PLASMA-GENERATING DEVICE, PLASMA SURGICAL DEVICE AND USE OF A PLASMA SURGICAL DEVICE

• US 20190320522A1
• Filed: 12/20/2018
• Published: 10/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2005
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: Plasma Surgical, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Plasma Surgical Investments Limited
• Inventors: SUSLOV, Nikolay, RUBINER, Igor
• Application Number:
  US16/227,805
• Publication Number:
  US 20190320522A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/28 Cooling arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/34 Details, e.g. electrodes, nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/341 Arrangements for providing coaxial protecting fluids
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3452 Supplementary electrodes between cathode and anode, e.g. cascade
• CPC Class Codes: H05H 1/3484 Convergent-divergent nozzles

Abstract

The present invention relates to a plasma-generating device, comprising an anode, a cathode and at least one intermediate electrode, said intermediate electrode being arranged at least partly between said anode and said cathode, and said intermediate electrode and said anode forming at least a part of a plasma channel which has an opening in said anode. Further, the plasma-generating device comprises at least one coolant channel which is arranged with at least one outlet opening which is positioned beyond, in the direction from the cathode to the anode, said at least one intermediate electrode, and the channel direction of said coolant channel at said outlet opening has a directional component which is the same as that of the channel direction of the plasma channel at the opening thereof. The invention also concerns a plasma surgical device and use of such a plasma surgical device.

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. A plasma-generating device, comprising:

a plasma chamber configured to generate plasma;

a cathode having a tapering tip, the tapering tip having a first portion disposed proximal to the plasma chamber and a second portion extending into the plasma chamber; and

a coolant channel configured to receive a coolant such that the coolant flowing through the coolant channel can cool a portion of the plasma-generating device adjacent to the cooling channel.

25. The plasma-generating device of claim 24, wherein the coolant channel includes a coolant outlet configured to discharge the coolant.

26. The plasma-generating device of claim 25, wherein the coolant outlet is arranged around a plasma outlet such that the coolant discharged through the coolant outlet can restrict a flow of the plasma discharged from the plasma outlet.

27. The plasma-generating device of claim 25, wherein the coolant channel is configured to discharge the coolant through the coolant outlet at a rate of between 1 and 5 ml/s.

28. The plasma-generating device of claim 24, further comprising:

a plasma channel extending longitudinally from the plasma chamber to a plasma outlet, the plasma channel and the plasma outlet defining a discharge path for the plasma.

29. The plasma-generating device of claim 28, wherein the coolant channel is substantially parallel to the plasma channel.

30. The plasma-generating device of claim 28, wherein the tapering tip of the cathode is disposed a non-zero distance away from an inlet of the plasma channel.

31. The plasma-generating device of claim 28, wherein the plasma channel is configured to discharge a plasma jet through the plasma outlet, and the coolant channel includes a coolant outlet configured to discharge the coolant to restrict the plasma jet.

32. A plasma-generating device, comprising:

a cathode having a tapering tip;

a sleeve having a portion that surrounds a portion of the tapering tip, the portion of the sleeve having a substantially constant inner diameter such that a space between an inner surface of the sleeve and the cathode increases along a length of the tapering tip in a distal direction; and

a coolant channel configured to receive a coolant such that the coolant flowing through the coolant channel can cool a portion of the plasma-generating device adjacent to the cooling channel.

33. The plasma-generating device of claim 32, further comprising:

an anode, wherein the tapering tip of the cathode narrows toward the anode.

34. The plasma-generating device of claim 33, wherein the coolant channel includes a coolant outlet that is disposed in the anode.

35. The plasma-generating device of claim 34, wherein the coolant outlet is arranged around a plasma outlet such that the coolant discharged through the coolant outlet can restrict a flow of the plasma discharged from the plasma outlet.

36. The plasma-generating device of claim 34, wherein the coolant channel is configured to discharge the coolant through the coolant outlet at a rate of between 1 and 5 ml/s.

37. A plasma-generating device, comprising:

an insulator sleeve having a distal end;

a cathode having a tapered portion, the tapered portion having a first portion disposed within the insulator sleeve and a second portion projecting beyond the insulator sleeve;

a plasma channel extending longitudinally from the cathode and having an outlet at an end of the plasma channel; and

a coolant channel configured to receive a coolant such that the coolant flowing through the coolant channel can cool a portion of the plasma-generating device adjacent to the cooling channel.

38. The plasma-generating device of claim 37, wherein at least a portion of the coolant channel is substantially parallel to the plasma channel.

39. The plasma-generating device of claim 37, wherein the coolant channel includes a coolant outlet configured to discharge the coolant.

40. The plasma-generating device of claim 39, wherein an angle between a direction of the coolant channel at the outlet and a direction of the plasma channel is between +30 and −

30 degrees.

41. The plasma-generating device of claim 40, wherein the angle is zero.

42. The plasma-generating device of claim 39, wherein the outlet of the coolant channel angles toward the outlet of the plasma channel.

43. The plasma-generating device of claim 37, wherein the tapered portion of the cathode is disposed a non-zero distance away from an inlet of the plasma channel.