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US5190553A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Method and apparatus for folding a resilient intraocular lens

Assignee: CHIRON ADATOMED PHARMAZEURISCHE UND MEDIZINTECHNISCHE GmbH
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Filing: 1992-02-06
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Granted: 1993-03-02
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Expires: 2012-02-06
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Abstract

Abstract In a method and apparatus for folding a resilient intraocular lens, the l is fixed on a support surface and then folded by means of two pressing members which are moved synchronously towards each other in such a way that the intraocular lens conforms on a slightly reduced scale to the interior of a tube member of a lens implantation instrument. The lens is then released from its support surface and pressed into the interior of the implantation instrument tube member.

Inventors

  • 👤 Otmar Kanert
  • 👤 Jochen Kammann
  • 👤 Ulrich Dretzler

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 01:35
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/14; A61F2/16; A61F2/1662; A61F2/1664; A61F2/1613; A61F2/1616

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim 130 words
Apparatus for folding a resilient intraocular lens comprising a support surface for supporting the lens to be folded, a hold-down member movable towards said support surface to hold the lens thereon, first and second feed pressing members which have faces facing towards each other from opposite sides of the support surface and which are synchronously movable in mutually opposite relationship to a position of being brought together at which said faces thereof which are in contact with the lens on the support surface fold the lens to reproduce in a slightly reduced fashion the internal contour of a tube member of an implantation instrument for subsequent implantation of the lens, and an insertion press member movable to insert the folded lens into the interior of said implantation instrument tube member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 130 words
Apparatus for folding a resilient intraocular lens comprising a support surface for supporting the lens to be folded, a hold-down member movable towards said support surface to hold the lens thereon, first and second feed pressing members which have faces facing towards each other from opposite sides of the support surface and which are synchronously movable in mutually opposite relationship to a position of being brought together at which said faces thereof which are in contact with the lens on the support surface fold the lens to reproduce in a slightly reduced fashion the internal contour of a tube member of an implantation instrument for subsequent implantation of the lens, and an insertion press member movable to insert the folded lens into the interior of said implantation instrument tube member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 38 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 and further including an abutment means for defining the lens holding position of the hold-down member, in which position the hold-down member contacts the lens practically without applying a force thereto.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 25 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said hold-down member is of an elongate cross-section in the direction of movement of said insertion member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 30 words
Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the direction of movement of the insertion member is at least substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the pressing members.
Claim 6
Independent Claim 135 words
A method of folding a resilient intraocular lens and inserting same into a tube member of a lens implantation instrument, comprising: holding the lens on a support surface with a hold-down member movable towards said support surface to hold the lens thereon in an at least substantially planar condition; applying forces to said lens at respective oppositely disposed sides thereof, thereby to cause said sides to move towards each other by bending said lens out of said planar condition, the lens being folded to a configuration which at least substantially reproduces the internal configuration of said implantation instrument tube member while being slightly smaller than said internal configuration of said tube member; releasing the folded lens from the support surface; and moving the lens in the folded condition into the interior of said tube member.
Claim 7
Independent Claim 135 words
A method of folding a resilient intraocular lens and inserting same into a tube member of a lens implantation instrument, comprising: holding the lens on a support surface with a hold-down member movable towards said support surface to hold the lens thereon in an at least substantially planar condition; applying forces to said lens at respective oppositely disposed sides thereof, thereby to cause said sides to move towards each other by bending said lens out of said planar condition, the lens being folded to a configuration which at least substantially reproduces the internal configuration of said implantation instrument tube member while being slightly smaller than said internal configuration of said tube member; releasing the folded lens from the support surface; and moving the lens in the folded condition into the interior of said tube member.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4919130A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-03-01 1996-08-31 1997-03-02 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-03-01 2000-08-31 2001-03-02 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-03-01 2004-08-31 2005-03-02 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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