4777 results about "Cavitation" patented technology

A transverse mode ultrasonic probe is provided which creates a cavitation area along its longitudinal length, increasing the working surface of the probe. Accessory sheaths are also provided for use with the probe to enable a user to select from features most suited to an individual medical procedure. The sheaths provide acoustic enhancing and aspiration enhancing properties, and / or can be used as surgical tools or as medical access devices, protecting tissue from physical contact with the probe.

Ultrasound contrast agents are used to enhance imaging and facilitate HIFU therapy in four different ways. A contrast agent is used: (1) before therapy to locate specific vascular structures for treatment; (2) to determine the focal point of a HIFU therapy transducer while the HIFU therapy transducer is operated at a relatively low power level, so that non-target tissue is not damaged as the HIFU is transducer is properly focused at the target location; (3) to provide a positive feedback mechanism by causing cavitation that generates heat, reducing the level of HIFU energy administered for therapy compared to that required when a contrast agent is not used; and, (4) to shield non-target tissue from damage, by blocking the HIFU energy. Various combinations of these techniques can also be employed in a single therapeutic implementation.

An apparatus and method for treating subcutaneous tissues using acoustic waves in the range of low acoustic pressure ultrasound waves is disclosed. The method includes injections of enhancing agents, wherein disruption of subcutaneous tissues and subcutaneous cavitational bioeffects are produced by ultrasound waves having a power that will not produce tissue cavitation in the absence of the enhancing agents. The apparatus and method of use is useful for treatment of subcutaneous abnormalities including cellulite, lipomas, and tumors.

A system and method for monitoring operation of a pump are disclosed herein. The methods and systems make use of acoustic sensors to collect and analyze data in order to detect cavitation. The disclosed methods and systems may also be used to detect valve damage. The pump may be a positive displacement pump that is employed in a wellbore servicing operation such as pumping a wellbore servicing fluid into a wellbore.

A method and apparatus for performing modulated fluid delivery and aspiration during a surgical procedure such as phacoemulsification is provided. The method and apparatus include delivering fluid and / or aspirating fluid in a modulated or pulsed manner during a surgical procedure, including applying fluid and / or aspirating fluid in connection with ultrasonic energy at a level and for a time period sufficient to induce transient cavitation. Fluid may be applied and / or aspirated at a timing sequence and duty cycle similar to or different from application of ultrasonic energy delivery.

This invention provides a device and method for creating hydrodynamic cavitation in fluids which includes a flow-through chamber intermediate an inlet opening and an outlet opening; the flow-through chamber having an upstream opening portion communicating with the inlet opening and a downstream opening portion communicating with the outlet opening; the cross-sectional area of the downstream opening portion being greater than the cross-sectional area of the upstream opening portion; and a cavitation generator located within the flow-through chamber for generating a hydrodynamic cavitation field downstream from the generator. This invention also provides for a device for creating hydrodynamic cavitation in fluids wherein the walls of the flow-through chamber are removable mounted within the device and are interchangeable and replaceable with replacement walls having various shapes and configurations, thereby enabling the flow-through chamber to assume various shapes and configurations to affect cavitation. This invention also provides for a device for a device for creating hydrodynamic cavitation in fluids wherein the baffle elements are removably mounted within the device and are interchangeable and replaceable with replacement baffles having various shapes and configurations thereby enabling variable effects on cavitation.

A system and method for detecting cavitation in pumps for fixed and variable supply frequency applications is disclosed. The system includes a controller having a processor programmed to repeatedly receive real-time operating current data from a motor driving a pump, generate a current frequency spectrum from the current data, and analyze current data within a pair of signature frequency bands of the current frequency spectrum. The processor is further programmed to repeatedly determine fault signatures as a function of the current data within the pair of signature frequency bands, repeatedly determine fault indices based on the fault signatures and a dynamic reference signature, compare the fault indices to a reference index, and identify a cavitation condition in a pump based on a comparison between the reference index and a current fault index.

A system and method for generating an oxygen enriched aqueous solution for therapeutic application includes a diffuser comprising a first diffusing member having a surface incorporating surface disturbances, and a second diffusing member positioned relative to the first diffusing member to form a channel through which an aqueous solution and oxygen gas may flow. A reservoir containing the aqueous solution is connected to a pump that draws the aqueous solution from the reservoir and inputs the aqueous solution into the diffuser. The aqueous solution is moved through the channel relative to the surface disturbances to create cavitation in the aqueous solution to diffuse the oxygen gas into the aqueous solution to produce an oxygen enriched aqueous solution.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system has independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

The invention discloses a pump potential cavitation fault detecting method based on quick spectrum kurtosis analysis. The pump potential cavitation fault detecting method comprises the steps that 1, vibration acceleration signals are collected to be subject to noise reduction to serve as to-be-processed signals; 2, according to the data size of the signals, the resolving order of signal processingis determined; 3, according to the quick spectrum kurtosis algorithm computation result, the optimal carrier frequency and bandwidth are selected; 4, the selected signals within the carrier frequencyand bandwidth are subject to Fourier transformation, and a frequency spectrum envelope diagram is obtained; and 5, an original signal time domain figure, a signal time domain figure treated through quick spectrum kurtosis filtering processing and the frequency spectrum envelope diagram obtained after selected zone Fourier transformation are compared, and cavitation trouble signal time and frequency characteristics are analyzed. By means of the method, more cavitation instant signals can be detected, information in the aspects of time domain and frequency domain is seen more clearly, and the normal state and the cavitation state of a pump can be distinguished obviously.

An angioplasty catheter includes an elongated carrier, and an angioplasty balloon about the carrier in sealed relation thereto. The balloon is arranged to receive a fluid therein that inflates the balloon. The catheter further includes a shock wave generator within the balloon that forms a rapidly expanding and collapsing bubble within the balloon to form mechanical shock waves within the balloon. The expanding bubble forms a first shock and the collapsing balloon forms a second shock wave. The shock wave generator is arranged such that the energy of the first shock wave is greater than the energy of the second shock wave.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system offers independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with, for example, internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for an ultrasonic medical device operating in a torsional mode and a transverse mode. An ultrasonic probe of the ultrasonic medical device is placed in communication with a biological material. An ultrasonic energy source is activated to produce an electrical signal that drives a transducer to produce a torsional vibration of the ultrasonic probe. The torsional vibration produces a component of force in a transverse direction relative to a longitudinal axis of the ultrasonic probe, thereby exciting a transverse vibration along the longitudinal axis causing the ultrasonic probe to undergo both a torsional vibration and a transverse vibration. The torsional vibration and the transverse vibration cause cavitation in a medium surrounding the ultrasonic probe to ablate the biological material.

System and method for non-invasive lysis of sub-dermal tissue by means of focused ultrasonic energy, the system comprising: a source of ultrasonic energy adapted to operate in continuous wave mode and to focus ultrasonic energy in a focal zone within the sub-dermal tissue, the ultrasonic energy being adapted to induce tissue cavitation in the focal zone; means for continuous displacement of the source over the skin surface; and means for determining a safe speed for the displacement, the safe speed allowing to avoid thermal tissue damage. The source of ultrasonic energy is accommodated in a hand-held applicator including a wheeled traction system powered by an electric drive.

A method for utilizing whole crude oil as a feedstock for the pyrolysis furnace of an olefin production plant wherein the feedstock after preheating is subjected to mild thermal cracking assisted with controlled cavitation conditions until substantially vaporized, the vapors being subjected to severe cracking in the radiant section of the furnace.

A system, method and / or apparatus is provided for visualization or imaging of the transverse carpal ligament and surrounding structures / features of a hand of a patient, and treatment of the transverse carpal ligament, particularly, but not necessarily, for performing non-invasive carpal tunnel release. The subject invention utilizes ultrasound waves preferably, but not necessarily, in the high frequency range and cavitations to image the transverse carpal ligament (TCL), record its location in three-dimensional space, and perform precision treatment on the transverse carpal ligament. Treatment may range from stretching or lengthening the TCL to complete tissue ablation or dissection of a portion or portions of the TCL (as is performed in a standard carpal tunnel release procedure) in order to release pressure within the carpal tunnel. Particularly, high temperature conditions are generated at target tissue of the TCL resulting in elongation or necrosis / dissection. The subject system, apparatus and / or method provides the surgeon to relieve a patient of carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms in a bloodless, efficient, and accurate manner.

A monotube shock absorber that can be adjusted remotely or otherwise, and a corresponding system are provided. The monotube shock absorber includes a body tube that houses a working piston therein and a bypass tube that is attached to but external with respect to the body tube. A control valve influences flow volume and rate of oil that passes through the bypass tube in a manner that correspondingly influences damping and / or other characteristics of the monotube shock absorber. The monotube shock absorber can include a floating piston separating a volume of gas from a volume of oil. The volumes of gas and oil may be entirely housed in the body tube or may be at least partially housed in an external reservoir that can include an anti-cavitation valve.

Easily detecting cavitation to occur in a pump. A detection apparatus, a detection method, and a program are provided. The detection apparatus includes: a discharge pressure acquiring unit to acquire discharge pressure data indicating discharge pressure of a pump; and a detector to detect occurrence of cavitation in the pump based on a fluctuation amount of a time waveform of the discharge pressure data during a target detection period. The detector may have: a fluctuation amount calculator to calculate the fluctuation amount of the discharge pressure data during the target detection period; and a determining unit to determine, in response to the calculated fluctuation amount becoming the reference fluctuation amount or more, that cavitation has occurred in the pump.

This invention relates to a non-invasive, safer alternative to current lipoplasty procedures. The preferred embodiment of the invention is a multi-channel system that focuses the low mega Hertz ultrasound at user selectable depths, where fat cells are to be emulsified. The system offers independent user control of the main emulsifying property, cavitation, and thermal heating, which can independently be used for skin tightening. One part of the system is a handheld transducer, in shape similar to a typical small diagnostic ultrasound transducer. The other part of the system includes a transmitter with, for example, internal tracking of procedure time and with a disabling feature.