US 11,771,597 B2
Multiple-input-coupled illuminated multi-spot laser probe
Gerald David Bacher, Carlsbad, CA (US); Mark Harrison Farley, Laguna Hills, CA (US); Alireza Mirsepassi, Irvine, CA (US); and Ronald T. Smith, Irvine, CA (US)
Assigned to Alcon Inc., Fribourg (CH)
Filed by Alcon Inc., Fribourg (CH)
Filed on Dec. 12, 2018, as Appl. No. 16/217,383.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/630,865, filed on Feb. 15, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/622,299, filed on Jan. 26, 2018.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/598,653, filed on Dec. 14, 2017.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/597,550, filed on Dec. 12, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0175407 A1, Jun. 13, 2019
Int. Cl. A61F 9/008 (2006.01); A61B 18/22 (2006.01); G02B 6/38 (2006.01); A61B 90/30 (2016.01); A61B 18/24 (2006.01); G02B 6/02 (2006.01); G02B 6/42 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/20 (2006.01)
CPC A61F 9/00821 (2013.01) [A61B 18/22 (2013.01); A61B 18/24 (2013.01); A61B 90/30 (2016.02); A61F 9/008 (2013.01); A61F 9/00823 (2013.01); G02B 6/3843 (2013.01); G02B 6/3851 (2013.01); G02B 6/3885 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00779 (2013.01); A61B 2018/208 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2025 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2065 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2211 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2255 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2266 (2013.01); A61B 2018/2294 (2013.01); A61B 2090/306 (2016.02); A61F 2009/00863 (2013.01); G02B 6/02042 (2013.01); G02B 6/4206 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laser system comprising:
a first port for coupling with a first laser probe assembly;
an additional port for coupling with an additional laser probe assembly;
the additional laser probe assembly;
a port selector;
a first beam splitter;
a second beam splitter;
a therapeutic laser source configured to direct a treatment laser beam to the port selector, the port selector configured to selectively and variably direct the treatment laser beam to the first beam splitter or the second beam splitter;
a first aiming laser source for directing a first aiming laser beam to the first beam splitter;
a second aiming laser source for directing a second aiming laser beam to the second beam splitter;
a diffractive optical element (DOE) configured to receive the treatment laser beam and the second aiming laser beam and to create a multi-spot laser pattern from the treatment laser beam and the second aiming laser beam;
an illumination system that emits white light;
a collimating lens that collimates the white light received from the illumination system into an illumination beam;
a condensing lens; and
a multiplexing beam splitter arranged to receive the illumination beam and the multi-spot laser pattern from the DOE, the multiplexing beam splitter configured to reflect the multi-spot laser pattern towards the condensing lens and to transmit the illumination beam from the collimating lens towards the condensing lens, thereby multiplexing the multi-spot laser pattern and the illumination beam,
wherein:
the first beam splitter directs the treatment laser beam and the first aiming laser beam to the first port, wherein the second beam splitter directs the treatment laser beam and the second aiming laser beam toward the additional port,
the condensing lens focuses a multiplexed beam of the illumination beam and the multi-spot laser pattern onto an interface in the additional port,
the additional laser probe assembly comprises a multi-core optical fiber cable with a proximal end which, when coupled with the additional port, abuts the interface in the additional port such that the focused, multiplexed multi-spot pattern and the illumination beam are focused on the proximal end of the multi-core optical fiber cable,
the multi-core optical fiber cable further comprises a first outer core surrounded by an outer-core cladding and a plurality of inner cores contained within the outer core, each inner core in the plurality of inner cores surrounded by an inner-core cladding, and
a refractive index of the outer core is greater than a refractive index of the outer-core cladding, wherein a refractive index of each of the inner cores in the plurality of inner cores is greater than a refractive index of the inner-core cladding.