Flexible Intraocular Lens Injection Device with Rotary Shuttle

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current intraocular lens injection devices face challenges in safely and efficiently loading and expelling flexible lenses without damaging them, particularly due to manual handling risks and incompatibility with hydrophilic lenses that require aqueous storage, leading to contamination and mechanical issues.

Innovation Solution

A flexible intraocular lens injection device with a tubular body featuring a side opening and rotary attachment mechanism allows for easy insertion and rotation of a pre-loaded storage shuttle, eliminating the need for handling the ejection endpiece and enabling safe expulsion of the lens without damaging it, while maintaining the endpiece dry to prevent damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual handling of the ejection endpiece is required during storage shuttle insertion, then the device can be assembled, but the lens is at risk of pinching and damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage shuttle insertionVSAvoidlens integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The storage shuttle is designed with self-aligning features including guide rails and positioning protrusions that automatically guide the shuttle into the correct position within the tubular body without requiring manual handling of the ejection endpiece. The shuttle's own structural elements facilitate its insertion and secure positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

A rotary attachment mechanism serves as an intermediary between the storage shuttle and the tubular body, enabling the shuttle to rotate into its final position without direct manual manipulation of the ejection endpiece. This intermediate mechanism protects the lens from pinching while achieving proper positioning.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If hydrophilic lenses are stored in aqueous medium, then the lenses maintain flexibility, but the ejection endpiece becomes contaminated and damaged

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelens hydrationVSAvoidendpiece contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The device is segmented into distinct compartments: the storage shuttle contains the lens in aqueous medium, while the ejection endpiece remains separate and dry. The shuttle acts as an isolated container that protects the lens hydration environment from contaminating the endpiece.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The storage shuttle serves as an intermediary container that holds the hydrated lens and interfaces with the tubular body without exposing the ejection endpiece to aqueous contamination. The shuttle's outlet opening provides a controlled interface between the hydrated lens environment and the dry ejection pathway.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If the incision size is reduced below 2 mm, then surgical precision improves, but the device complexity increases to accommodate pre-loaded shuttles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveincision precisionVSAvoidinjection device structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The storage shuttle is nested within the tubular body, with the shuttle containing the lens and the tubular body providing the outer structure. This nested arrangement allows the pre-loaded shuttle to be compactly integrated into the injection device without significantly increasing the overall device size or complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The lens is pre-loaded into the storage shuttle in a controlled environment before surgery, with the shuttle prepared in advance. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex intraoperative lens manipulation and reduces the complexity of the injection mechanism itself, as the shuttle is simply rotated into position and actuated.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10869754B2Flexible intraocular lens injection device and storage shuttle for implementing same

Publication Date: 2020.12.22 PHYSIOL

AI summary

A flexible intraocular lens injection device, comprising a tubular body that has a casing, a plunger, a barrel having a cross-section that decreases in the opposite direction to the tubular body, and a housing in the axial cavity of the tubular body intended to receive a storage shuttle containing a flexible intraocular lens, the casing of the tubular body having a side opening, so as to allow the insertion of the storage shuttle and in the vicinity of this side opening, the above-mentioned casing carrying a first outwardly-protruding rotary attachment means configured to engage with a second rotary attachment means provided on the storage shuttle, so that, when the two above-mentioned rotary attachment means are engaged, the storage shuttle is able to rotate about an axis of rotation parallel to said axial direction of the axial cavity of the tubular body.