OPHTHALMIC FLUID PUMP

• US 20110106025A1
• Filed: 10/12/2010
• Published: 05/05/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Johnson & Johnson Vision Care Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Hall, Gary S., Voss, Leslie A., Morley, Catie A.
• Application Number:
  US12/902,603
• Publication Number:
  US 20110106025A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 604/298
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 3/113 for determining or recording eye movement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1103 Detecting eye twinkling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6821 Eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/0008 Introducing ophthalmic products into the ocular cavity or retaining products therein putting in contact lenses A61F9/0061; introducing or retaining media in cavities of the body in general A61M31/00

Abstract

This invention discloses apparatus and methods of providing a pump for dispensing a liquid into the eye and in some embodiments, a pump coupled to a blink detecting mechanism to time administration of a liquid into the eye.

Claims

1. A apparatus for dispensing a liquid in an eye, the apparatus comprising:

one or more reservoirs;

an automated pump capable of being actuated based upon receipt of a control signal, said pump in liquid communication with one or more reservoirs;

a signal generator for generating a signal to actuate the automated pump; and

an eye orifice nozzle through which the automated pump will pump liquid contained in the one or more reservoirs based upon a signal generated by the signal generator.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising a sensor, which when placed in position proximate to an eye is functional to detect a first state of an eye and a second state of an eye and generate a signal indicating that the eye is in one of said first state and said second state eye.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the sensor comprises an emitter emitting a signal in a predetermined wavelength.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the sensor additionally comprises a detector capable of detecting a signal in the predetermined wavelength.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sensor generates the signal indicating if the eye is in the first state or the second state.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 additionally comprising a microcontroller for receiving the signal indicating if the eye is in the first state or the second state and generating a control signal to the pump to operate the pump based upon the signal indicating if the eye is in the first state or the second state.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 additionally comprising an alignment apparatus for aligning an eye with the eye orifice nozzle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the alignment apparatus comprises a line of sight.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the alignment apparatus additionally comprises an alignment fixture.

10. The apparatus of claim 6 additionally a dose reservoir capable of storing a predetermined amount of a liquid to be administered into an eye.

11. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the microcontroller comprises a storage device storing executable code for controlling the pump to dispense a predetermined dosing amount based upon the indication of the first state or second state of the eye.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the microcontroller comprises a storage device storing executable code for tracking a number of doses administered during a time period.

13. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the microcontroller comprises a storage device storing executable code for operating the pump for a predetermined period of time based upon a signal indicating an external condition.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the external condition comprises a movement of an eye to an open position.