Patent Application
20080221584
This invention relates to intraocular lenses (IOLs) and more particularly to devices use to inject IOLs into an eye.
The human eye in its simplest terms functions to provide vision by transmitting and refracting light through a clear outer portion called the cornea, and further focusing the image by way of the lens onto the retina at the back of the eye. The quality of the focused image depends on many factors including the size, shape and length of the eye, and the shape and transparency of the cornea and lens.
When trauma, age or disease cause the lens to become less transparent, vision deteriorates because of the diminished light which can be transmitted to the retina. This deficiency in the lens of the eye is medically known as a cataract. The treatment for this condition is surgical removal of the lens and implantation of an artificial lens or IOL.
While early IOLs were made from hard plastic, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), soft, foldable IOLs made from silicone, soft acrylics and hydrogels have become increasingly popular because of the ability to fold or roll these soft lenses and insert them through a smaller incision. Several methods of rolling or folding the lenses are used. One popular method is an injector cartridge that folds the lenses and provides a relatively small diameter lumen through which the lens may be pushed into the eye, usually by a soft tip plunger. The most commonly used injector cartridge design is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102 (Bartell), and includes a split, longitudinally hinged cartridge. Similar designs are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,494,484 and 5,499,987 (Feingold) and U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,616,148 and 5,620,450 (Eagles, et al.). In an attempt to avoid the claims of U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,102, several solid cartridges have been investigated, see for example U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,604 (Rheinish, et al.) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,653,715 (Reich, et al.).
These devices all require that the lens be shipped separately from the cartridge. This requires that the lens be removed from its shipping container and placed in the cartridge prior to use. This requires additional handling of the lens, with the resulting potential for damage to the lens. Two prior art devices, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,471,708 B1 (Green) and U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,854 (Brown, et al.) disclose lens delivery systems that is also suitable for use as a lens shipment container as well as a delivery device. As recognized in U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,854, during shipment, the plunger can be inadvertently moved forward, which can adversely affect the lens. Accordingly, a need continues to exist for a combination lens shipment device and delivery system.
The present invention improves upon prior art by providing a combination lens packaging/shipment container and delivery system having a plunger, an injector body and a nozzle portion connected to the injector body. A sliding gate is attached to a flange located on the proximal end of the injector body. The gate engages a receptor slot in the plunger and prevents movement of the plunger until released.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a lens delivery system suitable for the storage, shipment and delivery of a lens into an eye without the use of any additional devices.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lens delivery system that is suitable for folding lenses made from a soft acrylic material.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lens delivery system having a slidable gate that limits movement of the plunger during storage and shipment.
Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent with reference to the drawings, and the following description of the drawings and claims.
As best seen in
As best seen in
In use, tabs 30 on gate 28 are snapped into place within slots 20 on finger flange 18 so as to hold gate 28 against finger flange 18. Tabs 30, being shorter than slot(s) 20, allow gate 28 to slide upon finger flange 18 within slot(s) 20. Plunger 16 is inserted into body 14 so that receptor notch 34 on plunger rod 26 is aligned with gate 28, as seen in 30
Alternatively, as seen in
While certain embodiments of the present invention have been described above, these descriptions are given for purposes of illustration and explanation. Variations, changes, modifications and departures from the systems and methods disclosed above may be adopted without departure from the scope or spirit of the present invention.
