Medical devices utilizing optical fibers for simultaneous power, communications and control
First Claim
1. In a micro-mechanical system including a catheter, a fiber optic cable, a laser-light-to mechanical-power converter, and a microgripper, the improvement comprising:
- an energy conversion interface mounted at a distal end of said catheter and adjacent a distal end of said fiber optic cable, said energy conversion interface being constructed to convert photon to an energy type selected from the group consisting of electrical, thermal, mechanical and acoustic, and including means to convert an energy type to mechanical power.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical device is constructed in the basic form of a catheter having a distal end for insertion into and manipulation within a body and a proximal end providing for a user to control the manipulation of the distal end within the body. A fiberoptic cable is disposed within the catheter and having a distal end proximate to the distal end of the catheter and a proximal end for external coupling of laser light energy. A laser-light-to-mechanical-power converter is connected to receive light from the distal end of the fiber optic cable and may include a photo-voltaic cell and an electromechanical motor or a heat-sensitive photo-thermal material. An electronic sensor is connected to receive electrical power from said distal end of the fiberoptic cable and is connected to provide signal information about a particular physical environment and communicated externally through the fiberoptic cable to the proximal end thereof. A mechanical sensor is attached to the distal end of the fiberoptic cable and connected to provide light signal information about a particular physical environment and communicated externally through the fiberoptic cable.
126 Citations
27 Claims
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1. In a micro-mechanical system including a catheter, a fiber optic cable, a laser-light-to mechanical-power converter, and a microgripper, the improvement comprising:
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an energy conversion interface mounted at a distal end of said catheter and adjacent a distal end of said fiber optic cable, said energy conversion interface being constructed to convert photon to an energy type selected from the group consisting of electrical, thermal, mechanical and acoustic, and including means to convert an energy type to mechanical power. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In a medical device including a catheter having a distal end adapted, to be connected to an electrically activated microdevice, the improvement comprising:
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at least one optical fiber having a distal end adjacent the distal end of the catheter and a proximal end operatively connected to receive laser light, and an energy conversion device located at said distal end of said catheter and the distal end of said at least one optical fiber and constructed to convert light energy from said optical fiber into energy of a type selected from the group consisting of electrical, thermal, mechanical, and acoustic. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. An energy conversion interface, comprising:
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a least one optical fiber having a proximal end and a distal end, said distal end of said optical fiber adapted to be connected to an associated light source for directing light to the distal end of said fiber, and an energy conversion device operatively connected to receive light from the distal end of said optical fiber, said energy conversion device being selected from the group consisting of photons to thermal, photons to electrical, photons to mechanical, and photons to acoustic, said energy conversion device comprising a photo-electric transducer, said photo-electric transducer being operatively connected to an electrically actuated device. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification