CN116940316A - Devices, systems, and methods for treating ocular gland blockage - Google Patents

Abstract

A system for treating an eye gland obstruction includes a heated eye shield, electrical wiring, and a controller. The heated eye shield includes an outer layer surface material, an inner layer surface material, and a graphene heating element. The graphene heating element is disposed within the treatment region of the heated eye shield between the outer layer surface material and the inner layer surface material. The treatment region of the heated eye shield extends along the meibomian glands of the eye. The graphene heating element is encapsulated by an electrically insulating cover. The thermally conductive material distributes heat evenly over the treatment area of the heated eye shield. The electric wire supplies power for the heating eyeshade. The controller is disposed on the wire for controlling the heating eyeshade to heat to one of at least four preset temperature levels.

Description

Devices, systems, and methods for treating ocular gland blockage

Cross-reference to related patent applications

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent application 17/388,975 filed on 7.29.2021, which U.S. patent application 17/388,975 is a continuation of U.S. patent application 17/142,872 filed on 6.1.2021, which U.S. patent application 17/142,872 is a continuation of the part of U.S. patent application 16/913,870 filed on 26.6.2020, which U.S. patent application 16/913,870 claims the benefit and priority of U.S. provisional patent application 62/866,846 filed on 26.6.2019. All of these patent applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of treatment of ocular gland blockages and/or partial blockages, and in particular to a heat compress for providing heat to an ocular region to treat gland blockages.

Background

Many people experience dry eye syndrome. One of the causes of dry eye is that the oil glands of the eye, i.e., meibomian glands, become blocked. One condition associated with meibomian gland obstruction or other abnormalities is known as meibomian gland dysfunction (Meibomian gland dysfunction, MGD). For people with MGD, the meibomian glands do not secrete enough oil to the eye. When tears enter the eye, they evaporate rapidly if there is no layer of oil on them. Such oil may prevent tear evaporation and also help lubricate the eye. MGD is associated with dry eye syndrome due to too rapid evaporation of tears. MGD is also associated with an eyelid problem known as blepharitis, which can lead to eyelid inflammation.

A common proposal for medical professionals to treat dry eye and/or blepharitis is to take a fabric eye shield, soak it, heat it in a microwave oven for 20 seconds, and then apply it to the eye area to clear the glands. There are two main problems with this approach. Firstly, heat is quickly dissipated, and the effect is lost. Secondly, the fabric on the mask is not focused directly on the target area, but heats the entire eye area, including the eyebrows and upper cheeks.

Thus, there is a need for more effective treatment of MGD, dry eye syndrome, blepharitis and/or any other condition involving blockage of glands in the ocular region.

Disclosure of Invention

A system for treating an eye gland obstruction includes a heated eye shield, electrical wiring, and a controller. The heated eye shield includes an outer layer surface material, an inner layer surface material, and a graphene heating element. The outer layer surface material is configured to be remote from an eye region of a user. The inner layer surface material is configured for contacting an eye region of a user. The graphene heating element is arranged in the treatment area of the heating eye mask and is arranged between the outer layer surface material and the inner layer surface material. The treatment area of the heating eye mask refers to a portion of the heating eye mask that is configured to cover only an area of the user's eye area that extends along the meibomian glands. An electrically insulating cover encapsulates the graphene heating element. A thermally conductive material is in contact with the graphene heating element and the inner layer surface material to uniformly distribute heat over the treatment area of the heated eye shield. The electric wire is connected with the heating eyeshade to supply power for the heating eyeshade. The controller is arranged on the electric wire and is used for controlling the heating eyeshade. The controller includes a temperature control for controlling the heating of the heated eye shield to one of at least four preset temperature levels.

Another embodiment relates to a system for treating an eye gland blockage. The system includes a heating eye shield, a wire connected to the heating eye shield to supply power thereto, and a controller disposed on the wire for controlling the heating eye shield. The controller includes a temperature controller for controlling the heating of the heated eye shield to one of at least four preset temperature levels.

Drawings

Fig. 1 depicts a human eye, which shows meibomian glands.

Fig. 2 shows a system for treating an eye gland blockage.

Fig. 3 shows an electrically heated eye shield of the system of fig. 2 with an alternative power supply configuration.

Fig. 4 shows an electrically heated eye shield for treating eye gland obstruction.

Fig. 5 is another view of the electrically heated eye shield of fig. 4.

Fig. 6A is a layout of the internal components of the electrically heated eye shield of fig. 4.

Fig. 6B is another layout of the internal components of the electrically heated eye shield of fig. 4.

Fig. 7 depicts a heating controller for use with an electrically heated eye shield.

Fig. 8 is a flow chart depicting a method for treating an eye gland blockage.

Fig. 9A shows a front view of the heating element assembly.

Fig. 9B shows a rear view of the heating element assembly.

Detailed Description

One of the causes of dryness or inflammation of the eye is obstruction of the ocular meibomian glands. Meibomian glands are shown in figure 1. Meibomian glands provide oil to the eye to protect and moisturize the eye. Fig. 2 illustrates a system 10 for treating an occlusion of an ocular gland (e.g., meibomian gland) by providing heat to melt oil in the gland and thereby unblock the gland.

As shown in fig. 2, the system 10 includes a heated eye shield 100, a power source 200, and a controller 300. The heated eye shield 100 is configured to be worn by a user by positioning and securing the eye shield 100 over an eye region of the user. The power supply 200 supplies power to the heating eye mask 100 to heat the heating eye mask 100 during treatment. The controller 300 is connected to the power source 200 to control the time of the treatment process and/or the temperature provided by the heated eye mask 100 during the treatment process.

As shown in fig. 2, the power supply 200 is a wire 202 having a USB interface 204 at its distal end. In such an embodiment, USB interface 204 is configured to connect to any USB power device, such as a 5V adapter 206 for a wall outlet, a battery pack, a personal computer, a USB power hub, or the like. The power supply 200 may have a USB interface at its proximal end. In such an embodiment, the USB interface is configured to interface with a USB receiver in the controller 300. The power supply 200 may have a DC plug 208 at its proximal end, as shown in fig. 2. In such an embodiment, the DC plug is configured to engage a DC port in the controller 300. In an alternative embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, a breakable portion 210 is provided along the wire 202. Specifically, the power connector 212 extends from the eye shield 100. The power connector 212 is a lead having a receptacle 214 at its distal end. The receptacle 214 is configured to receive a DC plug 216, the DC plug 216 extending to an interface for plugging in a power source, such as the USB interface 204.

Referring to fig. 4-5, the heated eye shield 100 is shown in more detail. Fig. 4 is a front view of the heating eye mask 100, showing the outside of the heating eye mask 100 facing away from the user. Fig. 5 is a rear view of the heating eye mask 100, which shows the inside of the heating eye mask 100 that will be in contact with the eye region of the user. As shown, the heated eyecup 100 includes an eyecup body 110 and an adjustable strap 130 with a wire 202 extending from the eyecup body 110. The eye shield body 110 is composed of a first layer of surface material 112 and a second layer of surface material 114, the first layer of surface material 112 being configured to be disposed away from an eye region of a user, and the second layer of surface material 114 being configured to be in contact with the eye region of the user. The first layer of surface material 112 and the second layer of surface material 114 are stitched or otherwise attached together along the outer perimeter to form the eye mask body 110. The eye shield body 110 is also connected to an adjustable strap 130. In some embodiments, the adjustable strap 130 has elasticity. In some embodiments, the adjustable strap 130 may be adjustable by one or more length adjustment mechanisms 132.

Fig. 6A-6B illustrate the arrangement of the internal elements of the eye shield body 110 with the first layer of surface material 112 (outer layer) removed. As shown, the eye shield body 110 includes a heating element 140, also referred to as a heating element assembly 140, positioned between the first layer of surface material 112 and the second layer of surface material 114. In the illustrated embodiment, the heating element 140 is a flexible fiber, such as an electrical wire. The wire may be a metal fiber heating wire. The wire may be made of nichrome (nichrome). In the embodiment shown in fig. 6A, the heating elements 140 are arranged in a sinusoidal shape. However, it should be appreciated that the heating elements may be arranged in any shape or form for providing heat to the target area of the eye shield body 110, such as any number of horizontal lines (e.g., three horizontal lines as shown in fig. 6B), any number of vertical lines, a zig-zag pattern, etc. The heating elements 140 are located in the treatment area on both sides (right and left eyes) of the eye shield body 110. The treatment area includes two treatment zones 142A, 142B. The first treatment zone 142A is aligned with the meibomian glands of the right eye and the second treatment zone 142B is aligned with the meibomian glands of the left eye with a gap between the two treatment zones 142A, 142B. In this way, heat is targeted to specific areas of each eye, particularly along the area of the eyelid's meibomian glands. Such targeted treatment achieved by the specific positioning of the heating element 140 in the treatment region is more effective for the treatment of meibomian gland obstruction than for a broad thermal distribution throughout the entire ocular region.

In some embodiments, the heating element 140 is stitched to one or more intermediate layers 144, the intermediate layers 144 being disposed or attached between the first layer of surface material 112 and the second layer of surface material 114, for example, by stitching or adhesive. In such embodiments, the heating element 140 may be positioned and stitched between two intermediate layers 144. The intermediate layer 144 helps to maintain the heating element 140 in its desired shape and position in the treatment area 142. The material 144 of the intermediate layer is any material that has sufficient strength and structure to hold the heating element 140 in place. In some embodiments, in both treatment areas 142A, 142B, a piece of thermally conductive material 146 is provided that is located between the second layer of surface material 114 and the heating element 140 (i.e., toward the user's eyes)). The thermally conductive material 146 is configured to uniformly disperse the heat generated by the heating element 140. The material is preferably an electrically conductive fabric made of, coated with or mixed with an electrically conductive metal. In some embodiments, a base material such as cotton, wool, polyester, or nylon is coated with or mixed with a conductive metal. For example, the conductive metal may be gold, carbon, titanium, nickel, silver, or copper. The thermally conductive material 146 is preferably a small piece of material that is sized and configured to cover only the treatment area 142, thereby further facilitating targeted treatment of only the ocular region where meibomian glands are present. To this end, in some embodiments, an additional barrier material 150, such as a thermal barrier material, may be added in the nasal bridge region of the user that prevents heat from spreading between the treatment zones 142A and 142B on the right and left eyes.

Still referring to fig. 6A, in some embodiments, pillows 148 are provided between the first layer of surface material 112 and the heating element 140 on both sides of the eye shield body 110 (i.e., above each eye). The pillow 148 is configured to apply additional pressure to the heating element 140 to urge the heating element 140 toward the user's eye socket. Thus, additional therapeutic benefits are provided in maintaining heat and contact throughout the treatment. In some embodiments, the pillow 148 is made of a polyester material. In some embodiments, the eye shield body 110 is filled with a flexible filler material (not shown) to soften the eye shield body 110 and allow flexible shaping of the eye shield to the user's eye region. In some embodiments, the filler material is a non-synthetic material that does not (or only minimally) heat up when exposed to the heating element 140, and does not release any chemicals or other deleterious elements when exposed to heat. For example, the filling material may be flaxseed. In addition to being non-synthetic, flaxseeds also contain very small seed particles that can easily conform to the contours of the user's eye region, achieving a comfortable fit. Other types of filler materials may be used, such as other materials containing small elements (i.e., beads or seeds) or soft materials (i.e., cotton, polyester, feathers, etc.).

Fig. 7 shows a controller 300 for controlling the time and temperature settings of a treatment process. In the illustrated embodiment, the controller 300 includes a display portion (including a display 302), an input portion (including one or more buttons, switches, or other types of input mechanisms 304), an integrated circuit, a battery 310, and a housing 312. The integrated circuit may be configured to receive input from the input mechanism 304 and provide a display via the display 302. The integrated circuit may provide power to the wire 202 based on the input received from the input mechanism 304. In some embodiments, the display is a touch screen display, and in this case, the display 302 and the input mechanism 304 are a single element. In the illustrated embodiment, the display 302 provides a digital output 306 of the time of the treatment process (which may display the remaining time or elapsed time) and an indication 308 of the temperature setting. The time of the treatment process may be a specific length of time selected by the user, or the controller may allow for selection of one of a plurality of preset lengths of time. For example, in some embodiments, the preset length of time may begin at a minimum time (e.g., 10 minutes, 20 minutes, etc.) and increase at two minute intervals. In other embodiments, the preset options may be fewer, such as 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minutes, 25 minutes, and 30 minutes. For best results, the user is recommended to wear the eye mask twice a day for at least 8 minutes each time.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 7. As shown in fig. 7, the indication 308 of the temperature setting is a light emitting element that illuminates one of four preset temperature settings: low (125) -every second (every second), medium (135) -2 seconds, medium high (140) -every 3 seconds interrupted once, or high (145) -continuous heating. In some embodiments, the low temperature setting provides a temperature of about 125 degrees Fahrenheit, the medium temperature setting provides a temperature of about 135 degrees Fahrenheit, the medium temperature setting provides a temperature of about 140 degrees Fahrenheit, and the high temperature setting provides a temperature of about 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The preset temperature is achieved by adjusting the power to the heating element. For example, to achieve high temperatures, the heating element 140 is maintained energized (e.g., 100% duty cycle) throughout the treatment. To achieve medium-high, medium-low temperatures, the current will be removed accordingly every three seconds (three seconds on, one second off) (e.g., 75% duty cycle), every two seconds (two seconds on, one second off) (e.g., 66% duty cycle), or every one second off (one second on, one second off) (e.g., 50% duty cycle).

In some embodiments, there may be fewer or more preset temperature settings, or the user may be able to select a particular temperature in degrees for a treatment session. In a preferred embodiment, the user-usable temperature is set in the range of 120 degrees Fahrenheit to 145 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature setting may also be displayed in digital form on the display.

An input mechanism 304 on the controller 300 allows the user to select the time and/or temperature settings for the treatment session. In the embodiment shown in fig. 7, there are power buttons, temperature buttons, timer buttons. In other embodiments, there may be fewer or more input mechanisms, such as additional "+" and "-" buttons to allow the user to increase or decrease time or temperature. Alternatively, in another example, there may be a single button and the user selects a setting of the treatment procedure by switching a series of menu options. In yet another example, there are two input mechanisms 304, one for time setting and one for temperature setting.

Battery 310 may be any suitable rechargeable battery. For example, battery 310 may be a lead-acid battery, a nickel cadmium battery, a nickel hydrogen battery, and the like. Battery 310 may be charged by plugging in power supply 200. Advantageously, battery 310 allows a user to use eye shield 100 without plugging into a socket or carrying an external battery (e.g., battery pack, notebook computer).

The housing 312 may be any suitable material (e.g., polyethylene, polypropylene, ABS). The display 302, input mechanism 304, integrated circuit, and battery 310 may be held within a housing 312. The shape of the housing 312 may be a rectangular elongated shape. This may be beneficial because the oblong elongated shape may provide the user with an ergonomic grip for the controller 300.

Fig. 8 illustrates a method 800 for treating an eye gland obstruction using the heated eye shield system 10. In step 801, a user places a heated eye shield 100 over an eye region. As described above, the design of the heating eye shield 100 provides targeted treatment directly against areas of the eye where gland blockage may be found, for example, by the heating element 140 and pillows 148 being specifically positioned in the treatment area 142 to bias the heating element 140 toward the user's orbit. The user can position and secure the heated eye mask 100 over the eye region by placing the adjustable band 130 on his or her head and adjusting the adjustable band 130 to fit securely. In step 802, the user selects treatment process parameters, such as the length of time and temperature settings of the treatment process, step 802 may be performed before or after positioning the heated eye mask 100 over the ocular region. In step 803, the heated eye shield 100 is connected to a power source 200, such as a standard wall socket with a 5V plug adapter or to a battery pack. In step 804, the user holds the heated eye shield 100 over the ocular region for a desired length of time and temperature. The user can adjust the temperature or time as desired during the treatment. As described above, in order to obtain the best effect, it is recommended that the user wear the eye mask twice a day for at least 8 minutes each time.

Referring to fig. 9A and 9B, an exemplary embodiment of a heating element assembly 140 for use with an eye shield is shown. Fig. 9A shows the front side of the heating element assembly 140, which includes a front surface 938 of the left graphene heating element 902A and a front surface 938 of the right graphene heating element 902B. Fig. 9B shows the back side of the heating element assembly 140, which includes the back surface 940 of the left graphene heating element 902A and the back surface 940 of the right graphene heating element 902B. As described herein, the heating elements 140 are disposed in the treatment area covering both sides (right and left eyes) of the eye shield body 110. The heating element assembly 140 is powered by the electrical cord 202. In the embodiment shown in fig. 9A and 9A, the heating element assembly 140 includes two graphene heating elements 902 (e.g., left and right graphene heating elements), ground leads 906-910 (e.g., ground), positive electrode leads 912-916, and an electrically insulating cover 904. The electrically insulating cap 904 encapsulates the two graphene heating elements 902, the ground leads 906-910, and the positive leads 912-916.

As shown in fig. 9B, the graphene heating element 902 may be stadium-shaped (e.g., rectangular with rounded corners) having a separation distance 922, a width 924, and a height 926. The graphene heating element 902 may be shaped to mimic the shape of an eye and advantageously provide uniform heating of the right and left eyes of a user. For example, in one embodiment, the graphene heating element 902 may be elliptical with a major axis of width 924 and a minor axis of height 926. In some embodiments, the height 926 of the graphene heating element 902 may be in the range of 20mm to 40 mm. In some embodiments, the height 926 may be 30mm. In some embodiments, the width 924 of the graphene heating element 902 may be in the range of 30mm to 70 mm. In some embodiments, width 924 may be 50mm. The graphene heating element 902 may have a gap 920 on a center side of the left graphene heating element 902A and the right graphene heating element 902B (e.g., on a left side of the right graphene heating element 902B, on a right side of the left graphene heating element 902B). The gap 920 may provide a passage for the ground contact lead 910 through the respective sides of the first and second positive leads 914, 916 to prevent shorting between the ground contact lead 910 and the positive leads 914, 916. The gap 920 may extend into the graphene heating element 902a distance equal to or approximately equal to 25% of the width 924. The internal height of the gap 920 (e.g., closest to the ground contact lead 910) is equal to or approximately equal to 10% of the height 926. Gap 920 may have a distal height equal to or approximately equal to 20% of height 926 (e.g., furthest from ground contact lead 910).

The two heating elements may be separated by a separation distance 922. The separation distance 922 may be the average distance between the eyes of an average user. This may be beneficial because the graphene heating element 902 may be positioned over the user's eyes, allowing the heated eye mask 100 to operate more efficiently (e.g., so that heat is not wasted on the bridge of the nose). In some embodiments, the separation distance 922 of two graphene heating elements 902 may be in the range of 10mm to 50 mm. In some embodiments, the separation distance 922 may be 30mm. In some embodiments, the ratio of the surface area of the graphene heating element 902 to the surface area of the surface material 114 may be in the range of 2:3 to 1:4. In some embodiments, the ratio of the surface area of the graphene heating element 902 to the surface area of the surface material 114 may be 2:5. The provided ratio of the surface area of the graphene heating element 902 to the surface area of the surface material 114 may enable the graphene heating element 902 to cover the treatment area 142 and further provide a safe and comfortable fit to the user.

In some embodiments, the graphene heating element 902 may have a thickness of 5 μm to 50 μm. In some embodiments, the graphene heating element may have a thickness of 25 μm. In some embodiments, the resistance of the graphene heating element 902 may be in the range of 4 ohms to 6 ohms. In some embodiments, the resistance of the graphene heating element 902 may be 5 ohms. The use of graphene by the graphene heating element 902 in the heating element assembly 140 may advantageously provide a user with a consistent temperature across the graphene heating element 902. Graphene heating element 902 in heating element assembly 140 uses graphene, advantageously allowing heating element 140 to heat and cool faster than a resistive heating element due to the low thermal capacity of graphene.

The ground leads 906-910 and the positive leads 912-916 may be conductive materials (e.g., copper). The ground leads 906-910 may include a ground source lead 906, a ground bridge lead 908, and two ground contact leads 910, as described herein. The positive electrode leads 912-916 may include a first positive electrode lead 914, a positive electrode bridge lead 912, and a second positive electrode lead 916, as described herein. The ground contact lead 910, the first positive lead 914, and the second positive lead 916 may be electrically connected to the graphene heating element 902 on the front surface 938 using any suitable method. For example, the ground contact lead 910, the first positive lead 914, and the second positive lead 916 may be connected to the front surface 938 of the graphene heating element 902 using a conductive adhesive, solder, thermoforming, or the like. In some embodiments, positive leads 912-916 may provide a voltage of 4.5 volts to 5 volts. In some embodiments, positive leads 912-916 may provide a voltage of 5 volts. As described herein, a user may utilize the controller 300 to regulate the power supplied by the wires 202. In some embodiments, the controller 300 may provide four temperature settings. The temperature may be adjusted to meet the needs of the user. In some embodiments, the controller 300 may adjust the temperature of the heating element by providing power at different duty cycles (e.g., 50%, 66%, 75%, 100%). For example, the user may select a low temperature setting. Based on this selection, the controller 300 may provide 5 volts to the heating element assembly 140 via the wire 202 at a 50% duty cycle (e.g., one second on and one second off).

In some embodiments, the first positive lead 914 and the second positive lead 916 may be connected with an outer edge of the graphene heating element 902. In the illustrated embodiment, the positive electrode leads 914 and 916 may be electrically connected to a majority of the outer perimeter of the graphene heating element 902. A majority of the periphery of the graphene heating element 902 may be the periphery of the graphene heating element that does not include the gap 920 (e.g., about 95% of the total perimeter). The first and second positive electrode leads 914, 916 may cover the outer perimeter of the graphene heating element 902, but not the inner surface of the gap 920. This gap 920 and breaks in the first and second positive electrode leads 914, 916 may allow the ground contact lead 910 to contact the center of the graphene heating element without causing a short between the ground leads 906-910 and the positive electrode leads 912-916. The first positive electrode lead 914 is connected to the second positive electrode lead 916 through the positive electrode bridge lead 912. The positive bridge lead 912 may be located in a central portion of the eye shield body 110 that extends over the bridge of the nose of the user.

As shown in fig. 9B, a positive wire 934 from the wire 202 may be electrically connected to the positive terminal 930. The positive electrode terminal 930 is electrically connected to the first positive electrode lead 914. This connection provides power to the positive leads 912-916 supplied by the wire 202. In some embodiments, the positive wire 934 may be electrically connected to the positive terminal 930 via solder, conductive adhesive, mechanical coupling (e.g., clamps, screw socket terminals). The use of mechanical coupling in positive terminal 930 may be advantageous because if positive wire 934 and positive terminal 930 are disconnected, it may allow for a simple reconnection.

In some embodiments, a ground contact lead 910 may be connected to the center of the graphene heating element 902. The ground contact lead 910 may be an elongated stadium shape having a height of about 12.5% of the height 926 and a width of about 50% of the width 924. The ground contact lead 910 may be electrically connected to the first and second positive leads 914, 916 through the graphene heating element 902 such that current may flow through the graphene heating element 902. The ground contact lead 910 may be shaped such that there is a constant lead distance 918 between the first positive lead 914 or the second positive lead 916 and the ground contact lead 910 through the graphene heating element 902. As such, the distance between the ground leads 906-910 and the ground leads 906-910 is not constant at the gap 920 because the leads are not connected by the graphene heating element 902 at the gap 920. A constant lead distance 918 may be beneficial because it provides uniform heating throughout the graphene heating element 902. The ground contact lead 910 may be connected to a ground bridge lead 908, the ground bridge lead 908 connecting two ground contact leads 910 with the ground source lead 906. The ground bridge lead 908 may be located at a central portion of the eye shield body 110 that extends over the bridge of the nose of the user and may be configured to extend parallel to the positive bridge lead 912.

As shown in fig. 9B, a ground wire 932 from the wire 202 may be electrically connected to a ground terminal 928. The ground terminal 928 is electrically connected to the ground source lead 906. This connection provides ground (e.g., ground) for the ground leads 906-910. In some embodiments, the ground wire 932 may be electrically connected to the ground terminal 928 by solder, conductive adhesive, mechanical coupling (e.g., clamps, screw socket terminals). The use of mechanical coupling in the ground terminal 928 may be advantageous because if the ground wire 932 and the ground terminal 928 are disconnected, they may allow for simple reconnection. The ground leads 906-910 may be ground, common ground, or the like. It should be appreciated that the ground leads 906-910 and the positive leads 912-916 may be swapped such that the ground leads 906-910 remain at a positive voltage and the positive leads 912-916 remain at a ground voltage.

The positive terminal 930 and the ground terminal 928 are located on the back of the heating element assembly 140 away from the face and eyes of the user. This may be beneficial because it may prevent any discomfort that the terminal may cause. The ground terminal 928, positive terminal 930, ground wire 932 and positive wire 934 may be encased in an electrically insulating sheath 936 (e.g., electrical tape) to insulate the exposed wires and terminals, preventing shorting of insulating components, causing electrical shock, or disconnection.

The electrically insulating cover 904 may be made of any electrically insulating material (e.g., polyimide). The electrically insulating cap 904 primarily encapsulates and insulates the graphene heating element 902, the positive electrode leads 912-916, and the ground leads 906-910. The electrically insulating cover 904 may be devoid of material surrounding the positive terminal 930 and the ground terminal 928, allowing electrical connection between the ground leads 906-910 and the ground terminal 928 and the positive leads 912-916 and the positive terminal 930. The electrically insulating cap 904 may also prevent shorting of the positive electrode leads 912-916 and the ground leads 906-910 and hold the graphene heating element 902, positive electrode leads 912-916, and ground leads 906-910 in place. In some embodiments, the electrically insulating covering 904 is stitched to one or more intermediate layers 144, the intermediate layers 144 being disposed or attached (e.g., by stitching or adhesive) between the first layer of surface material 112 and the second layer of surface material 114. In such an embodiment, an electrically insulating cover 904 may be positioned and stitched between the two intermediate layers 144. The intermediate layer 144 helps to maintain the heating element assembly 140 in its desired shape and position in the treatment area 142.

As shown in fig. 2, 6A, 6B, 9A, and 9B, the system 10 includes a heated eye shield 100, a power source 200, and a controller 300. The heated eye shield 100 is configured to be worn by a user by positioning and securing it over an eye region of the user. The power supply 200 supplies power to the eye mask 100 to heat the eye mask 100 during treatment. The controller 300 is connected to the power source 200 to control the timing of the treatment process and/or the temperature provided by the eye mask 100 during the treatment process. The heating element assembly 140 is powered at a particular duty cycle (e.g., 50%, 75%, 100%) based on a temperature setting selected by a user via the controller 300. The heating element assembly 140 may then receive positive and ground voltages from the controller 300 via the electrical wires 202. The graphene heating element 902 may generate heat based on a voltage difference (e.g., 5 volts) between positive electrode leads 912-916 (which primarily surround the graphene heating element 902) and a ground contact lead 910 (which is located at the center of the graphene heating element 902). The heat generated by the graphene heating element 902 may then be transferred through the thermally conductive material 146 of the eye mask body 110 and applied to the treatment areas 142A and 142B aligned with the meibomian glands of the right and left eyes, respectively.

As used herein with respect to a range of values, "about," "substantially," and similar terms generally mean +/-10% of the disclosed value. When "about," "substantially," and similar terms are used in connection with structural features (e.g., to describe the shape, size, direction, orientation, etc. thereof), the terms are meant to encompass minor structural changes that may result, for example, from the manufacturing or assembly process, and are intended to have a broad meaning consistent with the common and accepted usage by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the subject matter of this disclosure pertains. Accordingly, these terms should be construed to indicate that insubstantial or insignificant modifications or changes to the described and claimed subject matter are considered to be within the scope of the disclosure recited in the appended claims.

It should be noted that the term "example" and variants thereof as used herein to describe various embodiments are intended to indicate that such embodiments are possible examples, expressions or illustrations of possible embodiments (and such term does not mean that the embodiments are necessarily the extraordinary or the most excellent examples)

The term "connected" and variants thereof as used herein refer to two members being directly or indirectly joined to one another. Such joining may be stationary (e.g., permanent or fixed) or movable (e.g., detachable or releasable). Such joining may be achieved by the two members being directly connected to each other, by the two members being connected to each other using a separate intermediate member and any additional intermediate members, or by the two members being connected to each other using an intermediate member integrally formed as a single unitary body with one of the two members. If a "connection" or a variant thereof is modified by an additional term (e.g., a direct connection), the general definition of "connection" provided above is modified by the plain language meaning of the additional term (e.g., a "direct connection" means that there are no separate intermediate members between the two members), resulting in a definition that is narrower than the general definition of "connection" provided above. Such connection may be mechanical, electrical or fluid.

Descriptions of the locations of elements (e.g., "top," "bottom," "above," "below") are used herein only to describe the orientation of the various elements in the drawings. It should be noted that in other example embodiments, the orientation of the various elements may be different and such variations are intended to be included in the present disclosure.

The hardware and data processing components used to implement the various processes, operations, illustrative logic, logic blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as a general purpose single or multi-chip processor, digital Signal Processor (DSP), application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, or any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. In some embodiments, particular processes and methods may be performed by circuitry specific to a given function. The memory (e.g., memory, storage unit, storage device) may include one or more devices (e.g., RAM, ROM, flash memory, hard disk storage) for storing data and/or computer code required to complete or facilitate the various processes, layers, and modules described in this disclosure. The memory may be or include volatile memory or non-volatile memory and may include database components, object code components, script components, or any other type of information structure for supporting the various activities and information structures described in this disclosure. According to an exemplary embodiment, the memory is communicatively connected to the processor via processing circuitry and includes computer code for performing (e.g., by the processing circuitry or the processor) one or more processes described herein.

The present disclosure contemplates methods, systems, and program products implementing various operations on any machine-readable medium. Embodiments of the present disclosure may be implemented using an existing computer processor, or by a special purpose computer processor of an appropriate system (incorporated for this or other purposes), or by a hardwired system. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure include program products comprising machine-readable media for carrying or having machine-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such machine-readable media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor. By way of example, such machine-readable media may comprise RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage device, or any other medium that can be used to carry or store desired program code (which can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer or other machine with a processor) in the form of machine-executable instructions or data structures. Combinations of the above are also included within the scope of machine-readable media. Machine-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing machine to perform a certain function or group of functions.

Although the figures and descriptions may show a particular order of method steps, the order of the steps may differ from what is depicted and described, unless otherwise specified. In addition, two or more steps may be performed simultaneously or partially simultaneously unless specified otherwise above. Such variations may depend on, for example, the software and hardware system selected and the designer's choice. All such variations are within the scope of the present disclosure. Likewise, software implementations of the described methods may be accomplished with standard programming techniques with rule based logic and other logic to accomplish the various connection steps, processing steps, comparison steps and decision steps.

It should be noted that the construction and arrangement of the components illustrated in the various exemplary embodiments are illustrative only. In addition, any element disclosed in one embodiment may be combined with or used in conjunction with any other embodiment disclosed herein. For example, the heating element assembly 140 of the example embodiment described at least in paragraphs [0031] to [0041] may be incorporated into the eye shield body 110 of the example embodiment described at least in paragraphs [0023] to [0025 ]. Although only examples of one embodiment may be incorporated or used with another embodiment are described above, it should be understood that other elements of various embodiments may be incorporated or used with any other embodiment disclosed herein.

Claims (33)

1. A system for treating an eye gland blockage, comprising:

a heated eye shield, comprising: an outer layer surface material configured to be remote from an eye region of a user and an inner layer surface material configured to contact the eye region of the user; a graphene heating element disposed within a treatment region of the heating eye mask and between the outer and inner surface materials, wherein the treatment region of the heating eye mask refers to a portion of the heating eye mask configured to cover only a region of a user's eye region extending along meibomian glands; an electrically insulating cover encapsulating the graphene heating element; and a thermally conductive material in contact with the graphene heating element and positioned between the graphene heating element and the inner surface material to uniformly distribute heat over a treatment area of the heated eye shield;

a wire connected to the heating eye mask for supplying power thereto; and

and a controller provided on the electric wire for controlling the heating eyeshade, wherein the controller includes a temperature control to control the heating eyeshade to heat to one of at least four preset temperature levels.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated eye shield further comprises a thermal barrier material disposed between the outer layer surface material and the inner layer surface material and between the first treatment region and the second treatment region to reduce heat transfer between the first treatment region and the second treatment region.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein a ratio of a first surface area of the left and right graphene heating elements to a second surface area of the outer layer surface material is 2:5.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a spacing between the positive lead and the ground lead through the left and right graphene heating elements is constant.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the graphene heating element is stitched to an intermediate layer material located between the outer layer surface material and an inner layer surface material.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated eye shield further comprises a pillow disposed in the treatment region between the outer layer surface material and the graphene heating element to maintain contact of the inner layer surface material with the user's eye region.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated eye shield is filled with flaxseed between the outer layer surface material and inner layer surface material.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical cord is a power cord comprising a USB interface for plugging into a power source.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the heated eye shield further comprises an adjustable strap for maintaining the heated eye shield in contact with the user's eye region.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the outer layer surface material and inner layer surface material are made from at least one of: cotton, wool, silk, polyester, and nylon.

11. A system for treating an eye gland blockage, comprising:

heating the eyeshade;

a wire connected to the heating eye mask for supplying power to the heating eye mask; and

a controller provided on the electric wire for controlling the heating eyeshade,

wherein the controller includes a temperature control to control the heating eye shield to heat to one of at least four preset temperature levels.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the electrical cord comprises a USB interface for connecting to a power source.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the power source is a USB adapter for plugging into a wall outlet.

14. The system of claim 12, wherein the power source is a battery pack.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the controller comprises a timer.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the timer is configured to control the amount of heat provided by the heated eye shield for a specified period of time, wherein the specified period of time is adjustable.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the specified period of time is at least 8 minutes.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least four preset temperature levels are set by the controller being powered at 100% duty cycle, 75% duty cycle, 66% duty cycle, and 50% duty cycle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the specified temperature is in a range of 120 degrees fahrenheit to 145 degrees fahrenheit.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the at least four preset temperature levels comprise 125 degrees fahrenheit, 135 degrees fahrenheit, 140 degrees fahrenheit, and 145 degrees fahrenheit.

21. A heating eye shield for treating eye gland obstruction, the heating eye shield comprising an eye shield body, an electrical wire, and an adjustable strap;

Wherein, the eye shield main part includes:

an outer layer surface material configured to be remote from an eye region of a user and an inner layer surface material configured to contact the eye region of the user;

a heating element assembly disposed within the treatment region of the eye shield body and between the outer and inner surface materials, wherein the treatment region of the eye shield body refers to a portion of the eye shield body configured to cover only an area of the user's eye region extending along the meibomian glands, wherein the heating element assembly comprises: a left graphene heating element having an outer periphery, a front surface facing the inner layer surface material, and

a rear surface facing the outer surface material; a right graphene heating element having an outer periphery, a front surface facing the inner layer surface material, and a rear surface facing the outer layer surface material; a positive electrode lead electrically connected to the front surface of the left graphene heating element around a majority of the outer periphery of the left graphene heating element, the positive electrode lead electrically connected to the front surface of the right graphene heating element around a majority of the outer periphery of the right graphene heating element;

A ground lead electrically connected to the front surface of the left graphene heating element and having a first ground contact lead located at a central region of the left graphene heating element, the ground lead electrically connected to the front surface of the right graphene heating element and having a second ground contact lead located at a central region of the right graphene heating element; and an electrically insulating cover encapsulating the left graphene heating element, right graphene heating element, positive electrode lead, and

a ground lead; and

a thermally conductive material in contact with the heating element assembly and disposed between the heating element assembly and the inner surface material to uniformly distribute heat over the entire treatment area of the heated eye shield;

wherein the wire is configured to connect with a power source and communicate with the heating element assembly via a positive terminal electrically connected with the positive lead and a ground terminal electrically connected with the ground lead; and

wherein the adjustable strap is for maintaining contact of the eye shield body with an eye region of a user.

22. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said eye shield body further comprises:

A thermal barrier material disposed between the outer and inner surface materials and between the first and second treatment regions to reduce heat transfer between the first and second treatment regions.

23. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein the ratio of the surface area of said left and right graphene heating elements to the surface area of said outer layer surface material is 2:5.

24. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein the spacing between the positive lead and the ground lead through said left and right graphene heating elements is constant.

25. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said heating element assembly is stitched to an intermediate layer of material between said outer layer of surface material and inner layer of surface material.

26. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said eye shield body further comprises pillows disposed in said treatment area between said outer layer surface material and heating element assembly to maintain contact of said inner layer surface material with a user's eye region.

27. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said eye shield body is filled with flaxseed between said outer and inner surface materials.

28. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said electrical cord is a power cord comprising a USB interface for plugging in a power source.

29. The heated eye shield of claim 21 further comprising a controller connected to a power source for controlling said heating element assembly.

30. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said adjustable band is resilient.

31. The heated eye shield of claim 21 wherein said outer and inner surface materials are made of at least one of: cotton, wool, silk, polyester, and nylon.

32. A method for treating an eye gland blockage, comprising:

placing a heated eye shield in an eye region, the heated eye shield comprising an eye shield body, a wire, and an adjustable strap;

wherein, the eye shield main part includes:

an outer layer surface material configured to be remote from an eye region of a user and an inner layer surface material configured to contact the eye region of the user;

a heating element assembly disposed within the treatment region of the eye shield body and between the outer and inner surface materials, wherein the treatment region of the eye shield body refers to a portion of the eye shield body configured to cover only an area of the user's eye region extending along the meibomian glands, wherein the heating element assembly comprises: a left graphene heating element having an outer periphery, a front surface facing the inner layer surface material, and a rear surface facing the outer layer surface material; a right graphene heating element having an outer periphery, a front surface facing the inner layer surface material,

And a rear surface facing the outer layer surface material; a positive electrode lead electrically connected to the front surface of the left graphene heating element around a majority of the outer periphery of the left graphene heating element, the positive electrode lead electrically connected to the front surface of the right graphene heating element around a majority of the outer periphery of the right graphene heating element; a ground lead electrically connected to the front surface of the left graphene heating element and having a first ground contact lead located at a central region of the left graphene heating element, the ground lead electrically connected to the front surface of the right graphene heating element and having a second ground contact lead located at a central region of the right graphene heating element; and an electrically insulating cover encapsulating the left graphene heating element, right graphene heating element, positive electrode lead, and ground lead; and

a thermally conductive material in contact with the heating element assembly and disposed between the heating element assembly and the inner surface material to uniformly distribute heat over the entire treatment area of the heated eye shield;

wherein the wire is configured to connect with a power source and communicate with the heating element assembly via a positive terminal electrically connected with the positive lead and a ground terminal electrically connected with the ground lead; and

Wherein an adjustable strap is used to maintain contact of the eye shield body with the user's eye region;

setting at least one of a treatment time and a treatment temperature using a controller connected to the heating eye mask;

supplying power to the heating eyeshade by connecting the heating eyeshade with a power supply;

the heated eye shields over the eye area are maintained at a set temperature for a desired period of time.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising repeating the method at least twice daily.