Rotating catheter probe using a light-drive apparatus

• US 7,844,321 B2
• Filed: 12/06/2006
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Milner, Thomas E., Kemp, Nathaniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Casler; Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUNTLEY, DANIEL CARROLL
• Application Number:
  US11/567,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20070239032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,455 Days
• Field of Search: 600/407, 600/435, 600/476, 600/478, 356/216, 356/613, 356/491, 356/477, 359/211.5, 359/220.1, 359/227, 359/236, 359/850, 606/418
• US Class Current: 600/478
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0011 Manufacturing of endoscope parts
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00172 with means for scanning
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00194 adapted for three-dimensional imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0066 Optical coherence imaging
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6852 Catheters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49826 Assembling or joining

Abstract

The invention is a rotating tip catheter-imaging probe where electromagnetic energy is delivered to the distal end of a catheter and converted to mechanical energy using a light drive apparatus. The mechanical energy is then used to rotate a mirror that redirects light in fixed pattern on a sample. The rotating element of the light drive apparatus contains vanes, which rotate about an axis and positioned with bearings to minimize friction. A chamber encompasses the rotating element and is set to a vacuum pressure. The rotational speed of the catheter tip can be controlled by varying the optical power delivered to the vanes, the vacuum pressure in the chamber, or by a braking mechanism applied to the rotating element. The vanes may be shaped in a particular geometry to increase forces on the vanes from thermally driven gas flow.

Claims

1. A device for directing optical energy, comprising:

a) a body member having a proximal and a distal end;

b) an optical conduit coaxial to, and within the body member;

c) a reflector element in optical communication with the distal end of the optical conduit;

d) a rotational element operably coupled to the reflector element; and

e) at least one vane member associated with the rotational element and in optical communication with the optical conduit, wherein the at least one vane member includes a thermal gradient between a first surface and a second surface when in optical communication with the optical conduit, wherein a vacuum chamber surrounds at least a portion of the rotational element and the vane member.

2. The device of claim 1, further comprising an anterior bearing operably associated with the reflector element and a posterior bearing operably associated with the rotational element.

3. The device of claim 2, further comprising a lens in optical communication with the reflector element.

4. The imaging device of claim 3, wherein the lens comprises a gradient index lens.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the reflector element further comprises a dichroic mirror.

6. The device of claim 2, wherein the at least one vane member further comprise radial projections from the rotational element.

7. The device of claim 2, wherein the rotational element further comprises a capillary tube having an inner lumen in optical communication with the optical conduit, wherein the inner lumen includes a light scattering material directing incident light toward the thermal gradient.

8. The device of claim 2, further comprising means for controlling rotation speed of the rotational element.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein the thermal gradient comprises a first energy absorbing surface and a second energy reflecting surface.

10. A method for directing optical energy for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes, comprising

a) coupling a rotatably mounted vane member to a rotatably mounted reflecting element;

b) directing optical energy to the rotatably mounted vane member within a vacuum sealed chamber, whereby the vane member and the reflecting element rotate by operation of a thermal gradient between the a first surface and a second surface of the vane member,

c) directing optical energy to the reflecting element, whereby the reflecting element further directs optical energy to a region of interest.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising focusing optical energy to the reflecting element.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising varying the rotational speed of the vane member.