Optical Loupes with Redirection Members for Neutral Head Angle
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Solution Overview
Problem
Clinicians, especially dental professionals, often experience neck and eye strain due to the need to tilt their heads downward during procedures, leading to potential repetitive stress injuries and discomfort.
Innovation Solution
An optical medical device incorporating loupes integrated into protective glasses, which utilize redirection members such as prisms or mirrors to redirect light and provide a magnified view from a different perspective, allowing clinicians to maintain a neutral head angle while working.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If clinicians tilt their heads downward to see the work area surrounding their hands, then they can view the work area, but they experience neck and eye strain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by introducing optical redirection members (prisms or mirrors) that redirect light paths at specific angles (e.g., 45 degrees). This allows the clinician's line of sight to be redirected from a downward tilt to a more neutral or elevated angle, eliminating neck and eye strain while maintaining the ability to view the work area surrounding the hands.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical redirection member acts as an intermediary between the work area and the clinician's eye. Instead of the clinician directly viewing the work area from a tilted head position, the redirection member mediates the light path, redirecting it to a comfortable viewing angle while still providing magnified vision of the work area.
2Productivity
If clinicians tilt their heads downward to see the work area, then they can perform procedures, but they are at risk of repetitive stress injuries
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the optical path dimension through redirection members, the system allows clinicians to maintain an upright head position while still viewing the work area. This eliminates the repetitive head tilting that causes stress injuries, thereby improving reliability without sacrificing productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical action of head tilting with an optical solution. Instead of mechanically tilting the head to view the work area, the system uses optical redirection to achieve the same viewing effect, thereby eliminating the mechanical stress on the neck and eyes.
3Ease of operation
If loupes are integrated into protective glasses, then clinicians can maintain a neutral head angle, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective glasses and loupe system into a single integrated unit. The redirection members, magnifying lenses, and protective eyewear are combined into one device that can be worn as a single unit, reducing the need for separate components and simplifying the overall system despite the added functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated device performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides eye protection, magnifies the work area view, and redirects light to enable neutral head positioning. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate devices, managing complexity through functional integration.
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 device enables clinicians to perform procedures with reduced neck and eye strain, minimizing the risk of repetitive stress injuries and allowing for extended periods of comfortable work without the need for frequent breaks.
Implementation Method 1
one or more redirection members structured to redirect image light that is received by the loupe
Implementation Method 2
Each redirection member comprises at least one optical prism
Implementation Method 3
one or more magnifying members structured to magnify the image light
Data Source
AI summary
A device can include glasses including one or more lenses that permit a wearer a broad view of the environment from a first perspective and contact members having one or more contact-surfaces formed to secure the glasses to a head of the wearer while the wearer is wearing the device. The device can include one or more loupes, each loupe including a redirection member structured to redirect image light that is received by the loupe; one or more magnifying members structured to magnify the image light; a viewport structured to allow passage of the magnified image light. The loupe is secured through one of the lenses such that the magnified image light is presented though the viewport to an eye of the wearer while the wearer is wearing the device.