US4026591A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Contact lens handling tools
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-03-15
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Granted: 1977-05-31
•
Expires: 1996-03-15
Abstract
Abstract A light passing, contact lens inserting tube having an annular lens holder is inserted through a plunger tube in an extended position and into a friction collar freely slidable in a tubular handle mounted fixedly on the plunger tube which is spring urged to a retracted position relative to an eye cup. Then a contact lens is lightly adhered to the holder by wetting fluid, the plunger tube is released to move the lens back into the eye cup, with the tool extending upwardly, and the plunger tube is extended from its retracted position to allow the inserting tube and lens to move by gravity toward the eye to place the lens very gently on the eye. A steady rest on the eye cup engages the cheek to insure that the tool is perpendicular to the eye. The lens inserting tube may be removed and replaced with a lens removing tube with a suction cup flexibly mounted thereon to remove the contact lens from the eye. In an alternate lens handling tool, a plunger tube is spring urged to a retracted position relative to an eye cup and an annular lens holder is carried by a tubular carrier freely slidable in a cap fitting on one end of the plunger tube. Another alternate lens handling tool has a carrier tube slidable relative to an eye cup and carries an annular lens holder by a tubular bellows.
Inventors
- 👤 John A. Cleaveland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-28 08:41
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F9/00; A61F9/0061
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
96 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, an eye cup, an elongated guide member fixed to and carrying the eye cup, a manually depressable plunger slidably mounted on the guide member, lens holding means, an elongated slide member carrying the lens holding means, and substantially freely slidable relative to the guide member and the plunger, and stop means engageable by the plunger for holding the slide member in a retracted position when the plunger is in its extended position and permitting the slide member to move toward the eye by gravity when the plunger is depressed.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
96 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, an eye cup, an elongated guide member fixed to and carrying the eye cup, a manually depressable plunger slidably mounted on the guide member, lens holding means, an elongated slide member carrying the lens holding means, and substantially freely slidable relative to the guide member and the plunger, and stop means engageable by the plunger for holding the slide member in a retracted position when the plunger is in its extended position and permitting the slide member to move toward the eye by gravity when the plunger is depressed.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 1 wherein the guide member and the plunger are tubular and the plunger is telescopically mounted in the guide member, the slide member being slidably mounted in the plunger.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 1 wherein the stop means is a collar freely movable relative toward and away from one end of the plunger and frictionally holding the slide member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 1 wherein the lens holding means is an annular cup and the slide member has a light passage extending therealong.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 1 wherein the lens holding means is a suction cup.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 5 including means mounting the suction cup on the slide member for limited universal movement relative thereto.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 1 wherein different slide members may be inserted, one specialized for lens removal and one for inserting.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
71 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, a lens holding cup, an elongated slide member holding the cup, an elongated plunger member carrying the slide member for substantially free lost motion movement therebetween, a guide member mounting the plunger member telescopically, eye cup means carried by the guide member, and means urging the plunger member toward a retracted position in which the lens holding cup is retracted into the eye cup.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, a lens holding cup, an elongated slide member holding the cup, an elongated plunger member carrying the slide member for substantially free lost motion movement therebetween, a guide member mounting the plunger member telescopically, eye cup means carried by the guide member, and means urging the plunger member toward a retracted position in which the lens holding cup is retracted into the eye cup.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
87 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, a lens holding cup, an elongated light transmitting slide member holding the cup, an elongated tubular plunger member carrying the slide member for substantially free lost motion movement therebetween, a guide member mounting the plunger member telescopically, eye cup means carried by the guide member, means urging the plunger member toward a retracted position in which the lens holding cup is retracted into the eye cup, and cap means guiding the slide member and detachably mounted on the plunger member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
87 words
In an improved contact lens handling tool, a lens holding cup, an elongated light transmitting slide member holding the cup, an elongated tubular plunger member carrying the slide member for substantially free lost motion movement therebetween, a guide member mounting the plunger member telescopically, eye cup means carried by the guide member, means urging the plunger member toward a retracted position in which the lens holding cup is retracted into the eye cup, and cap means guiding the slide member and detachably mounted on the plunger member.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 9 wherein the slide member is tubular.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 10 wherein the cap means frictionally engages the plunger member to hold the cap means on the plunger member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
70 words
An improved contact lens handling tool comprising: an elongated, flexible tubular bellows means having lens-holding means on an end thereof, the bellows means comprising an elastomer tube having a plurality of convolutions and being flexible both laterally and axially so that a lens may be moved gently to the eye, the bellows means having a manually closable opening at the opposite end thereof adapted to be closed by the user.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
70 words
An improved contact lens handling tool comprising: an elongated, flexible tubular bellows means having lens-holding means on an end thereof, the bellows means comprising an elastomer tube having a plurality of convolutions and being flexible both laterally and axially so that a lens may be moved gently to the eye, the bellows means having a manually closable opening at the opposite end thereof adapted to be closed by the user.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 12 wherein the lens holding means is an annular cup.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
55 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 13 including an elongated plunger member carrying the bellows means, a guide member mounting the plunger member telescopically, eye cup means carried by the guide member, and means urging the plunger member toward a retracted position in which the lens-holding means is retracted into the eye cup.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
15 words
The improved contact lens handling tool of claim 14 wherein the plunger member is tubular.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-05-30 | 1980-11-29 | 1981-05-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-05-30 | 1984-11-29 | 1985-05-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-05-30 | 1988-11-29 | 1989-05-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |