Pivoting Intraocular Lens Injector for Compact Sterile Packaging
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cataract surgery injectors generate significant waste due to the need for sterile packaging that is disposed of after use, and there is a need for an injector system that reduces waste while effectively inserting an intraocular lens into the capsular bag.
Innovation Solution
The injector system comprises a first and second partial injector body with a joint allowing pivoting between storage and operating states, a piston system for lens displacement, and a folding wedge for lens folding, along with a locking mechanism and fluid wetting mechanism to minimize packaging size and ensure reliable operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the injector body is designed as a single rigid unit, then the structural strength and stability are improved, but the packaging volume increases and waste generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The injector body is divided into two separable parts: a first partial injector body that remains in the package and a second partial injector body that is removed and discarded. This segmentation allows the packaging volume to be reduced to only what is needed for the first partial injector body, while the second partial injector body can be separately disposed of after use, thereby reducing overall waste.
Solution Approach 2:
The second partial injector body is designed to be insertable into the first partial injector body when not in use, creating a nested configuration. This nesting allows the components to be stored compactly within the packaging, reducing the packaging volume while maintaining the ability to assemble the complete injector body during surgery.
2Area of stationary object
If the injector body is made compact for storage, then the packaging surface area is reduced, but the ease of operation during surgery is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The injector body transitions from a static compact storage configuration to a dynamic extended operating configuration. The two partial injector bodies can be assembled and disassembled, and the second partial injector body can be rotated or positioned relative to the first, allowing the injector to adapt its shape for both compact storage and optimal surgical operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the injector body into separable parts, the system allows the first partial injector body to remain compact within the packaging, reducing surface area. During surgery, the second partial injector body is attached and extended, providing the necessary operational characteristics without requiring the entire injector to be large from the start.
3Ease of manufacture
If the piston is designed as a single unit, then the manufacturing simplicity is improved, but the adaptability for different surgical conditions is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The piston is divided into a first partial piston and a second partial piston that can be independently manufactured and then assembled. This segmentation allows each partial piston to be manufactured using simpler processes and materials, while the assembled combination provides the full functionality and adaptability needed for different surgical conditions, including the ability to adjust lens positioning and folding.
Data Source
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Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to an injector (1) for introduction of an intraocular lens (13) into the capsular sac of an eye, having an injector body (2), a plunger (3) that is arranged in the injector body in a longitudinally displaceable manner in an insertion direction (11) in which the intraocular lens is to be displaced out of the injector for insertion into the capsular sac, and a joint (8), wherein the injector body has a first partial injector body (4), which has a tip (9) with a tip opening (10), and a second partial injector body (5), which has a proximal end (18) of the injector body and which is attached to the first partial injector body in a pivotable manner by means of the joint, as a result of which the injector body can be pivoted into a usage state and a storage state in which the injector body has, in the insertion direction, a shorter extent than in the usage state, wherein by pivoting the proximal end away from the tip opening, the injector body (2) can be brought from the storage state into the usage state, wherein the plunger has a first partial plunger (6), which is arranged in a longitudinally displacable manner on the first partial injector body, and a second partial plunger (7), which, in the storage state, is spaced apart from the first partial plunger and, in the usage state, is configured to displace the first partial plunger in the insertion direction via a longitudinal displacement of the second partial plunger in the insertion direction.