Handheld eyelid massager

Abstract

The eyelid massager 100 comprises: a handle 102 having a free end 104; and a roller 106 pivotally connected to the free end of the handle. The roller 106 is dumbbell-shaped, the curvature of the outer surface of the roller being matched to the curvature of the closed eye of the user such that during a massage action, the roller 106 comes into contact with the eyelid along the entire length of the eye to press a plurality of meibomian glands associated with the eyelid, promoting release of occluded grease. The handle 102 is Y-shaped 200 at the free end 104 to pivotally retain the roller 106 at both ends 204 by a pair of inwardly extending pins 202 that engage a pair of holes provided on the roller 106. The roller 106 is made of silicone rubber and a curved portion of the outer surface has a plurality of ribs 208.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure generally relates to the field of eye lubrication devices. More specifically, this disclosure relates to a handheld device for massaging a user's eyelids to remove blocked oil from the meibomian glands of the eye, thereby opening the meibomian glands. Background Technology

[0002] The background description includes information that may help in understanding the invention. This does not imply an admission that any information provided herein is prior art or related to the claimed invention, nor does it imply that any specific or implied reference to any publication is prior art.

[0003] Dry eye syndrome is common in middle and old age. The most common cause of dry eye is not a lack of water in the eyes, but rather a lack of oil in tears. Tears are a complex mixture of various fluids secreted by glands inside and around the eyes. These fluids need to be kept in proper balance to maintain eye health.

[0004] Meibomian glands are glands located in multiple groups on both the upper and lower eyelids, directly above the eyes. They secrete an oily fluid to prevent the evaporation of the watery components of tears. This oily fluid is secreted with each blink. Meibomian gland dysfunction is the cause of problems for most people with dry eye syndrome. This may be due to the thinning of the skin causing the glands to cool rapidly, leading to blockage of the oily substance within the glands as the glands and surrounding body temperature cannot be maintained.

[0005] There are many ways to treat dry eye, such as regularly instilling medicated eye drops, using eye cream, taking oral medications, and surgical intervention. However, medications can cause drug allergies and allergic reactions, and also incur regular medication costs. To treat the root cause of dry eye, it is necessary to unblock the meibomian glands.

[0006] Patent document CN209236572U discloses a dry eye treatment device, including a shell, a support, a pair of eye masks made of flexible material that conform to the human eye socket, a heating component, and a vibration component. The shell is mounted on the support, and the pair of eye masks are located on the support. The support has two first through holes, and each eye mask has a second through hole. Each eye mask is equipped with a folding structure extending to the center, and the curved support area of ​​the folding structure is the part of the eye mask closest to the human eye socket. This compact device can simultaneously apply heat and vibrate massage to the meibomian glands with good results; under the same usage position, it can better adapt to different people's eye sockets without compressing the eyeball.

[0007] One known method for unblocking meibomian glands involves applying a warm compress to the eyelids without the use of medication. However, this may often be insufficient and may require subsequent massage, which can usually be done using the warm compress device itself. To make the treatment more effective, a more efficient and effective device for massaging the eyelids to unblock the meibomian glands may be needed.

[0008] Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a device for massaging a user's eyelids to treat dry eye syndrome.

[0009] Purpose of the invention The general purpose of this disclosure is to provide an effective solution for treating dry eye syndrome.

[0010] The purpose of this disclosure is to prevent dry eye syndrome by ensuring an adequate supply of oily substances in tears, thereby overcoming the problem of dry eye syndrome.

[0011] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a device for unblocking the meibomian glands of the eyelids, thereby ensuring an adequate supply of oily substances in tears to prevent dry eye syndrome.

[0012] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide a device for massaging the eyelids to unclog the meibomian glands of the eyelids.

[0013] The purpose of this disclosure is to provide an eyelid massager that is ergonomically designed, integrates effective tactile features, and is simple and easy to use and maintain. Summary of the Invention

[0014] This disclosure generally relates to the field of devices for eye lubrication. In particular, this disclosure relates to a handheld device for massaging the eyelids to remove blocked oil from the meibomian glands of a user's eye, thereby opening the meibomian glands. More specifically, this disclosure provides an eyelid massager for massaging the eyes, with the aim of clearing blockages on the meibomian glands to promote the release of blocked oil, thereby unblocking the meibomian glands.

[0015] In one aspect, the proposed eyelid massager includes: a handle having a free end; and a roller pivotally connected to the free end of the handle. The roller is dumbbell-shaped, and the curvature of its outer surface matches the curvature of a user's closed eye, such that during a massage motion, the roller contacts the eyelid along the entire length of the eye to press multiple meibomian glands associated with the eyelid, promoting the release of blocked oil.

[0016] In one embodiment, the curvature of the outer surface of the roller is configured to enable a massage action in the vertical direction.

[0017] In one embodiment, the handle is Y-shaped at the free end, and the dumbbell-shaped roller can be held at both ends of the roller by engaging with the two ends of the Y-shaped free end.

[0018] In one embodiment, the Y-shaped free end of the handle includes a pair of inwardly extending pins to pivotally hold the roller.

[0019] In one embodiment, the roller includes a pair of holes at both ends of the roller, the holes being concentric with the axis of rotation of the roller, for engaging with a pair of pins of the handle to achieve a pivotal connection between the roller and the handle.

[0020] In one embodiment, the roller may be made of silicone rubber.

[0021] In one embodiment, the roller includes a plurality of ribs on the outer surface to form a textured surface.

[0022] In one embodiment, the plurality of ribs are arranged parallel to each other along the rotation axis of the roller.

[0023] In one embodiment, the handle includes one or more ribbed surfaces for the user to grip the handle.

[0024] Another aspect of this disclosure is a method for eye massage, comprising the steps of: providing an eyelid massager, the massager comprising: a handle having a free end; and a roller pivotally connected to the free end of the handle; the roller having a dumbbell shape, the curvature of the outer surface of the roller matching the curvature of a user's closed eye; placing the roller of the massager on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid of the eye; gently pressing the roller and rolling it vertically downward to press a plurality of meibomian glands associated with the eyelid.

[0025] In one embodiment, the roller of the massager is placed on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid of the eye; the roller is gently pressed and rolled vertically downwards until multiple blocked meibomian glands open to release the blocked oil.

[0026] In one embodiment, oil released from the plurality of meibomian glands is wiped away to clean the edge of the eyelid.

[0027] Various objects, features, aspects and advantages of the subject matter of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein the same numerals denote the same parts. Attached Figure Description

[0028] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, are included to provide a further understanding of this disclosure. The drawings illustrate exemplary embodiments of this disclosure and, together with the specification, serve to illustrate the principles of this disclosure.

[0029] Figure 1A An exemplary perspective view of the proposed handheld eyelid massager as seen from the top, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 1B An exemplary perspective view of a handheld eyelid massager as seen from the bottom, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, is shown.

[0031] Figure 2A An exemplary perspective view of a handheld eyelid massager handle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0032] Figure 2B An exemplary perspective view of the rollers of a handheld eyelid massager according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0033] Figure 3 An exemplary view of an application of a massager for performing eyelid massage according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown.

[0034] Figure 4 An exemplary method for performing eyelid massage according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is shown in the diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the present disclosure as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. These embodiments are detailed enough to clearly convey the present disclosure. However, the level of detail provided is not intended to limit the contemplation of the embodiments; rather, it is intended to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.

[0036] The embodiments described herein generally relate to the field of ophthalmology. More specifically, these embodiments relate to a handheld device for massaging the eyelids to clear blocked oil from the meibomian glands, thereby opening the glands and enabling them to secrete oil, which is essential for preventing dry eye syndrome. It is well known that meibomian glands secrete oil (lipids) and are distributed along the edges of the upper and lower eyelids. The upper eyelid contains approximately 30 to 40 glands, and the lower eyelid has 20 to 30 glands. When the meibomian glands stop secreting oil, a condition known as dry eye syndrome or meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD) occurs. MGD can be caused by a variety of microbes, hormones, metabolism, aging, and environmental factors, and if left untreated, it can lead to one or more eye diseases. Applying a topical lubricant can relieve symptoms, reduce tear film evaporation, and stabilize the oil in the tear film. Often, MGD is caused by blocked meibomian glands, and the massage motion can help unclog the glands and treat dry eye syndrome.

[0037] In one embodiment, this disclosure provides an eyelid massager including a handle and a roller pivotally connected to a free end of the handle. The roller is dumbbell-shaped, with the curvature of its outer surface matching the curvature of a user's closed eye, such that during a massage motion, the roller makes contact with the eyelid along its entire length to press multiple meibomian glands associated with the eyelid, promoting the release of blocked oil.

[0038] In one embodiment, the handle is Y-shaped at its free end to pivotally hold the roller at both ends by a pair of inwardly extending pins that engage with corresponding holes on the roller.

[0039] In one embodiment, the roller is made of silicone rubber, and the curved portion of the roller's outer surface includes multiple ribs to form a textured surface. The ribs are positioned parallel to the roller's axis of rotation.

[0040] Now for reference Figure 1A and 1B The figure shows perspective views of the proposed handheld eyelid massager from the top and bottom sides. The handheld eyelid massager 100 may include a handle 102 having a free end 104 and a roller 106 pivotally connected to the free end 104 of the handle 102.

[0041] In one embodiment, the roller 106 can be driven by a pair of pins 202-1 and 202-2 disposed on the handle 102 (see...). Figure 2A The roller 106 is pivotally connected to the handle 102. The roller 106 may be dumbbell-shaped, with the curvature of its outer surface corresponding to that of the user 304 (see [link]). Figure 3 ) closed eyes 302 (see Figure 3The curvature of the roller 106 is matched so that it makes contact with the eyelid along its entire length during the massage action to press all the multiple meibomian glands located on the eyelid and promote the release of blocked oil.

[0042] In one embodiment, the handle may include one or more ribbed surfaces 108, such as an upper ribbed surface 108-1 where the user's thumb grips the handle 102, and a lower ribbed surface 108-2 on the lower surface of the handle 102 where the remaining fingers grip the handle 102. Figure 1B The ribbed surface 108 helps to better grip the handle 102 and does not allow the handle 102 to slip.

[0043] like Figure 2A As shown, the handle may be Y-shaped 200 at its free end 104 to pivotally hold the dumbbell-shaped roller 106 at both ends 204-1 and 204-2 (collectively referred to herein as end 204). The Y-shaped 200 free end 104 of the handle 102 includes a pair of inwardly extending pins, such as pins 202-1 and 202-2 (collectively referred to herein as pin 202), to pivotally hold the roller 106.

[0044] In one embodiment, the Y-shaped portion 200 of the handle 102 at the free end 104 bends downward to position the axis of rotation of the roller 106 below the axis of the handle 102. This feature fills in the natural depth of the eye and better conforms to the contours of the eye area. The massager 100 can be comfortably held by the user by keeping their hand straight, eliminating any potential discomfort.

[0045] like Figure 2B As shown, the roller 106 includes a plurality of ribs 208 on its outer surface to form a textured surface. The ribs 208 are positioned parallel to the axis of rotation of the roller 106. The ergonomically designed outer surface ribs 208 integrate a special texture, optimizing grip and also contributing to precise and effective massage.

[0046] In one embodiment, roller 106 includes a pair of holes, such as holes 206-1 and 206-2 (collectively referred to herein as holes 206), located at both ends 204-1 and 204-2 of roller 106, respectively. The two holes 206-1 and 206-2 define the axis of rotation of roller 106 and are concentric with the longitudinal axis of the dumbbell-shaped roller 106. A pair of pins 202-1 and 202-2 of handle 102 can engage with holes 206-1 and 206-2 to provide a pivotal connection between roller 106 and handle 102. The dumbbell shape of roller 106 is configured to match the curvature of the eye to ensure full contact between the eyelid and the roller, thereby guiding the direction of the massage during use.

[0047] In one embodiment, such as Figure 3 As shown, the curvature of the outer surface of roller 106 is configured to perform a massage motion in the vertical direction, i.e., from the upper eyelid to the lower eyelid and vice versa. When moved in the manner described above, roller 106 moves along the edge of the eyelid (where the glands are located) and gently presses the glands to squeeze out blocked oil.

[0048] In one embodiment, roller 106 may be made of silicone rubber. The elastic properties of the material can resolve any mismatch between the eyelid and roller 106. The soft contact of the ribbed surface of the silicone rubber roller 106 avoids the possibility of any severe friction with the skin of the eyelid 106.

[0049] In one respect, before performing the massage, the area of ​​the eyelid 306 can be warmed for at least five minutes using at least one heat source selected from radiation, heating pads, or pads soaked in warm water. Exposure to heat loosens the accumulated and blocked oil within the meibomian glands, making the loosened oil easier to remove through massage.

[0050] Figure 4 Figure 400 illustrates an exemplary method for performing a massage of the eyelid 106. Another aspect of this disclosure is a method 400 for eye massage, comprising the steps of: providing an eyelid massager 100, the massager comprising: a handle 102 having a free end 104; and a roller 106 pivotally connected to the free end 104 of the handle 102; the roller 106 having a dumbbell shape, the curvature of the outer surface of the roller 106 matching the curvature of the closed eye 302 of the user 304; according to step 402, placing the roller 106 of the massager 100 on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid 306 of the eye 302; according to step 404, gently pressing the roller 106 and rolling it vertically downward until multiple blocked meibomian glands open to release blocked oil.

[0051] In one embodiment, the roller 106 of the massager 100 is placed on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid 306 of the eye 302, and the roller 106 is gently pressed and rolled vertically downward until multiple blocked meibomian glands open to release the blocked oil.

[0052] In one embodiment, oil released from multiple meibomian glands is wiped away to clean the edge of the eyelid 306.

[0053] In one embodiment, a non-professional can use the massager 100 to press on the eyelid 306 to unclog blocked meibomian glands, thus eliminating the need for the clamp-shaped device typically required to perform this operation.

[0054] Furthermore, in interpreting the specification, all terms should be interpreted as broadly as possible, consistent with the context. In particular, the terms "comprising" and "including" should be interpreted as referring to an element, component, or step in a non-exclusive manner, indicating that the referenced element, component, or step may be present, used, or combined with other elements, components, or steps not explicitly referenced. If the claims in the specification involve at least one selected from the group consisting of A, B, C, ..., and N, the text should be interpreted as requiring only one element from that group, rather than A plus N, B plus N, etc.

[0055] While various embodiments of the invention have been described above, other and further embodiments of the invention may be devised without departing from its basic scope. The scope of the invention is defined by the following claims. The invention is not limited to the described embodiments, versions, or examples, but should be included to enable those skilled in the art to make and use the invention in combination with the information and knowledge available to them.

[0056] Advantages of the invention This disclosure provides an effective treatment for dry eye syndrome.

[0057] This disclosure overcomes the problem of dry eyes by ensuring an adequate supply of oily substances in tears to prevent dryness.

[0058] This disclosure provides a device for unblocking the meibomian glands in the eyelids, thereby ensuring an adequate supply of oily substances in tears to prevent dry eye syndrome.

[0059] This disclosure provides a device for massaging the eyelids to unclog the meibomian glands of the eyelids.

[0060] This disclosure provides an eyelid massager that is ergonomically designed, integrates effective tactile features, and is simple and easy to use and maintain.

Claims

1. An eyelid massager (100), comprising: Handle (102), which has a free end (104); as well as Roller (106), which is pivotally connected to the free end (104) of the handle (102). The roller (106) is dumbbell-shaped, and the curvature of the outer surface of the roller (106) matches the curvature of the user's (304) closed eye (302), such that during the massage action, the roller (106) makes contact with the eyelid (306) along the entire length of the eye (302) to press multiple meibomian glands associated with the eyelid (306) and promote the release of blocked oil.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The curvature of the outer surface of the roller (106) is configured to perform a massage action in the vertical direction.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The handle is Y-shaped (200) at the free end (104) to pivotally hold the roller (106) at both ends of the dumbbell-shaped roller (106).

4. The device as described in claim 3, wherein, The free end (104) of the handle (102), which is Y-shaped (200), includes a pair of inwardly extending pins (202) to pivotally hold the roller (106).

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein, The roller (106) includes a pair of holes (206) at both ends (204) of the roller (106), the holes being concentric with the axis of rotation of the roller (106) for engaging with a pair of pins (202) of the handle (102) to allow the roller (106) to be pivotally connected to the handle (102).

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The roller (106) is made of silicone rubber.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The roller (106) includes a plurality of ribs (208) on the outer surface to form a textured surface.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein, The plurality of ribs (208) are placed parallel to each other along the rotation axis of the roller (106).

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein, The handle (102) includes one or more ribbed surfaces (108) for the user (304) to grip the handle (102).

10. A method (400) for eye massage, the method (400) comprising the following steps: An eyelid massager (100) is provided, the massager (100) comprising: Handle (102), having a free end (104); and Roller (106), which is pivotally connected to the free end (104) of the handle (102). The roller (106) is dumbbell-shaped, and the curvature of the outer surface of the roller (106) matches the curvature of the user's (304) closed eye (302); The roller (106) of the massager (100) is placed on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid (306) of the eye (302); Gently press the roller (106) and roll it vertically downward to press the multiple meibomian glands associated with the eyelid (306).

11. The method of claim 10, comprising repeating the steps of: placing the roller (106) of the massager on the uppermost part of the closed eyelid (306) of the eye (302); gently pressing the roller (106) and rolling it vertically downward until multiple blocked meibomian glands open to release blocked oil.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising the step of wiping away oil released from the plurality of meibomian glands to clean the edge of the eyelid (306).

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