US5807389A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Laterally reflecting tip for laser transmitting fiber
Assignee: MyriadLase Inc
•
Filing: 1994-10-18
•
Granted: 1998-09-15
•
Expires: 2014-10-18
Abstract
Abstract An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment includes a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a light reflecting tip mounted thereon for reflecting the light beam laterally. The tip includes a number of features which minimize undesired heating of the tip. The tip is preferably made of solid gold and has a reflecting mirror surface coined on the gold tip. A lateral flushing passageway is disposed through the tip and allows surrounding ambient liquid to flow across the surface of the mirror to aid in cooling the tip and to aid in keeping the mirror clean. The tip is preferably mounted on the fiber by crimping. The tip includes a sufficient volume of material having a sufficient thermal conductivity located between the reflecting mirror and the crimped connection so as to dissipate heat energy which may be generated in the tip and to avoid sufficient heat energy reaching the crimped connection to cause a thermally induced failure of the mechanical attachment of the tip to the fiber at the crimp.
Inventors
- 👤 William W. Gardetto
- 👤 Millard M. Judy
- 👤 James L. Matthews
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:37
CPC Classifications
G; G02; G02B; G02B6/00; G02B6/24; G02B6/36; G02B6/3616; G02B6/3624; A; A61; A61B; A61B18/00; A61B18/18; A61B18/20; A61B18/22; A61B18/24; G02B6/241; G02B6/38; G02B6/3807; G02B6/3887; G02B6/3888; A61B2018/00005; A61B2018/00011; A61B2018/2255; A61B2018/2272; G02B6/3833; G02B6/3855; G02B6/3858
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 61
Claim 1
Independent Claim
148 words
A light reflecting tip apparatus for mounting upon a distal end portion of a flexible elongated laser light transmitting fiber, comprising: a metal body having a reflecting mirror surface defined on said body and positioned to laterally reflect at least some light from said fiber; and means, operably associated with said metal body, for preventing clinically significant heating of said metal body, said means including a flushing passageway defined laterally through said metal body and passing adjacent said reflecting mirror surface, said flushing passageway having first and second laterally opposite flushing passageway ends so that liquid surrounding said tip may pass in one of said first and second flushing passageway ends, then through said flushing passageway, then out the other of said first and second flushing passageway ends, said flushing passageway being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said liquid surrounding said tip.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
148 words
A light reflecting tip apparatus for mounting upon a distal end portion of a flexible elongated laser light transmitting fiber, comprising: a metal body having a reflecting mirror surface defined on said body and positioned to laterally reflect at least some light from said fiber; and means, operably associated with said metal body, for preventing clinically significant heating of said metal body, said means including a flushing passageway defined laterally through said metal body and passing adjacent said reflecting mirror surface, said flushing passageway having first and second laterally opposite flushing passageway ends so that liquid surrounding said tip may pass in one of said first and second flushing passageway ends, then through said flushing passageway, then out the other of said first and second flushing passageway ends, said flushing passageway being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said liquid surrounding said tip.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reflecting mirror surface is constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of gold and platinum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said metal body is entirely constructed from a material selected from the group consisting of gold and platinum.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
31 words
The apparatus of claim 1, in combination with said fiber, wherein: said metal body is attached to said fiber and is free from attachment to any structure other than said fiber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said reflecting mirror surface is constructed to reflect substantially all laser light incident thereon.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
132 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon; and a light reflecting tip attached to said distal end portion of said fiber, said tip including a reflecting mirror surface adjacent said distal fiber end and so arranged and constructed as to laterally reflect light exiting said distal fiber end, said tip having a flushing passageway defined therein so that surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment may pass through said flushing passageway to carry away from said tip liquid heated by light passing through said distal fiber end, said flushing passageway being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
132 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon; and a light reflecting tip attached to said distal end portion of said fiber, said tip including a reflecting mirror surface adjacent said distal fiber end and so arranged and constructed as to laterally reflect light exiting said distal fiber end, said tip having a flushing passageway defined therein so that surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment may pass through said flushing passageway to carry away from said tip liquid heated by light passing through said distal fiber end, said flushing passageway being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 6, wherein said reflecting mirror surface is constructed to reflect substantially all light falling thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The assembly of claim 7, wherein said reflecting mirror surface and said flushing passageway comprise a means for preventing any clinically significant heating of said tip.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
56 words
The assembly of claim 6, wherein: said flushing passageway extends laterally through said tip and has laterally opposite first and second flushing passageway end openings, so that said liquid passing through said flushing passageway flows in one of said first and second flushing passageway end openings and out the other of said flushing passageway end openings.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The assembly of claim 9, wherein: said tip is generally cylindrical in shape; and said flushing passageway extends diametrically through said tip.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 6, wherein: said tip is free from attachment to any structure other than said fiber.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
156 words
A light reflecting tip apparatus for mounting upon a distal end portion of a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber, comprising: an elongated cylindrical body having a fiber receiving longitudinal opening means defined therein for receiving said distal end portion of said fiber, and having a lateral passageway defined therethrough and intersecting said longitudinal opening, said lateral passageway having first and second end openings; a reflecting mirror surface means defined on said body for reflecting light from said fiber laterally outward through said lateral passageway; and wherein said lateral passageway provides a flushing means for permitting surrounding fluid to flow in one of said first and second end openings, then adjacent said reflecting mirror surface means and said distal end portion of said fiber, then out the other of said first and second end openings, said flushing means being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding fluid surrounding said cylindrical body.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
156 words
A light reflecting tip apparatus for mounting upon a distal end portion of a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber, comprising: an elongated cylindrical body having a fiber receiving longitudinal opening means defined therein for receiving said distal end portion of said fiber, and having a lateral passageway defined therethrough and intersecting said longitudinal opening, said lateral passageway having first and second end openings; a reflecting mirror surface means defined on said body for reflecting light from said fiber laterally outward through said lateral passageway; and wherein said lateral passageway provides a flushing means for permitting surrounding fluid to flow in one of said first and second end openings, then adjacent said reflecting mirror surface means and said distal end portion of said fiber, then out the other of said first and second end openings, said flushing means being free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding fluid surrounding said cylindrical body.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: said fiber receiving longitudinal opening means of said cylindrical body is coaxial with said cylindrical body.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
23 words
The apparatus of claim 12, wherein: said reflecting mirror surface means is a means for reflecting light energy incident thereon from said fiber.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus of claim 14, wherein: said reflecting mirror surface means is made of gold.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
11 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: said body is solid gold.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus of claim 15, wherein: said gold reflecting mirror surface means is coined.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
169 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with, a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; a reflecting mirror surface means defined on said body for laterally reflecting at least some light from said fiber; and said body having a lateral flushing passageway means defined laterally through said body and in communication with said body bore, for permitting surrounding liquid to flow through said lateral flushing passageway means for cooling said tip.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
169 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with, a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; a reflecting mirror surface means defined on said body for laterally reflecting at least some light from said fiber; and said body having a lateral flushing passageway means defined laterally through said body and in communication with said body bore, for permitting surrounding liquid to flow through said lateral flushing passageway means for cooling said tip.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
61 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein: said body, said crimping cylinder, said reflecting mirror surface means and said lateral flushing passageway means comprise a means for preventing thermal degradation of said outer protective jacket at said crimp and for thereby preventing failure of the mechanical attachment between said crimping cylinder and said outer protective jacket during normal operation of said assembly.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
99 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein: said body includes material of thermal conductivity of at least 100 W per meter degree K between said reflecting mirror surface means and said crimp to dissipate to said liquid operating environment the heat generated at said reflecting mirror surface means so that the temperature at said crimp remains below 150° C. so that there is no failure of the mechanical attachment of said tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber during continuous lasing at 80 W input power in a saline solution for a period of at least fifteen minutes.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
21 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein: said body and said crimping cylinder are integrally constructed from a single piece of gold.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein: said tip is attached to said fiber solely by a plurality of said crimps in said crimping cylinder mechanically attaching said tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
11 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein said body is solid gold.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 23, wherein said body is solid gold in excess of 99.9 percent purity.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 23, wherein said reflecting mirror surface means is formed on said solid gold body by coining.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
31 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein said lateral flushing passageway means is free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
13 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein said crimping cylinder is formed of gold.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
20 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein said reflecting mirror surface means is constructed to reflect substantially all light falling thereon.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
29 words
The assembly of claim 28, wherein said reflecting mirror surface means and said lateral flushing passageway means comprise a means for preventing any clinically significant heating of said tip.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
61 words
The assembly of claim 18, wherein: said lateral flushing passageway means extends substantially laterally through said tip and has laterally opposite first and second flushing passageway end openings, so that said liquid passing through said lateral flushing passageway means flows in one of said first and second flushing passageway end openings and out the other of said flushing passageway end openings.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 30, wherein: said tip is generally cylindrical in shape; and said lateral flushing passageway means extends diametrically through said tip.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 18 wherein: said tip is free from attachment to any structure other than said outer protective jacket of said fiber.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
195 words
A method of applying laser energy to a site within a patient's body to alter, remove or destroy tissue at said site, comprising: (a) providing an operating assembly comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon; and a light reflecting tip attached to said distal end portion of said fiber, said tip including a reflecting mirror surface adjacent said distal fiber end, said tip having a flushing passageway defined therein; (b) inserting said operating assembly into a liquid operating environment within said patient's body; (c) positioning said tip adjacent said site within said patient's body; (d) transmitting laser light along said fiber; (e) reflecting at least some of said laser light off said mirror surface and transmitting the reflected light through a portion of said flushing passageway out of said tip and onto said site within said patient's body; and (f) flowing surrounding liquid solely from said liquid operating environment through said flushing passageway without providing any flushing liquid from any source other than said liquid operating environment, and thereby carrying away from said tip liquid heated by light in said distal fiber end.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
195 words
A method of applying laser energy to a site within a patient's body to alter, remove or destroy tissue at said site, comprising: (a) providing an operating assembly comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon; and a light reflecting tip attached to said distal end portion of said fiber, said tip including a reflecting mirror surface adjacent said distal fiber end, said tip having a flushing passageway defined therein; (b) inserting said operating assembly into a liquid operating environment within said patient's body; (c) positioning said tip adjacent said site within said patient's body; (d) transmitting laser light along said fiber; (e) reflecting at least some of said laser light off said mirror surface and transmitting the reflected light through a portion of said flushing passageway out of said tip and onto said site within said patient's body; and (f) flowing surrounding liquid solely from said liquid operating environment through said flushing passageway without providing any flushing liquid from any source other than said liquid operating environment, and thereby carrying away from said tip liquid heated by light in said distal fiber end.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 33, wherein: step (e) includes reflecting substantially all laser light falling on said mirror surface.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 34, wherein: steps (e) and (f) prevent any clinically significant heating of said tip.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 33, further comprising: preventing any clinically significant heating of said tip.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 33 wherein: in step (a), said flushing passageway extends laterally through said tip and has laterally opposite first and second flushing passageway end openings; and step (f) includes flowing said surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment in one of said first and second flushing passageway end openings and out the other of said flushing passageway end openings.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 33, wherein: step (f) includes reducing collection of contaminants on said reflecting mirror surface by flushing said reflecting mirror surface with said liquid flowing through said flushing passageway.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
181 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; an interior wall surface defined in said body and including a reflecting mirror surface oriented to laterally reflect light from said fiber; and said body having a lateral flushing passageway defined laterally through said body and communicated with said body bore, said passageway being partially bounded by said interior wall surface, so that surrounding liquid may flow through said lateral flushing passageway to aid in cooling said tip.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
181 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; an interior wall surface defined in said body and including a reflecting mirror surface oriented to laterally reflect light from said fiber; and said body having a lateral flushing passageway defined laterally through said body and communicated with said body bore, said passageway being partially bounded by said interior wall surface, so that surrounding liquid may flow through said lateral flushing passageway to aid in cooling said tip.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
12 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said interior wall surface is flat.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 40, wherein: said reflecting mirror surface is recessed in said interior wall surface.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
11 words
The assembly of claim 41, wherein said interior wall is flat.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said reflecting mirror surface is recessed in said interior wall surface.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 43, wherein: said distal fiber end is spaced from said reflecting mirror surface.
Claim 51
Dependent Claim
66 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said body, said crimping cylinder, said reflecting mirror surface and said lateral flushing passageway are arranged and constructed so as to provide a means for preventing thermal degradation of said outer protective jacket at said crimp and for thereby preventing failure of the mechanical attachment between said crimping cylinder and said outer protective jacket during normal operation of said assembly.
Claim 52
Dependent Claim
97 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said body includes material of thermal conductivity of at least 100 W per meter degree K between said reflecting mirror surface and said crimp to dissipate to said liquid operating environment the heat generated at said reflecting mirror surface so that the temperature at said crimp remains below 150° C. so that there is no failure of the mechanical attachment of said tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber during continuous lasing at 80 W input power in a saline solution for a period of at least fifteen minutes.
Claim 53
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said tip is attached to said fiber solely by a plurality of said crimps in said crimping cylinder mechanically attaching said tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber.
Claim 54
Dependent Claim
30 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein said lateral flushing passageway is free from communication with any source of flushing fluid other than said surrounding liquid from said liquid operating environment.
Claim 55
Dependent Claim
58 words
The assembly of claim 39, wherein: said lateral flushing passageway extends laterally through said tip and has laterally opposite first and second flushing passageway end openings, so that said liquid passing through said lateral flushing passageway flows in one of said first and second flushing passageway end openings and out the other of said flushing passageway end openings.
Claim 56
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 49, wherein: said tip is generally cylindrical in shape; and said lateral flushing passageway means extends diametrically through said tip.
Claim 57
Dependent Claim
24 words
The assembly of claim 39 wherein: said tip is free from attachment to any structure other than said outer protective jacket of said fiber.
Claim 58
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 39 wherein: said hollow crimping cylinder is a reduced diameter hollow crimping cylinder.
Claim 59
Dependent Claim
144 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; an interior wall defined in said body and having a recessed reflecting mirror surface defined on said wall; and said body having a lateral opening defined therein adjacent said interior wall.
Claim 60
Dependent Claim
144 words
An operating assembly for use in a liquid operating environment, comprising: a flexible elongated light transmitting fiber having a distal end portion with a distal fiber end defined thereon, said fiber including a core, a cladding surrounding said core, and an outer protective jacket surrounding said cladding; and a light reflecting tip comprising: a body; a hollow crimping cylinder extending proximally from said body; said body and said crimping cylinder having a body bore defined therein, said distal end portion of said fiber being received in said body bore; at least one crimp in said crimping cylinder, said crimp mechanically attaching said light reflecting tip to said outer protective jacket of said fiber; an interior wall defined in said body and having a recessed reflecting mirror surface defined on said wall; and said body having a lateral opening defined therein adjacent said interior wall.
Claim 61
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 53, wherein: said distal fiber end is spaced from said reflecting mirror surface.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-09-14 | 2002-03-16 | 2002-09-15 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-09-14 | 2006-03-16 | 2006-09-15 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-09-14 | 2010-03-16 | 2010-09-15 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |