Ultrasonic resonant vibrator

• US 4,425,115 A
• Filed: 04/21/1978
• Issued: 01/10/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1977
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sherwood Services AG
• Original Assignee: David G. Wuchinich
• Inventors: Wuchinich, David G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cohen, Lee S.
• Application Number:
  US05/898,569
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 128/24 A, 128/276, 128/303 R, 32/DIG. 4, 310/26, 604/22
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22004 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic shock waves A61B17/225 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/22012 in direct contact with, or very close to, the obstruction or concrement for removing obstructions in blood vessels by laser A61B18/245
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320084 Irrigation sleeves
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320088 with acoustic insulation, e.g. elements for damping vibrations between horn and surrounding sheath
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 3/02 involving a change of amplitude

Abstract

An ultrasonic resonant vibrator has a connecting portion connecting an ultrasonic vibration transducer to a tool which thereby ultrasonically vibrates at one end for fragmenting contacted tissue. The connecting portion is bifurcated by a slot, and a mount for mounting the vibrator in the handpiece is positioned toward the transducer from the slot. This structure is shaped, dimensioned and made of materials having acoustic properties such that there is only one node of ultrasonic vibrational movement between and including the slot and the mount and this node is spaced from the mount toward the slot to obtain increased ultrasonic vibration at the tissue-contacting end of the tool for better fragmenting a wider variety of tissues.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic resonant vibrator comprising:

an ultrasonic vibration transducer for external electrical excitation to vibrate;

at an ultrasonic frequency;

a tool having a free end for output ultrasonic vibration;

connecting means connecting the transducer to the tool for ultrasonically vibrating the tool with the vibrations from the transducer at the resonant frequency of the resonant vibrator, the connecting means having a slot bifurcating the connecting means; and

mounting means spaced from the slot toward the transducer for supporting the resonant vibrator;

the combination of the transducer, connecting means, tool and mounting means defining the resonant vibrator and having the first node of the ultrasonic resonant vibrations from and including the mounting means toward the slot positioned away from the mounting means toward the slot,

wherein said first node is positioned at a point where the gain in ultrasonic vibration at the end of the tool from positioning the first node toward the slot most exceeds the loss of ultrasonic vibration at the end of the tool from damping the vibration with the support of the resonant vibrator at the mounting means.

2. An ultrasonic resonant vibrator comprising:

an ultrasonic vibration transducer for external electrical excitation to vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency;

a tool having a free end for output ultrasonic vibration;

connecting means connecting the transducer to the tool for ultrasonically vibrating the tool with the vibrations from the transducer at the resonant frequency of the resonant vibrator, the connecting means having a slot bifurcating the connecting means; and

mounting means spaced from the slot toward the transducer for supporting the resonant vibrator;

the combination of the transducer, connecting means, tool and mounting means defining the resonant vibrator and having the first node of the ultrasonic resonant vibrations from and including the mounting means toward the slot, positioned away from the mounting means toward the slot,

wherein said first node is on a line normal to the longitudinal axis which intersects the longitudinal axis approximately at the end of the slot farthest from the mounting means.

3. An ultrasonic resonant vibrator dimensioned for mounting in a handpiece for fragmenting tissue contacted with an end thereof, the resonant vibrator comprising:

an ultrasonic vibration transducer for electrical excitation from the handpiece to vibrate at an ultrasonic frequency;

a tool having a free end defining the end of the resonant vibrator for ultrasonic vibration longitudinally of the tool to fragment contacted tissue;

a connecting member connecting the transducer to the other end of the tool for ultrasonically vibrating the free end of the tool, the connecting member having an elongated slot diametrically bifurcating the connecting member with the longitudinal axis of the slot coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the resonant vibrator; and

mounting means spaced from the slot toward the transducer for mounting the resonant vibrator in the handpiece;

the combination of the transducer, connecting member, tool and mounting means defining the resonant vibrator with a longitudinal axis of each aligned along the longitudinal axis of the resonant vibrator, each being dimensioned along the longitudinal axis relative to the wavelength of the resonant frequency therein such that the resonant vibrator is an integral multiple of one half the wavelength of the resonant frequency long, and has one but only one node of the ultrasonic resonant motion between and including about the slot and the mounting means which one node is spaced from the mounting means toward the slot,

wherein the resonant vibrator is further shaped, dimensioned and has acoustic properties such that it has a resonant frequency of about 23 kHz and the one node is positioned about at the end of the slot farthest from the mounting means.