Intraocular Lens Injector Tube Protrusions for Accurate Folding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The presence of left and right corners at the upper side of the inner wall of the tube in intraocular lens injectors affects the accuracy of folding the intraocular lens, leading to potential misfolding or failure during the injection process.
Innovation Solution
The inner wall of the tube in the intraocular lens injector is designed with protrusions at both left and right corners to prevent the optical and support portions from entering these corners, ensuring accurate folding by creating a space for the support portions to be accommodated.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If a three-piece intraocular lens insertion instrument is used, then the lens can be compressed and inserted through a small incision, but the instrument has large outer dimensions making it difficult to operate in the confined ocular space
Solution Approach 1:
The first holder is inserted into the second holder, and the second holder is inserted into the third holder, creating a nested configuration. This nesting allows the instrument to have a compact outer profile when not in use while maintaining the full functional length for insertion through small incisions, thereby improving operability in confined ocular spaces without sacrificing insertion capability
Solution Approach 2:
The insertion instrument is divided into three separate holders (first, second, and third holders) that can be independently manipulated and then assembled in sequence. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for specific functions while the overall assembled structure maintains compact dimensions for easy handling in the surgical field
2Ease of operation
If the outer dimensions of the insertion instrument are reduced for easier operation, then operability in ocular space improves, but the ability to compress and insert the lens through small incisions is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument employs a dynamic nested structure where the holders can be inserted and removed from each other. During storage or non-use, the holders are nested to present a compact outer profile for easy manipulation. During surgery, the holders are extended sequentially to achieve the full insertion length required for compressing and inserting the lens through small incisions, thus dynamically adapting to different operational requirements
3Volume of moving object
If the lens is compressed for insertion through small incisions, then the incision size can be minimized, but the lens shape must be significantly altered from its final implanted form
Solution Approach 1:
The lens is pre-compressed into a compact configuration within the holders before insertion. The holders are designed to maintain this compressed state during transport and positioning, then release the compression only at the moment of insertion into the eye. This preliminary compression allows the lens to be prepared in advance for small incision insertion while ensuring the shape transformation occurs only when needed, minimizing the duration the lens is in a non-optimal shape
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(d)
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
There is provided an intraocular lens injector 1 that advances an intraocular lens 4 including an optical portion 41 with an optical function and support portions 42a and 42b that extend from the optical portion 41 through a tube while folding the lens, and emits the lens from a nozzle, wherein protrusions 15 are located at both the left and right corners at an upper side of an inner wall 30 of the tube, in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to an advancement direction of the intraocular lens 4, so that the protrusions 15 prevent the optical portion 41 and the support portions 42a, 42b from entering both the left and right corners, when the intraocular lens 4 is folded while advancing. Its related art is also provided.