the base side plate, the contact lens is prevented from sticking to the lid side plate, and the opening on the lens support surface is more stable. Can be realized.

  Further, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, the lid side plate can be separated from the base side plate, and the accommodation region is opened by the separation of the two plates, and the base A mode in which a state in which the side plate is on the lower side and the lid side plate is on the upper side indicating the normal state at the time of opening can be adopted. In this aspect, it is possible to prevent an unfamiliar lens user from performing an erroneous opening operation, and the effects of the invention as described above can be enjoyed effectively.

  In the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, the base side plate is formed with a base side flange-like portion extending outward from the outer peripheral edge of the lens support surface, and the lid side plate is provided with the lens. A lid-side flange-like portion that extends outward from the outer peripheral edge of the covering surface is formed, and the base-side flange-like portion and the lid-side flange-like portion are welded over the entire circumference on the outer peripheral side of the housing region. The aspect by which this accommodation area | region is sealed by can be employ | adopted. In this aspect, operations such as opening and holding can be easily performed by picking and holding each flange-like portion in the base side plate and the lid side plate with fingers. Also, by welding the overlapping parts of both flange-like parts on the base side plate and lid side plate, the welding area and welding pressure can be secured easily and efficiently, and the fluid tightness of the contained fluid (preservation liquid) can be secured. It can be easily obtained with high reliability.

  Furthermore, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, the lens supporting surface forming portion of the base side plate and the lens covering surface forming portion of the lid side plate are both in an inverted bowl shape that opens downward. The aspect made into the wall part may be employ | adopted. In this aspect, it is possible to form the base side plate and the lid side plate with a plate structure having a substantially constant thickness, and while maintaining the intended function, the weight of the contact lens packaging container and the resin used A reduction in the amount can be realized.

  Moreover, in the contact lens packaging container of this invention, the aspect with which the said lens cover surface is uneven | corrugated can be employ | adopted. Furthermore, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, a mode in which plasma processing is applied to the lens support surface can be adopted. In each of these aspects, the contact lens adheres to and adheres to the lens cover surface due to the presence of unevenness and / or plasma processing, thereby preventing the contact lens from sticking to the lid side plate when opened. obtain.

  In the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, an embodiment in which at least one of the base side plate and the lid side plate is a laminate material in which a thermoplastic synthetic resin film is laminated on a metal foil can be employed. In this aspect, by adopting the laminate material, it is possible to further improve the reduction in thickness and weight and softness of the contact lens packaging container while ensuring high gas barrier performance, evaporation prevention performance of the preservation solution, and the like.

  Furthermore, in the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, an aspect in which at least one of the base side plate and the lid side plate is transparent in at least a part of the wall portion of the housing region may be employed. In this aspect, the accommodation state of the contact lens or the preservation solution sealed in the accommodation region can be visually confirmed from the outside through the wall portion made transparent. The material and characteristics of the wall are not limited. For example, the wall may be composed of a plate, sheet, film, etc. molded using a thermoplastic synthetic resin material that is relatively easy to mold. Is possible. In addition, a laminate molded product, an injection molded product, or the like can be appropriately employed in consideration of required deformation rigidity, corrosion resistance, barrier performance, and the like.

  Moreover, in the contact lens packaging container of this invention, the aspect by which the curvature radius of the said lens support surface is set to 10 mm-15 mm may be employ | adopted. In this aspect, the contact lens is stably held on the lens support surface before opening, and the contact lens can be easily detached from the lens support surface after opening.

  In the contact lens packaging container of the present invention, the contact lens is pressed against the lens support surface side with a finger and elastically deformed to release the contact between the lens rear surface and the lens support surface of the contact lens. Such an embodiment may be adopted. In this embodiment, the contact lens is elastically deformed by pressing with a finger to reduce the volume of the gap formed between the contact lens and the lens support surface, thereby changing the shape of the contact lens itself and increasing the internal pressure of the gap. Therefore, the contact between the lens rear surface and the lens support surface is released, and the contact lens can be easily detached from the lens support surface.

  As is clear from the above description, in the contact lens packaging container having the structure according to the present invention, the amount of the storage liquid can be reduced to facilitate the processing of the storage liquid at the time of opening, and the contact lens can be accommodated. Under the condition, the contact lens can be stably adsorbed and held on the lens support surface, the contact lens can be easily detached from the lens support surface when opened, and can be quickly mounted without touching the lens rear surface. It can be done.

The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the contact lens packaging container as 1st embodiment of this invention. The front view of the base side plate which comprises the contact lens packaging container shown by FIG. The top view of the base side plate shown by FIG. The longitudinal cross-sectional explanatory drawing for demonstrating opening operation of the contact lens packaging container shown by FIG. The longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the example of an aspect which employ | adopted the lid side plate of another shape in the contact lens packaging container shown by FIG. Front explanatory drawing for demonstrating taking-out operation of the contact lens from the contact lens packaging container shown by FIG. FIGS. 7A and 7B are left side explanatory views for explaining the take-out operation shown in FIG. 6, where (a) shows a state before the finger touches the contact lens, and (b) shows a state where the index finger is pressed against the contact lens. Are shown respectively. Explanatory drawing for demonstrating operation for wearing the contact lens performed following extraction operation shown by FIG. FIG. 6 is a left side explanatory view for explaining another aspect of the operation of taking out the contact lens from the contact lens packaging container shown in FIG. 1. FIG. 6 is a left side explanatory view for explaining still another aspect of the operation of taking out the contact lens from the contact lens packaging container shown in FIG. 1. The longitudinal cross-sectional view of the blister package of a conventional structure. (A)-(c) is explanatory drawing for demonstrating the operation | work which takes out and installs a contact lens from the blister package of a conventional structure.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a contact lens packaging container 10 as an embodiment of the present invention. The contact lens packaging container 10 includes a container body 14 that forms a housing structure 12 having a hollow structure. The storage region 12 is filled with a storage solution 16 and a soft type contact lens 18 is immersed in the storage solution 16 and stored therein. In the following description, the vertical direction refers to the vertical direction in FIG. 1 that is the vertical direction when opened.

  More specifically, the container main body 14 includes a base side plate 20 and a lid side plate 22, and the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 are overlapped with each other in the vertical direction that is the plate thickness direction.

  First, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the base side plate 20 is provided with a lens support portion 24 formed by a reverse circular bowl-shaped or inverted bowl-shaped wall portion that opens downward. ing. In addition, a flat plate-like base-side flange-like portion 26 that extends toward the outer peripheral side is integrally formed at the opening peripheral edge of the lower end of the lens support portion 24, and the base-side plate 20 is substantially flat. Yes. The convex surface of the lens support portion 24 is a lens support surface 28 having a convex spherical crown shape as a whole. In the present embodiment, the entire lens support surface 28 is above the upper surface of the base-side flange-shaped portion 26. Protruding. A knob 30 that can be gripped with fingers is integrally formed on the outer peripheral edge of the base-side flange-like portion 26 so as to protrude outwardly for the purpose of improving operability at the time of opening.

  The lid-side plate 22 has a shape in which a flat plate-shaped central portion of the plate is swelled upward in substantially the same manner as the base-side plate 20. That is, a lens cover 32 formed by a reverse circular bowl-shaped or reverse bowl-shaped wall opening downward is provided at the center of the lid-side plate 22. A flat-plate-shaped lid-side flange-shaped portion 34 that extends from the peripheral edge of the opening at the lower end to the outer peripheral side is integrally formed. The concave surface of the lens cover 32 is a lens cover 36 having a concave spherical crown shape as a whole.

  Further, as compared with the lens support surface 28, the lens cover surface 36 has a larger curvature and protrudes greatly upward. Further, the inner diameter of the opening of the lens cover surface 36 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the opening of the lens support surface 28.

  Then, the lid side plate 22 is overlaid on the upper surface of the base side plate 20, whereby the lid side flange-like portion 34 is closely overlapped with the base-side flange-like portion 26. Further, the inner peripheral surface of the opening portion of the lens cover surface 36 is fitted to the outer peripheral surface of the opening portion of the lens support surface 28, and the lens cover surface 36 is spaced upward and opposed to the lens support surface 28. The accommodation region 12 is defined between the lens support surface 28 and the lens cover surface 36. In the present embodiment, the accommodation area 12 has a generally circular dome shape as a whole, and the internal dimension in the normal direction of the accommodation area 12 gradually increases toward the lower outer peripheral portion serving as the skirt. It has been made smaller.

  Further, the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 that are superposed in the vertical direction are positioned so as to surround the outer periphery of the lens support surface 28 and the lens cover surface 36 as the formation surface of the accommodation region 12 over the entire circumference. The plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 are fixed to each other at the overlapping portion. Thereby, it is set as the sealed structure where the storage area | region 12 was interrupted | blocked with respect to external space. The plates 20 and 22 may be fixed as long as the fluid tightness is maintained, and may be realized by welding or the like in addition to adhesion by an adhesive or mechanical fitting by uneven fitting.

  In particular, in this embodiment, the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 are made of a thermoplastic resin at least on the overlapping surface, and the plates 20 and 22 are pressed and heated in the overlapping direction to each other. It is fixed by welding. The base-side plate 20 and the lid-side plate 22 whose overlapping surfaces are formed of a thermoplastic resin can be obtained, for example, by injection molding of a thermoplastic resin. In addition, it is also possible to obtain the lens support portion 24 and the lens cover portion 32 by bulging and forming by press-molding a plate that has been previously formed into a flat plate shape. At that time, as the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22, those formed entirely of a synthetic resin material such as nylon, polyester, polyolefin, etc. are adopted, metal foil such as aluminum foil, polyethylene terephthalate, polypropylene, etc. It is also possible to use a laminate sheet or the like on which a thermoplastic synthetic resin layer or the like is laminated.

  In particular, as a laminate sheet of an aluminum foil and a synthetic resin layer, considering corrosion resistance performance, strength resistance performance to external force, etc., for example, from a multilayer of three or more layers such as nylon, aluminum alloy and polypropylene. Thus, the total thickness including the aluminum foil having a thickness of 50 to 200 μm is desirably 80 to 250 μm, and more preferably the total thickness including the aluminum foil having a thickness of 80 to 150 μm is 120 to 200 μm. If the total thickness exceeds 250 μm, the strength becomes too large, which may hinder the opening operation and the like, and becomes bulky at the time of disposal. As a synthetic resin sheet, there is an advantage that it is easy to ensure transparency. However, in consideration of gas barrier performance, steam barrier performance after high-pressure steam sterilization, and strength resistance performance, for example, nylon, ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer resin, and polypropylene The total thickness is preferably set to 100 to 250 μm, more preferably 150 to 200 μm.

  Preferably, the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 have a transparent structure in which at least one of the lens support portion 24 and the lens cover portion 32 that define the accommodation region 12 transmits visible light. Is done. Thereby, the accommodation state of the contact lens 18 and the preservation | save liquid 16 in the accommodation area | region 12 can be visually confirmed from the exterior, without opening.

  The base-side plate 20 is desirably thin and lightweight, and ensures a high gas barrier performance, an evaporation prevention performance of the storage liquid 16, and the like, and is formed of, for example, a laminate sheet. On the other hand, it is desirable that the lid side plate 22 has a strength that does not cause plastic deformation against an external force assumed in normal handling or use, and in particular, the storage solution 16 and the contact lens 18 can be visually confirmed from the outside. Therefore, since it is desirable to be transparent, for example, it is formed of a hard synthetic resin or the like. However, if the base side plate 20 is formed of, for example, a hard synthetic resin, the strength of the base side plate 20 and the visibility of the accommodation region 12 are ensured. On the other hand, if the lid-side plate 22 is formed of, for example, a laminate sheet, the opening operation can be facilitated because it is plastically deformed during the opening operation and the shape is maintained in the opened state. Further, both the base side plate 20 and the lid side plate 22 may be formed of a hard synthetic resin or a laminate sheet.

  It is desirable that the base side plate 20 is harder than the lid side plate 22 and has a large deformation rigidity. Further, in order to protect the contact lens 18 enclosed in the accommodation region 12 (prevent deformation when an external force is applied), only the lens cover portion 32 of the lid side plate 22 is reinforced with a thicker or reinforcing member, and the lid side The deformation rigidity of the plate 22 may be partially increased.

  The storage area 12 having the sealed structure formed in this manner stores the storage liquid 16 in a substantially filled state, and stores the contact lens 18 soaked in the storage liquid 16. The storage solution 16 is stored in the storage region 12 by, for example, injecting a predetermined amount of the storage solution 16 into the lens cover 32 having the lid-side plate 22 turned upside down and opened upward, and then turned upside down. This can be realized by, for example, adhering the two flange-like portions 26 and 34 that are overlapped with each other in a state where the side plates 20 are overlapped and the lens support portion 24 of the base side plate 20 is fitted in the lens cover portion 32. According to such a method, it is possible to store the storage liquid 16 and the contact lens 18 in the storage area 12 at the same time as the storage area 12 is hermetically formed. In addition, the two flange-like portions 26 and 34 that are overlapped and fixed to each other may be relatively separated by being peeled off by an external force in a direction in which the user separates them with fingers. desirable.

  The contact lens 18 to be accommodated is not particularly limited with respect to its material and optical characteristics as long as it can be elastically deformed. For example, in addition to the HEMA ionic high water content soft contact lens, a contact lens made of a material having a relatively high viscosity such as a silicone hydrogel soft contact lens having a silicone component may be used.

  In addition, the storage region 12 secures a sufficient amount of storage solution that can keep the contact lens 18 immersed in the storage solution 16 until the opening date of the contact lens packaging container 10, and a large amount of the storage solution 16 at the time of opening. It is required to set a predetermined volume of the preservation solution 16 so as not to be troubled by the processing. On the other hand, the accommodated contact lens 18 is maintained in a substantially balanced state where a large pressing force is not applied, and even if vibration or impact is applied from the outside, the accommodated contact lens 18 is not reversed or bent inside. Size and shape are set. Preferably, the volume of the storage area 12 (injection amount of the preservation solution 16) is 0.10 to 0.40 mL, and more preferably 0.20 to 0.30 mL. In addition, the storage area 12 has a substantially circular dome shape with a size equal to or less than a hemisphere as a whole, and the maximum value of the normal dimension (depth dimension) in the normal direction is 5 mm or less, more preferably 1 to 3 mm. The

  In particular, in the present embodiment, the radius of curvature of the lens support surface 28 is made larger than the radius of curvature of the concave lens rear surface 38 that is the base curve of the contact lens 18, and the radius of curvature of the lens cover surface 36 is the contact radius. The radius of curvature of the convex lens front surface 40 of the lens 18 is made larger. As a result, the contact lens 18 is placed on the lens support 24 so that the lens rear surface 38 is superimposed on the lens support surface 28, so that the spherical crown-shaped contact lens 18 has an outer peripheral edge of the lens rear surface 38. In the vicinity of the edge portion 42, which is a portion, the lens support surface 28 is abutted, and the central portion of the lens rear surface 38 can be supported in a state of being separated upward from the lens support surface 28. The edge portion 42 can be in contact with the lens support surface 28 over the entire circumference, and the edge portion 42 is in contact with the lens support surface 28, whereby the lens support surface 28 and the lens rear surface 38. A gap 46 is formed between the opposing surfaces. The gap 46 is provided in the central portion of the contact lens 18 without being opened to the outer periphery of the contact lens 18 as long as the edge portion 42 is kept in contact with the lens support surface 28. 46 also contains a storage solution 16.

  Further, in the central portion of the contact lens 18 that is spaced upward from the lens support surface 28, the lens front surface 40 is also spaced from the lens cover surface 36. Accordingly, the contact lens 18 accommodated and disposed in the accommodating region 12 can be held in a stable shape in a substantially balanced state without being subjected to unnecessary external force by the inner surface of the accommodating region 12.

  Specifically, the contact lens 18 generally has a BC (base curve) of 8.4 to 8.7 mm and a DIA (lens outer diameter) of 13.5 to 14.5 mm. 28 is preferably formed with a radius of curvature of about 10 to 15 mm, and more preferably 11 to 13 mm. On the other hand, it is desirable that the lens covering surface 36 has an inner diameter dimension in the vicinity of the opening at the lower end of about 16 to 20 mm and a curvature radius of about 9 to 11 mm. Accordingly, for example, when the inner diameter dimension of the lower end of the lens cover surface 36 is 19 mm, the radius of curvature of the lens support surface 28 is 12 mm, and the radius of curvature of the lens cover surface 36 is 10 mm, the maximum inner dimension (depth Can be set to approximately 2 mm. The contact lens 18 has a CT (center part thickness) of about 0.05 to 0.1 mm and is easily deformed along the lens support surface 28 by the action of the surface tension of the storage liquid 16. In consideration of the above, the contact lens 18 can be held in a substantially balanced state by setting the depth dimension of the housing region 12 to 1 to 3 mm.

  In order to more effectively obtain a holding force for positioning the geometric center of the contact lens 18 at a substantially vertex on the lens support surface 28, for example, by changing the radius of curvature of the lens support surface 28, the contact lens 18 You may enlarge the curvature radius of the part located below a mounting area | region. Alternatively, when the contact lens 18 is displaced on the lens support surface 28, the base-side flange-like portion is controlled such that the outer peripheral edge portion of the contact lens 18 abuts against the base-side flange-like portion 26. The amount of projection of the lens support surface 28 from 26 may be set according to the size of the contact lens 18 to be placed.

  Here, the maximum value of the gap 46 is desirably set within a range of 1.2 to 3.0 mm in the vertical direction in FIG. 1, more preferably 1.5 to 2.5 mm, and still more preferably. Is set to 1.7 to 2.3 mm.

  If the gap 46 is too small, it will be difficult to fully exhibit the effect of improving the operability when picking up the contact lens 18 described later. On the other hand, if the gap 46 becomes too large, the contact lens 18 and the lens support surface 28 are easily separated from each other, and it is difficult to sufficiently obtain the adsorption force and holding force of the contact lens 18 on the lens support surface 28. As a result, the holding stability of the contact lens 18 on the lens support surface 28 is lowered, and when the contact lens 18 is picked up by the fingertip and removed from the lens support surface 28, the contact lens 18 is reversed upside down. There is a risk that handling may be reduced due to breaking or sticking.

  A gap 46 having a predetermined size is formed between the overlapping surfaces of the lens support surface 28 and the contact lens 18 so that the contact lens 18 is placed on the lens support surface 28 in the sealed housing region 12. While making it possible to hold the container stably, the contact lens 18 can be easily and quickly removed by picking it with a finger when the storage area 12 is opened and worn.

  That is, when the contact lens packaging container 10 of the present embodiment is opened and the lens user takes out and wears the contact lens 18, first, as shown in FIG. The fixing portion is peeled off by applying a force so that the lid side flange-like portion 34 is pulled apart from the lid side flange-like portion 34, and the lid side plate 22 is lifted from the base side plate 20 to perform an opening operation. As a result, the accommodation region 12 is opened to the atmosphere, and the contact lens 18 is exposed in a state of being placed on the lens support surface 28. In the opening operation, the storage solution 16 filled in the storage area 12 flows out. However, since the storage amount of the storage solution 16 is small, for example, it is easy to lay paper or cloth below. Can be processed.

  Note that the contact lens packaging container 10 of the present embodiment is provided with a vertical display indicating that the state where the base side plate 20 is on the lower side and the lid side plate 22 is on the upper side is a normal state at the time of opening. Preferably it is. For example, characters, symbols, or the like are displayed on the upper surface of the lid-side flange-shaped portion 34 by printing, unevenness, etc., and display indicating that it is the upper surface, or on the lower surface of the base-side flange-shaped portion 26. This is realized by attaching a similar display to indicate that it is the lower surface. This prevents an unfamiliar lens user from performing an erroneous opening operation.

  Further, since the contact lens 18 supported by the lens support surface 28 in the accommodation region 12 is spaced apart from the lens cover surface 36, the contact lens 18 is mounted on the lens support surface 28 without sticking to the lid side plate 22 at the time of opening. It can be stably held in the standing state. However, the radius of curvature of the lens cover surface 36 is larger than the radius of curvature of the lens front surface 40 of the contact lens 18, and even if the contact lens 18 is in contact with the lens cover surface 36, the contact area can be kept sufficiently small. Therefore, adhesion of the contact lens 18 to the lens covering surface 36 can be prevented at the time of opening.

  In order to more effectively prevent the contact lens 18 from adhering to the lens cover surface 36 at the time of opening, it is also effective to give the lens cover surface 36 an embossing or the like so as to be uneven. Further, in order to further reduce the contact area when the contact lens 18 is in contact with the lens cover surface 36 and to reduce the adhesive force, for example, at the top of the lens cover surface 36 facing the top of the contact lens 18, A radius of curvature larger than the region may be set. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5, the lens cover surface 36 facing the top of the contact lens 18 on the inner surface of the top of the lens cover 32 of the lid side plate 22 has a planar shape perpendicular to the normal line. Is also possible. In FIG. 5, the lens cover surface 36 is a circle having a smaller outer diameter than the DIA of the contact lens 18, but the lens cover surface 36 may be formed in a polyhedral shape, for example. Such a lens cover portion 32 can be formed by pressing, molding, or the like, but is preferably formed with a substantially constant thickness, and is particularly shaped in consideration of the hardness and elasticity of the forming material. By setting this, it is also possible to prevent adverse effects on the contact lens 18 when an external force such as dropping is applied. Specifically, when the lens cover 32 is formed of, for example, an aluminum film, the top of the planar shape as shown in FIG. 5 is good in strength, while the lens cover 32 is formed of a transparent laminated resin film or the like. In this case, the top of the spherical crown as shown in FIG. 1 is preferable in terms of strength. On the other hand, for the purpose of improving the holding force of the contact lens 18 to the lens support surface 28, the surface area of the lens support surface 28 where the contact lens 18 is placed may be subjected to a surface treatment by plasma processing to improve hydrophilicity. It is valid.

  The contact lens 18 exposed in the mounting state on the lens support surface 28 by the opening operation as described above is mounted with the lens front surface 40 facing upward, as shown in FIG. From the state, the lens user picks the contact lens 18 with fingers. In particular, the contact lens 18 before opening is immersed in the storage solution 16 and brought into a substantially floating state, so that the action of external force is avoided and the contact lens 18 is held in a natural swollen state. On the other hand, when the storage solution 16 is discharged by opening, atmospheric pressure is applied to the lens front surface 40 of the contact lens 18, and the edge portion 42 is brought into close contact with the lens support surface 28. A gap 46 in which the storage solution 16 is sealed appears between the surfaces facing the surface 28. By the action of the surface tension and atmospheric pressure of the preservation solution 16 sealed in the gap 46, the contact lens 18 after opening is stably held in a mounted state at a predetermined position on the lens support surface 28. The operation of picking with fingers is also easy. At that time, first, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the belly of one finger (for example, the index finger) is superimposed on the radial middle portion of the contact lens 18 from obliquely above, and the other one finger (for example, the thumb) is overlapped. Is superimposed on the radial intermediate portion at another portion on the circumference of the contact lens 18 from above and the contact lens 18 is picked up by these two fingers.

  In particular, the lens support surface 28 on which the contact lens 18 is placed protrudes upward from the flat plate-shaped base side plate 20 and is formed in an exposed state without being covered with the periphery. On the other hand, the fingertip can be easily overlapped from above or from the side, and the operation of picking up the contact lens 18 can be easily performed.

  Here, since there is a relatively large gap 46 between the contact lens 18 and the lens support surface 28, the contact is made by pressing the belly of one finger against the intermediate portion in the radial direction of the contact lens 18. The lens 18 is elastically deformed and moves to the lens support surface 28 side so as to crush the gap 46. When the gap 46 is crushed, as shown in FIG. 7B, the storage solution 16 filled therein is pushed out between the lens support surface 28 and the contact lens 18 to the outer peripheral side. Spread. As a result, the pressure of the storage solution 16 acts on the lens rear surface 38 of the contact lens 18, and the contact lens 18 comes to float from the lens support surface 28 particularly in the outer peripheral portion. As a result, the adhesion force of the contact lens 18 to the lens support surface 28 is reduced and the suction is released, so that the contact lens 18 can be easily picked up with fingers.

  In particular, in the present embodiment, since one finger is pressed against a portion off the center of the contact lens 18, the liquid pressure of the storage solution 16 is concentrated on the circumference of the contact lens 18 other than the portion pressed by the finger. It works in the same way. Therefore, in the portion where the other one finger is overlapped, the contact lens 18 is greatly lifted from the lens support surface 28, and the adhesion force of the contact lens 18 to the lens support surface 28 is effectively reduced. The contact lens 18 can be easily picked up with fingers.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 8, the contact lens 18 picked by two fingers of one hand can be placed with the rear surface 38 of the lens facing upward on the belly of one finger. Therefore, there is no need to place the fingertip on the other hand, and the lens user can quickly wear it on his / her eye while the contact lens 18 is picked up from the lens support surface 28 and placed on the finger.

  Therefore, when the contact lens packaging container 10 of the present embodiment is used, the contact lens 18 accommodated in the accommodation region 12 is supported by the lens when transported from the lens manufacturer to the store or the lens user or carried by the lens user. It can be stably held on the surface 28, avoiding bending and bending of the contact lens 18 as much as possible, and accommodated in the immersion state in the storage solution 16.

  As mentioned above, although embodiment of this invention has been explained in full detail, this invention is not limitedly interpreted by the specific description in this embodiment. For example, the operation of taking out the contact lens 18 with the fingers specifically described in the above embodiment is merely an example, and the contact lens 18 can be easily taken out even with the taking-out operation as shown in FIGS. .

  That is, as shown in FIG. 9, by pressing the belly of one finger against the substantially central portion of the contact lens 18, the contact lens 18 is pushed in so as to crush the gap 46, and the lens support surface 28 side. It may be moved to. Then, the preservation solution 16 filled in the gap 46 is pushed out to the outer peripheral side to release the adsorption of the lens rear surface 38 to the lens support surface 28, and another one finger is superimposed on the outer peripheral portion of the contact lens 18. It is also possible to pick the contact lens 18 with these fingers.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 10, the belly of two fingers is simultaneously pressed against the intermediate portion in the radial direction of the contact lens 18, and the contact lens 18 is pushed toward the lens support surface 28 to collapse the gap 46. The center part of the contact lens 18 can be sandwiched between two fingers while being moved.

  Further, the lens support surface 28 may be a spherical crown-shaped curved surface having a uniform curvature as a whole, but at least in a region where the contact lens 18 is overlapped, the entire lens support surface 28 is a smooth convex having no fold points or fold lines. As long as it has a shape and the entire curvature is smaller than the curvature of the lens rear surface 38 of the contact lens 18, the curvature does not need to be constant and may vary in the radial direction. The smooth convex region assumed as the region where the contact lens 18 is superimposed may be (DIA / 2) +0.5 mm or more in the radial direction orthogonal to the central axis of the lens support surface 28. More preferably, it is (DIA / 2) +1.0 mm or more.

  Further, in the base side plate 20, it is possible to form a recess which is located on the outer peripheral side of the fixing region with the lid side plate 22 and opens upward. By forming such a recess, the storage liquid 16 overflowing from the storage area 12 when opened can be stored to reduce or prevent spilling from the contact lens packaging container 10 to the outside.

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the base side plate 20 and the lid | cover side plate 22 were comprised by the separate components mutually independent, for example, these base side plates 20 and the lid | cover side plate 22 are made into a single sheet form. It is also possible to integrally form the parts and fold them up with a hinge structure so as to overlap them.

  Furthermore, in FIG. 1, the contact lens 18 is shown in a state in which the edge portion 42 of the contact lens 18 is in contact with the lens support surface 28 before the contact lens packaging container 10 is opened. In the state, it may be separated from the lens support surface 28 and may float or float in the storage solution 16. Even in that case, when the base plate 20 is opened at the time of opening, the preservation solution 16 is discharged, and the atmospheric pressure is applied to the lens front surface 40 of the contact lens 18 so that the edge portion 42 supports the lens. The gap 46 of the sealing structure is developed substantially in close contact with the surface 28.

10: contact lens packaging container, 12: storage area, 16: storage solution, 18: contact lens, 20: base side plate, 22: lid side plate, 26: base side flange-shaped part, 28: lens support surface, 34: Cover side flange-like portion, 36: lens cover surface, 38: lens rear surface, 40: lens front surface, 46: gap

Claims (11)

In the contact lens packaging container in which the lid side plate is superimposed on the upper surface of the base side plate, and the contact lens is stored together with the storage liquid in the storage area formed between the overlapping surfaces of the two plates.
The forming surface of the housing area in the base side plate is a lens support surface having a convex spherical crown shape, and the forming surface of the housing area in the lid side plate is a lens covering surface having a concave spherical crown shape. The concave lens rear surface of the contact lens is superposed on the lens support surface at the outer peripheral portion and is accommodated in the accommodation region, while the contact lens overlap surface of the lens support surface is The entirety is a spherical crown shape having a radius of curvature larger than the radius of curvature of the rear surface of the contact lens, and a gap is provided between the overlapping surfaces of the lens support surface and the central portion of the contact lens. A contact lens packaging container, wherein the storage solution is contained in the gap.   The contact lens packaging container according to claim 1, wherein a curvature radius of the lens cover surface is larger than a curvature radius of a lens front surface of the contact lens.   The lid side plate can be separated from the base side plate, and the accommodation area is opened by the separation of the two plates, and the base side plate is placed on the lower side and the lid side plate. The contact lens packaging container according to claim 1, wherein an upper and lower display is attached to indicate that the state with the upper side is the normal state at the time of opening.   The base side plate is formed with a base side flange-like portion extending outward from the outer peripheral edge portion of the lens support surface, and the lid side plate has a lid extending outward from the outer peripheral edge portion of the lens covering surface. A side flange-like portion is formed, and the base-side flange-like portion and the lid-side flange-like portion are welded over the entire circumference on the outer peripheral side of the housing region, thereby sealing the housing region. The contact lens packaging container according to claim 1.   The portion of the base side plate where the lens support surface is formed and the portion of the lid side plate where the lens cover surface is formed are both inverted bowl-shaped walls that open downward. The contact lens packaging container according to any one of the above.   The contact lens packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lens cover surface is uneven.   The contact lens packaging container according to claim 1, wherein the lens support surface is subjected to plasma processing.   The contact lens packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein at least one of the base side plate and the lid side plate is a laminate material in which a thermoplastic synthetic resin film is laminated on a metal foil.   The contact lens packaging container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein at least one of the base side plate and the lid side plate is transparent in at least a part of the wall portion of the housing region.   The contact lens packaging container according to claim 1, wherein a radius of curvature of the lens support surface is set to 10 mm to 15 mm.   11. The contact lens according to claim 1, wherein the contact lens is pressed against the lens support surface side with a finger and elastically deformed to release the contact between the lens rear surface and the lens support surface. The contact lens packaging container according to item 1.

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