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US 7,331,950 B2Granted
Apparatus for containing noise generated by a pneumatically powered surgical instrument and related method
AssigneeMedtronic, Inc.
InventorsDurrell G. Tidwell, Timothy S. Jones
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sound attenuating system is provided for pneumatically powered surgical instruments. In one aspect, the exhaust hose is formed of at least two dissimilar materials to impede the transmission of vibrations or audible noise. In an alternative form, the exhaust hose has proximal and distal portions of dissimilar internal diameters.
Claims8
A surgical system, comprising:
- a pneumatically powered surgical instrument, and
- a hose assembly configured for engagement with said pneumatically powered surgical instrument, the hose assembly including,
- a first conduit having an inner wall portion concentrically and adjacently arranged with an outer wall portion, the inner and outer wall portions being of at least a first and a second dissimilar material, the first conduit at least partially defining a first fluid path for the transmission of exhaust gases from the surgical instrument, the first conduit having a first cross-sectional area for fluid flow,
- a second conduit at least partially disposed within the first conduit, the second conduit at least partially defining a second fluid path for the transmission of a pressurized fluid to the surgical instrument, the second conduit having a second cross-sectional area for fluid flow, and
- wherein the first cross-sectional area is substantially greater than the second cross-sectional area and the first dissimilar material forming the outer wall portion of the first conduit has a first flexibility and the second dissimilar material forming the inner wall portion of the first conduit has a second flexibility less than said first flexibility such that the first and second dissimilar materials forming the first conduit create a discontinuity in the material properties generating an acoustic impedance mismatch that absorbs noise generated by the pneumatically powered surgical instrument.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.