Back to results
US 8,945,105 B2Granted
Fluorescent handpiece
AssigneeMorgan Gustavsson
InventorMorgan Lars Ake Gustavsson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A handpiece can treat biological tissue using electromagnetic radiation, which can be substantially fluorescent light. The handpiece includes a source of electromagnetic radiation and a waveguide. The waveguide is adjacent the source, receives electromagnetic radiation from the source, and delivers the electromagnetic radiation to the biological tissue. The handpiece also includes a system for circulating a fluorescent substance through the waveguide. The fluorescent substance is capable of modulating at least one property of the electromagnetic radiation.
Claims20
An apparatus for treating biological tissue, comprising:
- a base unit, the base unit comprising an energy supply;
- a handpiece;
- an umbilicus having a first end configured to be coupled to the base unit and a second end configured to be coupled to the handpiece;
- a source of electromagnetic radiation, the source of electromagnetic radiation configured to receive energy from the energy supply and generate electromagnetic radiation;
- a waveguide configured to receive the electromagnetic radiation from the source, the waveguide comprising:
- first and second ends, and a wall extending at least partially therebetween, the wall configured to transmit the electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- a passage extending along a direction between said first and second ends;
- a fluorescent substance flowable within the passage;
- and
- an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the passage;
- an optical output element optically coupled to one of the first and second ends of the waveguide,
- wherein the fluorescent substance is configured to absorb the electromagnetic radiation from the source through the wall and generate fluorescent light in response to the electromagnetic radiation, wherein the waveguide is configured to guide the fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent substance towards the optical output element by internally reflecting at least a portion of the fluorescent light, and wherein the optical output element is configured to direct the fluorescent light away from the waveguide;
- a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the waveguide's passage and configured to carry the fluorescent substance between the waveguide's passage and a fluid moving system, the fluid moving system adapted to move the fluorescent substance through the fluid conduit and the waveguide's passage;
- and
- a cooling system configured to cool the fluorescent substance.
12 more elements
A method of treating biological tissue, comprising:
- providing a waveguide, the waveguide configured to receive electromagnetic energy from an electromagnetic energy source, the waveguide comprising:
- first and second ends and a wall extending at least partially therebetween, the wall configured to transmit the electromagnetic radiation therethrough;
- a passage extending along a direction between said first and second ends;
- a fluorescent substance flowable within the passage, the fluorescent substance configured to absorb the electromagnetic radiation and generate fluorescent light in response to the electromagnetic radiation;
- and
- an inlet and an outlet in fluid communication with the passage;
- providing an optical output element optically coupled to one of the first and second ends of the waveguide;
- providing a fluid conduit in fluid communication with the waveguide's passage;
- providing a fluid moving system adapted to move the fluorescent substance through the fluid conduit and the waveguide's passage;
- transmitting electromagnetic radiation through the wall to the fluorescent substance within the passage;
- guiding at least some of the fluorescent light emitted by the fluorescent substance in response to the electromagnetic radiation through the waveguide towards the optical output element by internally reflecting at least a portion of the fluorescent light;
- directing the fluorescent light away from the waveguide with the optical output element;
- moving the fluorescent substance through the fluid conduit and the waveguide's passage;
- and
- cooling the fluorescent substance with a cooling system.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.