초록 ▼

A heating unit which may be used as a soft contact lens disinfecting unit and which embodies a case construction entirely of thermoplastic, or other low heat-conductive material. A heat conductive liquid such as molten wax, or oil, or both, is contained in the case and is used as a uniform heat tran

A heating unit which may be used as a soft contact lens disinfecting unit and which embodies a case construction entirely of thermoplastic, or other low heat-conductive material. A heat conductive liquid such as molten wax, or oil, or both, is contained in the case and is used as a uniform heat transfer medium between electrical heating elements in the case and the surface of an incubator supported in the case which, likewise, is formed of low heat-conductive material. The heating unit in the embodiment to be described, is specifically constructed to produce or aid in disinfecting so-called soft contact lenses intended for wearing in contact with the eye. The unit is more generally applicable, and may be used to advantage, when a low cost heating unit is desired which will raise the temperature of an object or a material to a given temperature, maintain it at or above the given temperature for a given time period, and then allow it to cool down and return to an ambient temperature condition.

대표청구항 ▼

An electrically energized heating unit for disinfecting soft lenses, or the like, comprising: a housing; of plastic material a bowl formed of low heat conductive plastic material supported in the housing and providing an air space between the inner wall of the housing and the outer wall of the bowl

An electrically energized heating unit for disinfecting soft lenses, or the like, comprising: a housing; of plastic material a bowl formed of low heat conductive plastic material supported in the housing and providing an air space between the inner wall of the housing and the outer wall of the bowl which air space acts as an insulating means between the bowl and the housing; an incubator formed of low heat conductive plastic material supported on said bowl is sealed relationship therewith, said incubator containing at least one well extending into said bowl; electrically energized heating means mounted in said bowl; electric leads extending into said bowl for supplying electric energy to said heating means; a heat conductive wax contained in said bowl to be heated from a solid state to a liquid state by said heating means for conducting heat uniformly from said heating means to the outer surface of the well of said incubator so as to introduce heat into said well; and a thermostatic switch connected to said leads and thermally coupled to the wax in said bowl and having an operating temperature higher than the melting point of the wax in said bowl.