Patent Application
20070261970
The present invention relates generally to cases for contact lenses and, more particularly, to a contact lens case adapted to aid a user in rapidly distinguishing between left and right lenses of a lens pair.
Lens cases for contact lenses include left and right compartments defining interiors for respectively receiving left and right lenses of a pair of contact lenses. The lens case includes covers removably engaging the left and right compartments to enclose the lenses within the interiors of the compartments.
It is known to configure an exterior of a contact lens case to provide visual and tactile differentiation between left and right compartments of the lens case. U.S. Pat. No. 6,679,373 (Clevenger), for example, discloses a contact lens case (in FIG. 1 of the '373 patent) that is asymmetric with respect to an X-axis. Clevenger also discloses a lens case (in FIG. 3 of the '373 patent) having differently shaped covers and a lens case (in FIG. 2A of the '373 patent) in which the covers bear differing patterns on the exteriors of the covers. Clevenger also discloses a lens case (in FIG. 4 of the '373 patent) in which the exterior of the lens case includes the letters L and R on a bottom surface of the lens case.
What is needed is a lens case having an exterior adapted to provide both visual and tactile differentiation between compartments of the lens case, and also having interior wells within the compartments that are adapted to provide at least a visual differentiation between the interior walls.
According to one aspect of the invention, a contact lens case comprises first and second containers. The first and second containers each include a wall having an inner surface defining a interior well. The interior wells of the first and second containers are respectively adapted for receiving a first lens and a second lens of a pair of contact lenses.
The exterior of the first container is configured differently from the exterior of the second container to provide for both a visual and a tactile differentiation between the first and second containers. Each of the first and second containers includes a visual indicator defined on the inner surface of the wall of the container. The visual indicator of the first and second containers differ from each other in appearance to provide for a visual differentiation between the interior wells of the first and second containers.
According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, each container includes a flange on an exterior of the container. The flange of the first container having periphery that includes a plurality of substantially linear portions and the flange of the second container having a substantially circular periphery.
According to another aspect of the invention, a lens case is adapted for storing a pair of contact lenses having left and right lenses. The lens case comprises left and right compartments respectively for the left and right lenses of the pair of contact lenses. The left and right compartments each include a wall having an inner surface defining a well for receiving the associated lens of the pair of contact lenses. Each of the left and right compartments including a removable cover for enclosing the associated lens within the well of the compartment.
The left and right compartments each include a flange located on an outer surface of the wall. The flanges are configured differently from each other to provide for visual and tactile differentiation between the left and right compartments. Each of the left and right compartments includes a visual indicator defined on the inner surface of the compartment wall. The visual indicators of the left and right compartments differ from each other in appearance to provide for visual differentiation between the wells of the compartments.
The foregoing and other features of the invention and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in light of the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments, as illustrated in the accompanying figures. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and the description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.
For the purpose of illustrating the invention, the drawings show a form of the invention that is presently preferred. However, it should be understood that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
Referring to the drawings, where like numerals identify like elements, there is illustrated in the figures a contact lens case 10 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. Referring to
Referring to
Referring again to
Each of the interior wells 28, 30 preferably includes a patterned formation on the inner surface 24, 26 of the container wall 16, 18. As shown, the patterned formation on the inner surface 24 differs in appearance from the patterned formation on the inner surface 26 such that a user can visually distinguish between the interior wells 28, 30 when the covers 20, 22 are removed. Each of the patterned formations includes a plurality of radially-extending raised ribs 34 spaced about the interior well 28, 30. The ribs 34 on the inner surface 26 of interior well 30 preferably extend over a majority of the inner surface 26 from a common center point on the planar bottom portion. In contrast, the ribs 34 on the inner surface 24 of interior well 28 do not extend to a common center point on the planar bottom portion. To further distinguish between the interior wells 28, 30, the patterned formation on the inner surface 24 includes a pair of lines on the planar bottom portion defining an “L” to identify the first interior well 28 as the well-intended for receipt of the left lens of a pair of contact lenses.
The patterned formations can also be adapted to provide for tactile differentiation between the containers 12, 14 in addition to providing the above-described visual differentiation. Preferably, each of the patterned formations on the inner surfaces 24, 26, including the lines defining the “L” shape on inner surface 24 may be either raised or indented with respect to adjacent portions of the inner surfaces 24, 26. Constructed in this manner, a user touching the patterned lines on the inner surfaces 24, 26 in the planar bottom portions can tactilely differentiate between the first and second interior wells 28, 30.
The exteriors of the containers 12, 14 are also adapted to provide visual and tactile differentiation between the containers 12, 14. The first and second containers 12, 14 include flanges 36, 38 extending outwardly from an exterior surface of the walls 16, 18. As shown in
The lens case 10 includes webs 40 connected to each of the flanges 36, 38 to interconnect the containers 12, 14 of the lens case 10.
As described above, the lens case 10 of the present invention is adapted, on both the exterior of the containers 12, 14 as well as within the interior wells 28, 30 of the containers 12, 14, to provide at least a visual means for differentiating between the first and second containers 12, 14. Regarding the exterior, the containers 12, 14 are constructed, preferably by including differing flanges 36, 38, to provide for both a visual and a tactile differentiation between the first and second containers 12, 14. Regarding the interior, the containers 12, 14 include patterned visual indicators on the inner surfaces 24, 26 of the walls 16, 18 for visually differentiating between the interior wells 28, 30 of the first and second containers 12, 14.
While the drawings and description refer to the caps are being attached by threads, it should be readily apparent that alternate mounting arrangements can be used including press fit and hinged arrangements. Also, while a tactile mechanisms has been used to differentiate between the two sides, it should also be apparent that color can be used in addition to or as an alternate for the tactile differentiation.
The foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.
