Claims
- 1. A disposable assembly for a gas plasma tissue treatment instrument comprising: an elongate gas conduit extending from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and having a heat resistant dielectric wall; an electrically conductive electric field focussing element located inside the conduit; and means for releasably attaching the disposable assembly to a handpiece for the gas plasma tissue treatment instrument.
- 2. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the focussing element is electromagnetically resonant at a frequency in excess of 300 MHz.
- 3. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the conduit is a dielectric tube and the focussing element is self-supporting in the tube.
- 4. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the focussing element is an elongate element, with its longitudinal axis aligned parallel to a longitudinal axis of the conduit,
- 5. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the focussing element lies adjacent an inner surface of the dielectric wall.
- 6. A disposable assembly according to claim 5, wherein the focussing element is in intimate contact with the inner surface of the dielectric wall.
- 7. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the focussing element comprises a helical spring.
- 8. A disposable assembly according to claim 7, wherein the helical spring is formed of tungsten.
- 9. A disposable assembly according to claim 7, wherein the helical spring has a polygonal cross-section.
- 10. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the focussing element comprises one or more sections that are predominately capacitive, and at least one portion that is predominately inductive.
- 11. A disposable assembly according to claim 10, wherein the focussing element comprises a pair of folded patches interconnected by an elongate strip.
- 12. A disposable assembly according to claim 10, wherein the element has at least one part which is closer to the dielectric wall than other parts thereof so as to enhance the passage of gas between parts of the element and the dielectric wall.
- 13. A disposable assembly according to claim 1, wherein the means for releasably attaching the disposable assembly to a handpiece for the gas plasma tissue treatment instrument comprises a collar surrounding at least a part of the gas conduit, the collar having mechanical attachment means for releasably connecting the collar to the handpiece.
- 14. A disposable assembly according to claim 13, wherein the mechanical attachment means comprises a latch mechanism.
- 15. In combination, a handpiece for a gas plasma tissue treatment instrument and a disposable assembly for the handpiece, the handpiece including first and second electrodes; the disposable assembly comprising an elongate gas conduit extending from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and having a heat resistant dielectric wall, an electrically conductive electric field focussing element located inside the conduit; and a collar surrounding at least a part of the gas conduit, the collar having mechanical attachment means for releasably connecting the collar to the handpiece, such that when the disposable assembly is attached to the handpiece the first electrode is located inside the conduit, and the second electrode is located adjacent an outer surface of the dielectric wall.
- 16. A combination according to claim 15, wherein the first electrode is in the form of a needle, and the collar is such that when the disposable assembly is attached to the handpiece the tip of the needle is adjacent an end part of the focussing element.
- 17. A combination according to claim 15, wherein the second electrode comprises a conductive sleeve, and the collar is such that when the disposable assembly is attached to the handpiece the conductive sleeve is located around the conduit.
- 18. In combination, a disposable assembly for a gas plasma tissue treatment instrument and a generator unit; the disposable assembly comprising an elongate gas conduit extending from a gas inlet to a gas outlet and having a heat resistant dielectric wall, and an electrically conductive electric field focussing element located inside the conduit; wherein the generator unit operates at an operating frequency, and the focussing element is not directly connected to the generator but is electromagnetically resonant at the operating frequency.
- 19. A combination according to claim 18, wherein the length of the focussing element is between λ/8 and λ/4 where λ is the operating wavelength of the generator.
Parent Case Info
[0001] The present invention is a Continuation-in-Part application of U.S. patent application No. 09/789,500, filed Feb. 22, 2001, which in turn claims the benefit of priority of Provisional Application No. 60/183,785, filed Feb. 22, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60183785 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09789550 |
Feb 2001 |
US |
Child |
10792765 |
Mar 2004 |
US |