Laser Welded Ophthalmic Needle End Cap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ophthalmic cutting devices have a significant distance between the tip and the port, limiting their proximity to the retina, and the thickness of the end cap and internal material restrict the cutter's travel distance, hindering effective vitreous humor removal during eye surgery.
Innovation Solution
A guillotine-style ophthalmic cutting device with a reduced outer diameter needle and a thinner end cap, featuring a port positioned close to the end cap, and a hollow cutter that travels an overtravel distance past the port, allowing for closer proximity to the retina and increased cutter travel, achieved through precise welding techniques like laser welding without filler material, ensuring high tolerance and minimal collateral damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the distance between the tip and the port is reduced to enable closer access to the retina, then the proximity to the retina is improved, but the structural integrity and manufacturing complexity worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical welding methods with laser welding technology. The laser welding system uses a focused laser beam to melt and fuse the end cap to the needle, eliminating the need for mechanical fasteners, adhesives, or complex assembly fixtures. This substitution enables precise control of the welding process, achieving strong bonds while maintaining the reduced overall length of the device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the welding parameters by using laser energy with specific power, duration, and focal point settings. By controlling the laser parameters, the process achieves complete penetration and fusion of the end cap to the needle in a single step, reducing the need for multiple manufacturing steps and post-processing operations. This parameter optimization allows for the production of compact devices with maintained structural integrity.
2Length of moving object
If the end cap thickness is reduced to increase cutter travel distance, then the cutter travel distance is improved, but the strength and reliability worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical joining methods with laser welding, which creates a metallurgical bond between the end cap and needle. This bonding method distributes stress more effectively across the joint area, compensating for the reduced end cap thickness. The laser weld creates a fusion zone that maintains structural integrity while allowing the end cap to be made thinner, thereby increasing the available travel distance for the cutter.
3Manufacturing precision
If laser welding without filler material is used to achieve high precision and minimal collateral damage, then the manufacturing precision is improved, but the reliability of the weld joint worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes laser welding parameters including power density, pulse duration, focal point position, and scanning speed to achieve complete penetration and fusion without filler material. By carefully controlling these parameters, the process creates a reliable weld joint with a fusion zone that extends through the entire thickness of the end cap and into the needle, ensuring structural integrity. The parameter optimization prevents defects such as incomplete fusion, porosity, or cracking that could compromise joint reliability.
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 solution enables closer access to the retina and increased cutter travel distance, enhancing the precision and effectiveness of vitreous humor removal during eye surgery while maintaining high tolerance and minimizing collateral damage.
Implementation Method 1
The end cap is welded to the second end by a weld to enclose the needle
Data Source
AI summary
A cutting apparatus has a handle and a hollow needle having a first end connected to the handle and a second end. The needle outer diameter is about 0.04 inch or less. An end cap is formed from a blank material. Preferably, at least one bridge is formed between the end cap and the blank material. The end cap is welded to the second end to enclose the needle and then the bridge is cut. The end cap has substantially flat inner and outer surfaces. The needle has a port and a hollow cutter that slides within the needle. The cutter has a first end connected to a drive, and a second end having a cutting edge. An outer cutter diameter is less than the needle inner diameter. The drive reciprocates the cutter within the needle to perform a cut.