Free floating patient interface for laser surgery system
A patient interface includes an eye interface device, a scanner, a first support assembly, and a beam source. The eye interface device is configured to interface with an eye of a patient. The scanner is configured to be coupled with the eye interface device and operable to scan an electromagnetic radiation beam in at least two dimensions in an eye interfaced with the eye interface device. The scanner and the eye interface device move in conjunction with movement of the eye. The first support assembly supports the scanner so as to accommodate relative movement between the scanner and the first support assembly parallel so as to accommodate movement of the eye. The beam source generates the electromagnetic radiation beam. The electromagnetic radiation beam propagates from the beam source to the scanner along an optical path having an optical path length that varies in response to movement of the eye.
1. A patient interface assembly for a laser eye surgery system, the patient interface assembly comprising:
an eye interface device configured to interface with an eye of a patient;
a scanner configured to be coupled with the eye interface device and operable to scan a laser beam in at least two dimensions;
a beam source that generates the laser beam; and
a free-floating mechanism that supports the scanner and is configured to provide movements of the scanner relative to the beam source, the free-floating mechanism including a first mirror and a second mirror and configured to moveably couple the first mirror to the second mirror to vary a relative position between the first and second mirrors, the first mirror and the second mirror being external to the scanner and located on an optical path between the beam source and the scanner, the second mirror disposed to receive the laser beam from a third direction and reflect it directly to the first mirror along a second direction, and the first mirror disposed to receive the laser beam directly reflected from the second mirror along the second direction and reflect it directly to the scanner along a first direction, the first, second and third directions being non-parallel to one another, wherein the free-floating mechanism is configured to moveably couple the first mirror to the second mirror to support a relative translation movement between the first mirror and the second mirror along the second direction, and wherein the free-floating mechanism is configured to move the scanner and the eye interface device,
wherein the free-floating mechanism includes a first support assembly configured to support the scanner and the first mirror and to provide a relative translation movement between the scanner and the first mirror in the first direction, a second support assembly configured to support the first support assembly and the second mirror and to provide a relative translation movement between the first support assembly and the second mirror in the second direction, and a base assembly configured to support the second support assembly and to provide a relative translation movement between the second support assembly and the base assembly in the third direction.
2. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the second direction is perpendicular to the first direction; and
the third direction is perpendicular to each of the first and second directions.
3. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a counter-balance mechanism coupled with the scanner and configured to inhibit at least one of a gravity-induced movement of the scanner in a vertical direction and a transfer of gravity-induced force to the eye interface device.
4. The patient interface assembly of claim 3 , wherein the third direction is vertically oriented and each of the first and second directions is horizontally oriented.
5. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein at least one the first support assembly is further configured to support a relative rotation between the scanner and the first support assembly, or the second support assembly is further configured to support a relative rotation between the first support assembly and the second support assembly, or the base assembly is further configured to support a relative rotation between the second support assembly and the base assembly.
6. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a third mirror supported by the base assembly and configured to reflect the laser beam to be incident on the second mirror.
7. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the scanner is operable to:
focus the laser beam to a focal point; and
scan the focal point in three dimensions.
8. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam comprises a series of laser pulses configured to modify eye tissue.
9. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to monitor relative position of at least one of the group consisting of between the scanner and the first support assembly, between the first support assembly and the second support assembly, and between the second support assembly and the base assembly.
10. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising an objective lens assembly disposed between and coupled with the scanner and the eye interface device.
11. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , wherein the scanner comprises a z-scan device and an xy-scan device, the z-scan device being operable to change a depth of the focal point in the propagation direction of the laser beam, the xy-scan device being operable to scan the focal point in the two dimensions transverse to the propagation direction of the laser beam.
12. The patient interface assembly of claim 1 , further comprising at least one device configured to inhibit relative movement during positioning of the scanner relative to the patient between at least one of the scanner and the first support assembly, the first support assembly and the second support assembly, and the second support assembly and the base assembly.