Contact lens packaging methods and systems

Abstract

Methods and systems for producing packaged contact lenses are described. A stock product that includes a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package is provided. The stock product has one or more printing surfaces. The stock product is directed to a labeling station to produce a customer-tailored labeled product. The labeled product includes printed customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product. Manufacturing systems that include such labeling stations are also described. Utilizing the present methods and systems, contact lenses are labeled and supplied to different customers based on customer requirements.

1 . A method of producing packaged contact lenses, comprising:
 providing a stock product, the stock product comprising a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package, and a printing surface; and   directing the stock product to a labeling station to produce a customer-tailored labeled product comprising printed customer-specific indicia directly on the stock product printing surface.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product is a single sealed contact lens blister package, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of a sealing member disposed over a cavity containing the contact lens. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product comprises a plurality of sealed contact lens blister packages coupled together, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of a sealing member disposed over each of the contact lens blister packages. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product is an assembled carton containing a plurality of sealed contact lens packages, and the printing surface is an exterior surface of the carton. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the customer-tailored labeled product is one or more sealed contact lens blister packages, and the method further comprises sterilizing the customer-tailored labeled product prior to placement in a carton. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising creating an inventory of a plurality of stock products prior to directing the stock products to the labeling station. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving an order from a customer for an ordered number of customer-tailored labeled products, and directing at least that number of stock products to the labeling station to produce the ordered number of customer-tailored labeled products. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising laser printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising ink-jet printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising a step of curing the ink printed on the printing surface by an ink-jet printer. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising printing the customer-specific indicia directly on the printing surface of the stock product with a drop on demand ink-jet printing apparatus. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising treating the printing surface by exposing the printing surface to a corona treatment, a plasma treatment, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product includes a lot identifier, and the method further comprises verifying the lot identifier of the stock product, and selecting the customer-specific indicia to be printed on the printing surface based on the lot identifier information. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing contact lens manufacturer-specific information on the customer-tailored labeled product. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product comprises a plurality of printing surfaces, and the method further comprises rotating the stock product to print on different printing surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the stock product printing surface is free of an adhesive label containing customer-specific indicia. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising verifying that the customer-specific indicia printed on the printing surface is correct based on a customer's order for the customer-tailored labeled product. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of stock products are provided, and the stock products are cartons containing a plurality of sealed contact lens packages containing contact lenses in a contact lens packaging solution, and the method further comprises:
 creating an inventory of the plurality of stock products, each of the stock products containing the same type of contact lens in each package of the stock products;   processing an order received from a first customer of contact lenses, the customer being a contact lens retailer, or an eye care practitioner;   printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surfaces of the stock products as the stock products pass through the labeling station, the customer-specific indicia being specific for the first customer;   packaging the customer-tailored labeled product in at least one package;   shipping the at least one package to the first customer; and   repeating the processing, printing, packaging, and shipping steps for at least one additional customer that is a contact lens retailer, wherein the at least one additional customer has ordered the same contact lens but requires different customer-specific indicia than the first customer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a plurality of stock products are provided, and the stock products are arrays of a plurality of sealed contact lens packages containing contact lenses in a contact lens packaging solution, and the method further comprises:
 processing an order received from a first customer of contact lenses, the customer being a contact lens retailer, or an eye care practitioner;   printing the customer-specific indicia on the printing surfaces of the stock products as the stock products pass through the labeling station, the customer-specific indicia being specific for the first customer;   sterilizing the customer-tailored labeled products;   packaging the customer-tailored labeled products in at least one carton;   packaging the at least one carton in at least one package; and   shipping the customer-tailored labeled products to the first customer; and   repeating the processing, printing, packaging, and shipping steps for at least one additional customer that is a contact lens retailer, wherein the at least one additional customer has ordered the same contact lens but requires different customer-specific indicia than the first customer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising directing the at least one carton to a labeling station to produce a customer-tailored product comprising customer-specific indicia directly on a printing surface of the at least one carton, the customer-specific indicia being for the first customer. 
     
     
         21 . A method of producing packaged contact lenses, comprising:
 providing a stock product, the stock product being at least one sealed contact lens package comprising a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution;   placing the stock product in a contact lens secondary package at a cartoning station configured to assemble an unassembled contact lens secondary package into an assembled contact lens secondary package, and comprising a labeling station configured to print customer-specific indicia directly on a printing surface of the contact lens secondary package; and   providing printed customer-specific indicia on the printing surface of the contact lens secondary package to produce a customer-tailored labeled product, wherein the printed customer-specific indicia is printed on the printing surface prior to placing the stock product in the contact lens secondary package, or after placing the stock product in the contact lens secondary package, or both.   
     
     
         22 . A contact lens secondary package, comprising:
 a carton comprising at least one sealed contact lens primary package comprising an unworn contact lens in a contact lens packaging solution, wherein the carton has a printing surface comprising customer-specific indicia printed directly on the printing surface, the customer-specific indicia comprising UV cured ink provided by a drop-on-demand ink-jet printing system.   
     
     
         23 . A system for producing packaged contact lens, comprising:
 a labeling station, comprising:   a stock product infeed portion dimensioned to receive one or more stock products, each stock product comprising a contact lens located in a contact lens packaging solution in a sealed contact lens package, and a printing surface;   a conveyor system operable to direct the stock product from the infeed portion toward an outlet of the labeling station;   a printing device comprising a drop-on-demand ink jet printer that dispenses UV curable ink onto the printing surface of the stock product; and   a UV curing system to provide UV radiation exposure to the UV curable ink to provide a customer-tailored labeled product comprising customer-specific indicia printed directly on the stock product printing surface.   
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the conveyor system is structured to direct a plurality of contact lens secondary packages through the labeling station. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the conveyor system is structured to direct a plurality of contact lens primary packages through the labeling station.