Angulated ultrasonic surgical handpieces and method for their production

Claim 1

In an ultrasonic surgical handpiece for breaking apart and removing tissue from a recessed operative site, the handpiece including a vibration assembly having an elongated straight transducer operable to convert high frequency electrical energy to high frequency mechanical vibrations, an elongated connecting body having one end rigidly joined to one end of the elongated transducer, and an elongated straight operative tip removably mounted on the other end of the connecting body, the vibrating assembly having an overall length substantially equal to the length of the longitudinal vibration wave λ when vibrated at the resonant frequency F of the assembly, the vibration wave λ having an antinodal plane adjacent to the joined ends of the transducer and connecting body, and a nodal plane adjacent to the other end of the connecting body, the improvement wherein said connecting body comprises, a first substantially straight portion having a longitudinal axis coincident with the longitudinal axis X of said transducer and a second substantially straight portion having a longitudinal axis X' extending at an angle α with respect to the axis X, said connecting body having a circular cross section throughout at least a major portion of its length and having a portion of its mass removed from its outer surface at a location adjacent to said nodal plane relative to the mass of a straight connecting body of the same cross-section whereby the resonant frequency of the angled vibrating assembly is substantially identical to the resonant frequency of said vibration assembly of equal length and dimension and having said straight connecting body but without the mass removed from the connecting body.