Method and apparatus for applying a surfactant to mold surfaces

• Main Authors: STEPHEN ROBERT BEATON, TURE KINDT-LARSEN, CRAIG WILLIAM WALKER, WALLACE ANTHONY MARTIN
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 01.04.1999
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING; APPARATUS FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PROCESSES FOR APPLYING LIQUIDS OR OTHER FLUENT MATERIALS TOSURFACES, IN GENERAL; PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCESIN A PLASTIC STATE; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDEDFOR; SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SPRAYING OR ATOMISING IN GENERAL; TRANSPORTING; WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE, IN GENERAL

A method of and apparatus for employing a surfactant which is provided in order to assist in the release from each other of mold components of a multi-part mold employed in the molding of polymeric articles; for instance, such as a hydrophilic contact lens, upon completion of the molding process for the polymeric articles. The surfactant is applied in the form of a film or coating on surface portions of one of the mold components in order to facilitate the disengagement between the mold components during demolding, and the removal of excess polymeric molding material adhesively deposited on surfaces thereon.