Sonomed Technology, Inc.

Sonometrics Systems, Inc.

Valleylab, Inc.

Sonomed, Inc.

Louis Katz

David G Wuchinich

Robert Brendolan

Donald R Krawitt

William Henriksen

Kurt W Weil

Werner Gruenebaum

An apparatus is disclosed for uniformly biasing a transducer against a human eye comprising an outer housing, an inner housing insertable into the outer housing and a biasing means. The inner housing has attached thereto a transducer and is movable with respect to the outer housing between an extended position and a retracted position. Bushing means are provided between the respective housings to maintain such housings in a concentric relationship and also to reduce friction between the respective housings. The probe is adapted to be applied against an eye and maintain substantially constant pressure on the eye, hand motion being compensated for by the biasing means, illustratively a spring.

Hand held spring-loaded ultrasonic probe

A method and apparatus for endoscopic removal of compliant biological tissues utilizing an endoscopic ultrasonic aspirator comprising irrigation and aspiration means, a piezoelectric ultrasonic transducer, a first resonator such as a half-wave stepped velocity transformer, a probe including a second resonator such as a constant-stress velocity transformer, a blunt or modified working tip of open channel means or restricted tubular means for application of ultrasonic energy to cellular material, and a capacitive fluid sensor to detect the presence of irrigation fluid adjacent these transformers within the instrument. The surgery is advantageously performed by operating the transducer in the 10-20 kHz range to achieve maximum cavitation of the intracellular fluids in the tissues to be removed.

Method for removing cellular material with endoscopic ultrasonic

A scanning apparatus and method for scanning an object including a frame, a transducer for obtaining information from an object and a motor oscillating the transducer. The motor comprises a spring/solenoid combination driven at the resonant frequency of the spring/motor system. The actual displacement of the transducer is measured and compared to a desired displacement to provide a control signal to the motor. The scanning apparatus is at least partially enclosed by a housing containing a heat transfer fluid for damping the resonant vibration of the apparatus.

Scanning apparatus and method

Endoscopic ultrasonic aspirators

Vibration apparatus preferably for endoscopic ultrasonic aspirator

A transducer assembly is provided for moving a transducer into operative contact with a human eye. The assembly comprises a transducer holder that receives a transducer therein. A slide supports the transducer holder for rearward movement from a home position. A spring normally biases the transducer holder to the home position. Thus, as the assembly is moved toward the eye and the transducer engages the eye, the slide moves rearwardly against the spring bias to maintain the transducer against the eye of the patient. In order to prevent undue force on the eye, a release device is provided between the transducer holder and the transducer and is responsive to a preselected value of force for releasing the transducer from the transducer holder.

Transducer assembly

A biometric measuring device measures distances between selected elements in a human body, and in particular, the human eye. Trace means produces respective signals for a preselected number of cycles wherein each signal represents the distance between the selected elements that is to be measured. Converting means averages the respective signals over the preselected number of cycles to produce a distance signal representing the distance between the selected elements of the body. Display means displays this distance signal as a number.

Growing community of inventors

Flushing, NY, United States of America

Louis Katz