DIRECT CONTACT SHOCKWAVE TRANSDUCER
First Claim
1. A system attachable to a surface of a tissue of a patient for applying pressure pulses to the tissue, the system comprising:
- a shockwave transducer comprising a shockwave generating portion and a solid transducer interface arranged to directly contact a tissue of a patient, said shockwave generating portion comprising an electrical-to-shockwave energy converter operable to generate pulses of pressure waves, and said transducer interface comprising an electrically safe and bio-compatible material arranged to transmit said shockwaves from said shockwave generating portion to the tissue;
a magnet operable to induce a magnetic field in said shockwave generating portion; and
a pulser operable to deliver electrical current pulses to said shockwave generating portion, wherein said shockwave generating portion generates shockwaves in response to said magnetic field and said electric current pulses.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system is attachable to a surface of a tissue of a patient for applying pressure pulses to the tissue. The system includes a shockwave transducer that has a shockwave generating portion and a solid transducer interface arranged to directly contact a tissue of a patient. The shockwave generating portion includes an electrical-to-shockwave energy converter operable to generate shockwaves. The transducer interface includes an electrically safe and bio-compatible material arranged to transmit the shockwaves from the shockwave generating portion to the tissue.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system attachable to a surface of a tissue of a patient for applying pressure pulses to the tissue, the system comprising:
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a shockwave transducer comprising a shockwave generating portion and a solid transducer interface arranged to directly contact a tissue of a patient, said shockwave generating portion comprising an electrical-to-shockwave energy converter operable to generate pulses of pressure waves, and said transducer interface comprising an electrically safe and bio-compatible material arranged to transmit said shockwaves from said shockwave generating portion to the tissue; a magnet operable to induce a magnetic field in said shockwave generating portion; and a pulser operable to deliver electrical current pulses to said shockwave generating portion, wherein said shockwave generating portion generates shockwaves in response to said magnetic field and said electric current pulses. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17)
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13. A system attachable to a surface of a tissue of a patient for applying pressure pulses to the tissue, the system comprising:
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an array of shockwave transducers, each transducer comprising a shockwave generating portion and a solid transducer interface arranged to directly contact a tissue of a patient, said shockwave generating portion comprising an electrical-to-shockwave energy converter operable to generate pulses of pressure waves, and said transducer interface comprising an electrically safe and bio-compatible material arranged to transmit said shockwaves from said shockwave generating portion to the tissue; wherein said shockwave generating portion comprises a piezoelectric shockwave transducer, and wherein said transducers are controlled so that respective shockwaves simultaneously arrive at a common focal region, wherein; Tz=the simultaneous arrival time of the respective waves at the focal region, Ti=the time of the energizing pulse associated with the ith transducer, Di=the distance between the ith transducer and the focal region, and Ci=the average propagation speed of the wave associated with the ith transducer, and Ti is given by;
Ti=Tz−
Di/Ci. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for applying pressure pulses to the tissue, the method comprising:
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attaching a shockwave transducer as in 1 to the tissue of a patient; and using said shockwave generating portion to generate shockwaves through said transducer interface to the tissue.
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Specification