Pneumatic controls for ophthalmic surgical system
US5417246A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 27, 1993 |
| Grant date | May 23, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 27, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T137/87885
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pneumatic control system for providing pressurized air and vacuum to ophthalmic microsurgical instruments. The pneumatic system is constructed in a drawer assembly to allow it to be readily inserted into or removed from a modularly constructed cabinet of a microsurgical control console. In addition, the pneumatic system improves upon existing pneumatic control systems by providing a third mode of microscissors operation from a single-pneumatic port. The third mode is made possible by a high speed three-way solenoid control valve which provides rapid pulses of air to the pneumatic port. A second improvement involves the use of a pneumatic pressure transducer to monitor pneumatic pressure being supplied to the pneumatic system in order to recognize non-hazardous transient drops in air pressure which can occur under certain normal operating conditions. A third improvement relates to the use of an intraocular pressure accumulator downstream from a final solenoid-operated pinch valve, which reduces fluctuations in air pressure and has other advantages.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.