Optometric Apparatus Observation Window Design

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing subjective optometric apparatuses face challenges in accurately adjusting the position between the eye refractivity measuring unit and the examinee's eye, as examiners must perform adjustments in an unnatural posture, leading to difficulties in observing the relationship between the two components with high accuracy.

Innovation Solution

The apparatus includes an observation unit with an observation window and shielding portion, allowing the examiner to observe the positional relationship between the eye refractivity measuring unit and the examinee's eye without blocking the optical path, and a cornea position alignment optical system for precise alignment, enabling easier and more accurate position adjustments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the examiner observes the positional relationship from the opposite side to perform position adjustment, then the position adjustment can be performed, but the examiner is forced into an unnatural posture and the observation accuracy is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexaminer postureVSAvoidposition adjustment accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent inverts the observation direction from the opposite side to the same side as the examinee. The observation unit is configured to observe the examinee's eye and the eye refractivity measuring unit from the same side, allowing the examiner to maintain a natural posture while achieving accurate observation and position adjustment.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Loss of information

If the examiner's head is placed between the eye refractivity measuring unit and the housing, then the observation can be performed, but the optical path is blocked and the examination cannot proceed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetarget light flux transmissionVSAvoidpositional relationship observation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the observation function from the main optical path by providing a separate observation unit with its own observation optical system. This allows the examiner to observe the positional relationship without blocking the target light flux path, as the observation occurs through a dedicated channel rather than requiring the examiner's head to be in the main optical path.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The observation unit acts as an intermediary that enables the examiner to indirectly observe the examinee's eye and the eye refractivity measuring unit without physically blocking the optical path. The observation optical system serves as a mediator that transfers visual information from the measurement area to the examiner's position.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3329835B1Subjective optometric apparatus
Publication Date: 2022.02.09 NIDEK CO LTD
  • EP3329835B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3329835B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3329835B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A subjective optometric apparatus includes: a projection optical system that includes a target presenting unit configured to emit a target light flux, the projection optical system being configured to project, onto an examinee's eye, the target light flux emitted from the target presenting unit; a housing configured to accommodate the projection optical system; a presentation window configured to project the target light flux onto the examinee's eye by transmitting the target light flux emitted from the projection optical system and outputting the target light flux from an inside of the housing to an outside of the housing; and an observation unit configured to observe, via the presentation window, a positional relationship between the examinee's eye and an eye refractivity measuring unit configured to change an optical property of the target light flux output from the inside of the housing to the outside of the housing.