Reusable container for contact lenses and other materials

Abstract

A reusable container that includes a lid and a chamber adapted for leaktight coupling to the lid, where the chamber includes a base unit attachment to attach the chamber to a base unit, and where two or more of the reusable containers can be attached to the base unit. Also, a method of storing a material in a reusable container that includes the steps of placing the material into the reusable container and leaktightly sealing the container sterilizing the container, attaching the container to a base unit that holds two or more of the reusable containers, where the reusable container includes a lid, and a chamber adapted for leaktight coupling to the lid, and where the chamber includes a base unit attachment to attach the chamber to the base unit.

1 . A reusable container comprising: 
 a lid; and    a chamber adapted for leaktight coupling to the lid, wherein the chamber comprises a base unit attachment to attach the chamber to a base unit, and wherein two or more of said reusable containers can be attached to the base unit.    
   
   
       2 . The reusable container according to  claim 1 , wherein said container comprises a flexible member attached to the lid and the chamber, said flexible member keeping the lid flexibly attached to the chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The reusable container according to  claim 1 , wherein the base unit attachment comprises and opening attached to the chamber, wherein the opening is coupled to an anchor tab on the base unit to attach the reusable container to the base unit.  
   
   
       4 . The reusable container of  claim 1 , wherein 2 to 12 of the reusable containers can be attached to the base unit.  
   
   
       5 . The reusable container of  claim 1 , wherein 6 of the reusable containers can be attached to the base unit.  
   
   
       6 . The reusable container of  claim 1 , wherein said container is made tamper evident after the lid is leaktightly coupled to the chamber.  
   
   
       7 . The reusable container of  claim 6 , comprising a tear strip attached to the container that is irreversibly removed before the container is opened.  
   
   
       8 . The reusable container of  claim 1 , wherein the lid comprises a window to permit viewing contents of the chamber when the lid is leaktightly coupled to the chamber.  
   
   
       9 . The reusable container of  claim 8 , wherein the window comprises a magnifying lens to magnify the contents of the chamber.  
   
   
       10 . The reusable container according to  claim 1 , wherein a contact lens is stored within the chamber of the container.  
   
   
       11 . The reusable container according to  claim 10 , wherein the container is sterialized after the contact lens is placed in the chamber of the container.  
   
   
       12 . The reusable container according to  10 , wherein the chamber has a concave or convex shaped interior.  
   
   
       13 . The reusable container according to  10 , wherein the chamber has an open interior and is coupled to a separate container.  
   
   
       14 . A reusable contact lens container comprising: 
 a lid; and    a chamber to hold the contact lens adapted for leaktight coupling to the lid, and    a base unit attached to two or more of the containers, wherein each of the containers has an opening that is attached to one or more anchor tabs that are formed on the base unit to attach the container to the base unit.    
   
   
       15 . A method of storing a material in a reusable container comprising: 
 placing said material into the reusable container and leaktightly sealing the container;    sterilizing the container; and    attaching the container to a base unit that holds two or more of the reusable containers, wherein said reusable container comprises a lid, and a chamber adapted for leaktight coupling to the lid, and wherein the chamber comprises a base unit attachment to attach the chamber to the base unit.    
   
   
       16 . The method according to  claim 15 , comprising: 
 dispensing two or more of the reusable containers attached to said base unit to a consumer of the material.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said material comprises a contact lens.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said material comprises a medication.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the step of sterilizing of the container comprises steam sterilization, ethylene oxide sterilization, or irradiation sterilization.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising: 
 making the container tamper evident after the container is leaktightly sealed.