Intraocular Lens Injector Closing Tips for Controlled Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional injector devices for intraocular lenses often experience undesired folding issues, particularly with asymmetric lenses, leading to abrupt and incorrect folding directions, which can result in improper lens placement during eye implantation.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates at least two closing tips with a specific shape and arrangement that extend rearwards of the injector tip's inlet, allowing for precise and controlled folding of the intraocular lens by guiding and stabilizing the cassette's cover flaps, preventing undesired folding and force peaks, and ensuring a continuous, uniform pivoting motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional injector tips are used with asymmetric intraocular lenses, then the lens can be inserted into the eye, but the lens folds in uncoordinated and undesired directions due to lack of control over the folding process
Solution Approach 1:
The closing tip is divided into multiple closing elements (at least two) that can independently act on different portions of the intraocular lens. This segmentation allows each closing element to control a specific folding zone, enabling coordinated folding of asymmetric lenses by applying forces at multiple discrete locations rather than as a single unified action.
Solution Approach 2:
The closing elements serve as intermediary components between the injector tip and the intraocular lens during the folding process. These intermediaries provide controlled contact points that guide the lens through the folding operation, mediating the transition from the lens's initial state to its folded configuration without direct uncontrolled contact.
2Reliability
If the closing tips extend further rearwards than the rear inlet, then precise control and stabilization of cover flaps is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The closing tip structure is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides closing action for the cover flaps, stabilizes the intraocular lens during folding, and guides the folding process. By extending rearwards beyond the inlet, the same structural element simultaneously achieves flap closure and lens stabilization, reducing the need for separate dedicated components for each function.
3Productivity
If conventional cassettes with pivotable cover flaps are used, then the intraocular lens can be pre-folded, but abrupt folding operations and force peaks occur due to uncoordinated flap closure
Solution Approach 1:
The closing elements are positioned and configured to initiate the folding process in a controlled sequence before complete flap closure occurs. This preliminary action allows the lens to begin folding gradually as the cover flaps close, distributing the folding forces over time and preventing sudden force peaks that would occur if all folding happened simultaneously at the end of flap closure.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is directed to an injector device for introducing an intraocular lens into an eye. The injector device defines a longitudinal axis and includes an injector tip having a through guide channel for the intraocular lens. The channel has a rear inlet and a front outlet. A cassette accommodates the intraocular lens therein and two closure tips are configured for closing the cassette. The closure tips extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis axially farther rearwardly than the rear inlet. A method for prefolding the intraocular lens in the cassette is also disclosed.