Patent CH237603A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4722340A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Stone disintegrator apparatus
Assignee: Olympus Corp
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Filing: 1987-04-08
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Granted: 1988-02-02
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Expires: 2007-04-08
Abstract
Abstract A stone disintegrator apparatus has a probe with discharge electrodes and a power supply circuit for supplying a discharge voltage to the probe for causing discharge between the discharge electrodes. An electrode life detection circuit detects the number of use or discharge operations of the probe so as to determine the remaining life of the discharge electrodes. A discharge inhibit circuit inhibits re-use or discharge of the probe when the life detection circuit detects an end of electrode life.
Inventors
- 👤 Syuichi Takayama
- 👤 Kowji Tanikawa
- 👤 Ryouji Masubuchi
- 👤 Kunio Kinoshita
- 👤 Minoru Shinozuka
- 👤 Kenichirou Sanagi
- 👤 Naoki Uchiyama
- 👤 Yoshio Shishido
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:21
CPC Classifications
G; G07; G07C; G07C3/00; G07C3/02; G07C3/04; A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/22004; A61B17/22012; A61B17/22022; G10; G10K; G10K15/00; G10K15/04; G10K15/06; A61B2017/00017
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 29
Claim 1
Independent Claim
193 words
A stone disintegrator apparatus comprising: a probe having discharge electrodes; power supply means for applying a discharge voltage to said probe in order to allow said discharge electrodes to discharge for disintegrating a stone; detecting means coupled to the power supply means for establishing a service life of said probe from at least one of the number of discharges and the number of operations of said probe from its installation, and to generate an inhibit signal at the expiration of said service life; and means coupled to the detecting means for inhibiting use of said probe in response to said inhibit signal; wherein said probe comprises a resistor unit having a plurality of resistors which are fused at different voltages; said detecting means comprises resistance detecting means for measuring a resistance of said resistor unit and means for applying to said resistor unit different voltages for sequentially disconnecting said tesitors upon each predetermined number of discharge operation, said inhibit signal being generated in response to a predetermined measured value of said resistance detecting means; and said inhibiting means inhibits said power supply means to prevent use of the probe beyond said service life.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
193 words
A stone disintegrator apparatus comprising: a probe having discharge electrodes; power supply means for applying a discharge voltage to said probe in order to allow said discharge electrodes to discharge for disintegrating a stone; detecting means coupled to the power supply means for establishing a service life of said probe from at least one of the number of discharges and the number of operations of said probe from its installation, and to generate an inhibit signal at the expiration of said service life; and means coupled to the detecting means for inhibiting use of said probe in response to said inhibit signal; wherein said probe comprises a resistor unit having a plurality of resistors which are fused at different voltages; said detecting means comprises resistance detecting means for measuring a resistance of said resistor unit and means for applying to said resistor unit different voltages for sequentially disconnecting said tesitors upon each predetermined number of discharge operation, said inhibit signal being generated in response to a predetermined measured value of said resistance detecting means; and said inhibiting means inhibits said power supply means to prevent use of the probe beyond said service life.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
64 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises discharge count means for counting the number of discharge operations between said discharge electrodes, memory means for storing the number of discharge operations from said count means, and means for comparing the number of discharge operations read out from said memory means and the number of discharge operations as an electrode life.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
59 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said probe has a built-in battery; and said life detecting means comprises means for discharging said battery at a predetermined current for each discharge operation, means for measuring a voltage of said battery, and display means for displaying a measurement of said measuring means in correspondence with the number of discharge operations.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises an electrolytic integrating meter arranged in said probe, and means for supplying a current to said electrolytic integrating meter for each discharge operation.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises current detecting means, coupled to said probe re-use inhibiting means, for detecting a current flow in said discharge electrodes for each discharge operation, means for counting the current detection by said current detecting means, and comparing means for comparing the count of said counting means with the life.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
34 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said probe re-use inhibiting means is turned off by an output from said comparing means, and comprises a switching element for cutting off said power supply means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
60 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supply means comprises means for generating a trigger signal for applying a discharge voltage to said discharge electrodes, and said life detecting means comprises a pulse motor which is rotated in response to the trigger signal and rotational amount detecting means for detecting a predetermined rotational amount of said pulse motor.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
An apparatus according to claim 7, wherein said rotational amount detecting means comprises a rotary plate coupled to said pulse motor, a conductor arranged in an arcuated form in said rotary plate and having a length corresponding to a predetermined rotational amount of said motor, and a contact conductor in contact with said conductor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
74 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supply means comprises means for generating a trigger signal for applying a discharge voltage to said discharge electrodes; and said life detecting means comprises an electromagnetic plunger actuated in response to the trigger signal, a ratchet mechanism actuated by said electromagnetic plunger, a movable member moved by said ratchet mechanism, and means for detecting the life from an amount of motion of said movable member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said power supply means comprises means for generating a trigger signal for applying a discharge voltage to said discharge electrodes; and said life detecting means comprises a laser for generating a laser beam in response to the trigger signal, a resistor member having a resistor film burnt by the laser beam, and means for measuring a resistance of said resistor member and for detecting the life from the measured resistance.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
97 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said probe comprises a resistor unit having a plurality of resistors which are fused at different voltages; said detecting means comprises resistance detecting means for measuring a resistance of said resistor unit and means for applying to said resistor unit different voltages for sequentially disconnecting said resistors upon each predetermined number of discharge operations, said inhibit signal being generated in response to a predetermined measured value of said resistance detecting means; and said inhibiting means inhibits said power supply means to prevent use of the probe beyond said service life.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
32 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said life detecting means includes display means for signalling an end of life in response to a predetermined detection value of said resistance detecting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 11, wherein said detecting means includes display means for displaying a detected value of said resistance detecting means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises memory means, arranged in said probe, for storing the number of discharge operations.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
35 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises switching means having a plurality of switching stages switched upon each use of said probe and corresponding at least to the electrode life.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said probe has a connector, and said switching means has a fuse member with a plurality of fuses which are arranged in said connector of said probe in a switchable manner and are blowed one by one upon each use of said probe.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said probe has a connector, and said switching means has a plurality of connectors which are in series coupled to said connector of said probe and which are removed one by one upon each use of said probe.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said probe has a connector, and said switching means has a counter unit with a counter drum which is rotatably mounted on said connector of said probe and which is rotated upon each use of said probe.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
37 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises means which changes in physical state in accordance with the number of discharge operations and actuates said re-use inhibiting means when the electrode life ends.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
61 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said life detecting means comprises a heat-generating member for generating heat upon each discharge operation and a thermal deformation member which thermally deforms upon each discharge operation, and said re-use inhibiting means comprises a switch member for cutting off said power supply means in accordance with a predetermined deformation of said thermal deformation member.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 19, wherein said life detecting means comprises a conductor member arranged in said probe and having a predetermined fatigue coefficient, and means for providing a bending force to said conductor member and for functioning said re-use inhibiting means by fracturing said conductor member by fatigue thereof.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises means for detecting a gap between said discharge electrodes
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
28 words
An apparatus according to claim 22, wherein said gap detecting means comprises a discharge tube for discharging in response to the predetermined voltage applied to said discharge electrodes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said life detecting means comprises means for alarming at the end of electrode life.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
130 words
A stone disintegrator apparatus comprising: a probe having discharge electrodes; power supply means for applying a discharge voltage to said probe in order to allow said discharge electrodes to discharge; means for measuring at least one of the number of discharges and the number of operations of said probe from its installation to output a measuring signal; detection means including means for electrically blowing at least one member in response to the measuring signal; means for establishing a service life of said probe by the at least one member blown to output a service life signal; and means responsive to the establishing means for executing at least one of a plurality of operations including inhibiting use of said probe and indicating that the use of said probe has been inhibited.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
130 words
A stone disintegrator apparatus comprising: a probe having discharge electrodes; power supply means for applying a discharge voltage to said probe in order to allow said discharge electrodes to discharge; means for measuring at least one of the number of discharges and the number of operations of said probe from its installation to output a measuring signal; detection means including means for electrically blowing at least one member in response to the measuring signal; means for establishing a service life of said probe by the at least one member blown to output a service life signal; and means responsive to the establishing means for executing at least one of a plurality of operations including inhibiting use of said probe and indicating that the use of said probe has been inhibited.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
108 words
An apparatus according to claim 25, wherein said detection means comprises a resistor unit provided on said probe and having a plurality of resistors which are fused at different voltages; said means for establishing a service life comprises resistance detecting means for measuring a resistance of said resistor unit and means for applying to said resistor unit different voltages for sequentially disconnecting said resistors upon each predetermined number of discharge operations, said service life signal being generated in response to a predetermined measured value of said resistance detecting means; and said executing means inhibits said power supply means to prevent use of the probe beyond said service life.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 26, wherein said means for establishing a service life includes display means for displaying a detected value of said resistance detecting means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3163165A
Cited
DE3316837A1
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1991-02-01 | 1991-08-03 | 1992-02-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1995-02-01 | 1995-08-03 | 1996-02-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1999-02-01 | 1999-08-03 | 2000-02-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |