A shock wave lithotrite has a soft iron mass body (33), which is accelerated by the magnetic field produced by a coil (19) and, on impact against a shock receiver (26), abruptly transmits as a shock impulse the kinetic energy thereby accumulated. The shock impulse is transmitted by the shock receiver (26) to an impulse conducting wire (13), passes through the latter in the form of a shock wave propagated between the molecules and passes out at the other end of the wire. The coil (19) can be connected to one of the usual high-voltage pulse generators (11) used for electrohydraulic lithotrites.
An apparatus to introduce impact pulses into the human body has an impact transmitter (8) displaceable in an axial direction and an electromagnetic impact generator (2, 6; 26, 24; 36, 34) driven by current pulses and supplying force impulses to the impact transmitter. The impact generator includes a magnet fixed in position and having a magnetic field, and a coil (6, 26, 36) displaceable in the direction of transmitter displacement in the field of the magnet (2; 23, 24; 33, 34), the coil being energized by the current pulses to be axially displaced and drive the impact transmitter (8).
A handpiece for use in lithotripsy is provided with a probe which as a wave guide transmits shock waves that are produced by an impact force of a projectile acting against a mass body member located at the proximal end of the probe whereby this mass body member is located at the free end of a guide tube for said projectile and adapted for transmitting the impact force from the projectile to said probe the shock waves of which are adapted to cause an intercorporeal fragmentation of calculi.
A lithotripsy system, used to break calculi and stones, consisting of a flexible energy probe assembly, which can be inserted into a small and flexible endoscope, and an energy source. The flexible energy probe assembly consists of a target mass, an impact rod and a return spring. The energy source supplies an impact to the target mass which then transmits the energy from the impact rod to the stone. A return spring then restores the target mass and impact rod to their original position after each impact. The energy source can be a mechanical, electrical or pneumatic system.
The present invention is directed to a device for producing a shock wave to impact an object that includes a transfer member. The device has a voice coil assembly including a permanent magnet and a bobbin member, wherein the permanent magnet provides a first magnetic field. A hammer is attached with the bobbin member; and a coil is operatively attached to the bobbin member, wherein when a voltage is applied to the coil a second magnetic field is generated that opposes the first magnetic field and thereby propels the hammer to contact the transfer member to cause a shock wave to travel along the transfer member. The present invention is also directed to a method for producing a shock wave, that includes the steps of providing a transfer member; providing a voice coil assembly including a permanent magnet and a bobbin member; providing a first magnetic field providing a hammer attached with the bobbin member; providing a coil operatively attached to the bobbin member; and applying a voltage to the coil to generate a second magnetic field that opposes the first magnetic field thereby propelling the hammer to strike the transfer member.
A surgical instrument, suitable for endoscopic surgery has a first member and a movably driven second member movable in such first member. One such member comprises a generally tubular proximal member and a tissue working tip which are relatively telescoped and have opposed surfaces. A projection protrudes from such tip surface through such generally tubular member surface to fixedly secure same together.
