US3669093A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Apparatus for giving medical treatment by irradiation from radioactive substances
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1969-12-30
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Granted: 1972-06-13
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Expires: 1989-12-30
Abstract
Abstract Apparatus for treating human or animal patients by local irradiation from a radioactive substance comprises a hollow probe closed at one end for introduction into a natural or surgically produced opening in the body of the patient and a capsule which contains a quantity of the radioactive substance and is fixed to the end of a flexible but longitudinal thrust-transmitting cable which propels the capsule between the interior of a shielding block and the interior of the probe which is fixed to the block by a delivery tube through which the cable extends. The cable passes through a passage in the block and when the capsule is situated in the interior of the block the cable extends from the block through an opening in the end of the block remote from the delivery tube, around the greater part of the periphery of a driving wheel which is situated in the housing containing the shielding block, through a storage tube to a terminal stop. The cable is pressed against the driving wheel by spring-loaded rollers so that it is moved when the driving wheel rotates and the storage tube extends between the housings of two photoelectric assemblies which detect the movement of the end of the cable remote from the capsule and respond by controlling the movements of the driving wheel. The effective length of the storage tube, measured between the two photo-electric cell assemblies is equal to the distance traveled by the radiation capsule between the interior of the block and the end of the probe so that the two photo-electric cell assemblies stop the driving wheel when the capsule is either in its position at the closed end of the probe or in its position within the block.
Inventors
- 👤 Kurt Sauerwein
- 👤 Hans Goedecke
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 05:45
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61M; A61M25/00; A61M25/01; A61M25/0105; A61M25/0113; A61M31/00; A61N; A61N5/00; A61N5/10; A61N5/1001; A61N5/1007; A61N2005/1008
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
359 words
In apparatus for providing medical treatment for patients by local irradiation from a radioactive substance, said apparatus including a hollow probe for introduction into an opening in the body of said patient, means closing one end of said probe, a radiation capsule, a quantity of radioactive substance in said capsule, a radiation shielding block, means defining a passage through said block, a delivery tube fixing said probe to said block, a flexible and longitudinal thrust transmitting cable fixed to said capsule and extending through said delivery tube and said passage and means for moving said cable to move said capsule between a first position in the interior of said block and a second position at the closed end of said probe, the improvement wherein said means for moving said cable includes a driving wheel, means rotatably mounting said driving wheel on the side of said block remote from said delivery tube, means for rotating said driving wheel and spring-loaded roller means for pressing said cable against said driving wheel around the greater part of the periphery thereof, and further comprising a storage tube for said cable extending from said driving wheel on the side thereof remote from said block, terminal stop means at the end of said storage tube remote from said driving wheel and two photoelectric detecting means for detecting movement of the end of said cable remote from said capsule, said cable extending from said capsule when said capsule is in said first position out of said block through an opening, around said driving wheel and through said storage tube, the effective length of said storage tube measured between said two photo-electric detecting means being equal to the distance traveled by said radiation capsule between said first position and said second position and said photo-electric detecting means being operative to control said means for rotating said driving wheel whereby said rotating means is stopped by one of said photo-electric detecting means when said capsule reaches said first position from said second position and said rotating means is stopped by the other of said photo-electric detecting means when said capsule reaches said second position from said first position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
359 words
In apparatus for providing medical treatment for patients by local irradiation from a radioactive substance, said apparatus including a hollow probe for introduction into an opening in the body of said patient, means closing one end of said probe, a radiation capsule, a quantity of radioactive substance in said capsule, a radiation shielding block, means defining a passage through said block, a delivery tube fixing said probe to said block, a flexible and longitudinal thrust transmitting cable fixed to said capsule and extending through said delivery tube and said passage and means for moving said cable to move said capsule between a first position in the interior of said block and a second position at the closed end of said probe, the improvement wherein said means for moving said cable includes a driving wheel, means rotatably mounting said driving wheel on the side of said block remote from said delivery tube, means for rotating said driving wheel and spring-loaded roller means for pressing said cable against said driving wheel around the greater part of the periphery thereof, and further comprising a storage tube for said cable extending from said driving wheel on the side thereof remote from said block, terminal stop means at the end of said storage tube remote from said driving wheel and two photoelectric detecting means for detecting movement of the end of said cable remote from said capsule, said cable extending from said capsule when said capsule is in said first position out of said block through an opening, around said driving wheel and through said storage tube, the effective length of said storage tube measured between said two photo-electric detecting means being equal to the distance traveled by said radiation capsule between said first position and said second position and said photo-electric detecting means being operative to control said means for rotating said driving wheel whereby said rotating means is stopped by one of said photo-electric detecting means when said capsule reaches said first position from said second position and said rotating means is stopped by the other of said photo-electric detecting means when said capsule reaches said second position from said first position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said photo-electric detecting means at the end of said storage tube nearer said driving wheel measured along the path of said cable, is situated at a predetermined distance from said closed end of said probe measured along the path of said cable around said driving wheel, through said block and through said delivery tube and said cable has a length slightly longer than said predetermined distance, and means defining a lateral clearance between said cable and said delivery tube and said storage tube, said lateral clearance being sufficient to allow said cable to flex elastically under longitudinal compression whereby said cable adopts a wavy shape within aid tubes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
77 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means defining a delivery opening at the junction between said passage through said block and said delivery tube, the part of said passage extending between said first position and said delivery opening having a plurality of changes in direction, and means defining enlargements in diameter of saId passage at said changes in direction to allow free movement of said capsule and said cable through said part of said passage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a layer of frictional material and means fixing said layer of frictional material around the periphery of said driving wheel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein said means fixing said layer of frictional material to said periphery of said driving wheel includes electrical insulating means whereby said cable is electrically insulated from said driving wheel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said capsule and said cable have the same diameters and cross sections as each other.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising means forming an enlargement in said passage through said block and in said delivery and storage tubes at transitions between said passage and said tubes.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
82 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said radiation capsule comprises a hollow cylinder, means closing one end of said cylinder, partition means extending across said cylinder adjacent said one end, said partition means and said means closing said one end defining a space containing said radioactive substance and the other end of said cylinder being open, said end of said cable which is fixed to said capsule being of reduced diameter and being received in said open end of said cylinder.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein said cable comprises a plurality of intercoiled wires forming a core and a coil of wire surrounding said core, an end portion of said coil of wire being removed to bare said core to form said reduced diameter portion of said cable and said bared core being received in said open end of said cylinder, and means securing said bared end in said cylinder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
58 words
Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said photo-electric detection means includes a plurality of light sources and a plurality of photo-electric cells, said light sources being adapted to produce beams of light shining on said cells and said beams crossing each other in a common transverse plane in the path of movement of said cable.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-06-13 | 1975-12-13 | 1976-06-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-06-13 | 1979-12-13 | 1980-06-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-06-13 | 1983-12-13 | 1984-06-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |