Alcon Laboratories, Inc.

Valleylab, Inc.

Medical Instrument Development Laboratories, Inc.

Allon Laboratories, Inc.

Leif J Sundblom

Daniel David Rogers

Ingemar H Lundquist

Carl C Wang

Wayne W Rogers

William T George

A pneumatic retinopexy injector includes a syringe to which is communicated a controllable gaseous pressure source. A desired volume of a gaseous substance can be injected by the syringe by utilizing a controller to introduce the pressurized gas to the syringe to cause the piston of the syringe to eject any contents of the syringe. The manual controller can comprise a foot pedal having a variable flow pneumatic valve. The invention can also utilize a vacuum source which is switchable to the syringe to allow automatic filling of the syringe.

Pneumatic retinopexy injector

There is disclosed herein a system for providing control of multiple functions needed to perform eye surgery. A microprocessor based system controls a vacuum generation system using venturis and linear valves and a pneumatic system for driving vitrectomy probes and pneumatic scissors in either a variable frequency, multicut mode or a proportional cut mode where the cutting pressure is proportional to the position of a foot operated position sensor. The frequency of the vitrectomy probe cutting action can also be controlled and the level of vacuum can be controlled from a foot operated position sensor which can also be used to turn on or off a fragmentation device. The footswitch can also be used to turn irrigation fluid on or off, and the flow rate can be controlled from a control on the front panel. By making a certain foot motion in any certain aspiration modes, reflux of the aspiration line can be controlled. The vacuum level is continuously monitored over all aspiration conditions and adjusted to stay as close as possible to the desired vacuum level. A cassette proximity sensing system senses the presence of a cassette, and aids the user in drawing in and latching the cassette. The vacuum integrity of the cassette is automatically checked by the microprocessor each time one is drawn into the machine. The microprocessor also monitors the cassette for fullness an initiates a transfer to empty one bottle of the cassette into another bottle for storage when the first bottle becomes full. A back-up system checks the accuracy of cassette liquid level sensing apparatus by double checking for liquid in the line leading to the vacuum generation system. If water is detected, a fluid transfer from one bottle of the cassette to the other is initiated.

Surgical cassette proximity sensing and latching apparatus

A fast response, tubeless vacuum aspiration collection cassette includes large and small containers defined within a cassette housing adapted to be removably secured to a surgical aspiration machine. A first wall of the cassette housing abutting the machine includes connectors thereto to provide a controlled variable vacuum level to the small container, and a fixed vacuum level to the large container. Valves formed in the first wall are interconnected by flow channels therein extending to the containers, each valve having an actuating stem extending from the wall to be actuated selectively by the machine. A second wall opposed to the first wall includes a connector extending to a surgical probe or cutting instrument. The channels and valves are arranged so that when the containers are isolated by a first valve, the controlled vacuum level may be applied to the surgical probe through a second valve connecting it to the small ontainer volume. Whenever the controlled vacuum is shut off to the probe by the second valve, the first valve is opened to permit the fixed vacuum in the larger container to be applied to the smaller container to transfer aspirant fluid therein to the larger container. The cassette also can have a fluid infusion input and output. Flow channels and a valve in the first wall of the cassette housing can control flow of infusion fluid from an infusion fluid source to an infusion fluid tool.

Fast response tubeless vacuum aspiration collection cassette

A multiple use valving device for use between a fluid flow source and at least one device utilizing the fluid flow including a valve housing having at least one inlet and one outlet connected in fluid communication by a channel therebetween. A deformable but resilient sealing member is positioned within the housing with respect to the channel so that when a manual control member is moved from an open to a closed position, an actuator responsive to the manual control member deforms the sealing member to block the channel to prevent any fluid transmission. By moving the manual control member back to an open position, the actuator is released and the resiliency of the sealing member pushes it away thereby opening the channel for fluid transmission. The valving device can consist of as few as one inlet, one channel and one outlet, or may consist of any variation of inputs and outputs, such as one inlet and a plurality of outlets each having its own channel in communication with the inlet and each having its own manual control member and actuator. Additionally, there can be two or more inlets each having any number of outlets and corresponding channels according to desire or need.

Multiple use valving device

A variable pneumatic output device for use with ophthmalic micro-surgical instruments including a reversible servo motor which operates in response to instructions from an electronic control circuit. The rotatable drive shaft of the servo motor is operatively connected to the adjustable level control of a precision pressure regulator which operates between a fully open level and a fully closed level. The pressure regulator is operatively connected between a pressurized air source and the pneumatically driven micro-surgical instrument and according to the instructions of the electronic control circuitry, the servo motor, through the connecting drive to the regulator, adjusts the level of pneumatic output to the surgical instrument.

Variable pneumatic output means for use with ophthalmic micro-surgical

The present invention relates to a timing device for an intravenous feeding pump, whereby the pump can be set to operate at its regular rate for a predetermined period (preferably up to about 4 hours) and thereafter at a reduced rate just sufficient to keep the needle open. The apparatus comprises a gear train driven by the main drive shaft of the intravenous feeding pump actuator, which drives a setting dial at a considerably reduced speed back to a '0' position. The setting dial is clutched to a final gear of the gear train through a spring slip clutch, so that the setting dial can be set to a desired position without driving the gear train or the gear train continue to drive even though the setting dial is latched in its 0 position. When the control knob is in the active position, means is provided when the setting dial returns to its 0 position to actuate an alarm device, such as a light, or a buzzer, or both, and to switch the power circuit of the drive motor into a reduced motor speed for a 'keep-open' rate of feed to the needle.

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Castro Valley, CA, United States of America

Leif J Sundblom