Cospherical decoupling excitation device and corneal biomechanical parameter measurement equipment

Abstract

The application discloses a common ball core decoupling excitation device and a corneal biomechanical parameter measuring device, which are used for local measurement of corneal mechanical parameters. The device comprises a base, a micro-motion adjusting mechanism mounted on the base, a decoupling adjusting mechanism connected to the micro-motion adjusting mechanism, a jet excitation unit mounted on the decoupling adjusting mechanism and a non-contact positioning unit fixed to the base. After the virtual ball core of the device is aligned with the fitting ball core of the cornea by the non-contact positioning unit, the jet position, the jet angle and the jet distance of the jet excitation unit relative to the cornea can be independently and non-interferingly adjusted by using the arc-shaped guide assembly moving around the ball core, the radially movable mounting seat and the rotation around the shaft in the decoupling adjusting mechanism, so that the standardized local excitation of any target point on the corneal surface is realized, and a key hardware foundation for obtaining a high-resolution corneal biomechanical parameter distribution diagram is provided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to corneal biomechanical parameter measurement technology, and in particular to a concentric decoupled excitation device and a corneal biomechanical parameter measurement equipment. Background Technology

[0002] Air pulse-based corneal biomechanical parameter measurement technology is currently the core method for in vivo, non-invasive assessment of corneal biomechanical properties. Its core principle involves firing a standardized microsecond-level air pulse towards the center of the cornea, inducing instantaneous dynamic deformation. An integrated high-speed monitoring system (such as laser, Scheimpflug camera, OCT, etc.) records the entire process from corneal concavity, planarization, to rebound. By analyzing key dynamic characteristics during the deformation process (such as the time difference between two planarizations, deformation velocity, and maximum concavity depth), this technology can quantify and extract core parameters reflecting the viscoelastic nature of the cornea, such as corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF), or further combine with artificial intelligence algorithms to derive more powerful comprehensive diagnostic indices. This technology successfully brings the cornea from static geometric structural analysis into the era of dynamic functional biomechanical assessment, significantly improving the accuracy of intraocular pressure measurement in glaucoma diagnosis and treatment, and providing crucial biomechanical evidence for the ultra-early screening of ectopic diseases such as keratoconus.

[0003] In recent years, with the increasing demand for precision ophthalmic diagnosis and treatment, corneal biomechanical parameter measurement technology, as a key bridge connecting corneal structure and function, has become increasingly important. Research on corneal mechanical properties and the development of related measurement equipment have gradually become cutting-edge hot topics in ophthalmic engineering. Current in vivo corneal biomechanical measurement technologies are mainly divided into two categories: measurements based on quasi-static principles and measurements based on dynamic excitation. Most of these measurements, especially those using existing clinical corneal biomechanical measurement equipment, only provide a general mechanical index describing the cornea and cannot obtain local mechanical parameters. Therefore, there is still room for improvement in the specificity and resolution for screening diseases such as early-stage keratoconus.

[0004] In China, some research teams and clinical institutions have introduced the Oral Response Analyzer (ORA), which, by analyzing the two corneal flattening processes under air pulses, obtained two globally pioneering commercially available biomechanical parameters: corneal hysteresis (CH) and corneal resistance factor (CRF). Internationally, teams in Brazil and Italy have used logistic regression and dynamic response parameters of the stromal oscillator (ST) to generate richer parameters such as the Comprehensive Biomechanical Index (CBI). Scarcelli et al. pioneered the application of Brillouin optical microscopy to the cornea, achieving micrometer-level resolution measurement of local elastic modulus. These technologies and devices can all assess corneal mechanical properties from different dimensions.

[0005] Although corneal biomechanical parameter measurement devices such as the Brillouin technique exist, the mainstream clinical measurement method still relies on measuring corneal biomechanical response parameters based on air pulse excitation. The main problem is that existing clinical equipment can only provide overall corneal parameters and cannot measure specific areas to obtain a corneal biomechanical distribution map. The core issue lies in the lack of a convenient and usable local pulse adjustment device.

[0006] Existing technical solutions, for excitation devices, are basically limited to applying a pulse excitation to a specific location, without refining the adjustment of the pulse excitation or designing a dedicated air pulse excitation decoupling adjustment device. The main drawback of existing technologies is:

[0007] 1. It remains at the stage of applying a fixed stimulus (various stimulus parameters are fixed, and it is sufficient to apply the stimulus), and the various stimulus parameters cannot be adjusted.

[0008] 2. Even if the excitation parameters can be changed, they are coupled together and cannot be controlled independently. The adjustment process is cumbersome, not intuitive, and difficult to use.

[0009] 3. It is impossible to achieve local excitation, and thus obtain mechanical parameter images of the entire cornea.

[0010] It should be noted that the information disclosed in the background section above is only for understanding the background of this application, and therefore may include information that does not constitute prior art known to those skilled in the art. Summary of the Invention

[0011] The main objective of this invention is to overcome the deficiencies in the aforementioned background technology and provide a concentric decoupled excitation device and a corneal biomechanical parameter measurement device.

[0012] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0013] A concentric decoupled excitation device for local measurement of corneal mechanical parameters, comprising:

[0014] Base;

[0015] A micro-adjustment mechanism, mounted on the base, is used to provide multiple degrees of freedom of motion to adjust the overall spatial position and attitude of the device;

[0016] The decoupling adjustment mechanism, connected to the micro-adjustment mechanism, includes an arc-shaped guide assembly that moves around a virtual sphere center, a mounting base that can move radially toward the virtual sphere center, and a rotating assembly for providing the jet excitation unit with a degree of freedom of rotation about a rotation axis.

[0017] An air jet excitation unit, mounted on the mounting base, is used to apply localized air pulse excitation to the corneal surface;

[0018] A non-contact positioning unit, fixed to the base, is used to align the virtual sphere center with the geometric sphere center fitted to the cornea to be tested in the initial stage;

[0019] After the center of the cornea is aligned using the non-contact positioning unit, the jet position, jet angle, and jet distance of the jet excitation unit relative to the cornea can be independently adjusted through the cooperation of the arc-shaped guide component, the mounting base, and the rotating component.

[0020] Furthermore, the micro-adjustment mechanism is a four-degree-of-freedom displacement platform, having translational degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions and rotational degrees of freedom about the Z-axis. The rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis of the micro-adjustment mechanism constitutes the rotational component.

[0021] Furthermore, the rotating component is an independent rotating mechanism disposed inside the decoupling adjustment mechanism.

[0022] Furthermore, the decoupling adjustment mechanism includes:

[0023] As the first base of the aforementioned base;

[0024] The micro-adjustment mechanism is a first micro-adjustment platform mounted on the first base;

[0025] The arc-shaped guide component, the circular slide rail fixed to the first micro-motion platform, and the concentric slide groove sleeved on the circular slide rail and slidable along it.

[0026] The first jet device fixing seat is slidably disposed radially on the concentric slide groove as the mounting base;

[0027] As the rotating component, a micro-motion turntable is disposed between the first micro-motion platform and the circular slide rail;

[0028] And the non-contact positioning unit fixed to the first base.

[0029] Furthermore, the non-contact positioning unit includes a first positioning laser fixing frame fixed to the first base and a first cross laser emitter disposed thereon.

[0030] Furthermore, a reinforcing column is also provided on the first base.

[0031] Furthermore, the decoupling adjustment mechanism includes:

[0032] As the second base of the aforementioned base;

[0033] The second micro-motion platform, mounted on the second base, serves as the micro-motion adjustment mechanism; wherein the rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis provided by the second micro-motion platform constitutes the rotational assembly.

[0034] The arc-shaped guide component, the slotted slide rail fixed to the second micro-motion platform, and the concentric slider embedded in the slotted slide rail and slidable along it.

[0035] The second jet device mounting base is slidably disposed radially on the concentric slider;

[0036] And the non-contact positioning unit fixed to the second base.

[0037] Furthermore, the non-contact positioning unit includes a second positioning laser fixture fixed to the second base and a second cross laser emitter disposed thereon.

[0038] Furthermore, the jet excitation unit is a jet excitation device, which is fixedly installed on the first jet device mounting base or the second jet device mounting base.

[0039] A device for measuring corneal biomechanical parameters, comprising:

[0040] The aforementioned concentric decoupled excitation device is used to apply controllable local air pulse excitation to a predetermined position on the corneal surface;

[0041] An optical deformation measurement system, with its optical path aligned with the cornea to be measured, is used to record the dynamic deformation process of the cornea in real time under the excitation of the air pulse.

[0042] The processing and control unit is communicatively connected to the concentric decoupled excitation device and the optical deformation measurement system. It is used to control the setting and triggering of excitation parameters and process the data recorded by the optical deformation measurement system to calculate and output the local or distributed mechanical parameters of the cornea.

[0043] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0044] This invention provides a concentric decoupled excitation device for local measurement of corneal mechanical parameters, effectively solving the problem in existing technologies where corneal mechanical parameter measurements can only obtain overall indicators and cannot achieve local quantitative assessment. Its core innovation lies in the concentric decoupled adjustment mechanism, which successfully achieves independent and non-interfering adjustment of excitation parameters (jet angle, jet distance, and jet position), laying a crucial hardware foundation for controllable local excitation of the cornea.

[0045] By precisely aligning the virtual rotation center of the device with the geometric center of the cornea and designing a ball-joint-like equivalent mechanism that allows the nozzle to move around this center, this device achieves decoupling of parameter adjustment at the physical level. The operator can intuitively and conveniently adjust the distance from the nozzle to the corneal surface, the excitation incident angle, and its two-dimensional position on the corneal surface independently, thereby precisely applying standardized air pulse excitation to any target area of ​​the cornea. This design not only solves the structural problem of achieving adjustable and controllable excitation parameters but also fundamentally ensures that the nozzle distance remains constant when exciting at different positions, avoiding fluctuations in excitation force caused by distance changes. This provides a reliable guarantee for achieving high-precision, repeatable, and comparable local mechanical parameter measurements.

[0046] Furthermore, the device's concentric positioning system employs a non-contact optical design, requiring only an initial alignment before measurement. Subsequent adjustments to excitation parameters do not necessitate repositioning, thus separating positioning from adjustment. This feature greatly simplifies the operation process, significantly improves measurement efficiency, and enables rapid and convenient clinical examinations. Simultaneously, the entire excitation and positioning process is non-contact, ensuring measurement safety and patient comfort.

[0047] Based on the aforementioned technological advantages, this device can excite multiple pre-defined points on the corneal surface in a standardized manner. Combined with a high-speed deformation recording system, it can acquire rich local dynamic response data, and then generate parametric images or mechanical maps reflecting the spatial distribution of corneal biomechanical properties through data processing. This represents a leap from acquiring overall single-point parameters to drawing two-dimensional distribution images, providing unprecedented high-resolution biomechanical evidence for the early screening of diseases such as keratoconus, precise planning of corneal surgery, and postoperative evaluation, thus promoting the localization and quantification of corneal biomechanical research.

[0048] Other beneficial effects of the embodiments of the present invention will be further described below. Attached Figure Description

[0049] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the "inner rail type" overall structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the "outer rail type" overall structure according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] Figure 3 This is a schematic side view of the overall structure of an embodiment of the present invention. (The location of the center of the ball in the indicator device).

[0052] Figure 4 This section describes the degrees of freedom in embodiments of the present invention.

[0053] Among them, 1-first micro-motion platform, 2-first base, 3-micro-motion turntable, 4-circular slide rail, 5-concentric slide groove, 6-first jet device fixing seat, 7-first positioning laser fixing frame, 8-first cross laser emitter, 9-reinforcing column, 10-second micro-motion platform, 11-second base, 12-slot slide rail, 13-concentric slider, 15-second jet device fixing seat, 16-jet excitation device, 17-second positioning laser fixing frame, 18-second cross laser emitter. Detailed Implementation

[0054] The embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below. It should be emphasized that the following description is merely exemplary and not intended to limit the scope and application of the present invention.

[0055] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component. Furthermore, a connection can be used for fixing, coupling, or communication.

[0056] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", and "outer" 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 the embodiments of the present 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 the present invention.

[0057] 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 embodiments of the present invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0058] Abbreviations and key terms:

[0059] Decoupled excitation: Applying air pulse excitation to the cornea requires controlling the jet angle (the angle between the jet axis and the eyeball axis), the jet distance (the distance from the surface of the eyeball), and the jet position. However, these parameters are often coupled together during adjustment (e.g., adjusting the jet position, jet angle, and distance will all change). Decoupled excitation decouples each of these adjustment parameters, allowing them to be controlled independently. This enables intuitive, rapid, and convenient adjustment of the excitation parameters in practical applications.

[0060] Common center of gravity: This is key to achieving decoupled excitation. The cornea can be approximated as a spherical shell (even in some diseased corneas, where the shape changes, a center of gravity that is as close as possible can be approximated). The device is a mechanism similar to an amplified spherical hinge; aligning the center of gravity of the cornea with the center of gravity of the device is crucial for achieving decoupled excitation.

[0061] Excitation parameters: These refer to the variable parameters when applying excitation to the cornea, such as the angle of the jet (the angle between the jet axis and the eyeball axis), the distance of the jet (the distance from the surface of the eyeball), and the position of the jet.

[0062] This invention aims to achieve localized and quantitative measurement of corneal biomechanical properties. It proposes a decoupled excitation device based on a common-center design. By moving the excitation nozzle around a virtual center aligned with the corneal center, it achieves independent and non-interfering adjustment of three key parameters: jet distance, angle, and position. This enables the application of standardized excitation to any point on the corneal surface, providing a key hardware foundation for generating high-resolution corneal biomechanical parameter distribution maps.

[0063] See Figures 1 to 4 This invention provides a common-center decoupled excitation device for local measurement of corneal mechanical parameters, comprising: a base; a micro-adjustment mechanism mounted on the base for providing multiple degrees of freedom to adjust the overall spatial position and orientation of the device; a decoupling adjustment mechanism connected to the micro-adjustment mechanism, including an arc-shaped guide component that moves around a virtual center, a mounting seat that can move radially toward the virtual center, and a rotation component for providing a jet excitation unit with a rotational degree of freedom about a rotation axis; a jet excitation unit mounted on the mounting seat for applying local air pulse excitation to the corneal surface; and a non-contact positioning unit fixed to the base for aligning the virtual center with the geometric center of the cornea to be measured in the initial stage; wherein, after center alignment is completed by the non-contact positioning unit, the jet position, jet angle, and jet distance of the jet excitation unit relative to the cornea can be independently adjusted through the cooperation of the arc-shaped guide component, the mounting seat, and the rotation component.

[0064] In some embodiments, the micro-adjustment mechanism is a four-degree-of-freedom displacement platform, having translational degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions and rotational degrees of freedom about the Z-axis. The rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis of the micro-adjustment mechanism constitutes the rotational component.

[0065] In other embodiments, the rotating component is an independent rotating mechanism disposed within the decoupling adjustment mechanism.

[0066] like Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, in one embodiment, the decoupling adjustment mechanism adopts an inner rail structure, including: a first base 2 serving as the base; a first micro-motion platform 1 serving as the micro-motion adjustment mechanism and mounted on the first base 2; a circular slide rail 4 serving as the arc-shaped guide component and fixed to the first micro-motion platform 1, and a concentric slide groove 5 sleeved on the circular slide rail 4 and slidable along it; a first jet device fixing seat 6 serving as the mounting seat and slidably disposed radially on the concentric slide groove 5; a micro-motion turntable 3 serving as the rotating component and disposed between the first micro-motion platform 1 and the circular slide rail 4; and a non-contact positioning unit fixed to the first base 2.

[0067] In some embodiments, the non-contact positioning unit includes a first positioning laser holder 7 fixed to the first base 2 and a first cross laser emitter 8 disposed thereon.

[0068] In some embodiments, the first base 2 is further provided with a reinforcing column 9.

[0069] like Figure 2 As shown, in another embodiment, the decoupling adjustment mechanism adopts an outer rail structure, including: a second base 11 serving as the base; a second micro-motion platform 10 mounted on the second base 11 as the micro-motion adjustment mechanism; the rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis provided by the second micro-motion platform 10 constitutes the rotational component; a grooved slide rail 12 fixed to the second micro-motion platform 10 as the arc-shaped guide component, and a concentric slider 13 embedded in the grooved slide rail 12 and slidable along it; a second jet device fixing seat 15 slidably disposed radially on the concentric slider 13 as the mounting seat; and the non-contact positioning unit fixed to the second base 11.

[0070] In some embodiments, the non-contact positioning unit includes a second positioning laser holder 17 fixed to the second base 11 and a second cross laser emitter 18 disposed thereon.

[0071] In some embodiments, the jet excitation unit is a jet excitation device 16, which is fixedly installed on the first jet device mounting base 6 or the second jet device mounting base 15.

[0072] A corneal biomechanical parameter measurement device, comprising the concentric decoupled excitation device of any of the foregoing embodiments (see...). Figures 1 to 4 The system comprises an optical deformation measurement system and a processing and control unit (not shown). The concentric decoupled excitation device is used to apply a controllable local air pulse excitation to a predetermined location on the corneal surface. The optical deformation measurement system, with its optical path aligned with the cornea under test, is used to record the dynamic deformation process of the cornea in real time under the air pulse excitation. The processing and control unit is communicatively connected to the concentric decoupled excitation device and the optical deformation measurement system, and is used to control the setting and triggering of excitation parameters, and process the data recorded by the optical deformation measurement system to calculate and output the local or distributed mechanical parameters of the cornea.

[0073] The concentric decoupled excitation device proposed in this invention effectively solves the key problem that existing clinical equipment can only provide overall corneal mechanical parameters and cannot achieve local quantitative measurement. Through an innovative concentric mechanism design, it physically decouples and independently adjusts the three key parameters of jet excitation: jet distance, angle, and position. This allows for the application of standardized and reproducible local air pulse excitation to any target point on the corneal surface. This not only makes the operation intuitive and convenient, enabling rapid measurement of multiple points across the entire cornea with a single positioning, but also provides an indispensable hardware foundation for generating corneal biomechanical parameter distribution maps (i.e., mechanical imaging) by acquiring high-resolution local mechanical data. This represents a breakthrough in non-invasive and quantitative local biomechanical assessment of the in vivo cornea.

[0074] The following further describes the implementation methods and advantages of specific embodiments of the present invention.

[0075] Two different embodiments are provided: Figure 1 The "inner rail" structure shown is characterized by a circular slide rail 4 inside, with concentric grooves 5 encasing the circular track, resulting in a more compact structure; and as shown in... Figure 2 The “external rail” structure shown employs a grooved slide rail 12 and a concentric slider 13 that can slide inside it.

[0076] To achieve a shared corneal center, the device needs to have micro-motion capabilities to adjust its virtual corneal center to coincide with the corneal center. For example... Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the first micro-motion platform 1 in the inner rail structure and the second micro-motion platform 10 in the outer rail structure are displacement stages with four degrees of freedom, providing translational degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions and rotational degrees of freedom about the Z-axis (vertical axis). By manipulating the first micro-motion platform 1 or the second micro-motion platform 10, the spatial position and attitude of the entire excitation device can be finely adjusted to align its virtual sphere center with the geometric sphere center of the cornea to be tested. Specifically, through three-degree-of-freedom translational motion combined with a positioning device, common sphere center alignment can be achieved.

[0077] A decoupling adjustment mechanism is mounted on either the first micro-motion platform 1 or the second micro-motion platform 10, and is used to support and adjust the jet excitation device 16. The jet excitation device 16 is mounted on either the first jet device mounting base 6 (inner rail type) or the second jet device mounting base 15 (outer rail type). The first jet device mounting base 6 or the second jet device mounting base 15 has a translational degree of freedom in the radial direction along the center of the pointing device, used to independently control the jet distance (i.e., the distance from the nozzle to the corneal surface). This translation is along the radial direction pointing to the center of the pointing device, and its purpose is to achieve independent control of the jet distance in the excitation parameters, i.e., the pointing distance. Figure 3 By adjusting the position of the concentric ring along the radial direction, the jet distance can be independently controlled. The jet angle (the angle between the jet axis and the eyeball axis) can be independently changed by driving the concentric slide rail 5 or the concentric slider 13 along their respective circular tracks. Because the device achieves a common center, the jet distance remains constant as the nozzle moves along the circular slide rail 4 or the slotted slide rail 12 on the corneal surface, but the jet angle changes, enabling independent adjustment of the jet angle. Combined with the rotational freedom of the entire device around the Z-axis, the jet point can be moved in two dimensions within the corneal surface for localized excitation.

[0078] To achieve high-precision initial alignment of the cornea's center of gravity, this device employs a non-contact optical positioning scheme. This center-of-gravity positioning system includes a first positioning laser holder 7 or a second positioning laser holder 17 fixed to a first base 2 (inner rail structure) or a second base 11 (outer rail structure), and a first cross laser emitter 8 or a second cross laser emitter 18 mounted thereon. During the alignment process, the excitation parameters are irrelevant; only the alignment of the center of gravity needs to be achieved. Before measurement, the first micro-motion platform 1 or the second micro-motion platform 10 is adjusted so that the focal point of the first cross laser emitter 8 or the second cross laser emitter 18 precisely falls on the apex of the cornea (i.e., the projection of the center of gravity onto the corneal surface), thus completing the alignment. This positioning system is fixed to the first base 2 or the second base 11 and does not move with adjustments to the excitation parameters. Therefore, alignment only needs to be performed once before each measurement, and subsequent adjustments do not require repositioning. This eliminates the need for repeated adjustments (even if the excitation parameters change, the positioning does not need adjustment), requiring only one adjustment before measurement, greatly simplifying operation.

[0079] In summary, this device achieves common center alignment through the first micro-motion platform 1 or the second micro-motion platform 10, and independently controls the jet distance, angle and position by utilizing the decoupled adjustment mechanism that moves around the center of the sphere, thereby achieving standardized local excitation of any target point on the corneal surface.

[0080] The working process of the device in this embodiment of the invention is as follows: First, initial alignment is performed by placing the device in front of the eye to be tested and turning on the first cross laser emitter 8 or the second cross laser emitter 18. By precisely adjusting the first micro-motion platform 1 or the second micro-motion platform 10, the center of the laser cross coincides with the center of the corneal reflection image. At this point, it is considered that the virtual center of the device and the approximate geometric center of the cornea have been aligned. Then, parameter settings are performed. According to the measurement requirements, each parameter is adjusted independently: sliding the first jet device fixing seat 6 or the second jet device fixing seat 15 to set the required jet distance; driving the concentric slide 5 or the concentric slider 13 to move along the track to set the required jet angle; and combining rotation around the Z-axis to move the jet excitation device 16 to the target corneal position. Next, local excitation and measurement are performed by activating the jet excitation device 16 to apply a standardized air pulse to the local cornea, while simultaneously using an external high-speed imaging system (such as a Scheimpflug camera or OCT) to record the dynamic deformation process of the cornea. Finally, data acquisition and imaging are performed. The parameter settings and excitation measurement steps described above are repeated, traversing multiple preset points on the corneal surface. The mechanical parameters (such as deformation amplitude and planarization time) measured at each point are processed to generate a complete image of the corneal biomechanical parameter distribution. It is worth noting that, in addition to manual adjustment, the driving method can be replaced with various forms such as electric or pneumatic, while maintaining the basic structural principle.

[0081] The corneal biomechanical parameter local measurement excitation device based on a concentric and decoupling mechanism proposed in this invention has the following important innovative contributions and outstanding features:

[0082] An adjustment device similar to a spherical hinge was designed, with its rotation center aligned with the geometric center of the cornea, enabling the excitation nozzle to move around this fixed center, thus laying the physical foundation for independent parameter adjustment.

[0083] Through the mechanism design, the three key parameters of excitation position (spherical coordinates), angle (incident direction) and distance (working distance) are decoupled and adjusted. The operator can adjust any parameter independently without affecting the other parameters, thus making it possible to accurately and conveniently position the local excitation point.

[0084] Based on the aforementioned decoupled and controllable local excitation device, a complete measurement system and method were constructed. By controlling the nozzle to sequentially excite and measure multiple preset points on the corneal surface, a parameter cloud map or image reflecting the spatial distribution of corneal biomechanical properties can be generated, realizing the leap from "single-point overall parameters" to "two-dimensional distribution map".

[0085] Cross laser positioning is used to achieve the alignment of the two spheres at their common center, and the excitation device itself has three-dimensional displacement capability to support the alignment process;

[0086] Based on a ball-joint equivalent mechanism, the positioning process only requires alignment of the common center of the ball in the initial stage. There is no need to reposition when adjusting the excitation parameters later, which realizes the separation of positioning and device adjustment and significantly improves the convenience of operation.

[0087] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant technical advantages:

[0088] 1. It achieves true local and quantitative mechanical excitation with high measurement accuracy and reliability.

[0089] Existing technologies (such as the Oral Reaction Analyzer (ORA)) can only stimulate the cornea as a whole, failing to capture local mechanical properties. This invention, through an innovative concentric structure and decoupled adjustment mechanism, ensures that the excitation nozzle can be precisely and independently positioned at any target point on the corneal surface. By adjusting the micro-motion platform and concentric slider, the jet position and angle can be independently controlled. More importantly, because the device strictly adheres to the concentric design, the distance from the nozzle to the corneal surface (jet distance) remains constant throughout the adjustment process. This eliminates excitation pressure fluctuations caused by distance variations, making the excitation force applied to different corneal locations standardized and quantitatively reproducible. This provides a fundamental guarantee for obtaining high-precision, comparable local mechanical parameters (such as Young's modulus).

[0090] 2. It is simple and quick to operate, significantly improving measurement efficiency and making it more suitable for clinical environments.

[0091] This invention designs a workflow for one-time positioning and multiple measurements. Before performing a series of measurements, only one precise initial alignment with the "common center" is required using an optical positioning system (cross-laser). Once aligned, subsequent excitation at different positions and angles eliminates the need for complex spatial positioning for each point. Operators can quickly and accurately switch measurement points simply by driving the decoupling adjustment mechanism. This design greatly simplifies the operation process, shortens the time per examination, and makes this technology potentially applicable to rapid clinical screening.

[0092] 3. The structure is ingeniously designed and the decoupling concept is advanced, avoiding mutual interference between parameters.

[0093] The core advantage of this invention lies in its "decoupling." By making the adjustment mechanisms for the three key excitation parameters—jet distance, jet angle, and jet position—independent, the problem of "changing one part affects the whole" in traditional designs is solved. For example, when changing the measurement position, only the corresponding slide rail or rotation mechanism needs to be operated, while the preset jet distance remains unchanged. This decoupling design not only simplifies the control logic but also eliminates cross-interference between parameters at the physical level, ensuring the scientific validity and accuracy of experimental data and laying the foundation for establishing a precise corneal mechanical model.

[0094] 4. It provides a key hardware platform for generating corneal biomechanical parameter distribution maps (“mechanical imaging”).

[0095] The ultimate goal of this invention is to achieve in vivo, non-destructive, and high-resolution assessment of corneal biomechanical properties. Because this device can traverse multiple preset points on the corneal surface in a standardized manner for excitation and measurement, it can acquire abundant local mechanical data. Processing and imaging this data generates an intuitive distribution map of corneal biomechanical parameters. This "mechanical map" clearly reflects the stiffness differences in different regions of the cornea, which is of great value for the early diagnosis of keratoconus and other diseases, precise planning of corneal surgeries (such as LASIK), and postoperative evaluation, filling the gap in spatial resolution in existing technologies.

[0096] 5. Non-contact measurement, high safety, and good patient experience.

[0097] The entire excitation process uses air pulses as the excitation source, which is a non-contact measurement, completely avoiding the corneal scratches, infection risks, and patient discomfort that may be caused by contact measurements. At the same time, the optical positioning system is also non-contact, further ensuring the safety and non-invasiveness of the examination process, making it easily acceptable to patients.

[0098] In summary, this device, through its innovative concentric and decoupling mechanism design, effectively solves the problem of controllable local excitation inherent in existing technologies, providing a reliable hardware platform for in vivo, non-invasive, and high-resolution quantitative assessment of corneal biomechanical properties. This invention significantly improves measurement accuracy, operational efficiency, clinical applicability, and data value, providing a powerful tool for advancing corneal biomechanical research from a holistic to a localized approach, and from qualitative to quantitative analysis.

[0099] The above description, in conjunction with specific / preferred embodiments, provides a further detailed explanation of the present invention. It should not be construed that the specific implementation of the present invention is limited to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art, various substitutions or modifications can be made to these described embodiments without departing from the inventive concept, and all such substitutions or modifications should be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A concentric decoupled excitation device for local measurement of corneal mechanical parameters, characterized in that, include: Base; A micro-adjustment mechanism, mounted on the base, is used to provide multiple degrees of freedom of motion to adjust the overall spatial position and attitude of the device; The decoupling adjustment mechanism, connected to the micro-adjustment mechanism, includes an arcuate guide assembly that moves around a virtual sphere center, a mounting base that can move radially toward the virtual sphere center, and a rotating assembly for providing the jet excitation unit with rotational freedom about a rotation axis. An air jet excitation unit, mounted on the mounting base, is used to apply localized air pulse excitation to the corneal surface; A non-contact positioning unit, fixed to the base, is used to align the virtual sphere center with the geometric sphere center fitted to the cornea to be tested in the initial stage; After the center of the eye is aligned by the non-contact positioning unit, the jet position, jet angle and jet distance of the jet excitation unit relative to the cornea can be independently adjusted by the cooperation of the arc-shaped guide component, the mounting base and the rotating component. The decoupling adjustment mechanism includes: As the first base of the aforementioned base; The micro-adjustment mechanism is a first micro-adjustment platform mounted on the first base; The arc-shaped guide component, the circular slide rail fixed to the first micro-motion platform, and the concentric slide groove sleeved on the circular slide rail and slidable along it. The first jet device fixing seat is slidably disposed radially on the concentric slide groove as the mounting base; As the rotating component, a micro-motion turntable is disposed between the first micro-motion platform and the circular slide rail; And the non-contact positioning unit fixed to the first base; or The decoupling adjustment mechanism includes: As the second base of the aforementioned base; The second micro-motion platform, mounted on the second base, serves as the micro-motion adjustment mechanism; wherein the rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis provided by the second micro-motion platform constitutes the rotational assembly. The arc-shaped guide component, the slotted slide rail fixed to the second micro-motion platform, and the concentric slider embedded in the slotted slide rail and slidable along it. The second jet device mounting base is slidably disposed radially on the concentric slider; And the non-contact positioning unit fixed to the second base.

2. The concentric decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The micro-adjustment mechanism is a four-degree-of-freedom displacement platform, having translational degrees of freedom in the X, Y, and Z directions and rotational degrees of freedom about the Z-axis. The rotational degree of freedom about the Z-axis of the micro-adjustment mechanism constitutes the rotational component.

3. The concentric decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The rotating component is an independent rotating mechanism disposed inside the decoupling adjustment mechanism.

4. The common-center decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The non-contact positioning unit includes a first positioning laser fixing frame fixed to the first base and a first cross laser emitter disposed thereon.

5. The common-center decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1 or 3, characterized in that, The first base is also equipped with a reinforcing column.

6. The common-center decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The non-contact positioning unit includes a second positioning laser fixture fixed to the second base and a second cross laser emitter disposed thereon.

7. The concentric decoupling excitation device as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The jet excitation unit is a jet excitation device, which is fixedly installed on the jet device mounting base.

8. A device for measuring corneal biomechanical parameters, characterized in that, include: The concentric decoupled excitation device as described in any one of claims 1 to 7 is used to apply controllable local air pulse excitation to a predetermined position on the corneal surface; An optical deformation measurement system, with its optical path aligned with the cornea to be measured, is used to record the dynamic deformation process of the cornea in real time under the excitation of the air pulse. The processing and control unit is communicatively connected to the concentric decoupled excitation device and the optical deformation measurement system. It is used to control the setting and triggering of excitation parameters and process the data recorded by the optical deformation measurement system to calculate and output the local or distributed mechanical parameters of the cornea.

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