Single-blow shockwave generation device

Abstract

A single-blow mechanical shockwave generation device used in urological surgery for disintegration of urinary duct stones comprises a striking device which strikes a shock wave generation device at high speed. The shock waves are transmitted by a shock wave transfer device to an object for destruction with which the shock wave transfer device is in direct or indirect contact. The striking device is displaced by way of the expansion of a high-pressure gas introduced prior to each shock wave generation into an accumulation device. The accumulation device is supplied with high pressure gas from independent gas stores and with supply and sealing devices. The stored gas is released by the manual manipulation of a control device which connects the accumulation device to the striking device.

1 . A single-blow ( 1 ) mechanical shockwave generation device comprising striking means ( 2 ) motioned by gases and hitting at high speed a shockwave generation means ( 3 ), said shockwave being transmitted by shockwave transfer means ( 4 ), which can be put in direct or indirect contact with an object to be disintegrated, wherein the striking means ( 2 ) are motioned by expansion of a gas under pressure of fifteen to thirty bar introduced, prior to each shockwave production, into store means ( 5 ) from independent gas storage means ( 6 ) under pressure of seventy to two hundred bar, via gas expansion means ( 7 ) and supply means ( 25 ,  26 ,  30 ,  42 ,  56 ,  62 ), and a first sealing means ( 19 ,  37 ,  46 ,  60 ,  70 ,  74 ,  80 ), the gas stored in the store means ( 5 ) being released by manual operating of control means ( 8 ) which, firstly, seals to gases, through a second sealing means ( 58 ), the intercommunication between the independent gas storage means ( 6 ) and the gas expansion means ( 7 ) on the one hand, and with the store means ( 5 ) on the other hand, then, secondly, intercommunicates the store means ( 5 ) and the striking means ( 2 ), such that return to of the striking means ( 2 ) to an initial position is ensured by the release of energy accumulated by mechanical energy store means ( 73 ,  96 ) in the course of production of the shockwave, and return of control means ( 8 ) to its initial position is ensured by the pressure of the gas which remained at the expansion means ( 7 ) and the corresponding supply means ( 25 ,  26 ,  30 ,  42 ). 
   
   
       2 . A device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the independent storage means comprises a pressurized gas cylinder, the cylinder being connected to the single-blow mechanical shockwave generation device ( 1 ) by a pipe and comprising a pressure relief valve for reducing the pressure to an operation pressure. 
   
   
       3 . A device as described in  claim 2 , wherein the gas is stored in a gas micro-container ( 9 ) which makes up the independent gas storage means ( 6 ), the independent gas storage means is directly integrated into the single-blow mechanical shockwave generation device ( 1 ) by means of a cradle ( 15 ) comprised of two half-cradles, including a front half cradle ( 16 ) comprising a bottom fined with a calibrated receptacle ( 18 ) with a perforation device ( 20 ), and a rear half cradle ( 21 ) comprised of a sliding support device ( 22 ), where the perforation device ( 20 ) is connected, via a first duct ( 26 ) to an integrated expansion device ( 27 ) which makes up the gas expansion means ( 7 ). 
   
   
       4 . A device as described in  claim 3 , wherein the integrated expansion device ( 27 ) is comprised of a first chamber ( 28 ) into which a first duct ( 26 ) leads and from where leads a second duct ( 30 ) in which a valve shank ( 31 ) freely slides, the valve shank having a head ( 32 ) located in the first chamber ( 28 ), the head being pushed back by a first calibrated spring ( 33 ), such that a free end of the valve shank ( 31 ) is pushed by a first cylindrical piston ( 35 ) which acts as a pusher for the valve shank ( 31 ), while the first piston ( 35 ) which slides in a second chamber ( 36 ) is used as a guide for a second calibrated spring ( 41 ) which acts as a pusher for piston ( 35 ). 
   
   
       5 . A device as described in  claim 4 , wherein the control means ( 8 ) is comprised of a third chamber ( 43 ) into which leads a third duct ( 42 ) from second duct ( 30 ), and in which slides a second piston ( 45 ) comprising a first pusher ( 49 ) which enables said piston to be pushed into third chamber ( 43 ) via a hinged lever ( 51 ), whereas the second piston ( 45 ) comprises a control rod ( 54 ) which features a free end ( 55 ) and which freely moves through a fourth duct ( 56 ) comprising a third sealing device of the second type ( 58 ) which blanks the fourth duct ( 56 ) upstream of a fifth duct ( 62 ) leading into fourth duct ( 56 ), when second piston ( 45 ) is pushed into the third chamber ( 43 ), such that the free end ( 55 ) which is engaged into a second bore ( 59 ) then abuts against the bottom ( 61 ) of said bore. 
   
   
       6 . A device as described in  claim 5 , wherein the store means ( 5 ) is comprised of a fourth chamber ( 64 ) into which leads a fifth duct ( 62 ) including a pressure relief valve ( 65 ) consisting of a tubular valve body ( 66 ) which makes up a sixth duct ( 75 ), a hollow valve head ( 67 ) and a valve body base ( 68 ) which slides in a third bore ( 69 ) leading into a fifth chamber ( 72 ), the valve head ( 67 ) maintaining sealing thanks to a first helical spring ( 73 ) making up a mechanical energy store means, while valve head ( 67 ) comprises a second pusher ( 76 ) with a free end ( 77 ) which slides in a fourth bore ( 79 ) and leads into the bottom of second bore ( 59 ), whereas the free end ( 77 ) of second pusher ( 76 ) is pushed back by the free end ( 55 ) of control rod ( 54 ), when abutting on the bottom ( 61 ), and while second pusher ( 76 ) pushes back valve head ( 67 ), compressing first helical spring ( 73 ) and clearing the opening of sixth duct ( 75 ), thereby intercommunicating fourth chamber ( 64 ) with the fifth chamber ( 72 ). 
   
   
       7 . A device as described in  claim 6 , wherein striking means is comprised of the fifth chamber ( 72 ) into which leads a sixth duct ( 75 ) and which intercommunicates with fifth bore ( 83 ) leading into sixth chamber ( 84 ) which comprises a decompression zone ( 85 ) leading into sixth chamber ( 84 ), and from which leads at least one seventh duct ( 87 ) connected to the atmosphere either directly, or through check valve ( 88 ), the fifth bore ( 83 ) acting as a guide and launch device for striking hammer ( 92 ), comprised of hammer body ( 93 ), third piston ( 94 ) which slides in fifth bore ( 83 ), striking head ( 95 ) which features a free end ( 107 ), a second helical spring ( 96 ) making up a mechanical energy store means which pushes on hammer body ( 93 ) in order to maintain third piston ( 94 ) depressed in fifth bore ( 83 ). 
   
   
       8 . A device as described in  claim 7 , wherein the shockwave generation means ( 3 ) is comprised of a shockwave generator interface device ( 102 ) including an interface device ( 103 ) which slides in a seventh chamber ( 90 ), connected to sixth chamber ( 84 ) via a sixth bore ( 91 ), whereas the interface device body ( 103 ) comprises a strike anvil ( 105 ) which crosses through the sixth bore ( 91 ), the sixth bore ( 91 ) comprising a free end ( 106 ) located in the sixth chamber ( 84 ), and a first shockwave transfer device ( 109 ) with a free end ( 119 ), passing through a seventh bore ( 99 ) which connect the seventh chamber to an eighth chamber ( 101 ) inside which the free end ( 119 ) of the first shockwave transfer device ( 109 ) is located, said free end being kept in contact with the rear face ( 116 ) of a shockwave guide head ( 115 ) by a third helical spring ( 110 ). 
   
   
       9 . A device as described in  claim 8 , wherein the shockwave transfer means ( 4 ) is comprised of a second shockwave guiding device ( 114 ) consisting of a shockwave guide head ( 115 ) located in an eight chamber ( 101 ), extended by a shockwave guide rod ( 118 ) sliding in an eight bore ( 113 ) which acts as a shockwave guide head ( 115 ) and leads to the outside. 
   
   
       10 . A device as described in  claim 1 , wherein the gas is carbonic gas stored under a pressure of seventy to two hundred bar, wherein the pressure in the fourth chamber ( 64 ) is fifteen to thirty bar, and wherein the volume of the fourth chamber ( 64 ) is one to three cubic centimeters and the weight of striking hammer ( 92 ) is ten grams. 
   
   
       11 . A method of fragmenting a urinary stone, the method comprising:
 generating a high amplitude wave by storing a gas at a storage pressure; expanding a portion of the gas such that it is at an operational pressure that is less than the storage pressure; accumulating a volume of the gas at the operational pressure; and actuating a control device, whereby a further accumulation of the volume of gas is temporarily prevented while the accumulated volume of gas generates the wave; and   transmitting the wave to the urinary stone, whereby transmission of the wave to the stone fragments the stone.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the gas is stored in a cylinder, the storage pressure is in the range of about 70 bar to about 200 bar, and the operational pressure is in the range of about 15 bar to about 30 bar. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein storing a gas at a storage pressure comprises arranging a sealing arrangement in a first position to couple a gas source to a gas storage device through an expansion device.