Anti-pollution eyedrop instillation device and use method thereof
By designing a disposable sterile sleeve to connect with the eye drop bottle, the eye drop solution can flow in one direction and form a liquid seal after instillation, thus solving the contamination problem of eye drop instillation devices and ensuring the sterility and safety of the eye drop solution. This design is suitable for medical institutions at all levels and for home use.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-02-03
- Publication Date
- 2026-03-10
AI Technical Summary
Existing eye drop infusion devices pose significant infection control risks during use, as the bottle opening is easily contaminated by pathogens, leading to cross-transmission of pathogens between different patients.
A disposable sterile sleeve was designed, which is detachably connected to the eye drop bottle and has an internal anti-reverse device to ensure unidirectional flow of the medicine. After the dripping is completed, a liquid seal is formed to physically isolate the bottle opening from the outside world and avoid contamination.
It completely cuts off the transmission route of pathogens, ensures the sterility of the medicine, has strong applicability, low cost, and is suitable for widespread use in medical institutions at all levels and in families.
Smart Images
Figure CN121622348A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical supplies technology, specifically to a contamination-proof eye drop instillation device and its usage method. Background Technology
[0002] Eye drops are a commonly used dosage form in ophthalmic treatment and care. In clinical practice, healthcare professionals typically administer eye drops directly to patients using commercially available plastic eye drop bottles. However, this routine procedure carries a significant risk of infection control. During the instillation process, the bottle opening can easily come into contact with the patient's eyelashes, eyelids, or eye secretions due to improper handling distance or angle, leading to contamination of the bottle opening with pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses). This contamination is particularly dangerous for individuals infected with bloodborne pathogens such as HIV, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, potentially causing cross-transmission of pathogens between different patients via the eye drop bottle.
[0003] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a new type of pollution-proof eye drop infusion device that provides an effective solution to the shortcomings of existing technologies. Summary of the Invention
[0004] The purpose of this invention is to provide a pollution-proof eye drop infusion device and its usage method to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.
[0005] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A contamination-proof eye drop infusion device includes a disposable sterile sleeve: the disposable sterile sleeve is detachably connected to the mouth of the eye drop bottle; the two ends of the disposable sterile sleeve are connected, one end being the liquid outlet, and the other end being detachably and sealed to the mouth of the eye drop bottle. The disposable sterile sleeve is equipped with a backflow prevention device, which can prevent liquid from flowing from one end of the outlet to the end connected to the mouth of the eye drop bottle.
[0006] Furthermore, the disposable sterile sleeve includes a connector, a body, and an opening. The connector and the opening are located at opposite ends of the body, and the opening is a liquid outlet. The connector has a funnel-shaped opening that engages with the mouth of a conical eye drop bottle. The anti-reverse device is located inside the body.
[0007] Furthermore, the anti-reverse device includes a pair of upper L-shaped plates and lower L-shaped plates placed vertically, the upper L-shaped plates and lower L-shaped plates forming a U-shaped channel with the inner circumference of the cylinder; when the eye drops are applied using a disposable sterile sleeve, the eye drops form a liquid seal in the U-shaped channel.
[0008] Furthermore, the diameter of the cylinder body is larger than the diameter of the interface and the connection between the cylinder opening and the cylinder body, in order to expand the cross-sectional size of the U-shaped channel.
[0009] Furthermore, the check valve is a one-way valve.
[0010] Furthermore, the anti-reverse device is a contact-type induction self-closing orifice.
[0011] Furthermore, the disposable sterile sleeve has a pinch handle on its outer wall, which is located at the end where the disposable sterile sleeve connects to the mouth of the eye drop bottle.
[0012] Furthermore, the curvature of the inner circumference of the interface gradually increases towards the end away from the cylinder body to accommodate the mouths of eye drop bottles with different diameters and inclinations.
[0013] Furthermore, the inner circumferential wall of the interface is densely covered with annular anti-slip protrusions.
[0014] A method for using a contamination-resistant eye drop instillation device includes the following steps: S1. Preparation and Installation: Remove the disposable sterile sleeve from the sterile packaging, and keep the sleeve and the operator's hands sterile or clean; attach one end of the disposable sterile sleeve to the mouth of the eye drop bottle 2, and ensure that the connection is sealed to form a combined drip unit; S2. Preparation before instillation: Invert the eye drop bottle with the sleeve installed, with the bottle body above the sleeve. Gently squeeze the bottle body to expel the air inside the sleeve until the medication wets the anti-reverse device, thus completing the aseptic filling of the medication channel. S3. Perform the infusion: The patient tilts their head back and looks upward; the operator holds the eye drop bottle and brings the outlet of the disposable sterile sleeve close to and directly towards the patient's eye, but does not touch the patient's eyelashes, eyelids or eye secretions; gently squeeze the eye drop bottle, and the liquid overcomes the resistance of the anti-reverse device under pressure and drips out, completing the administration; S4. Post-infusion treatment: Release the pressure on the bottle body. The anti-reverse device will immediately close due to its own structure or material properties, physically isolating the external environment from the liquid in the bottle; remove the infusion device from the patient's eye. S5. Sleeve Removal and Disposal: After a single instillation is completed, or when instillation is required for different patients, remove the used disposable sterile sleeve from the mouth of the eye drop bottle and dispose of it in accordance with medical waste regulations; the mouth of the eye drop bottle remains uncontaminated due to the physical isolation provided by the sleeve and can be used again with a new sterile sleeve.
[0015] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This invention, through physical isolation and unidirectional flow design, ensures that the mouth of the eye drop bottle will never come into contact with the patient or be contaminated by the environment under any circumstances, completely cutting off the route of pathogen transmission through the medicine bottle; the core component is a disposable plastic sleeve, which is simple to manufacture and extremely low in cost, making it very suitable for widespread use as a consumable in medical institutions at all levels and in homes; the flared interface and anti-slip design make it compatible with most standard eye drop bottles without changing the existing medicine bottle packaging, making it highly adaptable. Attached Figure Description
[0016] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a pollution-proof eye drop infusion device and an eye drop bottle after docking. Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a pollution-proof eye drop infusion device and the eye drop bottle after separation. Figure 3 A longitudinal sectional view of a disposable sterile sleeve with a U-shaped channel; Figure 4 A longitudinal sectional view of a disposable sterile sleeve with anti-slip protrusions; Figure 5 A longitudinal sectional view of a disposable sterile sleeve with a thickened cylinder body and enlarged U-shaped channel; Figure 6 A longitudinal sectional view of a disposable sterile sleeve equipped with a one-way valve; Figure 7 This is an image of a disposable sterile sleeve with a pinchable handle.
[0017] In the diagram: 101, interface; 102, cylinder body; 103, cylinder mouth; 104, lower L-shaped plate; 105, U-shaped channel; 106, upper L-shaped plate; 107, hand-pinching ear; 108, one-way valve; 109, anti-slip protrusion; 1, disposable sterile sleeve; 2, eye drop bottle. Detailed Implementation
[0018] 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.
[0019] Example 1: Please see Figures 1-3 and Figure 5This embodiment provides a contamination-proof eye drop infusion device. Its core component is a disposable sterile sleeve 1, which includes an interface 101, a body 102, and an opening 103. The interface 101 has a funnel-shaped opening, and the curvature of its inner circumference is designed to gradually increase towards the end away from the body 102. This allows it to achieve a tight snap-fit with the openings of commonly available conical eye drop bottles 2 with different diameters and tapers, ensuring both universality and sealing of the connection.
[0020] The interior of the cylinder 102 is provided with a pair of upper L-shaped plates 106 and lower L-shaped plates 104, which are positioned separately. These L-shaped plates, together with the inner circumference of the cylinder 102, form an approximately U-shaped channel 105. The diameter of the middle section of the cylinder 102 is intentionally designed to be larger than the diameter of the junction between its interface 101 and the opening 103 (e.g., ...). Figure 5 As shown in the figure, the horizontal cross-sectional size of the U-shaped channel 105 is effectively enlarged, increasing the capacity of the medicine to remain here, while improving the smoothness of eye drops application.
[0021] The working principle of this embodiment is as follows: In use, attach the sleeve 1 to the mouth of the eye drop bottle 2 and invert the bottle. Gently squeeze the bottle to allow the liquid to flow into the sleeve. The liquid first fills the U-shaped channel 105. When the liquid level exceeds the bend of the upper L-shaped plate 106, it drips out from the sleeve opening 103 under gravity. After dripping, even if the bottle rebounds and creates a slight negative pressure, the liquid remaining in the U-shaped channel 105 can form a stable "liquid seal" at the bottom of the channel due to its own tension and gravity. This liquid seal physically blocks external air and contaminants (such as droplets and secretion aerosols) that may flow back from the sleeve opening 103 from entering the bottle, thus reliably protecting the mouth of the eye drop bottle 2 and the internal liquid from contamination. This structure requires no complex moving parts, utilizes simple physical principles to achieve unidirectional barrier, has low manufacturing cost, and high reliability. Compared to a one-way valve, the U-shaped channel liquid seal design offers less resistance to liquid flow and reduces the pressure on the disposable sterile sleeve during use, making it less prone to detachment.
[0022] Example 2: Please see Figure 6 The main difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 lies in the structure of the check valve. In this embodiment, the check valve uses a miniature one-way valve 108, which is installed inside the cylinder body 102. The opening direction of the one-way valve 108 is set to allow liquid to flow only from the port 101 towards the cylinder opening 103.
[0023] Working principle and: When the eye drop bottle 2 is squeezed, the pressure of the eye drops pushes the valve disc of the one-way valve 108 (such as an umbrella valve or duckbill valve) to open, allowing the eye drops to pass smoothly and drip out from the nozzle 103. Once squeezing stops, the pressure inside the bottle equalizes with the external atmospheric pressure, and the one-way valve 108 immediately closes due to its own elasticity or structural design, sealing the valve opening. This closure is mechanical and instantaneous, absolutely preventing any form of liquid or gas backflow, providing extremely thorough contamination prevention. This solution is suitable for applications with extremely high aseptic requirements, providing a more proactive and deterministic barrier.
[0024] Example 3: Please see Figure 4 and Figure 7 This embodiment, based on embodiment 1 or 2, further optimizes the sleeve's fit and fixation, as well as its handheld operability. Several annular anti-slip protrusions 109 are densely machined on the inner circumference of the interface 101 (e.g., ...). Figure 4 These protrusions 109 are made of flexible materials (such as medical silicone) or are integrally molded with the sleeve, which can significantly increase the friction with the surface of the mouth of eye drop bottles of different sizes, prevent the sleeve from accidentally coming loose during the dripping process, and ensure the durability of the seal.
[0025] Meanwhile, one or more hand-pinching lugs 107 are integrally formed on the outer wall of the sleeve 1 near the interface 101 (e.g. Figure 7 The pinch lug 107 is a sheet-like protrusion, which makes it easy for the operator to pinch and hold the sleeve itself with their fingers. Especially when installing and removing the sleeve, it can apply force more stably and avoid touching the sterile sleeve body and nozzle, thus further ensuring the sterility of the operation.
[0026] Working principle: The anti-slip protrusions 109 increase the roughness and gripping force of the contact surface, allowing the flared interface 101 to more firmly adapt to a wider variety of bottle mouth sizes and shapes, improving the versatility and connection reliability of the device. The hand-held handle 107 provides the operator with a dedicated grip, making the operation more ergonomic and avoiding the risk of fingers contaminating the dispensing channel during hand-held dripping, making the entire dripping process more standardized and safer.
[0027] Example 4: The core difference between this embodiment and the previous embodiments lies in the specific form and triggering mechanism of the anti-reverse device. In this embodiment, the anti-reverse device is a contact-type induction self-closing hole integrated into the body 102 or the opening 103 of the disposable sterile sleeve 1.
[0028] This contact-sensitive self-closing orifice is made of a biocompatible flexible elastic material (such as medical silicone, thermoplastic elastomer TPE, etc.). Its typical structure can be a slit valve that is normally closed or an elastic thin film structure with a central micropore that can deform under external force. The term "contact-sensitive" does not refer to electronic sensing, but rather to its physical and mechanical properties: when there is no external positive pressure, its orifice or gap remains tightly closed due to the material's own elasticity, achieving a seal; the orifice only opens when subjected to a triggering force in a specific direction.
[0029] Working principle: When the eye drop bottle 2 with the sleeve installed is squeezed, the liquid inside the bottle generates positive fluid pressure. This pressure acts on the elastic structure of the self-closing orifice (such as opening the slit from the inside or expanding the micropores), overcoming its closing force, thereby opening the orifice and allowing the liquid to pass through and drip out aseptically. At this time, the self-closing orifice functions equivalent to a pressure-driven one-way valve. If the dripping operation is improper and the nozzle 103 of the sleeve accidentally comes into contact with the patient's eyelid, eyelashes, or skin, the external axial mechanical pressure from the contact point will act directly on the external structure of the self-closing orifice, preventing the orifice from opening.
Claims
1. An anti-contamination eyedrop instillation device, characterized by, The application relates to a disposable sterile sleeve (1) which is detachably connected with the bottle mouth of an eye drop bottle (2) and is in communication between two ports of the sleeve, one of which is a liquid outlet port and the other is detachably and sealingly connected with the bottle mouth of the eye drop bottle (2). The disposable sterile sleeve (1) is internally provided with a check device which can prevent liquid from flowing from one end of the liquid outlet port to the end connected with the bottle mouth of the eye drop bottle (2).
2. The anti-contamination eyedrop instillation device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The disposable sterile sleeve (1) comprises a connecting port (101), a sleeve body (102) and a sleeve mouth (103), the connecting port (101) and the sleeve mouth (103) are arranged at two ends of the sleeve body (102), the sleeve mouth (103) is the liquid outlet port, the connecting port (101) is a trumpet-shaped opening and is in clamping cooperation with the conical bottle mouth of the eye drop bottle (2), and the check device is arranged in the sleeve body (102).
3. An anti-contamination eyedrop instillation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The check device comprises a pair of upper and lower L-shaped plates (106) and (104), the upper and lower L-shaped plates (106) and (104) form a U-shaped channel (105) with the circumferential inner wall of the sleeve body (102), and when the eye drop bottle (2) is used to drop eye drops by using the disposable sterile sleeve (1), the eye drops form a liquid seal in the U-shaped channel (105).
4. The contamination-proof eye drop instillation device according to claim 3, characterized in that: The diameter of the sleeve body (102) is larger than that of the connecting port (101) and the sleeve mouth (103) and the joint between the sleeve body (102) and the connecting port (101) and the sleeve mouth (103), so as to enlarge the sectional dimension of the U-shaped channel (105).
5. The contamination-proof eye drop instillation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The check device is a single valve (108).
6. The anti-contamination eyedrop instillation device of claim 2, wherein: The check device is a contact type inductive self-closing hole.
7. The anti-contamination eyedrop instillation device of claim 1, wherein: A hand holding ear (107) is arranged on the outer wall of the disposable sterile sleeve (1) and is arranged at the end connected with the bottle mouth of the eye drop bottle (2).
8. The contamination-free eye drop instillation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The curvature of the circumferential inner wall of the connecting port (101) gradually increases away from the end of the sleeve body (102), so as to adapt to the bottle mouths of eye drop bottles (2) with different diameters and slopes.
9. The contamination-free eye drop instillation device according to claim 2, characterized in that: A plurality of annular anti-skid protrusions (109) are densely arranged on the circumferential inner wall of the connecting port (101).
10. A method of using a contamination-proof eye drop instillation device according to any one of claims 1-9, wherein, The application further relates to a method for using the disposable sterile sleeve (1) to drop eye drops, which comprises the following steps: S1. preparation and installation: the disposable sterile sleeve (1) is taken out from a sterile package, the sleeve and the hands of an operator are kept sterile or clean, one end of the disposable sterile sleeve (1) is sleeved on the bottle mouth of the eye drop bottle (2), and the connection is ensured to be sealing, so as to form a combined dropping unit; S2. preparation before liquid dropping: the eye drop bottle (2) with the sleeved sleeve is inverted, the sleeve body is located above the sleeve, the sleeve body is slightly squeezed to discharge the air in the sleeve, until the liquid wets the check device, and the sterile filling of the liquid channel is completed; S3. execution of dropping: the head of a patient is tilted backward, and the eyes are upwardly gazed; the bottle body of the eye drop bottle (2) is held by an operator to make the liquid outlet port of the disposable sterile sleeve (1) close to and face the eyes of the patient, but not contact the eyelashes, the eyelids or the eye secretions of the patient; the bottle body of the eye drop bottle (2) is slightly squeezed, the liquid is dropped under the action of pressure and overcomes the resistance of the check device, and the drug delivery is completed. S4. Post-dripping treatment: Loosen the squeezing on the bottle body, the non-return device is closed immediately under the action of its structure or material characteristics, physically isolating the external environment from the communication with the liquid in the bottle; remove the dripping device from the patient's eye; S5. Sleeve disassembly and disposal: After the completion of a single dripping operation, or when dripping for different patients, remove the used disposable sterile sleeve (1) from the eye drop bottle (2) bottle opening, and dispose of it according to the medical waste specification; the eye drop bottle (2) bottle opening remains uncontaminated due to being physically isolated by the sleeve, and can be used with a new sterile sleeve next time.