Surgical handpiece and flow control system for use therewith

Claim 2

Flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from an enclosed operative site comprising, a source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, and electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sending an electrical signal to said vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows upon sensing a predetermined signal.

Claim 3

A flow control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said electronic flow control means senses certain changes in flow rates due to the signals received from the flow transducer and at a certain predetermined value, sends an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows.

Claim 4

A flow control system in accordance with claim 1, further involving a bypass reservoir and a solenoid operated valve located intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source, the solenoid operated valve having a first position wherein the suspension only flows from the flow transducer to the negative pressure source, and having a second position wherein fluid only flows from the bypass reservoir to the negative pressure source.

Claim 5

A flow control system in accordance with claim 1 wherein the source of treatment fluid includes two separate sources of fluid each of which has a different pressure, and said flow control system further including switch means having at least two positions, said first switch position coupling only the source of treatment fluid having the lower pressure to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the source of treatment fluid having the higher pressure and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between these two positions.

Claim 6

Flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from a small enclosed operative site comprising, a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes in flow rates due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having at least two positions, said first switch position coupling only the first source of treatment fluid to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the second source of treatment fluid and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between these two positions.

Claim 7

Flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from a small enclosed operative site comprising, a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes in flow rates due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having at least two positions, said first switch position coupling only the first source of treatment fluid to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the second source of treatment fluid and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between these two positions.

Claim 8

A flow control system in accordance with claim 5 further including a bypass reservoir, and a solenoid operated valve located intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source, having a first position wherein the suspension only flows from the flow transducer to the negative pressure source, and having a second position wherein fluid only flows from the bypass reservoir to the negative pressure source.

Claim 9

The combination of a surgical handpiece and a flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from an enclosed operative site wherein said surgical handpiece comprises a fluid inlet channel for treaTment fluid to enter the enclosed operative site, a fluid outlet channel for the suspension of unwanted material in the treatment fluid to exit from the enclosed operative site, and wherein the flow control system comprises a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes in flow rates due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at a certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having at least two positions, said first position coupling only the first source of treatment fluid to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the second source of treatment fluid and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between these two positions.

Claim 10

The combination of a surgical handpiece and a flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from an enclosed operative site wherein said surgical handpiece comprises a fluid inlet channel for treaTment fluid to enter the enclosed operative site, a fluid outlet channel for the suspension of unwanted material in the treatment fluid to exit from the enclosed operative site, and wherein the flow control system comprises a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operative site including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes in flow rates due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at a certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having at least two positions, said first position coupling only the first source of treatment fluid to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the second source of treatment fluid and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between these two positions.

Claim 11

The combination as described in claim 7, wherein the flow control system further includes a bypass reservoir, and a solenoid operated valve located intermediate of and interconnected by the the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source, having a first position wherein the suspension only flows from the flow transducer to the negative pressure source, and having a second position wherein the fluid only flows from the bypass reservoir to the negative pressure source.

Claim 12

The combination of a surgical handpiece and a flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from an enclosed operative site wherein said surgical handpiece comprises a fluid inlet channel for treatment fluid to enter the enclosed operative site, a fluid outlet channel for the suspension of unwanted material in the treatment fluid to exit from the enclosed operative site, and a vibratory body, coupled to a source of high frequency electrical energy, for converting said electrical energy to high frequency mechanical vibrations, and coupled to a source of coolant for cooling a portion of said vibratory body, and wherein the flow control system comprises, a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operativE site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes rates flow rtes due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at a certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having three positions, said first switch position coupling only the source of treatment fluid having the lower pressure to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the source of treatment fluid having the higher pressure and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, and said third switch position coupling the source of treatment fluid having the higher pressure and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site and energizing the high frequency vibratory body; with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between the first and second positions.

Claim 13

The combination of a surgical handpiece and a flow control system for removing a suspension of unwanted material in a treatment fluid from an enclosed operative site wherein said surgical handpiece comprises a fluid inlet channel for treatment fluid to enter the enclosed operative site, a fluid outlet channel for the suspension of unwanted material in the treatment fluid to exit from the enclosed operative site, and a vibratory body, coupled to a source of high frequency electrical energy, for converting said electrical energy to high frequency mechanical vibrations, and coupled to a source of coolant for cooling a portion of said vibratory body, and wherein the flow control system comprises, a first source of treatment fluid at a certain pressure for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said first treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a second source of treatment fluid at a pressure higher than the first source for causing said fluid to flow into the enclosed operative site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said second treatment fluid source to the enclosed operative site, a source of negative pressure for withdrawing the suspension from the enclosed operativE site, including hydraulic tubing for connecting said negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, a flow transducer intermediate of and interconnected by the hydraulic tubing between the negative pressure source and the enclosed operative site, for sensing the flow of the suspension and for generating an electrical signal proportional to said flow, a vent valve coupled to the hydraulic tubing between said flow transducer and said negative pressure source for venting the flow of the suspension to atmospheric pressure, electronic flow control means electrically interconnected to said flow transducer and said vent valve for sensing certain changes rates flow rtes due to the signal received from said flow transducer and, at a certain predetermined value, for sending an electrical signal to the vent valve for venting the hydraulic tubing through which said suspension flows, and a switch means having three positions, said first switch position coupling only the source of treatment fluid having the lower pressure to the enclosed operative site, said second switch position coupling the source of treatment fluid having the higher pressure and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site, and said third switch position coupling the source of treatment fluid having the higher pressure and the negative pressure source to the enclosed operative site and energizing the high frequency vibratory body; with the vent valve receiving an electrical signal to vent the hydraulic tubing between the flow transducer and the negative pressure source whenever the switch means moves between the first and second positions.