Contact lens packaging
Packages, systems, and methods of the present disclosure are generally directed to the use of side gating in injection molding to form packaging for contact lenses. As compared to gating along a top surface of a contact lens package, the use of a side gate in injection molding to form a package for contact lenses may significantly reduce the time required to cool plastic in the injection mold, thus offering potential to reduce the overall cycle time for the injection molding process and increase fabrication throughput of the package.
1. A package for a contact lens, the package comprising:
a base including a first surface and a second surface, the first surface opposite the second surface, the first surface and the second surface forming a reservoir, the first surface concave along the reservoir and defining a recess, the second surface convex along the reservoir, the first surface forming a rim region circumscribing the recess, and the rim region defining a plane;
one or more walls, at least one of the one or more walls including a wipe surface and at least one draft surface, the at least one draft surface extending from the base in at least one direction oblique to the plane defined by the rim region, and the wipe surface perpendicular to the plane defined by the rim region; and
wherein the wipe surface is located on the same wall as the at least one draft surface.
2. The package of claim 1 , wherein the first surface has a first surface area, the second surface has a second surface area, a third surface area is collectively defined by the wipe surface and the at least one draft surface, and the third surface area less than at least one of the first surface area or the second surface area.
3. The package of claim 1 , wherein the wipe surface and the at least one draft surface each face away from the reservoir.
4. The package of claim 1 , wherein the wipe surface is spaced apart from each one of the first surface and the second surface.
5. The package of claim 1 , wherein the reservoir has a curvilinear two-dimensional profile perpendicular to the plane defined by the rim region of the first surface.
6. The package of claim 1 , wherein the base and the one or more walls are formed of at least on polymer.
7. The package of claim 1 , wherein the rim region defines an orifice extending from the first surface to the second surface of the base.
8. The package of claim 7 , wherein, along the plane defined by the rim region of the first surface of the base, the recess is between the orifice and at least one of the one or more walls.
9. The package of claim 7 , wherein the recess has a first area along the plane, the orifice has a second area along the plane, and the first area is greater than the second area.
10. The package of claim 1 , wherein the one or more walls and the reservoir are sized to support the plane defined by the rim region in a stable orientation with the one or more walls and the reservoir positioned on a horizontal surface and the rim region facing away from the horizontal surface.