Eye-bathing devices

Details Eye-bathing devices Eye-bathing devices

1991-01-30

1993-04-13

Rosenbaum, C. Fred

Surgery

Means for introducing or removing material from body for...

Treating material applied to or removed from external...

604297, 604301, 604310, 222383, 222318, A61M 3500

Patent

active

052017265

DESCRIPTION:

BRIEF SUMMARY
This invention relates to an eye-bathing device for applying solutions to the eyes.
A simple eye bath consists of a moulded plastic cup which is filled with solution and held tight to the eye. In use, the head is first tilted back to immerse the eye in the solution and is then moved from side to side to wash the eye. Disabled persons having restricted head movement therefore find eye baths particularly difficult to use.
A further serious disadvantage of the simple eye bath is that the washing solution itself can become contaminated with the irritant removed from the eye.
A more complex eyewash system for industrial use is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,641,384. In this case the entire face of the user is postioned within a hood, and a pivotable spray nozzle is adjusted to direct a spray of liquid into the eye or eyes in response to actuation of a battery-operated pump. With such a system, the user has no control over the force of the spray and it is difficult to ensure that the spray travels in the required direction. The system is also bulky and generally unsuited for domestic use.
There is therefore a need for an improved device which overcomes the drawbacks of the simple eye-bath while remaining relatively inexpensive and easy to use.
According to the present invention there is provided an eye-bathing device comprising an eye-cup adapted to receive the eye being bathed, and a pump for delivering an eye-bathing solution to the eye-cup through a spray device, the eye-cup having an inlet opening aligned with the spray device. In a preferred embodiment, the pump is hand-operated and is located within a housing supporting the eye-cup. A particular advantage of this arrangement is that the user is able to control the force of the spray by varying the pressure applied to the pump. Moreover, by directing the spray into an eye-cup, it is no longer necessary to adjust the position of the spray nozzle to ensure that the spray reaches the eye.
The eye-cup is preferably supported by the housing in a tilted back orientation and includes a first outlet through which waste solution drains to a sump and a second outlet providing an air vent. The device preferably includes a base releasably engageable with the housing to form a free-standing structure.
A reservoir of the eye-bathing solution is preferably stored in a refill container which is detachable from the pump and also lies within the housing.
By way of example only, an embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an eye-bathing device,
FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the device shown in FIG. 1 when removed from its base and showing some of the internal components,
FIG. 3 is a front view of the device,
FIG. 4 is a section on line B--B of FIG. 2, and
FIG. 5 is a section on line C--C of FIG. 2.
Referring to these drawings, the device consists of an L-shaped housing 10 containing an hand-operated pump 11 which delivers an eye-bathing solution from a reservoir 28 to a spray nozzle 13. The housing 10 is releasably engageable with a base 54 to form a free-standing structure, and is moulded with a detachable cover 40. The cover 40 is detached by pulling back a flap 60 to release a catch 62.
An eye-cup 14 is releasably engaged in an opening 41 at the front of the housing 10, the nozzle 13 being aligned with an opening 35 in the base of the cup 14. The cup 14 is formed of a softer material than the housing 10, and has a flexible sealing rim 15 which fits around the eye.
The eye-cup 14 is engaged in the opening 41 by means of an outwardly projecting flange 42 having a peripheral lip 43 formed with an inwardly directed groove 44 adapted to receive an outwardly projecting tongue 45 bounding the opening 41. The resilience of the material forming the eye-cup is such that the peripheral lip 43 can be deformed outwards to release the engagement between the eye-cup and the housing.
When not in use, the eye-cup 14 is protected by a removable dust cap 61.
The body of the pump 11 is supported and retained within a

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