Method and apparatus for manufacturing ophthalmic lenses

1. A method for manufacturing contact lenses comprising the steps of:

molding in a mass production process a plurality of lenses having different properties; and

transferring the molded lenses that have the same properties to a respective intermediate buffer so as to store therein a bulk of lenses having the same properties, wherein the intermediate buffer comprises a tube-like container, wherein the diameter of tube-like container is chosen such that the lenses are stored therein one above the other, wherein the tube-like container is closed at one end and is open at the other end to allow for the storage of contact lenses with a suitable amount of preserving liquid contained therein to prevent the lenses from drying and to allow for the molded lenses to sink downwardly and self-orient during sinking with their convex surface facing downwards.

2. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the steps of:

taking from the bulk of lenses stored in one of the intermediate buffer a plurality of lenses having the same properties;

transferring the plurality of lenses to a lens isolation unit;

isolating the lenses in the lens isolation unit; and

grasping an isolated lens and taking it from the lens isolation unit for further processing.

3. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of:

inspecting the lens taken from the lens isolation unit.

4. A method according to claim 3 , further comprising the steps of:

placing the inspected lens into a lens container for a single lens if the inspected lens has been found to be acceptable; and

sealing the container.

5. A method according to claim 4 , further comprising the step of cleaning the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

6. A method according to claim 4 , further comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of lens containers arranged in a row;

placing a lens into each of the lens containers of the row;

placing a foil on top of the lens containers, the foil extending over all containers arranged in the row; and

sealing the foil to the containers.

7. A method according to claim 6 , further comprising the step of cleaning the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

8. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising the step of cleaning the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

9. A method according to claim 2 , further comprising step of extracting the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

10. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of cleaning the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

11. A method according to claim 10 , further comprising step of extracting the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

12. A method according to claim 1 further comprising step of extracting the lenses in the intermediate buffer.

13. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method comprises manufacturing in the mass production process a plurality of lenses of more than five different types with each type having properties different from another type.