Pneumatic esthesiometer with gas pulse-conditioner

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12551104-B2
Application number	US-202017782007-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2020
Priority date	Dec 10, 2019
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

A pneumatic esthesiometer adapted for measuring tactile sensitivity of a patient eye may include a pressurized gas supply system, a control system, and a pulse-conditioner. The pressurized gas supply system is configured to provide a flow of pressurized gases. The control system is configured to control the flow of pressurized gases.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A pneumatic esthesiometer adapted to measure tactile sensation of a patient eye, the esthesiometer comprising a pressurized gas supply system including at least two pressurized gas sources configured to provide a flow of pressurized gases and a mixing chamber coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources to receive a flow of first gas from a first pressurized gas source included in the at least two pressurized gas sources and a flow of second gas from a second pressurized gas source included in the at least two pressurized gas sources that is different from the first pressurized gas source,
a control system coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources, the control system including a first flow controller coupled to the first pressurized gas source and configured to control the flow of first gas, a second flow controller coupled to the second pressurized gas source and configured to control the flow of second gas, and a controller coupled to the first flow controller and the second flow controller, a pulse-conditioner coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources to receive the flow of pressurized gases and configured to discharge the flow of pressurized gases in a controlled-profile gas pulse that has a cylindrical shape through the atmosphere over a predefined distance between an outlet of the pulse-conditioner and the patient eye so as to repeatedly apply the controlled-profile gas pulse to a target portion of the patient eye and achieve repeatable response related to sensation felt by a patient, wherein the controller is configured to selectively open and close the first and second flow controllers to vary the flow of first gas and the flow of second gas so as to provide a desired mixture concentration of the flow of pressurized gases, wherein the pulse-conditioner includes a housing, a pulse heater arranged within the housing and configured to heat the flow of pressurized gases to a temperature greater than atmospheric temperature, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the pulse heater and configured to direct the controlled-profile gas pulse, and wherein the pulse heater includes a heater block shaped to define an inflow channel to receive the flow of pressurized gases with the desired mixture concentration and a rod arranged within the inflow channel to elongate a flow path of the flow of pressurized gases through the inflow channel.

2 . The esthesiometer of claim 1 , wherein the pressurized gas supply system further includes a vacuum pump coupled to the pulse-conditioner and configured to vacuum out existing gas in the pulse-conditioner.

3 . The esthesiometer of claim 2 , wherein the control system further includes a vacuum flow controller coupled to the vacuum pump of the pressurized gas supply system and the controller is configured to selectively open and close the vacuum flow controller to vary a pulse duration of the controlled-profile gas pulse.

4 . The esthesiometer of claim 1 , wherein the first pressurized gas source of the at least two pressurized gas sources is medical grade compressed air and the second pressurized gas source is carbon-dioxide gas, and wherein the desired mixture concentration of the flow of pressurized gases has a concentration of carbon-dioxide gas that is different than that of ambient air.

5 . The esthesiometer of claim 1 , wherein the at least two pressurized gas sources of the pressurized gas supply system further includes a third pressurized gas source coupled to the mixing chamber to provide a flow of third gas to the mixing chamber, and wherein the control system further includes a third flow controller coupled to the third pressurized gas source and configured to control the flow of third gas from the third pressurized gas source.

6 . The esthesiometer of claim 5 , wherein the controller is configured to selectively open and close the third flow controller to vary the flow of third gas provided to the mixing chamber so as to provide the desired mixture concentration of the flow of pressurized gases.

7 . A pneumatic esthesiometer adapted to measure tactile sensation of a patient eye, the esthesiometer comprising a pressurized gas supply system including at least two pressurized gas sources configured to provide a flow of pressurized gases and a mixing chamber coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources to receive a flow of first gas from a first pressurized gas source included in the at least two pressurized gas sources and a flow of second gas from a second pressurized gas source included in the at least two pressurized gas sources that is different from the first pressurized gas source,
a control system coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources, the control system including a first flow controller coupled to the first pressurized gas source and configured to control the flow of first gas, a second flow controller coupled to the second pressurized gas source and configured to control the flow of second gas, and a controller coupled to the first flow controller and the second flow controller, a pulse-conditioner coupled to the at least two pressurized gas sources to receive the flow of pressurized gases and configured to discharge the flow of pressurized gases in a controlled-profile gas pulse that has a cylindrical shape through the atmosphere over a predefined distance between an outlet of the pulse-conditioner and the patient eye so as to repeatedly apply the controlled-profile gas pulse to a target portion of the patient eye and achieve repeatable response related to sensation felt by a patient, wherein the controller is configured to selectively open and close the first and second flow controllers to vary the flow of first gas and the flow of second gas so as to provide a desired mixture concentration of the flow of pressurized gases, wherein the pressurized gas supply system further includes a vacuum pump coupled to the pulse-conditioner and configured to vacuum out existing gas in the pulse-conditioner, and wherein the pulse-conditioner includes an inflow channel fluidly coupled to the mixing chamber of the pressurized gas supply system to receive the flow of pressurized gases with the desired mixture concentration and an outflow channel fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump.

8 . The esthesiometer of claim 7 , wherein the control system further includes a vacuum flow controller coupled between the outflow channel and the vacuum pump of the pressurized gas supply system and the controller is configured to selectively open and close the vacuum flow controller to vary a pulse duration of the controlled-profile gas pulse.

9 . The esthesiometer of claim 7 , wherein the pulse-conditioner includes a housing, a pulse heater arranged within the housing and configured to heat the flow of pressurized gases to a temperature greater than atmospheric temperature, and a nozzle in fluid communication with the pulse heater and configured to direct the controlled-profile gas pulse.

10 . The esthesiometer of claim 9 , wherein the pulse heater includes a heater block shaped to define the inflow channel to receive the flow of pressurized gases with the desired mixture concentration and the outflow channel fluidly coupled to the vacuum pump and a rod arranged within the inflow channel to elongate a flow path of the flow of pressurized gases through the inflow channel.

11 . The esthesiometer of claim 7 , wherein the first pressurized gas source of the at least two pressurized gas sources is medical grade compressed air and the second pressurized gas source is carbon-dioxide gas, and wherein the desired mixture concentration of the flow of pressurized gases has a concentration of carbon-dioxide gas

Assignees

• Univ Indiana Trustees

Inventors

• Situ ping
• Begley Carolyn G
• Monette William A
• Simpson Trefford L

Classifications

• A61B3/0033

  characterised by user input arrangements · CPC title

• A61B3/0083

  provided with means for patient positioning · CPC title

• A61B3/165 Primary

  Non-contacting tonometers · CPC title