Positioning device, light processor having such a positioning device, and method for laser eye surgery using such a light processor

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a positioning device for positioning an object in a positioning plane. To minimize the position error (contouring error) in a continuous orbital travel in contrast to two linear adjusters (X and Y) arranged at a right angle to each other, the positioning device includes two rotation drives having different diameters and an object receiver for receiving the object. The object receiver is coupled to a first of the two rotation drives, which in turn is coupled to the second of the two rotating drives so that the object receiver is rotatable about the axes of rotation (A2, A3) of both rotation drives that are offset in parallel, and is thereby adjustable in the positioning plane. A light processor having such a positioning device, and a method for laser eye surgery using such a light processor are also disclosed.

Claims

1. Positioning device for positioning an object in a positioning plane, the positioning device comprising: two rotation drives having different diameters; and an object receiver for receiving saidan object, where said object receiver is coupled to a first of said two rotation drives, which in turn is coupled to thea second of said two rotation drives, so that said object receiver is configured to be rotated about the axes of rotation of both rotation drives, that are arranged parallel and offset from one another, and is thereby adjustable in said positioning plane.

2. Positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said first rotation drive has a smaller diameter than said second rotation drive.

3. Positioning device according to claim 1, wherein a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said first rotation drive encloses or intersects said axis of rotation of said second rotation drive.

4. Positioning device according to claim 1, wherein a diameter of a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said first rotation drive is at least half as large as athe maximum diameter of a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said second rotation drive.

5. Positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said first and second rotation drives are configured such that directions of rotation and/or speeds of rotation of said first and second rotation drives are controllable separately from one another.

6. Positioning device according to claim 1, wherein said first rotation drive and/or said second rotation drive is/are ring-shaped.

7. Positioning device according to claim 6, wherein each ring-shaped rotation drive comprises: two rings rotatable relative to one another, one of which is formed as a stator ring and the other as a rotor ring.

8. Positioning device according to claim 7, wherein said stator ring of said first rotation drive is coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to said rotor ring of said second rotation drive, by a releasable coupling.

9. Positioning device according to claim 6, wherein said object receiver is arranged on an inner circumference of said first rotation drive.

10. Light processor comprising, in combination: a positioning device according to claim 1; and a light-directing element which is arranged on said object receiver of said positioning device and configured to be adjustable in said positioning plane by way of said positioning device in order to direct a light beam onto an object to be processed by said light beam.

11. Light processor combination according to claim 10, wherein said light-directing element is arranged and/or alignable on said object receiver of said positioning device such that said light beam will extend parallel to said axes of rotation of both rotation drives.

12. Light processor combination according to claim 10, wherein the positioning device for positioning an object in a positioning plane includes the two rotation drives having different diameters and the object receiver for receiving said object, where said object receiver is coupled to the first of said two rotation drives, which in turn is coupled to the second of said two rotation drives, so that said object receiver is rotatable about the axes of rotation of both rotation drives that are arranged parallel and offset from one another, and is configured to be adjustable in said positioning plane, wherein said first rotation drive and/or said second rotation drive is/are ring-shaped and is arranged such that said light beam will be guided through a ring opening of said first rotation drive and/or through a ring opening of said second rotation drive.

13. Light processor combination according to claim 10, wherein said light-directing element is the laser light-emitting part of a laser.

14. Method for treating cataract or a refraction-based visual impairment, the method comprising: adjusting a positioning device having two rotation drives having different diameters, and an object receiver for receiving an object, where said object receiver is coupled to a first of said two rotation drives, which in turn is coupled to a second of said two rotation drives, so that said object receiver is configured to be rotated about axes of rotation of both rotation drives, that are arranged parallel and offset from one another, and is adjustable in said positioning plane; arranging a light-directing element on said object receiver of said positioning device and adjusting the light-directing element in said positioning plane by way of said positioning device in order to direct a light beam onto an object to be processed by said light beam; and acting on the cornea of a patient by way of said light beam in the form of a laser beam.

15. Method for laser eye surgery using a light processor, the method, comprising: a. arranging said light processor at a distance from a cornea of a patient, such that a positioning plane of a positioning device is aligned exactly or substantially perpendicular to a normal to said cornea of the patient; and b. adjusting a light-directing element arranged in an object receiver of said positioning device in the positioning plane by way of a first rotation drive and/or a second rotation drive so that a light beam directed by said light-directing element travels a track that is circular at least in sections and/or arcuate at least in section and/or or a track that is straight at least in sections on said cornea of the patient for changing a corneal curvature of the patient.

16. Light processor combination according to claim 10, wherein said light-directing element is the laser light-emitting part of a femtosecond laser.

17. Positioning device according to claim 2, wherein a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said first rotation drive encloses or intersects said axis of rotation of said second rotation drive.

18. Positioning device according to claim 17, wherein a diameter of a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said first rotation drive is at least half as large as a maximum diameter of a path of motion of said object receiver extending around said axis of rotation of said second rotation drive.

19. Positioning device according to claim 18, wherein said first and second rotation drives are configured such that directions of rotation and/or speeds of rotation of said first and second rotation drives are controllable separately from one another.

20. Positioning device according to claim 19, wherein said first rotation drive and/or said second rotation drive is/are ring-shaped.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0037] FIG. 1 shows a schematic and perspective view of a light processor according to the invention with a positioning device according to the invention comprising two ring-shaped rotation drives with different diameters.

[0038] FIG. 2 shows a schematic and perspective view of the light processor according to FIG. 1 for laser eye surgery, where a light-directing element is adjusted in a positioning plane by the positioning device by actuating the two rotation drives in order to guide the light beam directed by the light-directing element along a trajectory that is at least in sections circular over the cornea of a patient.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows a schematic and perspective view similar to FIG. 1.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows a schematic and perspective view similar to FIG. 2 from a different viewing angle.

[0041] FIG. 5 shows, in views (a) to (d), different stages of laser eye surgery using the light processor according to one of the FIGS. 1 to 4.

[0042] FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view along the axes of rotation of both rotation drives perpendicular onto the paths of motion of the object receiver around each of the two axes of rotation according to a preferred embodiment of the positioning device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0043] The preferred embodiment of the invention, which shall be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying figures, relates to a light processor in the form of a laser eye surgical instrument, comprising a light-directing element in the form of a mirror or a light guide and a positioning device 1 according to the invention with two rotation drives 2, 3 of different diameters and an object receiver 4 in which the light-directing element is arranged. This light-directing element is configured to direct a laser beam 5 for laser eye surgery onto cornea 6 of a patient, where the light-directing element is adjustable in the positioning plane by way of positioning device 1. In the present case, the light-directing element is the light-emitting part of a femtosecond laser for performing laser-assisted eye surgery.

[0044] Positioning device 1 according to the invention is used to position the light-directing element in a positioning plane. Object receiver 4, which receives the light-directing element, is coupled to first rotation drive 3 having a smaller diameter, which in turn is releasably coupled to second rotation drive 2 having a larger diameter, preferably by way of a coupling 23, so that object receiver 4 is arranged to be rotatable about rotational axes A2, A3, which are arranged parallel and offset to one another, and is therefore adjustable in the positioning plane.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 6, a path of motion B3 of object receiver 4 extending around axis of rotation A3 of first rotation drive 3 intersects axis of rotation A2 of second rotation drive 2. According thereto, the diameter of path of motion B3 of object receiver 4 extending around axis of rotation A3 of first rotation drive 3 is exactly half as large as the maximum diameter of a path of motion B2 of object receiver 4 extending around axis of rotation A2 of second rotation drive 2. This means that object receiver 4 or the light-directing element arranged thereon, respectively, can reach any position in the positioning plane that is within path of motion B2 of object receiver 4 extending around axis of rotation A2 of rotation drive 2 having a larger diameter.

[0046] For the reason the directions of rotation and the speeds of rotation of rotation drives 2, 3 can be controlled separately from one another, object receiver 4 can travel any trajectory within the positioning plane, in particular also circular, arcuate, or straight sections thereof.

[0047] In the present embodiment, each of two rotation drives 2, 3 is formed to be ring-shaped and comprises two rings 21, 31; 22, 32, of which one is configured as a stator ring 21, 31 and the other as a rotor ring 22, 32. Stator ring 31 of first rotation drive 3 is preferably coupled in a rotationally fixed manner to rotor ring 22 of second rotation drive 2 by way of releasable coupling 23, and object receiver 4 is arranged on an inner circumference of rotor ring 32 of first rotation drive 3.

[0048] The light-directing element is arranged in object receiver 4 of positioning device 1 in such a way that laser beam 5 runs parallel to axes of rotation A2, A3 of the two rotation drives 2, 3. Laser beam 5 is guided through the ring opening of both rotation drives in order to impinge on a target object 6 arranged thereunder in the operating state (cf. FIGS. 2, 4, 5).

[0049] According to the method of the invention for laser eye surgery, the light processor according to the invention is arranged at a distance from cornea 6 of a patient so that the positioning plane of positioning device 1 is ideally aligned exactly or substantially perpendicular to a normal to cornea 6 of the patient (cf. FIGS. 2, 4, 5). The light-directing element arranged in object receiver 4 of positioning device 1 is thereafter adjusted in the positioning plane by actuating both rotation drives, so that laser beam 5 directed by the light-directing element travels a track on cornea 6 of the patient which can contain circular, arcuate, or straight path sections for changing the patient's corneal curvature or make incisions in the patient's cornea. Individual stages of this procedure are shown in views (a) to (d) in FIG. 5.

[0050] By rotating or adjusting first rotation drive 3, different circle diameters can be set in a selective manner. By rotating or adjusting second rotation drive 2, orbits with the previously set circle diameter can be traveled continuously. The combined rotation of first and second rotation drive 2, 3 allows for any desired trajectory to be travelled.

LIST OF REFERENCE CHARACTERS

[0051] 1 positioning device

[0052] 2 second rotation drive (large diameter)

[0053] 3 first rotation drive (small diameter)

[0054] 4 object receiver

[0055] 5 beam path or light beam or laser beam, respectively

[0056] 6 target object or cornea, respectively

[0057] 21 stator ring of the second rotation drive (large diameter)

[0058] 22 rotor ring of the second rotation drive (large diameter)

[0059] 23 coupling section

[0060] 31 stator ring of the first rotation drive (small diameter)

[0061] 32 rotor ring of the first rotation drive (small diameter)

[0062] A2 axis of rotation of the second rotation drive (large diameter)

[0063] A3 axis of rotation of the first rotation drive (small diameter)

[0064] B2 path of motion of the object receiver about the axis of rotation A2

[0065] B3 path of motion of the object receiver about the axis of rotation A3