Controlling operation of handpieces during ophthalmic surgery

Claim 1

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a control module comprising at least one control arranged to be manipulated by a user to control a setting of at least one parameter of operation of said handpiece, said control being arranged to generate a first signal that indicates the setting of said at least one parameter, and a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal arranged to generate a second signal, in response to actuation of said foot pedal by the user, for controlling operation of said handpiece in accordance with said parameter set by said control in said control module, said foot pedal module further comprising circuitry connected to said control in said control module, to said foot pedal, and to said handpiece, said circuitry being located within said foot pedal module and being arranged to process said first signal and said second signal to generate an output signal to control the operation of said handpiece, said output signal being based on the setting of said at least one parameter and the actuation of said foot pedal, wherein said circuitry located within said foot pedal module comprises substantially all of the circuitry of said system and performs substantially all processing of signals in said system.

Claim 2

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a control module comprising at least one control arranged to be manipulated by a user to control a setting of at least one parameter of operation of said handpiece, said control being arranged to generate a first signal that indicates the setting of said at least one parameter, and a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal arranged to generate a second signal, in response to actuation of said foot pedal by the user, for controlling operation of said handpiece in accordance with said parameter set by said control in said control module, said foot pedal module further comprising circuitry connected to said control in said control module, to said foot pedal, and to said handpiece, said circuitry being located within said foot pedal module and being arranged to process said first signal and said second signal to generate an output signal to control the operation of said handpiece, said output signal being based on the setting of said at least one parameter and the actuation of said foot pedal, wherein said circuitry located within said foot pedal module comprises substantially all of the circuitry of said system and performs substantially all processing of signals in said system.

Claim 9

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a control module comprising a plurality of controls each of which comprises a user-graspable portion arranged to be manipulated manually to multiple positions by the user, said control module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manual manipulation of each of said controls results in variation of a respective parameter of operation of said handpiece, wherein visual feedback from said system with respect to all parameters of operation of said handpiece is provided exclusively by observation of the displacement of said user-graspable portions of said plurality of controls relative to fixed markings on said control module, and a foot pedal module electrically connected to said control module and comprising a foot pedal with which operation of said handpiece is controllable in accordance with said parameters set by said controls in said control module.

Claim 10

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a control module comprising a plurality of controls each of which comprises a user-graspable portion arranged to be manipulated manually to multiple positions by the user, said control module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manual manipulation of each of said controls results in variation of a respective parameter of operation of said handpiece, wherein visual feedback from said system with respect to all parameters of operation of said handpiece is provided exclusively by observation of the displacement of said user-graspable portions of said plurality of controls relative to fixed markings on said control module, and a foot pedal module electrically connected to said control module and comprising a foot pedal with which operation of said handpiece is controllable in accordance with said parameters set by said controls in said control module.

Claim 13

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion into said eye, a pump, connected to said handpiece by tubing, said pump being arranged to produce aspiration through said tubing, and a control module connected to said tubing and comprising a vacuum regulator, said vacuum regulator comprising a user-graspable portion arranged for selecting any one of a plurality of aspiration pressures within said tubing, visual feedback of aspiration pressure being provided solely through observation of the displacement of said user-graspable portion of said vacuum regulator relative to fixed markings on said control module.

Claim 14

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion into said eye, a pump, connected to said handpiece by tubing, said pump being arranged to produce aspiration through said tubing, and a control module connected to said tubing and comprising a vacuum regulator, said vacuum regulator comprising a user-graspable portion arranged for selecting any one of a plurality of aspiration pressures within said tubing, visual feedback of aspiration pressure being provided solely through observation of the displacement of said user-graspable portion of said vacuum regulator relative to fixed markings on said control module.

Claim 17

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a pump, connected to said handpiece by tubing, said pump being arranged to operate in a first direction to produce aspiration through said handpiece and said tubing, a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal, said foot pedal module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manipulation of said foot pedal controls operation of said handpiece, and a reflux switch coupled with said foot pedal module in a manner such that manipulation of said reflux switch from a first position to a second position overrides operation of said foot pedal regardless of the position of said foot pedal by causing said pump to operate indefinitely and continuously in a second direction opposite to said first direction, as long as said reflux switch is in said second position, to force fluid through said tubing in a direction opposite to the direction in which fluid flows through said tubing during aspiration.

Claim 18

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a pump, connected to said handpiece by tubing, said pump being arranged to operate in a first direction to produce aspiration through said handpiece and said tubing, a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal, said foot pedal module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manipulation of said foot pedal controls operation of said handpiece, and a reflux switch coupled with said foot pedal module in a manner such that manipulation of said reflux switch from a first position to a second position overrides operation of said foot pedal regardless of the position of said foot pedal by causing said pump to operate indefinitely and continuously in a second direction opposite to said first direction, as long as said reflux switch is in said second position, to force fluid through said tubing in a direction opposite to the direction in which fluid flows through said tubing during aspiration.

Claim 24

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal, said foot pedal module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manipulation of said foot pedal controls application of electrical power to said handpiece, and an auditory indicator coupled with said foot pedal module in a manner such that said auditory indicator is arranged to produce an audible timing signal that is introduced at the end of a predetermined time interval after initiation of application of said electrical power to said handpiece.

Claim 25

A system for operating on a patient's eye, comprising a handpiece constructed for insertion by a user into said eye, a foot pedal module comprising a foot pedal, said foot pedal module being coupled with said handpiece in a manner such that manipulation of said foot pedal controls application of electrical power to said handpiece, and an auditory indicator coupled with said foot pedal module in a manner such that said auditory indicator is arranged to produce an audible timing signal that is introduced at the end of a predetermined time interval after initiation of application of said electrical power to said handpiece.