# US 12,376,736 B2 · Thermally controlled illumination devices

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 12,376,736 B2
- Document ID: US12376736B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/204,220
- Filed: 2021-03-17
- Published: 2021-07-01
- Granted: 2025-08-05
- Earliest claimed: 2014-11-12
- Assignees: Invuity, Inc.
- Applicants: Invuity, Inc.
- Inventors: Vladimir Zagatsky; Fernando Erismann; Alex Vayser
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12376736B2

## CPC

- A61B 1/00128: {mechanical, e.g. for tubes or pipes}
- A61B 1/00066: {Proximal part of endoscope body, e.g. handles (A61B1/0052 takes precedence)}
- A61B 1/00119: {Tubes or pipes in or with an endoscope}
- A61B 1/00167: {Details of optical fibre bundles, e.g. shape or fibre distribution}
- A61B 1/015: Control of fluid supply or evacuation
- A61B 1/07: using light-conductive means, e.g. optical fibres
- A61B 90/30: Devices for illuminating a surgical field, the devices having an interrelation with other surgical devices or with a surgical procedure
- A61B 90/361: {Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras}
- A61M 1/74: {Suction control (underwater drainage A61M1/61)}
- G02B 6/002: {by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces}
- G02B 6/0055: {Reflecting element, sheet or layer}
- G02B 6/0085: {Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package}
- G02B 23/2469: {using optical fibres}
- G02B 23/2476: {Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports}
- A61M 1/84: {Drainage tubes; Aspiration tips (for negative pressure wound therapy A61M1/90; for surgical cutting instruments A61B17/32)}
- A61M 2205/587: Lighting arrangements
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)}
- G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS

## Abstract

An illumination element has a light input section, a light transmitting section, and a light output section. The light input section is optically coupled to a proximal section of the light transmitting section and inputs light into the illumination element. The light transmitting section transmits the light by total internal reflection or by other transmission means. The light output section is adjacent a distal section of the light transmitting section which has a light extraction area from which the light exits with an energy density. The light extraction area comprises a bore extending at least partially inward into a distal end of the light output section. A plurality of optical structures is disposed on an inner wall of the bore. The optical structures are configured to extract light from the light output section and direct it toward the surgical field.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An illuminated surgical instrument, said illuminated surgical instrument comprising:
a handheld surgical instrument selected from the group consisting of a suction tube and an electrosurgery instrument; and
a non-fiber optic optical waveguide coupled to the handheld surgical instrument, wherein the non-fiber optic optical waveguide comprises:
a light input section at a proximal portion of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide, wherein the light input section is configured to input light into the non-fiber optic optical waveguide;
a light transmitting section optically coupled to the light input section, and
a light output section located distal of the light transmitting section, wherein the light transmitting section is configured to transmit the light from the light input section to the light output section, and
a conical bore defined by the light output section,
wherein, in a direction from a distal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide toward a proximal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide, the conical bore tapers inwardly such that a diameter of the conical bore reduces in size in the direction from the distal end toward the proximal end,
a plurality of surface features on an inner wall of the conical bore, wherein the plurality of surface features are selected from the group consisting of: stair steps, prisms, microstructures, radiused facets, planar facets, and lenslets,
wherein a first portion of the plurality of surface features extends entirely around a circumference of the conical bore, and a second portion of the plurality of surface features extends only partially around the circumference of the conical bore, and
wherein at least one of:
(i) the first portion of the plurality of surface features are positioned distal of the second portion of the plurality of surface features on the conical bore, or
(ii) each surface feature of the second portion partially extends around the circumference by a respective circumferential distance, and the respective circumferential distances of the second portion of the plurality of surface features decreases in a proximal direction, and
wherein the distal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide is offset proximally from a distal end of the handheld surgical instrument.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the plurality of surface features comprise a plurality of the stair steps, and
wherein each stair step is formed into the conical bore of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 2, wherein each stair step comprises a riser surface and a step surface, and
wherein each riser surface extends between adjacent step surfaces.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein one side of the conical bore has a greater quantity of the plurality of surface features than another side of the conical bore.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the first portion of the plurality of surface features are positioned distal of the second portion of the plurality of surface features on the conical bore.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein each surface feature of the second portion partially extends around the circumference by the respective circumferential distance, and
wherein the respective circumferential distances of the second portion of the plurality of surface features decreases in the proximal direction.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the light extracted from the light output section has an energy density, and wherein the light output section has an extraction area large enough to maintain the energy density at a level that prevents temperature exceeding a glass transition temperature of the illuminated surgical instrument.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the handheld surgical instrument comprises a suction tube, and a suction control mechanism fluidly coupled to the suction tube.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein light is transmitted through the light transmitting section by total internal refection (TIR).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

A method for illuminating a surgical field in a patient, said method comprising:
providing an illuminated surgical instrument according to claim 1;
inputting light from a light source into the non-fiber optic optical waveguide via the light input section;
transmitting the light through the light transmitting section;
extracting the light from the conical bore defined by the light output section; and
illuminating the surgical field with the light that is extracted from the conical bore defined by the light output section.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising an outer cladding on an outer surface of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 11, wherein the outer cladding has an index of refraction in a range from 1 to 1.5.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, wherein the non-fiber optic optical waveguide comprises a through bore extending from the conical bore to the proximal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide, and
wherein the handheld surgical instrument extends through the through bore and the conical bore of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 13, wherein the non-fiber optic optical waveguide is concentric with the handheld surgical instrument.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising one or more spacers between the non-fiber optic optical waveguide and the handheld surgical instrument, wherein the one or more spacers are configured to define an air gap between the non-fiber optic optical waveguide and the handheld surgical instrument.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising an inner cladding material between the non-fiber optic optical waveguide and the handheld surgical instrument.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The illuminated surgical instrument of claim 1, further comprising a protective cover at the distal end of the non-fiber optic optical waveguide, wherein the protective cover is configured to inhibit the conical bore from contact with blood or tissue, wherein the protective cover is optically transmissive.