Variable drive vitrectomy cutter
AssigneeAlcon Research, Ltd.
InventorSteven T. Charles
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vitrectomy probe having a variable duty cycle cutting mechanism is disclosed. The probe includes a motor and a cam driver rotationally driven by the motor. The cam driver has a non-planar driver surface having surface features that vary at different radii. A follower mechanism is arranged to selectively interface with the driver surface at different radii on the driver surface in a manner to selectively interface with the varied surface features at the different radii. The follower is arranged to transfer rotational movement of the cam driver into linear movement of the follower mechanism.
Claims18
A vitrectomy probe having a variable duty cycle cutting mechanism, comprising:
- a motor;
- a cam driver rotationally driven by the motor, the cam driver having a non-planar driver surface having surface features that vary at different radii;
- a follower mechanism arranged to selectively interface with the driver surface at different radii on the driver surface in a manner to selectively interface with the varied surface features at the different radii, the follower being arranged to transfer rotational movement of the cam driver into linear movement of the follower mechanism;
- and
- a cutting mechanism comprising:
- an outer tubular member having a port configured to receive ophthalmic tissue, and
- an inner tubular cutting member disposed within the outer tubular member, the inner tubular member being associated with the follower mechanism in a manner that the follower mechanism drives the inner tubular cutting member in an oscillating motion;
- wherein the surface features that vary at different radii comprise first surface features at a first radius resulting in a first duty cycle and second surface features at a second radius resulting in a second duty cycle, the first surface features being structurally arranged to provide a biased open duty cycle and the second surface features being structurally arranged to provide a biased closed duty cycle to the cutting mechanism.
An electric vitrectomy probe having a variable duty cycle cutting mechanism, comprising:
- an electrically powered motor;
- a cam driver rotationally driven by the motor, the cam driver having a non-planar driver surface, the non-planar driver surface having a first radius with surface features resulting in a first duty cycle and a second radius with surface features resulting in a second duty cycle;
- a follower mechanism arranged to interface selectively with both the first radius and the second radius, the follower being arranged to transfer rotational movement of the cam driver into linear movement of the follower mechanism;
- an actuating system associated with one of the follower and the cam driver, the actuating system being structurally configured to move the follower and cam driver relative to each other from a position where the follower interfaces with the first radius of the cam driver to a position where the follower interfaces with the second radius;
- and
- a cutting mechanism associated with the follower and configured to cut tissue during a vitrectomy procedure.
A method of operating a vitrectomy probe having a variable duty cycle cutting mechanism, comprising:
- inserting a cutting tube of the vitrectomy probe into a posterior segment of the eye;
- controlling a motor to rotationally drive a cam driver associated with the motor, the cam driver having a non-planar driver surface, the non-planar driver surface having continuously variable surface features between a first radius with surface features resulting in a first duty cycle and a second radius with surface features resulting in a second duty cycle;
- actuating a system associated with one of a follower and the cam driver, the actuating system being structurally configured to move the follower and cam driver relative to each other from a position where the follower interfaces with the first radius of the cam driver to a position where the follower interfaces with the second radius to change the duty cycle from the first duty cycle to the second duty cycle;
- and
- opening and closing a port on a cutting tube in accordance with the first duty cycle when the follower is in contact with the first radius and opening and closing the port in accordance with the second duty cycle when the follower is in contact with the second radius.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.