Patents Assigned to ESI, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8062225
    Abstract: An immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe to overcome near field artifact including a flexible thin wall thickness immersion bag with an attached flexible collar having an integral internal seal. The immersion bag contains a gel or other ultrasound transmission medium and is sealingly and removably attached by a mutually formed probe/seal valve to the tip end of an ultrasound probe. The immersion bag is able to conform to a cornea, as well as to other surfaces, whether flat or irregular, thereby enabling an ultrasound probe to be used easily on such surfaces. An ultrasound probe, in use with the immersion bag system, is maintained at a distance above the contact surface of the immersion bag and is positionable about the vertical axis while the immersion bag maintains stationary conformal contact with the structure against which it is in contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2011
    Assignee: ESI, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Prager, Thomas A. Burba, David R. Hardten, William T. Ryder
  • Patent number: 8012094
    Abstract: An immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe to overcome near field artifact includes a flexible thin wall thickness immersion bag with an attached flexible collar having an integral internal seal. The immersion bag contains a gel or other ultrasound transmission medium and is sealingly and removably attached to the tip end of an ultrasound probe by use of the flexible collar having the integral internal seal. The immersion bag is able to conform to a cornea as well as to other surfaces whether flat or irregular, thereby enabling an ultrasound probe to be used easily on such surfaces. An ultrasound probe in use with the immersion bag system is maintained at a distance above the contact surface of the immersion bag and is positionable about the vertical axis while the immersion bag maintains stationary conformal contact with the structure against which it is in contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: ESI, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Prager, Thomas A. Burba, David R. Hardten
  • Patent number: 8012095
    Abstract: An immersion bag system for use with an ultrasound probe to overcome near field artifact includes a flexible thin wall thickness immersion bag with an attached flexible collar having an integral internal seal. The immersion bag contains a gel or other ultrasound transmission medium and is sealingly and removably attached by a mutually formed probe/seal valve to the tip end of an ultrasound probe. The immersion bag is able to conform to a cornea, as well as to other surfaces, whether flat or irregular, thereby enabling an ultrasound probe to be used easily on such surfaces. An ultrasound probe in use with the immersion bag system is maintained at a distance above the contact surface of the immersion bag and is positionable about the vertical axis while the immersion bag maintains stationary conformal contact with the structure against which it is in contact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 6, 2011
    Assignee: ESI, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas C. Prager, Thomas A. Burba, David R. Hardten, William T. Ryder
  • Patent number: 7285096
    Abstract: An ophthalmologic appliance being an ultrasound probe positioning immersion shell for use in ultrasonic measurement of axial length of the eye ophthalmology and other procedures. Support members in an upper chamber and a lower chamber each provides accommodating support along and about a central axis of the ultrasound probe positioning immersion shell and about vertically spaced regions of ultrasound probes to provide for perpendicular alignment of ultrasound probes to the corneal plane. Vents in the chamber structure allow for introduction of fluid medium and for the expelling of air from the chambers to inhibit bubble formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2007
    Assignee: ESI, Inc.
    Inventors: Thomas A. Burba, David R. Hardten, Thomas C. Prager