Abstract: A pneumatic control system for providing pressurized air and vacuum to ophthalmic microsurgical instruments. The pneumatic system is constructed in a drawer assembly to allow it to be readily inserted into or removed from a modularly construct ed cabinet of a microsurgical control console.In addition, the pneumatic system improves upon existing pneumatic control systems by providing a third mode of microscissors operation from a single pneumatic port. The third mode is made possible by a high speed three-way solenoid control valve which provides rapid pulses of air to the pneumatic port.

Abstract: An aspiration control system includes a proportional control valve and a motor, for driving a vacuum pump, which are controlled by a system controller in accordance with input commands to provide a precise, continuously variable vacuum or negative pressure within a vacuum chamber and surgical handpiece. A pressure transducer samples the vacuum output and produces a signal which is fed to the system controller. The signal is compared with an input command, and the motor speed and valve orifice size are coordinated to control the vacuum level.

Abstract: A pneumatic control system for providing pressurized air and vacuum to ophthalmic microsurgical instruments. The pneumatic system is constructed in a drawer assembly to allow it to be readily inserted into or removed from a modularly constructed cabinet of a microsurgical control console. In addition, the pneumatic system improves upon existing pneumatic control systems by providing a third mode of microscissors operation from a single-pneumatic port. The third mode is made possible by a high speed three-way solenoid control valve which provides rapid pulses of air to the pneumatic port. A second improvement involves the use of a pneumatic pressure transducer to monitor pneumatic pressure being supplied to the pneumatic system in order to recognize non-hazardous transient drops in air pressure which can occur under certain normal operating conditions.

Abstract: An aspiration control system includes a motor and vacuum pump which are controlled by a system controller, in accordance with input commands to provide a precise, continuously variable vacuum or negative pressure within a vacuum chamber and surgical handpiece. The resulting vacuum is proportional to the control signal sent from the system controller to the motor. A transducer samples the vacuum output and produces a signal fed system controller. The signal is compared with a variable input signal set by a potentiometer or other signal source activated by the input commands so that the transducer signal tracks the voltage source signal. Therefore, the vacuum output of the vacuum pump and motor relates directly and predictably to the input commands. In one embodiment the motor is a brushless DC motor.