The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 10, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 24, 1999
Johann F. Hellenkamp, Miami, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
A positioning assembly for retaining, positioning and at least partially exposing a cornea of an eye during a surgical procedure, the eye being disposed in a latitudinally narrowed ocular access. The positioning assembly includes a positioning segment having a retention plate with an aperture defined therein to receive and expose the cornea of the eye, and a flange member disposed about the aperture, a closely spaced apart distance from a latitudinal radius thereof, and structured to engage the eye. The positioning assembly further includes a suctioning assembly operably associated with the positioning segment for at least temporarily attaching the positioning segment to the eye, the suctioning assembly including a vacuum port extending vertically from the positioning segment and angled outwardly away from a guide track integrally disposed on the retention plate to define an arcuate cutting path for a microkeratome cutting head assembly. A pivot assembly including at least a post member is further provided, the post member defining a pivot axis about which a coupling assembly, which operably interconnects the cutting head assembly and the post member, pivots. A cut origination control is provided at the post member to define an origination point at which movement, and accordingly cutting, by the cutting head assembly begins.