Alcon, Inc.

Novartis Ag

Alcon Laboratories, Inc.

Alcon Surgical, Inc.

David Domash

Nader Nazarifar

Mark Alan Hopkins

David Williams

Shawn X Gao

Steven Thomas Charles

John Christopher Huculak

Donn D Lobdell

James C Foster

David M Weston

Mark A Hopkins

James R Dennewill

Paul C Pynckel

Jeffrey Jikang Chun

Pierre Boisier

Hugh J Tyler, Deceased

Heather Ready

David Lloyd Williams

James J Foster

David L Williams

Embodiments of the present invention provide a surgical cassette with compliant clamping zones to provide more uniform loading. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a surgical cassette includes a clamping portion that is configured to deform to conform to non-uniform load profile applied to the cassette. The clamping portion can include ribs that are sized and made of a suitable material such that the ribs will deflect predictably in the elastic region and flow plastically when the material yield point is exceeded. The use of ribs creates discrete small load areas that will deflect and distort predictably and non-catastrophically at high loads. This allows for the absorption of accumulated tolerances between the clamping mechanism and cassette (e.g., the non-parallelism between the clamping mechanism and cassette) while still providing a distributed load on the cassette.

Surgical cassette with compliant clamping zone

Embodiments to the present invention provide a peristaltic pump. This peristaltic pump includes a flexible flow path, an exterior casing, an elastomeric member, and a number of rollers driven by a motor. The exterior casing and elastomeric member have a first and second annular recess, respectively. An annular flow path guide is formed when the exterior casing and elastomeric member are mechanically coupled. Rollers move along the annular flow path to compress and release the flexible flow path and in so doing draw fluid through the flexible flow patch to achieve pumping action. Mechanical guides proximate to the first annular recess and second annular recess prevent relative motion between the first annular recess and second annular recess ensuring that the flexible flow path remains in place.

System and method operable to prevent tubing displacement within a peristaltic pump

A surgical cassette having a filter media sealingly disposed between a first rigid surface and a second rigid surface in a filter chamber of the cassette housing provides improved air filtering for the cassette.

Surgical cassette with improved air filtering

A surgical cassette having a chamber for fluidly coupling to a source of vacuum in a surgical console and a bubble breaking structure disposed within the chamber. The cassette protects the source of vacuum from liquid.

Surgical cassette with bubble breaking structure

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for determining the location of the bottom of a fluid chamber in a surgical cassette to calibrate the surgical system. According to one embodiment, the surgical cassette is shaped to allow light from a light source to pass unobstructed to a linear sensor array in an area that is a known distance from the bottom of a fluid chamber. Light rays intersected by solid cassette material, on the other hand, will insufficiently illuminate the linear sensor array. Because the slot is a known distance from the bottom of the chamber, the location of the bottom of the chamber can be determined by determining the transition between illuminated and insufficiently illuminated portions of the linear sensor array.

System and method to zero chambers in a surgical cassette

A surgical cassette having an aspiration chamber with a bubble separating structure. The bubble separating structure facilitates accurate, reliable measurement of the fluid level in the chamber.

Surgical cassette with bubble separating structure

A microsurgical system capable of priming its aspiration circuit using a pressurized gas source, a pressurized infusion fluid source, an aspiration chamber fluidly coupled to the pressurized gas source and the pressurized infusion fluid source, and a computer.

Priming a microsurgical system

The disclosed connector to cassette interface system includes a set of individual keyed connectors having a shroud on the lower portion. The perimeter of each shroud includes an array of tabs or protrusions keyed to one of a corresponding array of skirted portals in the cassette cover. The tabs or protrusions on the shroud portion of each individual keyed connector may further serve to prevent rotation of each connector beyond about 60&#xb0;.

Connector to cassette interface system

Corneal topographer

An improved vitreous cutter having a housing with two halves connected together by tapered pins on one half fitting into holes on the other half with a proximal end, a distal end, an internal transverse bore and a longitudinal bore intersecting the transverse bore and penetrating the housing at the proximal and distal ends, a pair of inlets in the proximal end of the housing in fluid communication with opposite ends of the transverse bore for allowing pressurized air to be introduced into the transverse bore, a thermoplastic piston slideably received in the transverse bore having a toothed, longitudinal slot, a stainless steel stationary outer cutting tube having a cutting port on a distal end, a stainless steel rotatable inner cutting tube telescopically received in the outer cutting tube having a cutting port on a distal end and penetrating the proximal end of the housing to form a suction port, a flexible seal between the inner cutting tube and the outer cutting tube and a pinion gear on a medial section of the inner cutting tube that is received in the piston slot so as to rotate alternately the inner cutting tube within the outer cutting tube as the piston moves within the transverse bore in response to the pressurized air.

Growing community of inventors

Irvine, CA, United States of America

David Domash