Patents by Inventor Pere Llosas
Pere Llosas has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240108252Abstract: A micromachined mechanism for a sensing tool includes a support, a probe pivotally mounted with respect to the support, and a beam connected to the support and the probe. The probe is configured to apply a load (Ftool) on a body and to be subjected to a counter-reaction contact force exerted by the body in reaction to the load. The beam is configured to shift from an undeformed position to a deformed position when the contact force of the body is greater than a predetermined threshold force (Fcrit) for which the beam buckles.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2023Publication date: April 4, 2024Applicant: ECOLE POLYTECHNIQUE FEDERALE DE LAUSANNEInventors: Loic Tissot-Daguette, Charles Baur, Hubert Schneegans, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Publication number: 20230200736Abstract: An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 22, 2022Publication date: June 29, 2023Inventors: Giovanni Leo, Nicolas Aeby, Stuart J. Olstad, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Patent number: 11564628Abstract: An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2020Date of Patent: January 31, 2023Assignee: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à r.l.Inventors: Giovanni Leo, Nicolas Aeby, Stuart J. Olstad, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Publication number: 20200214634Abstract: An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2020Publication date: July 9, 2020Inventors: Giovanni Leo, Nicolas Aeby, Stuart J. Olstad, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Patent number: 10561368Abstract: An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2012Date of Patent: February 18, 2020Assignee: St. Jude Medical International Holding S.à r.l.Inventors: Giovanni Leo, Nicolas Aeby, Stuart J. Olstad, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Patent number: 10299826Abstract: A needle for invasive medical use includes a long extended cylindrical needle shaft having an axis and an outer surface area, with a short shaft end at a first end of the shaft with a beveled tip with a pointed end, and a needle hub attached to a second end of the shaft including a device to indicate the location of the shaft end during use inside a body. The needle has a flexible joint with a notch within the shaft at the beginning of the shaft end. The device is a displacement sensor for detecting a displacement of the shaft end relative to the rest of the shaft resulted from a force applied to the shaft end when the needle hub is moved and a signal conductor to transmit the detected signals. The invention further describes a needle assembly comprising such a needle and a syringe attached to said needle hub, whereas an evaluation unit is connected to the signal conductor.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 2014Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: Sensoptic SAInventors: Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas, Simon Henein, Charles Baur
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Patent number: 9816885Abstract: An optical force sensing element for microsurgical instruments and methods measures force F in three orthogonal directions and includes a monolithic cylinder structure, a cylindrical surface and a top surface that absorbs and transmits the force F. Three punch-like notches, all being parallel to the y-direction, are spaced apart along the z-axis and form two blades between the first and second notch and between the second and the third notch. Three channels parallel to the z-axis extend from the bottom surface to the top surface and cross the first notch while bypassing the other two notches. Three optical fibers, each fixed in one of the three channels, all entering the structure from the bottom surface, cross the first notch and end at or near the top surface while being interrupted in the first notch and forming two surfaces of each fiber that define a Fabry-Perot interferometric cavity.Type: GrantFiled: July 18, 2012Date of Patent: November 14, 2017Assignee: SENSOPTIC, SAInventors: Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas, Simon Henein
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Publication number: 20160310164Abstract: A needle for invasive medical use includes a long extended cylindrical needle shaft having an axis and an outer surface area, with a short shaft end at a first end of the shaft with a beveled tip with a pointed end, and a needle hub attached to a second end of the shaft including a device to indicate the location of the shaft end during use inside a body. The needle has a flexible joint with a notch within the shaft at the beginning of the shaft end. The device is a displacement sensor for detecting a displacement of the shaft end relative to the rest of the shaft resulted from a force applied to the shaft end when the needle hub is moved and a signal conductor to transmit the detected signals. The invention further describes a needle assembly comprising such a needle and a syringe attached to said needle hub, whereas an evaluation unit is connected to the signal conductor.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 16, 2014Publication date: October 27, 2016Applicant: Sensoptic SAInventors: Axel BERTHOLDS, Pere LLOSAS, Simon HENEIN, Charles BAUR
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Patent number: 8659762Abstract: An optical measuring element measures forces in at least one direction. The measuring element has a single-piece structure. There is an outside wall with notches introduced therein. Each notch defines parallel edges, and the notches define more or less elastically flexible zones in the structure and constitute the only connection between a first region and a second region of the structure. For optical distance measurements between the two regions of the structure, one or more optical fibers are each attached with one end thereof to a region of the structure such that reflective surfaces are located close to the ends. The reflective surfaces are firmly connected to another region. The optical fibers are disposed on the outside wall.Type: GrantFiled: March 18, 2009Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Sensoptic SAInventors: Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas, Simon Henein
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Publication number: 20130204142Abstract: An optical force sensing element for microsurgical instruments and methods measures force F in three orthogonal directions and includes a monolithic cylinder structure, a cylindrical surface and a top surface that absorbs and transmits the force F. Three punch-like notches, all being parallel to the y-direction, are spaced apart along the z-axis and form two blades between the first and second notch and between the second and the third notch. Three channels parallel to the z-axis extend from the bottom surface to the top surface and cross the first notch while bypassing the other two notches. Three optical fibres, each fixed in one of the three channels, all entering the structure from the bottom surface, cross the first notch and end at or near the top surface while being interrupted in the first notch and forming two surfaces of each fibre that define a Fabry-Perot interferometric cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 18, 2012Publication date: August 8, 2013Applicant: SENSOPTIC SAInventors: AXEL BERTHOLDS, PERE LLOSAS, SIMON HENEIN
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Publication number: 20120265102Abstract: An ablation catheter system configured with a compact force sensor at a distal end for detection of contact forces exerted on an end effector. The force sensor includes fiber optics operatively coupled with reflecting members on a structural member. In one embodiment, the optical fibers and reflecting members cooperate with the deformable structure to provide a variable gap interferometer for sensing deformation of the structural member due to contact force. In another embodiment, a change in the intensity of the reflected light is detected to measure the deformation. The measured deformations are then used to compute a contact force vector. In some embodiments, the force sensor is configured to passively compensate for temperature changes that otherwise lead to erroneous force indications. In other embodiments, the system actively compensates for errant force indications caused by temperature changes by measuring certain local temperatures of the structural member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 16, 2012Publication date: October 18, 2012Inventors: Giovanni Leo, Nicolas Aeby, Stuart J. Olstad, Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas
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Publication number: 20100328675Abstract: An optical measuring element measures forces in at least one direction. The measuring element has a single-piece structure. There is an outside wall with notches introduced therein. Each notch defines parallel edges, and the notches define more or less elastically flexible zones in the structure and constitute the only connection between a first region and a second region of the structure. For optical distance measurements between the two regions of the structure, one or more optical fibers are each attached with one end thereof to a region of the structure such that reflective surfaces are located close to the ends. The reflective surfaces are firmly connected to another region. The optical fibers are disposed on the outside wall.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 18, 2009Publication date: December 30, 2010Inventors: Axel Bertholds, Pere Llosas, Simon Henein