Patent US4936303A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4936303A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Ultrasonic heating apparatus and method
Assignee: ULTRATHERMICS A CORP OF WA
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Filing: 1987-11-20
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Granted: 1990-06-26
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Expires: 2007-11-20
Abstract
Abstract A method and apparatus for the treatment of tumors by heating with ultrasonic energy. A transducer assembly is provided in a housing having a refractive assembly disposed between the tumor and the transducer. The refractive assembly moves with respect to the transducer assembly. The refractive assembly includes one or more refractive elements. The refractive assembly is interchangeable to provide treatment of different types of tumors using the same transducer assembly and housing. The refractive assembly may focus, deflect or diffuse the ultrasonic energy depending on the arrangement of elements. Motion of the refractive assembly relative to the tumor results in a time-averaging spatial deposition pattern which is more highly uniform due to the averaging of maxima and minima which occurs in the near field.
Inventors
- 👤 Sheldon P. Detwiler
- 👤 George W. Keilman
- 👤 Robert F. McConaghy
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 19:44
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61N; A61N7/00; A61N7/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for heating a region in a body comprising: a housing means for retaining said apparatus; a transducer means positioned within said housing for generating an ultrasonic energy pattern that propagates into said region; a refractive assembly positioned within said housing and spaced from said transducer means and disposed between said transducer means and said region, through which said ultrasonic energy propagates; a coupling medium positioned within said housing and disposed between said transducer means and said refractive assembly and between said refractive assembly and said region; and a drive means for moving said refractive assembly relative to said transducer means to alter said ultrasonic energy pattern propagating into said region, said drive means including a circulating fluid contacting said refractive assembly, said drive means also including slots in said refractive assembly in contact with said circulating fluid causing said refractive assembly to move.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
145 words
An apparatus for heating a region in a body comprising: a housing means for retaining said apparatus; a transducer means positioned within said housing for generating an ultrasonic energy pattern that propagates into said region; a refractive assembly positioned within said housing and spaced from said transducer means and disposed between said transducer means and said region, through which said ultrasonic energy propagates; a coupling medium positioned within said housing and disposed between said transducer means and said refractive assembly and between said refractive assembly and said region; and a drive means for moving said refractive assembly relative to said transducer means to alter said ultrasonic energy pattern propagating into said region, said drive means including a circulating fluid contacting said refractive assembly, said drive means also including slots in said refractive assembly in contact with said circulating fluid causing said refractive assembly to move.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means rotates the refractive assembly about an axis parallel to the direction of ultrasonic energy propagation from said transducer means through said refractive assembly and into said region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means moves said refractive assembly in a linear movement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
61 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means moves said refractive assembly in a combined rotational motion about a first axis, said first axis being in a plane parallel to the direction of ultrasonic energy propagation, linear motion along a second plane, and pivoting motion about a third plane the motion in each of the three planes occurring simultaneously.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said transducer means includes a plurality of transducers, each adapted to be driven independently from each other in frequency, phase or amplitude while propagating ultrasonic energy during use.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said refractive assembly includes a plurality of refractive elements arranged in a spiral.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
26 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said refractive assembly includes a plurality of refractive elements each having refraction characteristics that are different than each other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said refractive assembly is coupled to a rotatable shaft.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said coupling medium includes said circulating fluid.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said drive means further includes fluid jet means for causing forced circulation of said fluid.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 further including a sensor means for sensing movement of said refractive assembly with respect to said transducer means.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus according to claim 1 further including an imaging probe coupled to said housing and disposed in a position to propagate sound waves through said coupling medium for providing an image of the region being heated.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for heating a region in a body comprising: a housing having a compliant membrane connected in a sealed relationship to said housing with a removable coupling; a transducer assembly means within said housing for generating an ultrasonic energy pattern that propagates into said region; a refractive assembly within said housing spaced from said transducer assembly means and disposed between said transducer assembly means and said region through which said ultrasonic energy propagates; a fluid within said housing in contact with said refractive assembly, said fluid being disposed between said transducer assembly means and said refractive assembly and between said refractive assembly and said membrane; and drive means for forcibly circulating said fluid causing said refractive assembly to move relative to said transducer assembly means to alter said ultrasonic energy pattern propagating into said region.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
136 words
An apparatus for heating a region in a body comprising: a housing having a compliant membrane connected in a sealed relationship to said housing with a removable coupling; a transducer assembly means within said housing for generating an ultrasonic energy pattern that propagates into said region; a refractive assembly within said housing spaced from said transducer assembly means and disposed between said transducer assembly means and said region through which said ultrasonic energy propagates; a fluid within said housing in contact with said refractive assembly, said fluid being disposed between said transducer assembly means and said refractive assembly and between said refractive assembly and said membrane; and drive means for forcibly circulating said fluid causing said refractive assembly to move relative to said transducer assembly means to alter said ultrasonic energy pattern propagating into said region.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 further including vanes on said transducer assembly means to alter the circulation movement pattern of said circulating fluid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
An apparatus according to claim 13 further including slots on said refractive assembly to cause movement of said refractive assembly by said circulating fluid.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
52 words
An apparatus comprising: an integral refractive assembly having a plurality of individual refractive elements; a plurality of said refractive elements providing a refractive pattern of ultrasonic energy different from each other when placed in the path of a propagating ultrasonic energy pattern; and said integral refractive assembly being nonsymmetrical in all planes.
Claim 19
Independent Claim
52 words
An apparatus comprising: an integral refractive assembly having a plurality of individual refractive elements; a plurality of said refractive elements providing a refractive pattern of ultrasonic energy different from each other when placed in the path of a propagating ultrasonic energy pattern; and said integral refractive assembly being nonsymmetrical in all planes.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
15 words
The refractive assembly of claim 16 wherein said elements are arranged in a spiral pattern.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The refractive assembly of claim 16 further including a transducer for generating said propagating ultrasonic energy pattern into a region of a body, said refractive assembly being located external to said body and disposed in the path of propagating ultrasonic energy between said transducer and said region.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said refractive assembly is directly attached to said transducer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
28 words
The apparatus according to claim 18 wherein said refractive assembly is spaced from said transducer and a fluid is disposed therebetween, said fluid being enclosed in a housing.
Claim 24
Independent Claim
81 words
The method of heating a region in a body, comprising: transmitting an ultrasonic energy pattern from a transducer into said region, said ultrasonic energy pattern having a plurality of different energy intensities propagating into said region; positioning a refractive assembly between said transducer and said region, said refractive assembly having slots on an outer surface thereof; and forcibly circulating a fluid in contact with said refractive assembly causing said refractive assembly to move under the force imparted by said circulating fluid.
Claim 25
Independent Claim
81 words
The method of heating a region in a body, comprising: transmitting an ultrasonic energy pattern from a transducer into said region, said ultrasonic energy pattern having a plurality of different energy intensities propagating into said region; positioning a refractive assembly between said transducer and said region, said refractive assembly having slots on an outer surface thereof; and forcibly circulating a fluid in contact with said refractive assembly causing said refractive assembly to move under the force imparted by said circulating fluid.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 21 wherein said movement is rotational movement about an axis of rotation.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method according to claim 22 further including the steps of: pivoting said refractive assembly about an axis orthogonal to the axis of rotation.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 21 wherein said movement is a combination of rotational and linear movement.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
27 words
The method according to claim 21 wherein said acoustic pattern includes maxima and minima, said pattern being moved to more uniformly apply acoustic energy into said region.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
75 words
A refractive assembly comprising: a unitary integral member having a plurality of individual refractive elements that refract ultrasonic energy passing therethrough at an angle with respect to a central axis of said refractive assembly, each of said refractive elements bending the ultrasonic energy at a different angle than each of the other refractive elements of said refractive assembly, said refractive elements being arranged in the form of a spiral, extending from a central axis, outward.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
75 words
A refractive assembly comprising: a unitary integral member having a plurality of individual refractive elements that refract ultrasonic energy passing therethrough at an angle with respect to a central axis of said refractive assembly, each of said refractive elements bending the ultrasonic energy at a different angle than each of the other refractive elements of said refractive assembly, said refractive elements being arranged in the form of a spiral, extending from a central axis, outward.
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-06-25 | 1993-12-25 | 1994-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-06-25 | 1997-12-25 | 1998-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-06-25 | 2001-12-25 | 2002-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |