Adjustable Chin Rest Positioning for Peripheral Vision Testing

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing visual field systems struggle to accurately assess peripheral vision due to facial structures obstructing the field of view, particularly in patients with head, facial, or body deformities, leading to inaccurate detection of ocular diseases like glaucoma.

Innovation Solution

An adjustable chin rest apparatus that allows for adjustable head turn and tilt angles, compensating for facial contours by integrating offset designs to maintain a constant pupil-to-testing bowl distance, minimizing visual field defects.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a standard chin rest position is used, then the visual field test can be performed with simple positioning, but facial structures obstruct the peripheral field of view and cause inaccurate detection

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral vision assessment accuracyVSAvoidchin rest positioning complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chin rest apparatus incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic positioning of the patient's head at multiple angles (head turn angles and head tilt angles). This dynamic adjustability enables optimization of the field of view by positioning the head to minimize facial structure obstruction, thereby improving peripheral vision assessment accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through controlled adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes positional parameters of the head (turn angles and tilt angles) to optimize the visual field assessment. By adjusting these angular parameters, the system compensates for facial structure variations and minimizes obstruction, enabling accurate peripheral vision detection without requiring complex additional hardware.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Measurement precision

If head turn angles are adjusted to minimize facial obstruction, then peripheral visual field accuracy improves, but the device requires more complex positioning mechanisms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperipheral field defect detection accuracyVSAvoidhead positioning mechanism complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chin rest apparatus incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic positioning of the patient's head at multiple angles (head turn angles and head tilt angles). This dynamic adjustability enables optimization of the field of view by positioning the head to minimize facial structure obstruction, thereby improving peripheral vision assessment accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through controlled adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The positioning system is divided into independent adjustable components that can be modified separately. The chin rest apparatus includes distinct mechanisms for head turn and head tilt adjustment, allowing each parameter to be optimized independently. This segmentation enables precise control of head position to minimize facial obstruction while keeping individual mechanism complexity manageable.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple head position angles are provided, then patients with deformities can be accurately positioned, but the chin rest apparatus becomes more complex

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccommodation of head and facial deformitiesVSAvoidchin rest apparatus structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chin rest apparatus is designed with multi-functional adjustable components that can accommodate various head and facial deformities. The same adjustment mechanisms serve multiple purposes: positioning heads at different angles, compensating for facial structure variations, and optimizing the field of view for diverse patient anatomies. This universality enables the system to handle varied patient requirements without proportionally increasing complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The chin rest apparatus incorporates adjustable components that allow dynamic positioning of the patient's head at multiple angles (head turn angles and head tilt angles). This dynamic adjustability enables optimization of the field of view by positioning the head to minimize facial structure obstruction, thereby improving peripheral vision assessment accuracy while maintaining manageable system complexity through controlled adjustment mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS20250295303A1Adjustable chin rest apparatus for visual field system

Publication Date: 2025.09.25 MAYO FOUNDATION FOR MEDICAL EDUCATION & RESEARCH

AI summary

Described herein is a chin rest apparatus for a visual field system. The chin rest apparatus can include a base and at least one chin rest insert moveably coupled to the base and configured to be adjusted to one of a plurality of head turn angles and one of a plurality of head tilt angles. The plurality of head turn angles and plurality of head tilt angles can be associated with obtaining a visual field of a subject in the visual field system.