US3821510A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Hand held laser instrumentation device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1973-02-22
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Granted: 1974-06-28
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Expires: 1993-02-22
Abstract
Abstract This invention is a laser-beam transmitting and focusing device provided with means for selectively passing therethrough one or more fluids simultaneously for use during operation thereof in medical surgery, dental restorative manipulations, or materials working in industry. The invention comprises a flexible laserbeam transmitting conduit having at one end thereof a handmanipulative instrument or stylus containing an adjustable laserfocusing system and a fluid control means to regulate the flow of fluid therethrough during the operation of the device.
Inventors
- 👤 H Muncheryan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 01:24
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61C; A61C1/00; A61C1/0046; B; B23; B23K; B23K26/00; B23K26/0096; B23K26/02; B23K26/06; B23K26/064; B23K26/0648; B23K26/0665; B23K26/12; B23K26/123; B23K26/125; B23K26/14; B23K26/142; B23K26/146; B23K26/1462; B23K26/1464; B23K26/1476; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/2015; A61B2018/202; A61B2018/2255; A61B2018/2266
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
381 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device capable of conducting therethrough a laser beam emanating from an external source of laser radiation to a work area in medical, dental, and industrial applications, said device comprising: a flexible conduit having an axial bore extending therethrough and including therein a laser-beam waveguide projecting centrally to said bore, a chamber formed at the periphery of said laser-beam waveguide within said flexible conduit, which being provided at one end thereof with a first means for connection to an external source of laser radiation for receiving therefrom a laser beam and projecting it to saId laser-beam waveguide, a second means located in adjacent relation to said first means and adapted to be connected to a pressurized external fluid source for conduction therefrom a fluid into said chamber for cooling said laser-beam waveguide therein, and a third means positioned diametrically opposite to said second means and adapted for connection to an external source of pressurized anesthetic fluid for conduction thereof into the chamber in said flexible conduit, for medical and dental applications; the opposite end of said flexible conduit being provided with a hand-manipulative tubular stylus having therein a central bore continuous with said chamber at the periphery of said laser-beam waveguide and terminating in an axially disposed exit port at the tip thereof, the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide being disposed within said tubular stylus for connection thereto; a fluid-flow control means including a tubular projection formed centrally thereof being disposed within said tubular stylus with the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide extending into said tubular projection and supported thereby; means comprising a plurality of optical elements to form a laser-beam collimating system disposed within said tubular projection, integrally therewith, adjacent the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide to receive therefrom a laser beam and to collimate said laser beam, and means for focusing a laser beam adjustably positioned adjacent to said laser-beam collimating system to receive a collimated laser beam therefrom and to concentrate said collimated laser beam through said exit port upon a workpiece disposed adjacent thereto; said fluid-flow control means being adapted to receive from the chamber of said flexible conduit a pressurized fluid for ejection thereof through the central bore and the exit port of said tubular stylus upon the work area.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
381 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device capable of conducting therethrough a laser beam emanating from an external source of laser radiation to a work area in medical, dental, and industrial applications, said device comprising: a flexible conduit having an axial bore extending therethrough and including therein a laser-beam waveguide projecting centrally to said bore, a chamber formed at the periphery of said laser-beam waveguide within said flexible conduit, which being provided at one end thereof with a first means for connection to an external source of laser radiation for receiving therefrom a laser beam and projecting it to saId laser-beam waveguide, a second means located in adjacent relation to said first means and adapted to be connected to a pressurized external fluid source for conduction therefrom a fluid into said chamber for cooling said laser-beam waveguide therein, and a third means positioned diametrically opposite to said second means and adapted for connection to an external source of pressurized anesthetic fluid for conduction thereof into the chamber in said flexible conduit, for medical and dental applications; the opposite end of said flexible conduit being provided with a hand-manipulative tubular stylus having therein a central bore continuous with said chamber at the periphery of said laser-beam waveguide and terminating in an axially disposed exit port at the tip thereof, the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide being disposed within said tubular stylus for connection thereto; a fluid-flow control means including a tubular projection formed centrally thereof being disposed within said tubular stylus with the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide extending into said tubular projection and supported thereby; means comprising a plurality of optical elements to form a laser-beam collimating system disposed within said tubular projection, integrally therewith, adjacent the distal end of said laser-beam waveguide to receive therefrom a laser beam and to collimate said laser beam, and means for focusing a laser beam adjustably positioned adjacent to said laser-beam collimating system to receive a collimated laser beam therefrom and to concentrate said collimated laser beam through said exit port upon a workpiece disposed adjacent thereto; said fluid-flow control means being adapted to receive from the chamber of said flexible conduit a pressurized fluid for ejection thereof through the central bore and the exit port of said tubular stylus upon the work area.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
66 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said first means for connection to an external source of laser radiation is a coupling connected to one end of the flexible conduit and is provided therein and transversely thereof with a means for condensing a laser beam hermetically sealed therein to prevent therethrough any passage of fluid into or out of said flexible conduit.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
64 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said second means adapted to be connected to a pressurized external fluid source for conducting a fluid therefrom into said chamber for cooling said laser-beam waveguide is a coupling having a cap member for hermetic closure thereof when said laser-beam waveguide is to conduct a low-energy laser beam and thereby requiring no cooling.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said third means adapted for connection to an external source of pressurized anesthetic fluid is a coupling having a cap member for hermetic closure thereof when said anesthetic fluid is not employed through said laser instrumentation device, as for industrial materials working.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
195 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said fluid control means disposed within said tubular stylus is an adjustable fluid-flow regulator comprising an annulus secured to the wall of said tubular stylus and supported thereby, said annulus having a base section with a plurality of small apertures formed therein and a tubular projection centrally disposed thereof, a circular disk having therein a centrally positioned large opening and a plurality of small apertures corresponding to the location and size of said apertures formed in the base section of said annulus is rotatably disposed in said base section of said annulus with said tubular projection thereof passing through the centrally positioned large opening disposed in said circular disk, thereby when the corresponding small apertures of said circular disk and those in the base section of said annulus are in register a plurality of continuous passages are formed therethrough, and When said circular disk is rotated so as to cover the small apertures in said base section by means of the solid areas between said apertures located in said circular disk said passages are closed, the assembly thereby forming a fluid control means therein.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
62 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 5, wherein said tubular projection centrally disposed in the base section of said annulus includes therein said laser-beam collimating system which comprises optical lenses integrally formed at one end thereof adjacent to said base section, the principal optical planes of said lenses being in perpendicular relation to the axis of said tubular projection.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 6, wherein said optical lenses included in said tubular projection, integrally thereof, comprises a plurality of concave and convex lenses.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
108 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular stylus is provided with a slot in the wall thereof and extending axially thereof, and wherein said means for focusing a laser beam is positioned within said tubular stylus adjacent said slot and comprises an adjustable cylindrical member having an internally projecting flange at one end thereof with a lens disposed therein and supported by said flange, and a thumb button with an extension therefrom passing through said slot is attached at said extension thereof to the wall of said cylindrical member for thumb manipulation thereof by said thumb button externally of said tubular stylus.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
42 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 8, wherein said adjustable cylindrical member disposed in said tubular stylus is provided with axial grooves on the external periphery thereof for passage of a fluid therethrough during operation of said tubular stylus.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
127 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular stylus connected at one end thereof to said flexible conduit is provided at the opposite end thereof with a coniform section, an annular recess is formed in said tubular stylus adjacent the base portion of said coniform section and a spring member is disposed within said annular recess, and wherein said means for focusing a laser beam adjustably positioned within said tubular stylus is biased by said spring member, thereby permitting the movement of said means for focusing a laser beam to and from said base portion of said coniform section, for defining the position of the focal plane of said laser-beam focusing means in spaced relation to the tip of said coniform section.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said means for focusing a laser beam adjustably position within said tubular stylus comprises a tubular member with a lens disposed at one end thereof, an axial slot formed in the wall of said tubular stylus in adjacent relation to said means for focusing a laser beams, and a thumb button having an extension passing through said slot is secured to the wall of said tubular member for adjustment of said lens in the axial relation to said tubular stylus, said lens in said tubular member being aplanatic and aspherical type having centrally thereof an aperture to eliminate any stress concentration resultant from a high-power leaser-beam energy incident on said lens during operation thereof.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 11, wherein said lens is an axicon with an aperture disposed centrally thereof and is capable of producing an annular focus when a collimated laser beam is perpendicularly incident thereupon at the flat surface thereof.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
32 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises tubular fibers filled with a clear laser-transmitting material of high refractive index and low beam-energy transmission loss.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
41 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide cOmprises a mixture of polychromatic fibers capable of conducting laser radiations and being compatible with wavelengths of a spectral range from short-wave ultraviolet through long-wave infrared radiations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
23 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises tubular fibers filled with a cyclic alkane therein.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
43 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises a tubular fiber filled with a liquid polyvinyl chloride mixed with a curing agent and cured to a transparent gel within the tubular fiber subsequent to introduction thereinto.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
56 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide disposed within the chamber of said flexible conduit is a multichannel laser-beam transmitting conduit coated at the external surface thereof with a film of thermoconductive material for dissipating heat from said laser-beam transmitting conduit to maintain the transmission efficiency thereof in operation.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
135 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tubular stylus is provided, in the wall thereof, with a circumferential slot and an axial slot, and a thumb-manipulative button disposed in each of the slots; and, wherein said fluid-flow control means regulates the fluid flow through said tubular stylus and said means for focusing a laser beam is spring biased for axial movement thereof within said tubular stylus; the thumb manipulative button in said circumferential slot is connected to said fluidflow control means for rotation thereof with respect to to said tubular stylus, and the thumb manipulative button in said axial slot is connected to said means for focusing a laser beam to axially manipulate the laser-beam focus for positioning said focus in remote relation to the tip of said tubular stylus.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
76 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises a bundle of quartz fibers inclosed in a medical grade plastic sheath, said bundle of quartz fibers having therein a central bore with a tubular member disposed in said bore and in contact with said bundle of quartz fibers; said tubular member being in contacting relation with a transient fluid passing through the flexible conduit during operation of said laser-beam waveguide.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
56 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises a bundle of quartz fibers, which being tubular and containing an optically transparent polymer gel of high refractive index for conducting therethrough a laser beam with minimum of laser-energy loss through the walls of said quartz fibers forming the laser-beam waveguide.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
39 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises tubular fibers of fused quartz filled with a chemical compound consisting of one of the polyhalogenated alkene group characterized by ethinyl trichloride and perchloroethylene.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
49 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide consists of fibers of one of the neodymium-doped lasing glasses characterized by germanate glass, lanthanate glass, and lead glass, which possess high laser-beam conduction efficiency therethrough and minimum of laser-energy loss characteristics from the fibers.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
157 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as described in claim 1, wherein said tubular stylus capable of conducting therethrough a laser beam and a fluid medium is provided on the external wall thereof with a circumferentially movable thumb button and an axially movable pushbutton, respectively connected through the wall of said tubular stylus to the fluid-flow control means and to the means for focusing a laser beam; said fluid-flow control means having a plurality of small apertures disposed about the axis thereof and said radially movable thumb button being adApted with means to open and close said apertures by rotational movement thereof, thereby regulating the amount and thereby the temperature of a fluid passing therethrough; and, said axially movable pushbutton being adapted with means to move said means for focusing a laser beam axially within said tubular stylus for defining the position of the focal plane of the laser beam relative to the tip of said tubular stylus.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
38 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible conduit is a medical grade tubing made of a plastic material of a grade capable of withstanding repeated sterilization and pressures up to 1,500 PSI.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
78 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide disposed within said flexible conduit extending into said tubular stylus is provided on the periphery thereof with a thin film of plastic material coated with a highly thermoconductive material consisting of one of the heat-conductive metals characterized by silver, gold, copper, and aluminum, for rapid conduction of heat from said laser-beam waveguide and dissipation of said heat into the medium surrounding said laser-beam waveguide.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
90 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible conduit provided at the distal end thereof with a tubular stylus has a connection therebetween to attach said tubular stylus to said flexible conduit and at the proximal end thereof said flexible conduit is provided with a plurality of inlet couplings, certain of which are capped when not in use; said connection being provided axially thereof with a plurality of apertures for passage of a fluid from the chamber of said flexible conduit into said tubular stylus.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
67 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein a wall portion of said tubular stylus that is adjacent to said means for focusing a laser beam and is in abutment therewith is provided therein with axially formed grooves disposed in peripheral relation to said means for focusing a laser beam, for passage of a fluid through said grooves during operation of said tubular stylus.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
41 words
A hand-held laser instrumentation device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laser-beam waveguide comprises a bundle of lasing fibers, the distal end surface thereof being highly polished and coated with a multilayer dielectric to form a partially reflective surface thereon.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-27 | 1977-12-27 | 1978-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-27 | 1981-12-27 | 1982-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-27 | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |