Vented ultrasonic transducer for surgical handpiece

Claim 1

An ultrasonic handpiece for surgical operations comprising, a generally cylindrical-shaped housing, an electrical power system including an ultrasonic motor comprising a pair of side-by-side electrically driven crystals and electrical leads mounted in said housing, a surgical tool which must be periodically sterilized with steam or hot moisture having one end connected to said motor and with the other end extending from said housing, first and one or more than other said electrical power leads extending into said housing and said first electrical power lead connected to ground and said one or more other electrical power leads connected to the electrically driven crystals, and at least one vent tube extending through said housing with one end terminating adjacent said side-by-side crystals and power leads of said motor and the other end extending through said housing so as to provide a path for removing moisture deposited during sterilization from the inside of said housing so as to prevent said first and one or more other electrical power leads and crystals from being shorted by moisture which would provide an electrical path within said electrical power system which would prevent operation.