Elliptical Intraocular Injection Device with Segmented Support

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing intraocular injection devices face challenges in precise placement and reduced irritation due to their design, particularly in patients with small eyelid crevices or blepharospasm, leading to potential complications like intraocular hemorrhage and cataracts.

Innovation Solution

The device features an elliptical support element with intermittent elliptical parts and a bore for needle insertion, reducing tissue contact and allowing better visual access, along with friction-increasing means for stability and a bore orientation that ensures reproducible needle placement between 70° and 96°, and includes means to keep the eye open.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Stability of the object's composition

If a continuous elliptical support element is used, then the eye is held stationary, but tissue contact and irritation increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeye stabilityVSAvoidtissue irritation

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The continuous elliptical support element is divided into multiple discrete elliptical parts (at least two) that are distributed along the support surface. These segmented parts maintain eye stability through multiple contact points while reducing tissue irritation by creating gaps between the parts, allowing the support element to be placed even in eyes with small eyelid crevices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Stability of the object's composition

If a continuous support element is used, then the eye is held stationary, but visual overview of treatment region is obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeye stabilityVSAvoidvisual overview

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is segmented into multiple discrete parts with gaps between them, allowing light to pass through and providing visual overview of the treatment region while maintaining eye stability through the distributed contact points of the segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The support element is designed to be removable and repositionable, allowing the operator to adjust its position to optimize both eye stability and visual access to the treatment region during the procedure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If the support element contacts the whole elliptical configuration, then the eye is held stationary, but placement difficulty increases in small eyelid crevices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeye stabilityVSAvoidplacement ease

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The support element is divided into multiple smaller elliptical segments distributed along the support surface. This segmentation allows the device to be placed in eyes with small eyelid crevices by distributing the contact points, while still providing sufficient stabilization through the multiple segments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

4Productivity

If the hypodermic needle is inserted from the front, then the injection is administered, but the treatment region is obscured

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinjection administrationVSAvoidvisual access

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The hypodermic needle is inserted through the side of the device rather than from the front, utilizing a lateral dimension for needle insertion. This allows the treatment region to remain visible and accessible while still enabling proper injection administration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP3682856B1Device suitable for intraocular administration of a substance, for example a medication, into a human or animal eye

Publication Date: 2023.10.25 SHARPSIGHT

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AI summary

The invention relates to a device suitable for intraocular administration of a substance, for example a medication, into a human or animal eye by means of a hypodermic needle, comprising a support element to be placed on the eye as well as directing means for orienting the hypodermic needle relative to the eye, the support element comprises a support surface to be placed on the eye, wherein the support surface defines an elliptical configuration.