SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLOW RATE CONTROL
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A surgical system comprising:
- a surgical cassette comprising;
a valve seat,a valve seal movable between a fully opened position and fully closed position, wherein the valve seat and valve seal define a valve chamber and wherein the surgical cassette comprises a first flow passage leading to the valve chamber and a second flow passage leading to a fluid chamber of the surgical cassette;
a surgical console comprising;
a cassette receiver to receive the surgical cassette;
a sensor system;
an actuator positioned to assert a force on the valve seal when the surgical cassette is inserted in the cassette receiver; and
a controller coupled to the sensor system and the actuator, the controller configured to;
to receive an input from the sensor system;
generate a control signal to the actuator to increase or decrease the force asserted on the valve seal to control a flow rate of fluid to the fluid chamber according to a specified flow rate.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method controlling the flow of fluid in a surgical cassette. One embodiment of the present invention includes surgical system comprising a surgical console and a surgical cassette. The surgical console and surgical cassette can each contain portions of a valve system that can be controlled to provide proportional flow control of fluid to a chamber in the cassette.
68 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A surgical system comprising:
-
a surgical cassette comprising; a valve seat, a valve seal movable between a fully opened position and fully closed position, wherein the valve seat and valve seal define a valve chamber and wherein the surgical cassette comprises a first flow passage leading to the valve chamber and a second flow passage leading to a fluid chamber of the surgical cassette; a surgical console comprising; a cassette receiver to receive the surgical cassette; a sensor system; an actuator positioned to assert a force on the valve seal when the surgical cassette is inserted in the cassette receiver; and a controller coupled to the sensor system and the actuator, the controller configured to; to receive an input from the sensor system; generate a control signal to the actuator to increase or decrease the force asserted on the valve seal to control a flow rate of fluid to the fluid chamber according to a specified flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A method for controlling flow of fluid in a surgical cassette comprising:
-
determining a flow rate of fluid in the surgical cassette, wherein the surgical cassette is inserted in the surgical console; comparing the measured flow rate to a setpoint flow rate; signaling an actuator of the surgical console to assert more or less force on a valve seal of the surgical cassette based on the difference between the measured flow rate and the setpoint flow rate; and moving the valve seal of the surgical cassette to increase or decrease the flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18)
-
-
16. A computer program product comprising a set of computer instructions stored on a computer readable medium, said set of computer instructions comprising instructions executable by a processor to:
-
determine a flow rate of fluid in a surgical cassette; compare the flow rate to a setpoint; if the flow rate is greater than the setpoint, generate a control signal to cause an actuator to assert more force on a valve seal of the surgical cassette to decrease the flow rate; and if the flow rate is less than the setpoint, generate the control signal to cause the actuator to assert less force on the valve seal of the surgical cassette to increase the flow rate. - View Dependent Claims (17)
-
-
19. A surgical system comprising:
-
a surgical cassette comprising; a valve seat, wherein the valve seat is configured to provide a tapered opening to a first flow passage leading to a valve chamber; a valve seal movable between a fully opened position and fully closed position, wherein the valve seat and valve seal define a valve chamber and wherein the surgical cassette comprises the first flow passage leading to the valve chamber and a second flow passage leading to a fluid chamber of the surgical cassette; a surgical console comprising; a cassette receiver to receive the surgical cassette; a sensor system; an actuator positioned to assert a force on the valve seal when the surgical cassette is inserted in the cassette receiver; and a controller coupled to the sensor system and the actuator, the controller configured to; to receive an input from the sensor system; generate a control signal to the actuator to open or close the valve seal to control a flow rate of fluid to the fluid chamber. - View Dependent Claims (20)
-
Specification