Patent US2429453A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4955365A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
← Back to Patent Explorer
US4955365A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Localization and therapy system for treatment of spatially oriented focal disease

Assignee: Laboratory Equipment Corp
•
Filing: 1989-06-22
•
Granted: 1990-09-11
•
Expires: 2009-06-22
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract A transducer assembly for visualization and treatment of transcutaneous and intraoperative sites includes in combination a visualization transducer and a treatment transducer, each of which are movable with both linear and rotary degrees of freedom. Movement of each transducer is by various motor and geared drive arrangements wherein certain degrees of freedom for one transducer are separate and independent from the degrees of freedom for the other transducer. At least one degree of freedom for each transducer is common and the transducers are moved concurrently. One arrangement of the transducer combination is for prostate treatment and includes a specific shape and configuration for anatomical considerations and a control unit which is operable external to the patient to control both transducers and a reflective scanner which are inserted into the patient as part of the ultrasound probe.

Inventors

  • 👤 Francis J. Fry
  • 👤 Narendra T. Sanghvi

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-23 13:10
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/22; A61B17/225; A61B17/2256; A61B17/2258; A61B17/22004; A61B17/22012; A61B17/2202; A61B8/00; A61B8/08; A61B8/0833; A61B8/12; A61B8/44; A61B8/4444; A61B8/4461; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N7/02; A61N7/022; G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/35; A61B2017/22021; A61B17/2251; A61B2017/2253; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B2090/3782; A61B2090/3788; A61B8/0808

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 182 words
An ultrasound treatment transducer assembly for directing a focused beam at an anatomical site, said transducer assembly comprising: an acoustic focusing lens having a concave front surface and a substantially flat back surface; a substantially flat piezoelectric transducer plate disposed in spaced relation to said focusing lens and having a rear surface and a front surface which is disposed at a fixed distance of separation with respect to the back surface of said acoustic focusing lens; an acoustic coupling medium disposed between the back surface of said focusing lens and the front surface of said transducer plate; first pressurizing means cooperatively arranged with said acoustic coupling medium for maintaining said acoustic coupling medium between said transducer plate and said focusing lens at a desired pressure; and air pressure means cooperatively arranged relative to the rear surface of said transducer plate and adapted to apply air pressure against said rear surface, wherein the pressure applied against said rear surface by said air pressure means is higher than the pressure on the front surface of said transducer plate due to said acoustic coupling medium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 182 words
An ultrasound treatment transducer assembly for directing a focused beam at an anatomical site, said transducer assembly comprising: an acoustic focusing lens having a concave front surface and a substantially flat back surface; a substantially flat piezoelectric transducer plate disposed in spaced relation to said focusing lens and having a rear surface and a front surface which is disposed at a fixed distance of separation with respect to the back surface of said acoustic focusing lens; an acoustic coupling medium disposed between the back surface of said focusing lens and the front surface of said transducer plate; first pressurizing means cooperatively arranged with said acoustic coupling medium for maintaining said acoustic coupling medium between said transducer plate and said focusing lens at a desired pressure; and air pressure means cooperatively arranged relative to the rear surface of said transducer plate and adapted to apply air pressure against said rear surface, wherein the pressure applied against said rear surface by said air pressure means is higher than the pressure on the front surface of said transducer plate due to said acoustic coupling medium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 44 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein said first pressurizing means includes an enclosed volume filled with said acoustic coupling medium and a source of air pressure, said enclosed volume and said source of air pressure being separated by a flexible diaphragm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 16 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 2 wherein said acoustic coupling medium is silicone oil.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 34 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 3 which further includes a spacer positioned between and in contact with the front surface of said transducer plate and the back surface of said focusing lens.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 41 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 4 wherein the distance of separation of said transducer plate front surface and said focusing lens back surface is controlled by said spacer and is equal to approximately one-fourth wavelength in said silicone oil.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein said acoustic coupling medium is silicone oil.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 41 words
The ultrasound treatment transducer assembly of claim 1 wherein the distance of separation of said transducer plate front surface and said focusing lens back surface is controlled by said spacer and is equal to approximately one-fourth wavelength in said silicone oil.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3817089A Cited
US4194510A Cited
US4517840A Cited
US4844079A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1993-09-10 1994-03-12 1994-09-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1997-09-10 1998-03-12 1998-09-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2001-09-10 2002-03-12 2002-09-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag