Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
149 words
A shock wave source for extracorporeal lithotripsy treatment of calculi in a patient, said shock wave source comprising: a housing containing a volume filled with a shock wave conducting medium closed at one end by a flexible cover adapted for application against said patient; means for generating high-voltage pulses; a coil connected to said means for generating high-voltage pulses; an insulator layer disposed adjacent said coil; a membrane closing an opposite end of said housing and disposed adjacent said insulator layer, said membrane consisting of a flexible base covered by a plurality of discrete geodesic laminae consisting of electrically conductive material, whereby upon the supply of a high-voltage pulse to said coil by said means for generating high-voltage pulses, said coil generates an electromagnetic field which rapidly repells said membrane to generate a pressure pulse and; means for focusing said pressure pulse into a shock wave on said calculus.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
149 words
A shock wave source for extracorporeal lithotripsy treatment of calculi in a patient, said shock wave source comprising: a housing containing a volume filled with a shock wave conducting medium closed at one end by a flexible cover adapted for application against said patient; means for generating high-voltage pulses; a coil connected to said means for generating high-voltage pulses; an insulator layer disposed adjacent said coil; a membrane closing an opposite end of said housing and disposed adjacent said insulator layer, said membrane consisting of a flexible base covered by a plurality of discrete geodesic laminae consisting of electrically conductive material, whereby upon the supply of a high-voltage pulse to said coil by said means for generating high-voltage pulses, said coil generates an electromagnetic field which rapidly repells said membrane to generate a pressure pulse and; means for focusing said pressure pulse into a shock wave on said calculus.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
23 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of said laminae have respectively different mass moments of inertia.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
21 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of said laminae have respectively different electrical conductivity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
35 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least some of said laminae have respectively different mass moment of inertia and at least some of said laminae have respectively different electrical conductivity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for focusing is an acoustic lens disposed between said membrane and said flexible cover.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
33 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for focusing is a carrier for said coil, said insulator layer and said membrane which curves said membrane around a focus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
66 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1 wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical shock wave tube having an interior wall, and wherein said means for focusing is a carrier for said coil, said insulator layer and said membrane which curves said membrane toward said interior wall of said tube so that said pressure pulses are reflected off of said interior wall toward a focus.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
80 words
A shock wave source as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a cylindrical shock wave tube having an interior wall, and wherein said means for focusing is a carrier for said coil, said insulator layer and said membrane being in the form of a truncated cone, and a plurality of steps on said interior wall of said tube, so that said pressure pulses from said membranes are reflected by said steps on said interior wall toward a focus.