A tonometer and a method of measuring intraocular pressure

Abstract

The application relates to the technical field of tonometers and tonometer measurement methods, and relates to a tonometer which comprises a shell, a contact piece, a driving unit, a sensor, a driving control unit, a display unit, a power unit and a supporting unit for contacting the user's glabella and malar bone. The tonometer is provided with a sensor for sensing the pressure value of the contact piece, the rotation of a stepping motor is controlled according to the pressure value of the contact piece, the contact piece is slowly contacted with the eyelid, and the intraocular pressure of the user is detected. When the contact piece contacts the eyelid of the user, the sensor senses the contact, a program controls the contact piece to apply force to the eyeball according to the sensing data, the elastic reaction information of the eyeball is sensed, pressure data is collected, and the intraocular pressure value is obtained through data processing.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the technical field of tonometers and methods for measuring intraocular pressure, specifically to a tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure. Background Technology

[0002] With social and economic development and the continuous improvement of people's living standards, visual health is receiving increasing attention. Glaucoma is the world's leading cause of irreversible blindness, accounting for 50% of blindness worldwide. Its incidence rate is 1-2% across all age groups, reaching as high as 5-6% in people over 50, seriously threatening people's visual health. The most prominent characteristic of glaucoma, and also the cause of blindness, is high intraocular pressure. Monitoring intraocular pressure is a crucial means of preventing and treating glaucoma, and tonometers are gradually becoming increasingly well-known medical devices.

[0003] Tonometers are common ophthalmic medical devices in hospitals, but there is a gap in the domestic market for home-use tonometers. There is an urgent need for home-use tonometers for monitoring intraocular pressure. Common tonometers include applanation and indentation types, both of which are corneal contact tonometers. These require specialized procedures such as anesthesia and sterilization, posing significant safety risks and are very cumbersome to operate, making them unsuitable for home use. Non-contact tonometers do not require anesthesia or sterilization and are highly safe, but their exorbitant price of around 100,000 yuan makes them inaccessible to ordinary families. Rebound tonometers are designed specifically for home use and are safe, but their price of 20,000 to 30,000 yuan is still prohibitive for most families. Therefore, we propose a tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intraocular tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure, so as to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a tonometer: including a housing contact element, the contact element being used to contact the eyelid;

[0006] A drive unit, the drive unit being used to control the movement of the contact element;

[0007] Sensor, the sensor being used to collect pressure data of the contact element;

[0008] A drive control unit controls the operation of the drive unit based on data collected by the sensors;

[0009] A display unit is used to display intraocular pressure values;

[0010] A power unit, which provides the power required by the drive unit, drive control unit and display unit;

[0011] A support unit for contacting the user's brow bone and cheekbone.

[0012] Preferably, the drive unit includes a power mechanism and a connector, one end of the connector is connected to a contact, and the other end of the connector is connected to the power mechanism. The drive unit drives the connector to move the contact back and forth.

[0013] Preferably, the drive unit includes a stepper motor, the output end of which is connected to a threaded rod, a mounting base is connected to the stepper motor, the mounting base is connected to the housing, a push sleeve is threadedly connected to the threaded rod, a push rod is connected to the push sleeve, the push rod is connected to a contact element through a rod body, and a limit sleeve is slidably connected to the push sleeve, the limit sleeve limiting the push sleeve to move back and forth along the axial direction of the threaded rod.

[0014] Preferably, the drive unit further includes an error prevention module, which includes a first spring and a second spring. The first spring is sleeved on the push rod and is located between the push sleeve and the limit sleeve. The second spring is located inside the push sleeve and is in contact with the threaded rod.

[0015] Preferably, the power unit includes a battery, the battery is electrically connected to a control circuit board, the control circuit board is electrically connected to a charging socket, the charging socket is connected to the rear of the housing, and both the control circuit board and the battery are connected inside the housing.

[0016] Preferably, the support unit includes an upper support piece and a lower support piece, the upper support piece being used to contact the user's brow bone, and the lower support piece being used to contact the user's cheekbone.

[0017] Preferably, the support unit further includes an adjustment module, which includes a turn wheel and a lead screw. The lead screw is threadedly connected to the threaded plate, and the turn wheel drives the lead screw to rotate, causing the threaded plate to move back and forth along the axis of the lead screw.

[0018] Preferably, a guide post is connected to the threaded plate, and the end face of the guide post is connected to the upper support plate, so that when the threaded plate moves along the screw, it drives the upper support plate on the guide post to move back and forth.

[0019] Preferably, the display unit includes a display screen and a display window, with the display window positioned above the display screen.

[0020] A tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure, using any of the tonometers described in claim 1, comprising the following steps:

[0021] Step 1: Contact Alignment. The user places the upper support of the device against the brow bone and the lower support against the cheekbone, ensuring that the middle contact piece is aligned with the center of the eyeball.

[0022] Step 2: Press the start button. The control software embedded in the control circuit board can control the sensor's data acquisition, drive the control unit's stroke, control data processing, and control the display unit's intraocular pressure value display. After the control circuit board outputs a set of drive pulses, it drives the stepper motor to rotate clockwise. Through a threaded connection, it drives the push sleeve, which in turn moves the contact piece backward by a fixed stroke, ensuring that the contact piece does not touch the eyelid before measurement.

[0023] Step 3: The control circuit board outputs continuous reverse drive pulses to drive the stepper motor to rotate counterclockwise. Through the threaded connection, the push sleeve is driven to move the contact piece forward until it contacts the eyelid. The sensor outputs a pressure change signal.

[0024] Step 4: Changes in sensor output trigger the control software to make a judgment, which serves as the starting point for measurement. The control circuit board sequentially outputs specific pulse groups to precisely control the rotation angle of the stepper motor in segments, thereby controlling the forward movement of the contact piece in segments and applying pressure to the eyeball, so that the sensor can collect the elastic response data of the eyeball in layers.

[0025] Step 5: After data acquisition is completed, the control circuit board outputs another set of pulses to drive the stepper motor to rotate clockwise, thereby causing the contact to move backward a fixed distance and detach from the eyelid.

[0026] Step 6: The software embedded in the control circuit board completes the data processing and sends the final intraocular pressure value to the display unit for display.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0028] 1. This invention provides a tonometer that measures intraocular pressure through eyelid contact, avoiding the professional requirements of anesthesia and disinfection, as well as the safety risks of corneal damage associated with corneal contact tonometers. It also avoids the high cost of non-contact tonometers, making tonometers more widely available for home use. Furthermore, by applying pressure to the eyeball in layers and collecting data in layers, this invention effectively eliminates the interference of eyelid thickness and tension during data processing, overcoming the inherent inaccuracies of eyelid contact tonometers and providing a method and approach to improve the measurement accuracy of tonometers.

[0029] 2. Furthermore, a support unit is provided on the tonometer housing. This support unit provides relatively fixed support for the tonometer on the eye socket, making the contact element more stable in contact with the eyelid during pressure measurement and less prone to vibration. An adjustment module drives the upper support plate to extend and retract forward and backward to accommodate users with different brow bone depths, improving the device's applicability.

[0030] 3. This invention takes into account user experience and humanization in its auxiliary hardware and software functions, such as slow contact with the eyelid, gentle application of force, and adjustment structure to accommodate different brow bone heights. While ensuring basic medical functions, it also takes into account the special characteristics of home products. Attached Figure Description

[0031] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall cross-sectional structure of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the drive unit in this invention;

[0034] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the support unit in this invention.

[0035] In the diagram: 1. Outer shell; 2. Upper support plate; 3. Contact element; 41. Mounting base; 42. Stepper motor; 43. Threaded rod; 44. Push sleeve; 45. Limiting sleeve; 46. Push rod; 47. First spring; 48. Second spring; 5. Display window; 6. Charging socket; 7. Control circuit board; 8. Battery; 91. Actuating wheel; 92. Threaded plate; 93. Lead screw; 94. Guide post; 10. Lower support plate; 11. Sensor; 12. Display screen. Detailed Implementation

[0036] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0037] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," and "counterclockwise," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0038] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a number" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0039] Please see Figures 1-4 As shown, the present invention provides a technical solution:

[0040] An intraocular tonometer includes a housing 1 and a contact 3 for contacting the eyelid;

[0041] The drive unit is used to control the movement of the contact element 3;

[0042] Sensor 11 is used to collect pressure data from contact 3;

[0043] The drive control unit controls the operation of the drive unit based on the data collected by sensor 11; the display unit displays the intraocular pressure value; the power unit provides the power required by the drive unit, drive control unit, and display unit; and the support unit provides an auxiliary stabilizing mechanism for contacting the user's brow bone and cheekbone to ensure reliable operation of the tonometer.

[0044] In this embodiment, the drive unit includes a power mechanism and a connector. One end of the connector is connected to the contact 3, and the other end of the connector is connected to the power mechanism. The drive unit drives the connector to move the contact 3 back and forth.

[0045] Furthermore, the drive unit includes a stepper motor 42, the output end of which is connected to a threaded rod 43. A mounting base 41 is connected to the stepper motor 42 and is connected to the housing 1. A push sleeve 44 is threadedly connected to the threaded rod 43, and a push rod 46 is connected to the push sleeve 44. The push rod 46 is connected to the contact element 3 via a rod body. A limit sleeve 45 is slidably connected to the push sleeve 44, limiting the push sleeve 44 to move back and forth along the axis of the threaded rod 43. By controlling the movement of the push sleeve 44, the movement of the contact element 3 is controlled. The movable contact element 3 contacts the eyelid to obtain intraocular pressure data. The stepper motor 42 with a threaded push mechanism can achieve precise control of the contact element 3's stroke. The limit sleeve 45, which is square in shape, can limit the push sleeve 44 to move back and forth along the axis of the threaded rod 43, thereby realizing the back and forth movement of the contact element 3 and ensuring the stability and accuracy of the contact element 3's movement.

[0046] Furthermore, the drive unit also includes a fault-prevention module. Since the forward and backward movement space is limited, without a fault-prevention design, the motor might burn out due to stroke control errors, potentially hitting the wall in either direction. The fault-prevention module includes a first spring 47 and a second spring 48. The first spring 47 is sleeved on the push rod 46 and is located between the push sleeve 44 and the limit sleeve 45. The second spring 48 is located inside the push sleeve 44 and contacts the threaded rod 43. This drive unit includes two fault-prevention designs: first, the movement space is greater than the movement stroke. Outside the stroke, the threaded connection between the push sleeve 44 and the threaded rod 43 in both forward and backward directions will disengage, preventing the motor from hitting the wall and causing it to idle without burning out; second, the first spring 47 is used to press between the push sleeve 44 and the limit sleeve 45, and the second spring 48 is used to press between the push sleeve 44 and the threaded rod 43. If the motor reverses, the spring force can restore the threaded connection between the push sleeve 44 and the threaded rod 43 in both directions.

[0047] In addition, the power unit includes a battery 8, which is electrically connected to a control circuit board 7. The control circuit board 7 is electrically connected to a charging socket 6, which is connected to the rear of the housing 1. Both the control circuit board 7 and the battery 8 are connected inside the housing 1. The battery 8 provides power to the control circuit board 7, the stepper motor 42, the display screen 12, and the drive control unit. The battery 8 can be charged by connecting an external charger through the charging socket 6.

[0048] It is worth noting that the support unit includes an upper support piece 2 and a lower support piece 10. The upper support piece 2 is used to contact the user's brow bone, and the lower support piece 10 is used to contact the user's cheekbone. The upper support piece 2 and the lower support piece 10 are located above and below the contact piece 3, respectively. When the tonometer device is used, the two contact pieces are placed firmly against the eye socket, providing stable support for the reliable operation of the tonometer.

[0049] In addition, the support unit also includes an adjustment module, which includes a dial wheel 91 and a lead screw 93. The lead screw 93 is threadedly connected to the threaded plate 92. The dial wheel 91 drives the lead screw 93 to rotate, causing the threaded plate 92 to move back and forth along the axis of the lead screw 93. The upper support plate 2 moves back and forth via the guide post 94, which can adjust the extension and retraction of the upper support plate 2 to accommodate people with different degrees of eyeball concavity and convexity.

[0050] In addition, a guide post 94 is connected to the threaded plate 92, and the end face of the guide post 94 is connected to the upper support plate 2, so that when the threaded plate 92 moves along the screw 93, it drives the upper support plate 2 on the guide post 94 to move back and forth.

[0051] Furthermore, the display unit includes a display screen 12 and a display window 5. The display window 5 is located above the display screen 12 and serves to protect the display screen 12, preventing dust from entering the display screen 12.

[0052] A tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure, comprising the following steps:

[0053] Step 1: Contact Alignment. The user places the upper support 2 of the device against the brow bone and the lower support 10 against the cheekbone, ensuring that the middle contact piece 3 is aligned with the center of the eyeball.

[0054] Step 2: Press the start button. The control software embedded in the control circuit board 7 can control the data acquisition of the sensor, drive the stroke of the control unit, control the data processing, and control the display of the intraocular pressure value of the display unit. After the control circuit board 7 outputs a set of drive pulses, it drives the stepper motor 42 to rotate clockwise. Through the threaded connection, it drives the push sleeve 44, which in turn drives the contact 3 to move backward a fixed stroke to ensure that the contact does not touch the eyelid before measurement.

[0055] Step 3: The control circuit board 7 outputs continuous reverse drive pulses to drive the stepper motor 42 to rotate counterclockwise. Through the threaded connection, it drives the push sleeve 44, which in turn moves the contact piece 3 forward until it contacts the eyelid. The sensor 11 outputs a pressure change signal.

[0056] Step 4: Changes in the output of sensor 11 trigger the judgment of the control program software. Taking this as the starting point of measurement, the control circuit board 7 sequentially outputs specific pulse groups to precisely control the rotation angle of stepper motor 42 in segments. This, in turn, controls the forward movement of the contact element in segments and applies pressure to the eyeball. The sensor collects the elastic response data of the eyeball in layers. The forward movement of stepper motor 42, calculated in millimeters, is equal to the step angle rotated by the stepper motor multiplied by the number of drive pulses and then divided by 360°. The force is applied to the eyeball in layers, and the elastic response data of the eyeball is collected in layers for later analysis and processing.

[0057] Step 5: After data acquisition is completed, the control circuit board 7 outputs another set of pulses to drive the stepper motor 42 to rotate clockwise, thereby causing the contact 3 to move backward a fixed distance and detach from the eyelid.

[0058] Step Six: The software embedded in the control circuit board 7 completes the data processing and sends the final intraocular pressure value to the display unit 12 for display. Since the tension of the eyelid alone is different from the tension of the eyelid plus the elastic response of the eyeball, it can be distinguished. The layered force application and layered collection of the elastic response data of the eyeball provide sufficient raw material for data processing that isolates the influence of interfering factors such as eyelid thickness and eyelid tension, and for the extraction of the true intraocular pressure value. This provides solid technical support for improving the accuracy of intraocular pressure measurement by eyelid contact tonometer.

[0059] When using the tonometer and method for measuring intraocular pressure of the present invention, first adjust the upper support plate 2 of the contact support according to the specific situation of the individual's brow bone height. Then, hold the tonometer firmly against the eye socket, so that the contact 3 is facing the eyeball but not touching the eyelid. Then start the tonometer. The drive control unit of the tonometer will first control the drive unit to drive the contact 3 to extend forward. When the output signal of the sensor 11 indicates that the contact 3 has contacted the eyelid, the drive control unit will control the drive unit to drive the contact 3 to continue to extend forward a small distance to apply force to the eyeball. After the drive control unit collects the elastic response data through the sensor 11, the drive control unit will immediately control the drive unit to drive the contact 3 to retract and detach from the eyelid. At this time, the tonometer can be removed. After waiting for 1 to 2 seconds, the drive control unit sends the intraocular pressure value obtained after data processing to the display screen 12 for display, completing one intraocular pressure test.

[0060] The foregoing has shown and described the basic principles, main features, and advantages of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. The embodiments and descriptions in the specification are merely preferred examples and are not intended to limit the invention. Various changes and modifications can be made to the invention without departing from its spirit and scope, and all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of the present invention as claimed. The scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tonometer, characterized by: Including the outer casing (1) Contact element (3), said contact element (3) is used to contact the eyelid; A drive unit, the drive unit being used to control the movement of the contact (3); Sensor (11), the sensor (11) is used to collect pressure data of contact (3); A drive control unit controls the operation of the drive unit based on the data collected by the sensor (11); A display unit is used to display intraocular pressure values; A power unit, which provides the power required by the drive unit, drive control unit and display unit; Support unit, the support unit being used to contact the user's brow bone and cheekbone; The drive unit also includes a fault-prevention module, which includes a first spring (47) and a second spring (48). The first spring (47) is sleeved on the push rod (46), and the first spring (47) is located between the push sleeve (44) and the limiting sleeve (45). The second spring (48) is located inside the push sleeve (44) and is in contact with the threaded rod (43).

2. The tonometer of claim 1, wherein: The drive unit includes a power mechanism and a connector. One end of the connector is connected to the contact (3), and the other end of the connector is connected to the power mechanism. The drive unit drives the connector to move the contact (3) back and forth.

3. The tonometer according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The drive unit includes a stepper motor (42). The output end of the stepper motor (42) is connected to a threaded rod (43). The stepper motor (42) is connected to a mounting base (41). The mounting base (41) is connected to the outer shell (1). A push sleeve (44) is threaded onto the threaded rod (43). A push rod (46) is connected onto the push sleeve (44). The push rod (46) is connected to the contact member (3) through the rod body. A limit sleeve (45) is slidably connected onto the push sleeve (44). The limit sleeve (45) limits the push sleeve (44) to move back and forth along the axial direction of the threaded rod (43).

4. The tonometer of claim 1, wherein: The power unit includes a battery (8), which is electrically connected to a control circuit board (7). The control circuit board (7) is electrically connected to a charging socket (6), which is connected to the tail of the housing (1). The control circuit board (7) and the battery (8) are both connected inside the housing (1).

5. The tonometer of claim 1, wherein: The support unit includes an upper support piece (2) and a lower support piece (10). The upper support piece (2) is used to contact the user's brow bone, and the lower support piece (10) is used to contact the user's cheekbone.

6. The tonometer of claim 1, wherein: The support unit also includes an adjustment module, which includes a turn wheel (91) and a lead screw (93). The lead screw (93) is threadedly connected to the threaded plate (92). The turn wheel (91) drives the lead screw (93) to rotate, causing the threaded plate (92) to move back and forth along the axis of the lead screw (93).

7. The tonometer of claim 6, wherein: The threaded plate (92) is connected to a guide post (94), and the end face of the guide post (94) is connected to the upper support plate (2), so that when the threaded plate (92) moves along the screw (93), it drives the upper support plate (2) on the guide post (94) to move back and forth.

8. The tonometer of claim 1, wherein: The display unit includes a display screen (12) and a display window (5), with the display window (5) positioned above the display screen (12).

9. A tonometer and a method for measuring intraocular pressure, characterized in that, Using any one of the tonometers described in claims 1-8, the method includes the following steps: Step 1: Contact alignment. The user places the upper support (2) of the device against the brow bone and the lower support piece (10) against the cheekbone, ensuring that the middle contact piece (3) is aligned with the center of the eyeball. Step 2: Press the start button. The control software embedded in the control circuit board (7) can control the data acquisition of the sensor, drive the stroke of the control unit, control the data processing, and control the display of the intraocular pressure value of the display unit. After the control circuit board (7) outputs a set of drive pulses, it drives the stepper motor (42) to rotate clockwise. Through the threaded connection, it drives the push sleeve (44) to move the contact (3) backward by a fixed stroke, ensuring that the contact does not touch the eyelid before measurement. Step 3: The control circuit board (7) outputs continuous reverse drive pulses to drive the stepper motor (42) to rotate counterclockwise. Through the threaded connection, it drives the push sleeve (44) to move the contact piece (3) forward until it contacts the eyelid. The sensor (11) outputs a pressure change signal. Step 4: The change in the output of the sensor (11) triggers the judgment of the control program software. Taking this as the starting point of the measurement, the control circuit board (7) sequentially outputs specific pulse groups to precisely control the rotation angle of the stepper motor (42) in segments, and then controls the forward movement of the contact piece in segments and applies pressure to the eyeball, so that the sensor collects the elastic response data of the eyeball in layers. Step 5: After data acquisition is completed, the control circuit board (7) outputs another set of pulses to drive the stepper motor (42) to rotate clockwise, thereby driving the contact (3) to move backward a fixed distance and detach from the eyelid. Step 6: The software embedded in the control circuit board (7) completes the data processing and sends the final intraocular pressure value to the display unit (12) for display.

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