Corrugated membrane actuators
First Claim
1. An intraocular pressure (IOP) control valve for implantation in an eye of a patient, comprising:
- a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and
a corrugated membrane anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the corrugated membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having a reference chamber pressure representative of atmospheric pressure, the fluid flow channel selectively increasing and decreasing in size to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the corrugated membrane configured to affect flow through the fluid flow channel from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the opposing sides of the corrugated membrane.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An IOP control valve is disclosed. The IOP control valve comprises a corrugated membrane and a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet. The corrugated membrane is anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the corrugated membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane. The reference chamber has a reference chamber pressure representative of atmospheric pressure. The fluid flow channel can selectively increase and decrease in size to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet. The corrugated membrane is configured to affect flow through the fluid flow channel from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the opposing sides of the corrugated membrane.
122 Citations
35 Claims
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1. An intraocular pressure (IOP) control valve for implantation in an eye of a patient, comprising:
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a housing including a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; and a corrugated membrane anchored within the housing to form a reference chamber on a first side of the corrugated membrane and a fluid flow channel on a second opposing side of the membrane, the reference chamber having a reference chamber pressure representative of atmospheric pressure, the fluid flow channel selectively increasing and decreasing in size to permit fluid to flow from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet, the corrugated membrane configured to affect flow through the fluid flow channel from the fluid inlet to the fluid outlet by deflecting in response to pressure differentials of the reference chamber pressure and the fluid flow channel pressure acting on the opposing sides of the corrugated membrane. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An intraocular pressure (IOP) control system for implantation in an eye of a patient, comprising:
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a drainage tube configured to convey aqueous humor from an anterior chamber of the eye; and a pressure-driven membrane valve in fluid communication with the drainage tube and including a membrane having peaks and valleys formed therein, the valve being actuatable in response to pressure differentials and the membrane being configured to control flow rates of the aqueous humor along the drainage tube by deflecting in response to pressure differentials acting on the membrane. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. A method of regulating pressure through adjusting drainage from an anterior chamber of an eye with a membrane valve, comprising:
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directing fluid through a fluid flow channel formed in part by a flexible membrane shaped with at least one corrugation including a peak, a valley, and a sidewall extending at a first angle between the peak and the valley; modifying the amount of drainage through the membrane valve in response to pressure acting on the flexible membrane by deflecting the membrane to change the first angle to a second, different angle relative to the peak and valley, and to increase or decrease the size of the fluid flow channel in the membrane valve. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification