A calculus disintegrating apparatus

Claim 2

A calculus disintegrating apparatus which comprises first and second electrodes (28, 30) provided separately from each other, discharge energy source means (10, 16) which is connected to said first and second electrodes (28, 30) and impresses D.C. impulse voltage across said first and second electrodes (28, 30), characterized by further comprising polarity changing means (18, 20, 22, 24, 80, 82, 84, 86) which is connected to said discharge energy source means (10, 16), and selectively defines the polarity of D.C. impulse voltage impressed across said first and second electrodes (28, 30).

Claim 3

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said discharge energy source means is formed of a D.C. source (16) and a capacitor (10) charged by the D.C. source (16).

Claim 4

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said polarity changing means is formed of a switching circuit (18, 20, 22, 24) which is connected between the capacitor (10) and the first and second electrodes (28, 30), and selectively defines the direction in which discharge current flows from the capacitor (10) to the first and second electrodes (28, 30).

Claim 5

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that said polarity changing means is formed of a switching circuit (80, 82, 84, 86) which is connected between the capacitor (10) and D.C. source (16), and selectively defines the direction in which charge current flows from the D.C. source (16) to the capacitor (10).

Claim 6

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by further comprises a warning circuit (50) which detects discharge initiating voltage impressed across the first and second electrodes, and, when the detected voltage is higher than a prescribed level, gives an alarm.

Claim 7

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that said switching circuit comprises a first discharge tube (18) connected between one end of the capacitor (10) and said first electrode (28), a second discharge tube (20) connected between one end by the capacitor (10) and said second electrode (30), a third discharge tube (22) connected between the other end of the capacitor (10) and said first electrode (28), a fourth discharge tube (24) connected between the other end of the capacitor (10) and said second electrode (30), a first trigger circuit (44) for triggering said first and fourth discharge tubes (18, 22), a second trigger circuit (46) for triggering said second and third discharge tubes (20, 24), and a flip-flop circuit (38) for alternately selecting said first and second trigger circuits (44, 46) each time the initiation of discharge is instructed.

Claim 8

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that said switching circuit comprises a first switch (80) connected between one end of the capacitor (10) and the positive terminal of said D.C. source (16), a second switch (82) connected between one end of the capacitor (10) and the negative terminal of said D.C. source (16), a third switch (84) connected between the other end of the capacitor (10) and the positive terminal of said D.C. source (16), a fourth switch (86) connected between the other end of the capacitor (10) and the nagative terminal of said D.C. source (16), a first actuator (90) closing the first and fourth switches (80, 86), a second actuator (92) for closing the second and third switches (82, 84), and a flip-flop circuit (38) for alternately operating the first and second actuators (90, 92), each time the initiation of the charge of the capacitor is instructed.

Claim 9

A calculus disintegrating apparatus which comprises first and second electrodes (28, 30) provided separately from each other, discharge energy source means (10, 16) which is connected to said first and second electrodes (28, 30) and impresses D.C. impulse voltage across said first and second electrodes (28, 30), characterized by further comprising auxiliary energy source means (100, 106) which is connected in series to said discharge energy source means (10, 16) and impresses auxiliary D.C. impulse voltage having a narrow pulse width than.that of the impulse produced from said discharge energy means (10, 16) across said first and second electrodes (28, 30) in synchronization with the D.C. impulse voltage from said discharge energy source means (10, 16) in a state superposed on said D.C. impulse voltage.

Claim 10

A calculus disintegrating apparatus which comprises first and second electrodes (28, 30) provided separately from each other, discharge energy source means (10, 16) which is connected to said first and second electrodes (28, 30) and impresses D.C. impulse voltage across said first and second electrodes (28, 30), characterized by further comprising auxiliary energy source means (100, 106) which is connected in series to said discharge energy source means (10, 16) and impresses auxiliary D.C. impulse voltage having a narrow pulse width than.that of the impulse produced from said discharge energy means (10, 16) across said first and second electrodes (28, 30) in synchronization with the D.C. impulse voltage from said discharge energy source means (10, 16) in a state superposed on said D.C. impulse voltage.

Claim 11

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said discharge energy source means comprises a D.C. source (16) and capacitor (10) charged by the D.C. source (16), and said auxiliary discharge energy source means comprises an auxiliary D.C. source (106) and auxiliary capacitor (100) which is connected in series to said capacitor (10), and charged by said auxiliary D.C. source (106) and has a smaller capacity than said capacitor.

Claim 12

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that said discharge energy source means comprises a D.C. source (16) and capacitor (10) charged by said D.C. source (16), and said auxiliary discharge energy source means comprises a series circuit consisting of an auxiliary D.C. source (106) and semiconductor switching element (116) connected in parallel to the discharge circuit of said capacitor (10), said semiconductor switching element (116) being rendered conductive at the time of initiation of discharge.

Claim 13

A calculus disintegrating apparatus according to claim 8, characterized by further comprises a warning circuit (50) which detects a discharge initiating voltage impressed across said first and second electrodes, and, when the detected voltage rises above a prescribed level, gives an alarm.