Elastic Headband Eye Patch with Elliptical Mount
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disposable eye patches cause skin and eye irritation due to adhesive strips and can be expensive, while alternative patches attached to eyeglasses may break the nose pad and require specific eyeglass structures, posing usability and comfort issues.
Innovation Solution
An eye patch system comprising a headband with elastic material, a mount assembly with an elliptically shaped central opening, and a strap that securely positions an eye shield over the eye socket without adhesives, allowing for comfortable fit and easy attachment/removal, enabling normal eyelid movement and protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If adhesive strips are used to secure the eye patch to the patient's face, then the eye patch can be held in position, but skin and eye irritation occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the adhesive strips entirely from the eye patch design. Instead of using adhesives to secure the patch, the invention uses a mechanical fastening system consisting of a headband that goes around the patient's head and a clip mechanism that attaches the eye patch to the headband, thereby eliminating skin and eye irritation caused by adhesive contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a headband as an intermediary element between the patient's head and the eye patch. The headband serves as a mechanical anchor that distributes pressure around the head rather than concentrating it at the eye area, and the clip mechanism acts as a mediator to securely attach the patch without direct adhesive contact to sensitive areas.
2Ease of operation
If disposable adhesive eye patches are used, then the eye patch can be easily applied, but frequent replacement is needed which increases cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the disposable principle to the eye patch portion while making the headband and fastening mechanism reusable. The eye patch itself remains a disposable component that can be easily replaced, while the expensive mechanical fastening system is designed for multiple uses, thereby reducing overall cost through selective disposability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent divides the eye patch system into separable components: a disposable eye patch portion and a reusable headband with fastening mechanism. This segmentation allows the simple, low-cost patch to be easily replaced while the more complex, higher-value mechanical components are reused, balancing ease of operation with cost reduction.
3Ease of operation
If the eye patch is attached to eyeglass nose pads, then the patch can be positioned on the face, but the nose pad may break especially when performed by a child
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the dependency on eyeglass nose pads for mounting the eye patch. Instead of attaching to the fragile nose pad structure, the invention uses a standalone headband system that circumles the head, eliminating the mechanical stress and potential damage to the nose pad while providing secure positioning.
4Reliability
If the eye patch is designed to cover the eye socket, then full protection is provided, but the patch may contact and irritate the eye
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by designing the eye patch with different material properties in different areas. The portion that contacts the eye socket is made from soft, non-irritating material that provides cushioning and protection, while the fastening areas use different materials suited for their specific functions, thereby providing full coverage without causing irritation to sensitive eye areas.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides full protection without skin irritation, is comfortable, and can be easily attached and removed, addressing the limitations of existing eye patch technologies by ensuring secure positioning and reducing the need for frequent replacements.
Implementation Method 1
at least a portion of the headband is formed of elastic material to allow for a comfortable compressive fit of the headband about patient head
Data Source
AI summary
A reversible eye patch configured to be worn on either the left or right eye of the patient, including a headband having a longitudinal axis and a mount assembly coupled to a portion of an exterior surface of the headband that defines a circumferentially extending pocket that further defines an elliptically shaped central opening in the mount assembly. A major axis of the elliptically shaped central opening is positioned at an acute angle β with respect to the longitudinal axis of the headband. The eye patch also includes an eye shield having a generally ovoid shape that is configured to be selectably seated within the pocket of the mount assembly. A strap extends outwardly from a portion of the mount assembly along an axis generally coaxial to the major axis of the elliptically shaped central opening and has a distal end portion that is configured to be selectively and releasably coupled to a portion of the headband so that the eye shield can be secured about the selected eye of the patient.