Method and apparatus for supplying pulsed power to an ophthalmic laser system
US5280536A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 11, 1991 |
| Grant date | Jan 18, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 11, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH01S3/134
- WIPO fieldOptics
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A laser power supply including circuitry for converting standard, 115-120 volt, AC power from a wall outlet to current pulses for powering a laser, to generate a pulsed laser output beam having laser pulse amplitude and duration matching pre-selected parameters. In a preferred embodiment, the invention powers an argon laser tube and generates output laser beam pulses having power in the range from about 50 milliwatts to 2 watts, and duration in the range from about 0.01 second to 2 seconds. The invention converts standard AC power to current pulses having controlled duration, average amplitude, and ripple amplitude for powering a laser, and can produce laser output beam pulses with a turn-on time of less than 1 millisecond, with a switching frequency in the range from about 10 to 20 KHz without significant overshoot. A preferred embodiment of the invention powers a gas laser tube, and includes a magnet control circuit which enables the laser tube magnet in the absence of a special magnet control signal received at the magnet control circuit from a fiber optic link. The invention is particularly suitable for powering gas laser systems for use in ophthalmic and surgical applications,…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.