Method of operating an ultrasound handpiece

• US 8,172,786 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2009
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Novartis Ag
• Original Assignee: Alcon Research Limited (Nestle SA)
• Inventors: Boukhny, Mikhail
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Jackie
• Assistant Examiner(s): LANDRY II, GERALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US12/503,962
• Publication Number:
  US 20090306583A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 839/56, 604/22, 128/200.16, 408/700, 600/407, 600/437, 601/2
• 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 type of vibration during the power pulse.

Claims

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse comprising an on portion during which vibrations are present at the hand piece tip and an off portion during which no vibrations are present at the hand piece tip; and

dividing the on portion into a first, low power torsional pulse period and a second, high power longitudinal pulse period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the on portion is greater than 10 milliseconds.

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

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the on portion is of variable duration.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the off portion is of variable duration.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at the hand piece tip; and

dividing the periodic vibratory pulse into a first, low power torsional pulse period and a second, high power longitudinal pulse period.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the on portion is greater than 10 milliseconds.

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

9. The method of claim 6 wherein the on portion is of variable duration.

10. The method of claim 6 wherein the off portion is of variable duration.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse comprising an on portion during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip and an off portion during which no vibrations are present at the hand piece tip; and

dividing the on portion into a first, high power longitudinal pulse period, and a second low power torsional pulse period.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the on portion is greater than 10 milliseconds.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the first, high power longitudinal pulse period is less than 5 milliseconds.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the on portion is of variable duration.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the off portion is of variable duration.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip; and

dividing the periodic vibratory pulse into a first, high power longitudinal pulse period, and a second, low power torsional pulse period.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the on portion is greater than 10 milliseconds.

18. The method of claim 16 wherein the first, high power longitudinal pulse period is less than 5 milliseconds.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the on portion is of variable duration.

20. The method of claim 16 wherein the off portion is of variable duration.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip, the periodic vibratory pulse further comprising a high power period and a low power period; and

dividing the high power period into a first torsional pulse period and a second, longitudinal pulse period.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip, the periodic vibratory pulse further comprising a high power period and a low power period; and

dividing the high power period into a first, longitudinal pulse period and a second, torsional pulse period.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip, the periodic vibratory pulse further comprising a high power period and a low power period; and

dividing the low power period into a first torsional pulse period and a second, longitudinal pulse period.

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

providing an ultrasound hand piece, the hand piece having a proximal end and a distal end, a hand piece tip located near the distal end of the hand piece, the hand piece configured such that a torsional nodal point and a longitudinal nodal point are coincident at the proximal end of the hand piece;

producing at least one periodic vibratory pulse during which vibrations are present at a hand piece tip, the periodic vibratory pulse further comprising a high power period and a low power period; and

dividing the low power period into a first, longitudinal pulse period and a second, torsional pulse period.