Apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body

• US 4,702,249 A
• Filed: 02/12/1985
• Issued: 10/27/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: B.V. Optische Industrie "De Oude Delft", Dornier Medizintechnik GmbH
• Original Assignee: B.V. Optische Industrie "De Oude Delft"
• Inventors: de la Fonteijne, Marcel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Smith, Leonard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/700,728
• Time in Patent Office: 987 Days
• Field of Search: 128/328, 128/24 A, 128/660, 367/150, 367/151, 181/400
• US Class Current: 601/4
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/28 using reflection, e.g. parabolic reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 15/06 using electric discharge

Abstract

An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means of sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block, said sound shock waves being focussed in a focal point situated outside the reflector. Between the focus F₁ and the focal point F₂, in a region β bounded by an imaginary conical surface defined by the edge R of the reflector 2 and the focus F₁, there is positioned an object intercepting sound shock waves impinging thereon.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means of sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus F₁ of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block, said sound shock waves being focussed on a focal point F₂ situated outside reflector block, characterized in that between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂, in a region bounded by an imaginary conical surface defined by an edge of said reflector and said focus F₁, there is positioned a lens permitting passage of sound shock waves originating from said focus F₁ and to focus said sound shock waves to said focal point F₂.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said electrodes are positioned on either side of said focus F₁ on a straight line extending through said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂ and said lens is positioned in a region defined by a section of said reflector by locus of lines extending from said focus F₁ tangent to an electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said reflector and by lines drawn from points of a circumferential line of said region in a direction of reflection sound shock waves originating from said focus F₁ reflected in points of said circumferential line of said region and focussed in the focal point F₂.

5. The apparatus as defined in claims 2 or 4 wherein at least one of said electrodes is formed of a reflecting surface facing said other electrode.

6. The apparatus as defined in claims 1 or 3 wherein one electrode of said two electrodes includes a reflecting surface facing said other electrode.

3. An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means of sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus F₁ of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block, said sound shock waves being focussed on a focal point F₂ situated outside said reflector block, characterized in that between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂, in a region bounded by an imaginary conical surface defined by an edge of said reflector and said focus F₁, there is positioned a reflecting surface facing said reflector and having a form to reflect against said reflector sound shock waves originating from said focus F₁ and impinging on said reflecting surface.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said electrodes are positioned on either side of said focus F₁ on a straight line extending through said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂ and said reflecting surface is positioned in a region defined by a section of said reflector by a locus of lines extending from said focus F₁ tangent to an electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said reflector and by lines drawn from points of a circumferential line of said region in a direction of reflection of sound shock waver originating from said focus F₁ reflected in points of said circumferential line of said region and reflected via the focus F₁ to said reflector.

7. An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means fo sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus F₁ of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block and focussed on a focal point F₂ situated outside said reflector block and wherein said electrodes are situated on either side of said focus F₁ on a straight line extending through said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂, characterized in that said electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂ is formed with a reflecting surface facing said other electrode, said electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂ being spherical.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said electrode disposed between said reflector and said focus F₁ is formed with a reflecting surface facing said electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said electrode disposed between said reflector said focus F₁ is formed with a conical reflecting surface having an apex which faces said electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂.

10. An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means of sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus F₁ of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block and focussed on a focal point F₂ situated outside said reflector block and wherein said electrodes are situated on either side of said focus F₁ on a straight line extending through said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂, said electrode situated between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂ having a substantially planar reflecting surface extending transversely to a line connecting said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein a projection is provided centrally on said reflecting surface of said electrode.

12. An apparatus for the non-contact disintegration of concrements present in a body by means of sound shock waves generated by spark discharge between two electrodes in a focus F₁ of at least one liquid-filled rotationally symmetrical reflector formed in a reflector block, said sound shock waves being focussed on a focal point F₂ situated outside reflector block, characterized in that between said focus F₁ and said focal point F₂, in a region bounded by an imaginary conical surface defined by an edge of said reflector and said focus F₁, there is positioned a transducer which when energized transmits sound waves.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said transducer is adapted to convert impinging sound waves into an electric signal.