Two-piece disposable laser delivery system

A laser delivery system for insertion into the output port of a laser source having a laser interlock mechanism therein, the laser source generating laser energy when the interlock mechanism is actuated, and for coupling and transmitting of laser energy therefrom through a laser optic fiber;

• the delivery system including a reusable portion and a generally disposable portion;
• the disposable portion including an optic fiber for passing laser energy and a cylindrical fiber retaining means on one end thereof, the retaining means having an aperture extending along a central longitudinal axis of said means, the aperture having a cross-sectional dimension adapted to receive and to position said one end of the optic fiber along the central axis of the retaining means;
• means for rigidly affixing said one end of the optic fiber within the retaining means aperture;
• the reusable portion including a body member and means operatively associated with the body member for engaging the laser output port whereby laser energy from the laser source may enter the delivery system reusable portion;
• coacting means on the fiber retaining means and on the reusable portion for detachably coupling said reusable portion to said retaining means, said coacting coupling means including means for positioning the optic fiber and retaining means in predetermined fixed orientation with respect to the reusable portion whereby laser energy entering the reusable portion may enter the disposable portion optic fiber, the positioning means including a cylindrical recess in the body member having a diameter substantially equal to but slightly greater than the retaining means for receiving the retaining means therein;
• said laser output engaging means including means for actuating the laser source interlock mechanism only when the disposable portion retaining means is coupled to the reusable portion, said coacting coupling means permitting attachment or removal of the disposable portion from the reusable portion by non-trained persons at the site of the laser source whereby laser energy entering the delivery system reusable portion is coupled into and transmitted through the optic fiber without adjustment of the reusable or disposable portions of the delivery system.

A laser delivery system for insertion into the output port of a laser source having a laser interlock mechanism therein and for coupling and transmitting of laser energy therefrom through a laser optic fiber;

• the delivery system including a reuseable portion and a generally disposable portion;
• the disposable portion including an optic fiber for passing laser energy and fiber retaining means on one end thereof, means for affixing the retaining means on the optic fiber whereby said one end of the optic fiber remains exposed with respect to the retaining means;
• the reuseable portion including a barrel means for insertion into the laser output port and a body member, said barrel means extending from the body member;
• means for mounting the barrel means for reciprocal movement within the body member between a first extended position whereby said laser interlock mechanism may be activated and a second retracted position whereby said laser interlock mechanism may not be activated upon insertion of the barrel means into the laser output port;
• means biasing the barrel means to said second retracted position;
• coacting means on the fiber retaining means and on the body member for detachably coupling said retaining means in a predetermined fixed orientation in the body member whereby the retaining means forces the barrel to its first extended position when the retaining means is coupled to the body member and whereby the biasing means forces the barrel means to its second retracted position when the retaining means is not coupled to the body member whereby the laser interlock mechanism precludes laser operation unless the disposable and reuseable portions of the delivery system are properly coupled.