Surgical probe apparatus and system
First Claim
1. An instrument for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions, comprising:
- a first housing including;
a radiation transmissive window portion,a detector mount portion extending from said window portion,a support portion extending from said detector mount portion,a positioning shaft extending along a shaft axis to an electrical contact support surface,a radiation detector assembly within said mount portion responsive to said radiation emissions for providing a detector output,a treatment circuit mounted within said support portion responsive to said detector output for providing output signals corresponding with said detector output,shaft electrical contacts mounted upon said electrical contact support surface and electrically coupled with said treatment circuit; and
a second housing removably connected with said first housing including;
a forward retainer portion having a receiving cavity extending inwardly along a housing axis, and configured for removably receiving and supporting said positioning shaft,an electrical contact support mounted in confronting relationship with said receiving cavity,housing electrical contacts supported upon said electrical contact support and oriented to engage respective said shaft electrical contacts when said positioning shaft is inserted within said receiving cavity in an operative orientation, anda flexible cable having first and second lead components electrically coupled with respective said first and second housing electrical contacts.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A surgical probe wherein a heat sterilizable and reusable detector component is combined with a disposable handle and cable assembly. The reusable detector component incorporates a detector crystal and associated mountings along with preamplifier components. It is formed having a positioning shaft extending therefrom to a contact supporting surface carrying a pattern of electrical contact surfaces. The disposable handle employs an insert member having a receiving cavity. The electrical contact carrying tip of the shaft moves into electrical engagement with a pattern of electrical contacts mounted within the handle in conjunction with a permanently affixed flexible cable.
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Citations
12 Claims
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1. An instrument for detecting and locating sources of radiation emissions, comprising:
a first housing including; a radiation transmissive window portion, a detector mount portion extending from said window portion, a support portion extending from said detector mount portion, a positioning shaft extending along a shaft axis to an electrical contact support surface, a radiation detector assembly within said mount portion responsive to said radiation emissions for providing a detector output, a treatment circuit mounted within said support portion responsive to said detector output for providing output signals corresponding with said detector output, shaft electrical contacts mounted upon said electrical contact support surface and electrically coupled with said treatment circuit; and a second housing removably connected with said first housing including; a forward retainer portion having a receiving cavity extending inwardly along a housing axis, and configured for removably receiving and supporting said positioning shaft, an electrical contact support mounted in confronting relationship with said receiving cavity, housing electrical contacts supported upon said electrical contact support and oriented to engage respective said shaft electrical contacts when said positioning shaft is inserted within said receiving cavity in an operative orientation, and a flexible cable having first and second lead components electrically coupled with respective said first and second housing electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. An instrument system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emission, comprising:
a sterilizable detector component including; detector housing including a forward portion extending along a detector axis to a forward surface and a support portion extending therefrom along a support axis including a cylindrical positioning shaft having an electrical contact support surface; a crystal mount positioned within said detector housing forward portion, formed of radiation attenuating material and having a radiation transmitting opening adjacent said forward surface, a radiation transmissible window positioned at said forward surface; a crystal detector positioned upon said crystal mount, said crystal detector having a forward surface facing said radiation transmitting opening and an oppositely disposed rearward surface and responsive to radiation passing through said window to provide a detector output, a treatment circuit located within said support portion having an input in adjacency with said crystal detector for response to and electrically treating said detector output to provide output signals corresponding therewith; an electrical terminal assemblage having a predetermined pattern of discrete electrical contact surfaces mounted at said contact support surface, said electrical contact surfaces being in electrical communication with said treatment circuit, and a first orienting assemblage positioned upon said positioning shaft; said system further including a handle component removably connected with said detector component, comprising; a hand gripable handle housing disposed about a handle axis; a retainer portion forwardly disposed upon said handle housing, having a generally cylindrical receiving cavity configured to slideably receive said positioning shaft to an extent representing a fully inserted orientation; an electrical contact assemblage aligned with and confronting said receiving cavity having a pattern of discrete electrical contacts arranged in correspondence with said predetermined pattern of discrete electrical contact surfaces; a second orienting assemblage positioned upon said handle housing retainer portion and mechanically cooperative with said first orienting assembly to align said discrete electrical contacts in circuit completing relationship with said discrete electrical contact surfaces; and an elongate flexible cable having leads connected in electrical association with said electrical contacts. - View Dependent Claims (8)
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9. A surgical system for detecting and locating sources of radiation emission emanating from tissue of a body, comprising:
a sterilizable detector component, comprising; a detector housing including a forward portion extending along a detector axis to a forward window through which said radiation emission is transmissible, and a support portion extending from said forward portion and including a positioning shaft extending a predetermined length outwardly from said support portion, a crystal mount positioned within said detector housing forward portion; a crystal detector positioned upon said crystal mount, said detector having a forward surface adjacent said window and an oppositely disposed rearward surface and responsive to radiation passing through said window to provide a detector output, a treatment circuit within said detector housing, responsive to said detector output to provide output signals corresponding therewith, and an electrical terminal assemblage mounted upon said positioning shaft and in electrical communication with said treatment circuit; a disposable handle component, removably connected with said detector component, including; a hand gripable handle housing having a forwardly disposed retainer portion with a receiving cavity configured for removably receiving said positioning shaft to locate it at an operative orientation, an electrical contact assemblage mounted within said handle housing adjacent said receiving cavity and having electrical contacts mounted thereon engageable in circuit completing relationship with said electrical terminal assemblage when said positioning shaft is in said operative orientation, a flexible electrical transmission cable coupled to said handle housing and having electrical leads connected with said electrical contact assemblage electrical contacts and having an electrical connector component coupled in electrical communication with said leads; and a signal treatment and control assembly removably connected with said transmission cable having an input connector for removable electrical coupling with said cable electrical connector component and responsive to said output signals conveyed by said cable to provide perceptible output signals. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
Specification