Lithotriptor

Claim 2

A lithotriptor comprising: a catch basket formed by a plurality of outwardly curved catch strings and having a catch basket foot and a catch basket top and respective joints fixing the catch strings to each other at said catch basket foot and said catch basket top; a pull string connected to the catch basket strings at the catch basket foot, said pull string comprising a plurality of pull wires; a casing means for slidably mounting the pull string; means connected to said pull string for extending and retracting the catch basket, wherein the pull string comprises a wire rope having a plurality of strands twisted together to form said wire rope, each of said strands comprising a plurality of wires twisted together, the number of strands of said wire rope corresponding to at least the number of catch strings of the catch basket, whereby the catch strings are formed by deformed rope strands of the wire rope running continuously from the wire rope to the top of the catch basket, wherein the rope strands of the wire rope are unwound and run parallel to each other along a section between a first sleeve receiving the wire rope and a second sleeve receiving the joint at the foot of the catch basket.

Claim 3

The lithotriptor according to claim 1, wherein the number of strands of the wire rope exceeds the number of the catch strings of the catch basket, the exceeding number of rope strands being received by and terminating at the second sleeve.

Claim 4

The lithotriptor according to claim 1, wherein the section between the sleeves has a length of 3 to 15 cm.

Claim 5

The lithotriptor according to claim 1, wherein the wire rope consists of seven rope strands and each of these rope strands consists of nineteen wires.

Claim 6

The lithotriptor according to claim 1, wherein the means for extending and retracting has a base and a rear end and further includes a clamping means for clamping the pull string at its proximal end wherein the clamping means comprises a chuck arranged coaxially to the pull string at the rear end of the means for extending and retracting, the chuck having at its base a central opening for the pull string.

Claim 7

A lithotriptor according to claim 5, wherein the chuck consists of stainless steel and further includes a metal sleeve connecting the chuck to the means for extending and retracting.

Claim 8

A lithotriptor according to claim 5, wherein the chuck has an inner surface including corrugation means for releasably clamping the pull string.

Claim 9

The lithotriptor of claim 1 wherein the joint fixing the catch strings at the catch basket top has a strength which is smaller than the strength of each of the catch strings, thereby forming a breaking point for breaking open said catch basket in response to excessive force.

Claim 10

A lithotriptor comprising: a catch basket formed by a plurality of outwardly curved catch strings and having a catch basket foot and a catch basket top and respective joints fixing the catch strings to each other at said catch basket foot and said catch basket top; a pull string connected to the catch basket strings at the catch basket foot, said pull string comprising a plurality of pull wires; a casing means for slidably mounting the pull string; means connected to said pull string for extending and retracting the catch basket, wherein the pull string comprises a wire rope having a plurality of strands twisted together to form said wire rope, each of said strands comprising a plurality of wires twisted together, the number of strands of said wire rope corresponding to at least the number of catch strings of the catch basket, whereby the catch strings are formed by deformed rope strands of the wire rope running continuously from the wire rope to the top of the catch basket, wherein the means for extending and retracting has a base and a rear end and further includes a clamping means for clamping the pull string at its proximal end, wherein the clamping means comprises a chuck arranged coaxially to the pull string at the rear end of the means for extending and retracting the chuck having at its base a central opening for the pull string, wherein the means for extending and retracting includes a hollow pull rod slidably arranged in a handle and projecting out of the handle, said pull string passing through said hollow pull rod and through said central opening into the chuck, the chuck being secured to the pull rod, said pull rod having an outside thread section at the portion thereof projecting out of the handle, and an adjusting screw nut supported at the handle and engaging the outside thread portion of the screw nut; and further comprising: a conical pinion rotatably coupled to said screw nut; a conical gear wheel rotatingly engaging the conical pinion; and an operation handle means for rotating the conical gear wheel, thereby rotating said conical pinion, thereby adjusting said screw nut, thereby slidingly displacing the pull rod and the pull string with respect to the handle.

Claim 11

A lithotriptor comprising: a catch basket formed by a plurality of outwardly curved catch strings and having a catch basket foot and a catch basket top and respective joints fixing the catch strings to each other at said catch basket foot and said catch basket top; a pull string connected to the catch basket strings at the catch basket foot, said pull string comprising a plurality of pull wires; a casing means for slidably mounting the pull string; means connected to said pull string for extending and retracting the catch basket, wherein the pull string comprises a wire rope having a plurality of strands twisted together to form said wire rope, each of said strands comprising a plurality of wires twisted together, the number of strands of said wire rope corresponding to at least the number of catch strings of the catch basket, whereby the catch strings are formed by deformed rope strands of the wire rope running continuously from the wire rope to the top of the catch basket, wherein the means for extending and retracting has a base and a rear end and further includes a clamping means for clamping the pull string at its proximal end, wherein the clamping means comprises a chuck arranged coaxially to the pull string at the rear end of the means for extending and retracting the chuck having at its base a central opening for the pull string, wherein the means for extending and retracting includes a hollow pull rod slidably arranged in a handle and projecting out of the handle, said pull string passing through said hollow pull rod and through said central opening into the chuck, the chuck being secured to the pull rod, said pull rod having an outside thread section at the portion thereof projecting out of the handle, and an adjusting screw nut supported at the handle and engaging the outside thread portion of the screw nut; and further comprising: a conical pinion rotatably coupled to said screw nut; a conical gear wheel rotatingly engaging the conical pinion; and an operation handle means for rotating the conical gear wheel, thereby rotating said conical pinion, thereby adjusting said screw nut, thereby slidingly displacing the pull rod and the pull string with respect to the handle.

Claim 12

Lithotriptor according to claim 9, wherein the operation handle is an handwheel.

Claim 13

A lithotriptor comprising: a catch basket formed by a plurality of outwardly curved catch strings and having a catch basket foot and a catch basket top and respective joints fixing the catch strings to each other at said catch basket foot and said catch basket top; a pull string connected to the catch basket strings at the catch basket foot, said pull string comprising a plurality of pull wires; a casing means for slidably mounting the pull string; means connected to said pull string for extending and retracting the catch basket, wherein the pull string comprises a wire rope having a plurality of strands twisted together to form said wire rope, each of said strands comprising a plurality of wires twisted together, the number of strands of said wire rope corresponding to at least the number of catch strings of the catch basket, whereby the catch strings are formed by deformed rope strands of the wire rope running continuously from the wire rope to the top of the catch basket, wherein the rope strands of the wire rope are unwound and run parallel to each other along a section between a first fixing point fixing the rope strands together and a second fixing point fixing the rope strands together at the joint at the foot of the catch basket.

Claim 14

A lithotriptor comprising: a catch basket formed by a plurality of outwardly curved catch strings and having a catch basket foot and a catch basket top and respective joints fixing the catch strings to each other at said catch basket foot and said catch basket top; a pull string connected to the catch basket strings at the catch basket foot, said pull string comprising a plurality of pull wires; a casing means for slidably mounting the pull string; means connected to said pull string for extending and retracting the catch basket, wherein the pull string comprises a wire rope having a plurality of strands twisted together to form said wire rope, each of said strands comprising a plurality of wires twisted together, the number of strands of said wire rope corresponding to at least the number of catch strings of the catch basket, whereby the catch strings are formed by deformed rope strands of the wire rope running continuously from the wire rope to the top of the catch basket, wherein the rope strands of the wire rope are unwound and run parallel to each other along a section between a first fixing point fixing the rope strands together and a second fixing point fixing the rope strands together at the joint at the foot of the catch basket.

Claim 15

The lithotriptor of claim 11, wherein said rope strands are fixed together by soldering at said first and second fixing points.