# US 11,439,499 B2 · Intraocular lens injector

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- Number: US 11,439,499 B2
- Document ID: US11439499B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/507,393
- Filed: 2019-07-10
- Published: 2020-01-16
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2018-07-10
- Assignees: Alcon Inc.
- Applicants: Alcon Inc.
- Inventors: Douglas Brent Wensrich; Todd Taber; Len Takudzwa Magara; Jian Liu
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11439499B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/1667: {with rotatable plungers}
- A61F 2/167: {with pushable plungers}
- A61F 2/1672: {with a two-stage plunger, e.g. rotatable and pushable or rotatable at different speeds}
- A61F 2/1678: {with a separate cartridge or other lens setting part for storage of a lens, e.g. preloadable for shipping}
- A61M 5/31581: {the component being manually operated or triggered by a rotating or pivoting actuator operated by user, e.g. an injection lever or handle}
- A61F 2002/1683: {having filiform haptics}
- A61M 5/31571: {Means preventing accidental administration (for automatic syringes A61M5/20)}
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}

## Abstract

An intraocular lens (IOL) injectors and associated methods are described. The IOL injectors may include a collapsible portion configured to reduce the length of the IOL injector when the collapsible portion is altered from an uncollapsed configuration to a collapsed configuration. In some instances, an IOL may be advanced from a storage location to a dwell location when the collapsible portion is altered from the uncollapsed configuration to the collapsed configuration. The IOL injectors may also include a combination push and screw drive.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An intraocular lens (IOL) injector comprising:
an injector body comprising:
a main body comprising:
a bore; and
an interior wall defined by the bore, the interior wall including a distal portion and a proximal portion;
a nozzle coupled to a distal end of the main body, the nozzle comprising:
a passage in fluid communication with the bore; and
a distal opening in fluid communication with the passage;
a plunger received in the bore and comprising:
a plunger body;
a plunger rod coupled to a distal end of the plunger body; and
a plunger tip formed at a distal end of the plunger rod and adapted to contact an IOL, one of the interior wall and the plunger body including a threaded surface and the other of the interior wall and the plunger body including a feature adapted to engage the threaded surface to produce axial movement of the plunger in response to axial movement or rotation of the plunger body; and
a plunger cap removably couplable to the plunger and adapted to prevent engagement of the threaded surface and the feature adapted to engage the threaded surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the interior wall comprises a distal wall portion and a proximal wall portion and wherein the threaded surface or the feature adapted to engage the threaded surface is disposed in the distal wall portion of the interior wall.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the feature adapted to engage the threaded surface is a second threaded surface.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the threaded surface includes a pitch that varies along the main body.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The IOL injector of claim 4, wherein the pitch is wider at a proximal end of the main body and is narrower at a distal end of the main body.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the plunger further comprises a flange rotationally decoupled from the plunger body.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the interior wall comprises a distal wall portion and a proximal wall portion, wherein the plunger is slideable through the bore along the proximal wall portion of the interior wall from a first location where the plunger tip is proximally adjacent to a storage location in the nozzle to a second position where the plunger tip is proximally adjacent to a dwell location, the second position corresponding to initial engagement of the threaded surface and the feature adapted to engage the threaded surface.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The IOL injector of claim 1, wherein the injector body further comprises one or more tabs adapted to be engaged by one or more fingers.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The IOL injector of claim 8, wherein the one or more tabs are located closer to a distal end of the injector body than to a proximal end of the injector body.