US 12,343,025 B2
Method for determining an optimal frequency of an oscillating movement of a force-accelerated projectile of an intracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus
Thomas Hinding, Tuttlingen (DE); and Bernhard Glöggler, Tuttlingen (DE)
Assigned to KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, Tuttlingen (DE)
Appl. No. 18/013,354
Filed by KARL STORZ SE & Co. KG, Tuttlingen (DE)
PCT Filed Jun. 29, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/067828
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Dec. 28, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/002926, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 6, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 10 2020 117 364.4 (DE), filed on Jul. 1, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0293194 A1, Sep. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. A61B 17/22 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 17/22012 (2013.01) [A61B 2017/0011 (2013.01); A61B 2017/22014 (2013.01)] 9 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for determining an optimal frequency of an oscillating movement of a force-accelerated projectile of an intracorporeal lithotripsy apparatus including the following steps:
repeatedly accelerating the projectile from a first stop of an acceleration path to a second stop, and from the second stop to the first stop, wherein a piezo element is arranged between a proximally arranged counter bearing and a distally arranged horn and is mechanically coupled to the counter bearing and to the horn, and the horn has a distally arranged sonotrode, wherein the acceleration path is arranged in the interior of the counter bearing and of the horn and the first stop is arranged at a distal end of the counter bearing and the second stop is arranged at a distal end of the horn,
detecting an electrical signal from the piezo element caused by a tremor at the first stop and/or the second stop as a result of the projectile; and
using the detected electrical signal to control a medium which generates the force and which is used to accelerate the projectile from the first stop of the acceleration path to the second stop, and from the second stop to the first stop.