Method of operating an ultrasound handpiece

• US 7,572,242 B2
• Filed: 08/19/2005
• Issued: 08/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Alcon Incorporated
• Inventors: Boukhny, Mikhail
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bouchelle; Laura A
• Application Number:
  US11/207,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20050277869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,453 Days
• Field of Search: 604/22, 604/544, 606/169, 606/166, 606/170, 606/171, 606/27, 606/129
• US Class Current: 604/22
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00106 ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00159 Pulse shapes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00172 Pulse trains, bursts, intermittent continuous operation
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00181 Means for setting or varying the pulse energy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/22015 with details of the transmission member
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/32007 with suction or vacuum means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320089 node location
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/320098 with transverse or torsional motion
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/00745 using mechanical vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/956 Ultrasonic

Abstract

A method of operating an ultrasonic handpiece by pulsing the power supplied to the handpiece and varying the amplitude of the power during the power pulse.

Claims

1. A method of operating an ultrasound handpiece, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an ultrasound handpiece;

b) providing an ultrasound drive circuit capable of producing an ultrasound drive signal;

c) delivering the ultrasound drive signal to the ultrasound handpiece in a series of pulses so as to produce periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece, each period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece being followed by a period of no ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece; and

d) varying the power level of the ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound

handpiece during the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece

wherein varying the power level of the ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece comprises dividing the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the handpiece into at least a first, low power torsional pulse period to avoid repulsion of lens material, followed by a second, high power longitudinal pulse period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece is at least 20 milliseconds.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the high power period is less than 5 milliseconds.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece is of variable duration.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the period of no ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece is of variable duration.

6. A method of operating an ultrasound handpiece, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an ultrasound handpiece;

b) providing an ultrasound drive circuit capable of producing an ultrasound drive signal;

c) delivering the ultrasound drive signal to the ultrasound handpiece in a series of pulses so as to produce periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece; and

d) varying the power level of the ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece during the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece

wherein varying the power level of the ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece comprises dividing the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the handpiece into at least a first, low power torsional pulse period to avoid repulsion of lens material, followed by a second, high power longitudinal pulse period.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece is at least 20 milliseconds.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the high power period is less than 5 milliseconds.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound handpiece is of variable duration.

10. A method of operating an ultrasound hand piece, the method comprising:

providing an ultrasound hand piece;

providing a drive circuit capable of producing an ultrasound drive signal;

delivering the ultrasound drive signal in a series of pulses so as to produce periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound hand piece;

varying the power level of the ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound hand piece during the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound hand piece by dividing the periodic ultrasound vibrations in the hand piece into at least a first, low power torsional pulse period followed by a second, high power longitudinal pulse period; and

avoiding repulsion of lens material at a tip of the ultrasound hand piece by providing an ultrasound drive signal that results in torsional movement of the tip.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound hand piece is at least 20 milliseconds.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the high power period is less than 5 milliseconds.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the period of ultrasound vibrations in the ultrasound hand piece is of variable duration.