Eyelid Care Appliance

• US 20150182415A1
• Filed: 12/31/2014
• Published: 07/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Teeny Clean, LLC
• Original Assignee: Teeny Clean, LLC
• Inventors: Darby, George Eugene, Olkowski, John David, Olkowski, Kirk Keoni
• Granted Patent: US 10,314,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/008 Disc-shaped brush bodies
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 13/02 power-driven carriers
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 2200/102 Brush specifically designed for massaging the skin or scalp A46B2200/1026 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A46B 9/028 Bristle profile, the end of the bristle defining a surface other than a single plane or deviating from a simple geometric form, e.g. cylinder, sphere or cone
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00772 Apparatus for restoration of tear ducts
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0153 hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0188 Illumination related features
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0207 heated
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/0214 cooled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/10 with further special therapeutic means, e.g. electrotherapy, magneto therapy or radiation therapy, chromo therapy, infrared or ultraviolet therapy
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/105 with means for delivering media, e.g. drugs or cosmetics
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1215 Rotary drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1604 Head
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/1685 interchangeable modular devices, A61H2201/0107
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5035 Several programs selectable
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5043 Displays
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5048 Audio interfaces, e.g. voice or music controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5064 Position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2201/5097 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 2205/024 Eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 23/02 : with electric or magnetic drive
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 35/02 : for the eyes
• CPC Class Codes: A61H 7/005 : hand-held
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 : Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/0076 : Body hygiene; Dressing; Knot tying

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an improved eyelid care appliance and method of using such appliance for preventing and treating blepharitis and mammalian meibomian gland dysfunction caused by gland obstruction. The method and apparatus of the invention enable restoration and maintenance of eyelid hygiene and the natural flow of secretions from the meibomian glands. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus comprises an oscillating spongehead affixed to the distal end of the eyelid care appliance that is equipped with a video camera, near field communications link, and a display, thereby enabling a user to “fly” the spongehead onto an eyelid margin for self-administered cleaning of the user'"'"'s eyelid margins. The spongehead can be impregnated with topical pharmacologic or cleansing agents to better facilitate cleaning and therapeutic efficacy.

Claims

1. An eyelid care appliance comprising a power supply, motor, drive system that transmits motive force from the motor to oscillate a head receiver, motor controls, a proximity system, and proximity annunciator contained in a housing, wherein a spongehead is detachably mated with the head receiver and protrudes from the housing and oscillates when the motor is powered on.

4. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1, 2, or 3, wherein the head receiver is an adjustable head receiver.

5. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the proximity system annunciator further comprises the generation of audible tones that reflect distance between the spongehead and the closest surface and optionally the second closest surface to the spongehead.

6. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the proximity system is a video camera with lens mounted near the spongehead and in near field communication with a smart device, wherein the video output from the video camera is displayed on the smart device, and wherein the proximity system generates a glideslope display on the smart device that guides a user in landing the spongehead on an eyelid margin, and optionally one or more lights on the housing project light in front of the spongehead.

7. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, further comprising one or more reservoirs, reservoir inlet connectors, pumps, output tubing, and nozzles for dispensing liquids selected from the group comprising cleaning agents, Betadine, antiseptics, antimicrobials, anti-inflammatories, anesthetics, saline solution, water, solvents, taggants, stains, pharmaceuticals, nutriceuticals, and monoclonal antibodies.

8. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, further comprising one or more reservoirs, reservoir inlet connectors, housing inlets, pumps, output tubing, and nozzles for dispensing gases, wherein optionally the gases are heated or cooled by a thermal device in the output tubing and can optionally be used to create an aerosol from a liquid or powder in a different reservoir.

9. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a suction pump with a suction inlet near the spongehead and an outlet in the housing, wherein the suction inlet removes debris and liquids from the eyelid margin and expels such debris and liquids as a wastestream through an outlet in the housing.

10. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a suction pump with a suction inlet near the spongehead and an outlet in the housing, wherein the suction inlet removes debris and liquids from the eyelid margin and expels such debris and liquids as a wastestream through an outlet in the housing and wherein the wastestream input or output of the suction pump is examined by a video camera, flow cytometer, or other sensor and associated software to detect and report the contents of the wastestream.

11. The eyelid care appliance of claim 1 or 2, further comprising one or more band-limited light sources that project light in front of the spongehead, wherein the proximity system is a video camera with lens mounted near the spongehead and in near field communication with a smart device, wherein the video output from the video camera is fed to multispectral image analysis software in the smart device or in the appliance, and the output of the multispectral image analysis software is displayed on the smart device.

2. An eyelid care appliance comprising a power supply, motor, drive system that transmits motive force from the motor to oscillate a head receiver, motor controls, a proximity system, and proximity annunciator contained in a housing, wherein a spongehead is detachably mated with the head receiver and protrudes from the housing and oscillates when the motor is powered on, wherein the proximity system is a video camera with lens mounted near the spongehead and in near field communication with a smart device, and wherein the video output from the video camera is displayed on the smart device.

3. An eyelid care appliance comprising handpiece and a detachable neck, a power supply, motor, proximity annunciator, and motor control being contained in the handpiece, a head receiver being contained in the detachable neck and connected to the motor through a drive system with portions of the drive system distributed in the detachable neck and in the handpiece and with a coupler at the interface of the handpiece and detachable neck, which drive system transmits motive force from the motor to oscillate the head receiver, wherein a spongehead is detachably mated with the head receiver, protrudes from the detachable neck, and oscillates when the motor is powered on, and portions of a proximity system are distributed in the detachable neck and in the housing.