Ophthalmic probe assembly with flat wall tube

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12048649-B2
Application number	US-202117643020-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 7, 2021
Priority date	Dec 18, 2020
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

Certain aspects of the present disclosure provide a probe comprising a tube, wherein one or more optical fibers extend at least partially through the tube for transmitting at least one of a laser light and an illumination light from a light source to a target location. A distal end of the tube comprises a flat-walled morphology, and a protective window with a round edge is press-fit to the distal end. The flat-walled morphology of the distal end of the tube has a reduced diametric interference sensitivity, thus allowing a wider range of tolerances between the window and the tube walls for effective press-fitting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A probe for ophthalmic procedures, comprising:
a tube, wherein one or more optical fibers extend at least partially through the tube for transmitting at least one of a laser light and an illumination light from a light source to a target location, the tube further comprising:
a proximal end having a single, circumferential outer wall; and
a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end comprising a plurality of substantially flat outer walls adjoined by at least substantially rounded corners; and

an optically clear or transparent window press-fit within the distal end of the tube.

2. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the substantially rounded corners are positioned to minimize a spring rate of the outer walls by maximizing a ratio of bending stress to hoop stress in the outer walls.

3. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the window comprises a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, and wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the window are connected by a circular outer edge.

4. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the window has an optical power.

5. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the window is a spherical lens, and wherein at least one of the distal end and the proximal end of the window are curved.

6. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the window is a nonspherical lens, and wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the window are flat.

7. The probe of claim 3 , wherein the window comprises at least one of sapphire, fused silica, glass, or ceramic.

8. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the distal end comprises at least three flat outer walls adjoined by three or more at least substantially rounded corners.

9. The probe of claim 8 , wherein the distal end comprises at least four flat outer walls adjoined by four or more at least substantially rounded corners.

10. The probe of claim 1 , further comprising:
a lens housed in the tube, the lens positioned between the one or more optical fibers and the window.

11. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the tube is formed of stainless steel, nitinol, a nickel-cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy, or a platinum-iridium alloy.

12. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the probe is a multi-spot laser probe, and wherein the tube houses one or more optical fibers for propagating laser light.

13. The probe of claim 1 , wherein the at least substantially rounded corners have a round, elliptical, or parabolic curvature.

14. A surgical system, comprising:
a light source;
a probe assembly connected to the light source via one or more optical fibers, the probe assembly comprising:
a hand-piece connected to a tube, wherein the one or more optical fibers extend through the hand-piece and at least partially through the tube for transmitting at least one of a laser light and an illumination light from the light source to a target location, the tube further comprising:
a proximal end having a single, circumferential outer wall; and
a distal end opposite the proximal end, the distal end comprising a plurality of substantially flat outer walls adjoined by at least substantially rounded corners; and

an optically clear or transparent window press-fit within the distal end of the tube.

15. The surgical system of claim 14 , wherein the window comprises a distal end and a proximal end opposite the distal end, and wherein the distal end and the proximal end of the window are connected by a circular outer edge.

Assignees

• Alcon Inc

Inventors

• Heuser Michael Scott
• Ryan Timothy C
• Agarkar Manish Mahlar
• Farley Mark Harrison

Classifications

• A61F2009/00863

  Retina · CPC title

• A61B2018/2266

  with a lens, e.g. ball tipped · CPC title

• A61B2018/2211

  Plurality of fibres · CPC title

• A61B2018/208

  with multiple treatment beams not sharing a common path, e.g. non-axial or parallel · CPC title

• A61B2018/2005

  with beam delivery through an interstitially insertable device, e.g. needle · CPC title