Patents by Inventor Ronald T. Smith

Ronald T. Smith 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).

  • TARGETED ILLUMINATION FOR SURGICAL INSTRUMENT
    Publication number: 20150011838
    Abstract: An illuminated surgical instrument has a working area located near an end of the instrument. An array of optical fibers terminates near the end of the instrument. The array of optical fibers is located adjacent to the instrument such that the array of optical fibers provides targeted illumination to the working area only on one side of the instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2014
    Publication date: January 8, 2015
    Inventors: Jack Robert Auld, Ronald T. Smith
  • OPHTHALMIC ENDOILLUMINATORS WITH DIRECTED LIGHT
    Publication number: 20140364699
    Abstract: Certain embodiments of an endoilluminator may include a cannula, an intermediate material, and an optical fiber. The cannula has a substantially cylindrical shape that defines an interior region and has a cylindrical axis. The intermediate material is disposed within the interior region. The optical fiber is disposed within the intermediate material and has a fiber optical axis and a distal end configured to emit light. The emitted light has an illumination pattern with an illumination axis that is not parallel to the cylindrical axis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2014
    Publication date: December 11, 2014
    Inventors: Jack R. Auld, Michael M. Martin, Michael J. Papac, Ronald T. Smith, Michael J. Yadlowski
  • MULTI-SPOT LASER SURGICAL PROBE USING FACETED OPTICAL ELEMENTS
    Publication number: 20140250668
    Abstract: An optical surgical probe includes a handpiece, a light guide within the handpiece, and a multi-spot generator at a distal end of the handpiece. The handpiece is configured to optically couple to a light source. The light guide is configured to carry a light beam from the light source to a distal end of the handpiece. The multi-spot generator includes a faceted optical element with a faceted end surface spaced from a distal end of the light guide. The faceted end surface includes at least one facet oblique to a path of the light beam.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2014
    Publication date: September 11, 2014
    Applicant: Alcon Research,Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • MULTI-SPOT LASER PROBE WITH MICRO-STRUCTURED DISTAL SURFACE
    Publication number: 20140200566
    Abstract: An optical surgical probe, configured to optically couple to a light source; comprising a cannula; a light guide within the cannula, configured to receive a light beam from the light source, to guide the light beam to a distal end of the light guide, and to emit the light beam at the distal end of the light guide; and a multi-spot generator at a distal end of the cannula, the multi-spot generator having a faceted proximal surface with oblique facets, configured to receive the light beam emitted at the distal end of the light guide and to split the received light beam into multiple beam-components, and a distal surface through which the multiple beam-components exit the multi-spot generator, wherein the distal surface is micro-structured with a modulation length smaller than a wavelength of the light beam in order to reduce the reflectance of light back into the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 15, 2013
    Publication date: July 17, 2014
    Applicant: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • MULTI-SPOT LASER PROBE WITH MICRO-STRUCTURED FACETED PROXIMAL SURFACE
    Publication number: 20140194862
    Abstract: An optical surgical probe includes a cannula; a light guide within the cannula, configured to receive a light beam from the light source, to guide the light beam to a distal end of the light guide, and to emit the light beam at the distal end of the light guide; and a multi-spot generator at a distal end of the cannula, the multi-spot generator having a faceted proximal surface with oblique facets, configured to receive the light beam emitted at the distal end of the light guide and to split the received light beam into multiple beam-components, and a distal surface through which the multiple beam-components exit the multi-spot generator, wherein the proximal surface of the multi-spot generator is micro-structured with a modulation length smaller than a wavelength of the light beam in order to reduce the reflectance of light back into the probe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2013
    Publication date: July 10, 2014
    Applicant: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
    Inventors: Ronald T. Smith, Mark H. Farley, Dustin J. Bouch
  • Multi-spot laser surgical probe using faceted optical elements
    Patent number: 8764261
    Abstract: An optical surgical probe includes a handpiece, a light guide within the handpiece, and a multi-spot generator at a distal end of the handpiece. The handpiece is configured to optically couple to a light source. The light guide is configured to carry a light beam from the light source to a distal end of the handpiece. The multi-spot generator includes a faceted optical element with a faceted end surface spaced from a distal end of the light guide. The faceted end surface includes at least one facet oblique to a path of the light beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • GRIN FIBER MULTI-SPOT LASER PROBE
    Publication number: 20140180264
    Abstract: A surgical probe includes a cannula assembly, having a graded index (GRIN) fiber that is configured to receive a multi-spot light beam at a proximal end and to emit the multi-spot light beam at a distal end ; an adapter, having a distal end, configured to receive the cannula assembly, with the proximal end of the GRIN fiber, a proximal end, configured to couple to a light guide via a connector and to receive a light delivered by the light guide from a laser source to the adapter, and an interface, configured to couple the light delivered by the light guide to the proximal end of the GRIN fiber; wherein a length of the GRIN fiber is sufficiently long that the interface is outside a patient's eye during a photocoagulation procedure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 26, 2014
    Applicant: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
    Inventors: Chenguang Diao, Ronald T. Smith
  • White coherent laser light launched into nano fibers for surgical illumination
    Publication number: 20140066723
    Abstract: Disclosed is an exemplary surgical illumination system that includes a first laser configured to emit a first light beam having a first spectral range, and an illumination probe optically connectable to the first laser. The first laser may be configured as a supercontinuum laser. The surgical illumination system may include a second laser configured to emit a second light beam having a second spectral range, and a beam combiner for combing the first and second laser beams to form a third laser beam having a spectral range of the first and second lasers. The illumination probe includes a fiber optic cable for delivering at least a portion of the first light beam to a surgical site. The fiber optic cable includes a fiber optic core having a diameter of 100 microns or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2013
    Publication date: March 6, 2014
    Applicant: ALCON RESEARCH, LTD.
    Inventors: Christopher Horvath, Michael J. Papac, Laszlo Romoda, Ronald T. Smith, Michael J. Yadlowsky
  • Spectrally-adjustable ophthalmic illumination with discrete sources
    Patent number: 8662670
    Abstract: An ophthalmic illuminator includes a one or more light combining stages arranged in series to augment a white light source with various color spectral bands. A first stage combines white light from a white light source with colored light from a first color source. Each subsequent stage in the series adds its own respective colored light. The color sources may be selectively turned on/off or driven with variable amounts of power. In this fashion, a combined light is produced by the final stage that represents a desired chromaticity and brightness as desired for a particular ophthalmic therapeutic procedure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael Papac, Ronald T. Smith, Michael J. Yadlowsky, Alexander N. Artsyukhovich
  • LED illuminator
    Patent number: 8573801
    Abstract: Disclosed is an exemplary illumination device for enhancing the brightness and chromaticity of an illuminator employing light emitting diodes (LED). The illumination device may include a first light source configured to emit light at a first wavelength range. A first dichroic optical element associated with the first light source may be configured to optically block less than the entire wavelength range of the light emitted from the first light source. The illumination device may also include a second light source configured to emit light at second wavelength range substantially corresponding to the wavelength range optically blocked by the first dichroic optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Alexander N. Artsyukhovich, Michael J. Papac, Ronald T. Smith
  • Multi-spot laser probe with faceted optical element
    Patent number: 8571364
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, a method includes forming a ferrule from a portion of a tube. The tube is cut to yield the ferrule and a short cannula. A multi-spot generator with a faceted optical element is added to the short cannula. An optical fiber is placed into the ferrule, and the ferrule and the short cannula are assembled. In certain embodiments, a system includes a long cannula, an optical fiber, and a multi-spot generator. The optical fiber can carry a laser beam to a distal end of the long cannula. The multi-spot generator is located at the distal end and comprises a faceted optical element and a ball lens. The faceted optical element can be formed directly onto or separately from the ball lens. The ball lens can be spherical or hemispherical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald T. Smith, Michael A. Zica
  • Assembling a multi-fiber multi-spot laser probe
    Patent number: 8561280
    Abstract: In certain embodiments, assembling a multi-fiber multi-spot laser system includes heating a ferrule until an interior diameter of an interior volume of the ferrule has expanded to greater than a predetermined diameter. End portions of a number of optical fibers are disposed within the interior volume. The ferrule is cooled to allow a cross-section of the fibers to conform to a fiber pattern having the predetermined diameter. At least a portion of the ferrule is disposed within a connector body to yield at least a portion of an optical fiber connector. In certain embodiments, the ferrule is rotated with respect to the connector body to align the fiber pattern with a laser spot pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Chenguang Diao, Ronald T. Smith
  • LASER ILLUMINATION SYSTEM
    Publication number: 20130265548
    Abstract: An ophthalmic endoillumination system comprises a self-contained power source and a laser light source powered by the self-contained power source to produce light. The system further comprises an elongated member sized for insertion into an eye and for conducting the light produced by the laser light source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Publication date: October 10, 2013
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • Preconditioned illuminator system and method
    Patent number: 8542962
    Abstract: Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald T. Smith, Dean Y. Lin, Jack R. Auld, Timothy C. Ryan
  • Preconditioned illuminator system and method
    Patent number: 8498506
    Abstract: Embodiments of endo-illuminators and related methods are disclosed. One embodiment of an illuminator can comprise a cannula defining a passage, an optical element disposed at an end of the cannula, and an optical fiber running through the passage with the distal end of the optical fiber in contact with the optical element. The optical fiber includes at least a heat preconditioned distal portion that terminates in the distal end that is in contact with the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ronald T. Smith, Dean Y. Lin, Jack R. Auld, Timothy C. Ryan
  • Portable pattern-generating ophthalmic probe
    Patent number: 8496331
    Abstract: A pattern-generating intraocular probe is provided that includes a cannula including a diffractive optical element (DOE), the DOE being patterned such that an on-axis illumination of the DOE produces an emitted beam forming a linear pattern; and a handpiece connected to a proximal of the cannula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith
  • Structured illumination probe and method
    Patent number: 8485972
    Abstract: A structured illumination probe is disclosed, one embodiment comprising: an optical fiber, to receive and transmit a light beam; a handpiece, coupled to the optical fiber; an optical element, comprising a distal optical fiber and a distal light guide, wherein the proximal ends of the distal optical fiber and the distal light guide can be selectably optically coupled to the optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and scattering the light beam to illuminate an area, and wherein the surface area of the proximal end of the distal light guide is greater than the surface area of the distal end of the optical fiber; an actuator, coupled to the handpiece, for selectably coupling the optical fiber to the distal optical fiber and the distal light guide; and a cannula, coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the optical fiber and the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael J. Papac, Ronald T. Smith
  • Wavelength converting illumination probe
    Patent number: 8488930
    Abstract: Disclosed is an exemplary wavelength converting illumination probe having an illumination probe that can be selectively connected to a light source configured to generate light at a first wavelength range. The illumination probe including a lumen defining an aperture in a distal end of the illumination probe for emitting light. The wavelength converting illumination probe further including a wavelength converting element disposed within the lumen of the illumination probe. The wavelength converting element operable for receiving light from the light source at the first wavelength range, and converting the light to a second wavelength range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael James Papac, Ronald T. Smith, Michael J. Yadlowsky, Michael McCulloch Martin, Christopher Horvath
  • Structured illumination probe and method
    Patent number: 8480279
    Abstract: A structured illumination surgical system is disclosed, one embodiment comprising: a light source for providing a light beam; an optical cable, comprising an optical fiber, optically coupled to the light source for receiving and transmitting the light beam; a handpiece, operably coupled to the optical cable; an optical element, a proximal end of the optical element optically coupled to a distal end of the optical fiber, for receiving the light beam and scattering the light beam to illuminate an area (e.g., a surgical site), wherein the surface area of the proximal end of the optical element is greater than the surface area of the distal end of the optical fiber; and a cannula, operably coupled to the handpiece, for housing and directing the optical fiber and the optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventors: Michael J. Papac, Ronald T. Smith
  • Laser illumination system
    Patent number: 8480233
    Abstract: An ophthalmic endoillumination system comprises a self-contained power source and a laser light source powered by the self-contained power source to produce light. The system further comprises an elongated member sized for insertion into an eye and for conducting the light produced by the laser light source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: Alcon Research, Ltd.
    Inventor: Ronald T. Smith