1. A chain transmission comprising:
a chain elongated in a lengthwise direction and having a width in a widthwise direction perpendicular to the lengthwise direction, the chain comprising a plurality of guide rows and a plurality of link rows, said guide rows and link rows being arranged alternately along the lengthwise direction of the chain and flexibly interconnected to one another, each of the guide rows having a pair of guide plates spaced from each other in the widthwise direction and at least one first link plate disposed between the pair of guide plates, and each of the link rows having a plurality of second link plates; and
a plurality of sprockets at least one of said sprockets being in driving relationship with the chain and at least one of the sprockets being in driven relationship with the chain, the chain having a plurality of wrapping portions, a wrapping portion being in engagement with, and extending around, a portion of each of the sprockets;
wherein each of the guide plates of each of the guide rows is a guide plate from the group consisting of contact guide plates, which are able to come into contact with side surfaces of the sprockets when in a wrapping portion of the chain, and non-contact guide plates, which do not come into contact with either the side surfaces or the teeth of the sprockets when in the wrapping portion of the chain, and
wherein the guide rows of the chain include at least one contact guide row having at least one contact guide plate, and at least one non-contact guide row having only non-contact guide plates.
2. The chain transmission according to claim 1, wherein one of the pair of guide plates of at least one of the contact guide rows is a contact guide plate and the other of the pair is a non-contact guide plate.
3. The chain transmission according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the contact guide rows are arranged randomly in the lengthwise direction of the chain.
4. The chain transmission according to claim 1, wherein each of guide plates of each contact guide row is a contact guide plate.
5. The chain transmission according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the wrapping portions of the chain always includes at least one contact guide row having at least one contact guide plate and a plurality of non-contact guide rows each having only non-contact guide plates.
6. The chain transmission according to claim 5, wherein each of guide plates of each contact guide row is a contact guide plate.
7. The chain transmission according to claim 5, wherein:
the pair of guide plates of each of said guide rows consists of a first and second guide plates opposed to each other in the widthwise direction and provided on opposite sides of the chain;
the contact guide rows of the chain comprise at least one first contact guide row, the first and second guide plates of which are contact guide plates, and a plurality of second contact guide rows one of the first and second guide plates of which is a contact guide plate and the other of the first and second guide plates of which is a non-contact guide plate;
the plurality of second contact guide rows consists of guide rows from the group consisting of type 1 contact guide rows the first and second guide plates of which are respectively contact guide plates and non-contact guide plates and type 2 contact guide rows the first and second guide plates of which are respectively non-contact guide plate and contact guide plates; and
at least one of said wrapping portions always includes at least one guide row from the group consisting of: (a) at least one first contact guide row; (b) at least one first contact guide rows and at least one second contact guide row; and (c) at least one said type 1 contact guide row and at least one said type 2 contact guide rows.
8. The chain transmission according to claim 7, wherein each of guide plates of each contact guide row is a contact guide plate.
9. The chain transmission according to claim 5, wherein:
the pair of guide plates of each of said guide rows consists of a first and second guide plates opposed to each other in the widthwise direction and provided on opposite sides of the chain;
each of the contact guide rows is a guide row from the group consisting of a type 1 contact guide row the first and second guide plates of which are respectively contact guide plates and non-contact guide plates, and a type 2 contact guide row the first and second guide plates of which are respectively non-contact guide plate and contact guide plates; and
at least one of the wrapping portions always includes at least one said type 1 contact guide row and at least one said type 2 contact guide row.
10. The chain transmission according to claim 5, wherein, in each of said wrapping portions the number of said non-contact guide rows is always greater than the number of contact guide rows.
11. The chain transmission according to claim 10, wherein:
the pair of guide plates of each of said guide rows consists of a first and second guide plates opposed to each other in the widthwise direction and provided on opposite sides of the chain;
the contact guide rows of the chain comprise at least one first contact guide row, the first and second guide plates of which are contact guide plates, and a plurality of second contact guide rows one of the first and second guide plates of which is a contact guide plate and the other of the first and second guide plates of which is a non-contact guide plate;
the plurality of second contact guide rows consists of guide rows from the group consisting of type 1 contact guide rows the first and second guide plates of which are respectively contact guide plates and non-contact guide plates and type 2 contact guide rows the first and second guide plates of which are respectively non-contact guide plate and contact guide plates; and
at least one of said wrapping portions always includes guide rows from the group consisting of: at least one first contact guide row; at least one first contact guide row and at least one second contact guide row; and at least one said type 1 contact guide row and at least one said type 2 contact guide rows.
12. The chain transmission according to claim 10, wherein:
the pair of guide plates of each of said guide rows consists of a first and second guide plates opposed to each other in the widthwise direction and provided on opposite sides of the chain;
each of the contact guide rows is a guide row from the group consisting of a type 1 contact guide row the first and second guide plates of which are respectively contact guide plates and non-contact guide plates, and a type 2 contact guide row the first and second guide plates of which are respectively non-contact guide plate and contact guide plates; and
at least one of the wrapping portions always includes at least one said type 1 contact guide row and at least one said type 2 contact guide row.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An electrosurgical system comprising:
a handpiece having a proximal end and a distal end from which light energy is emitted therefrom;
at least one electrosurgical electrode on the handpiece and extending from the distal end from which electrosurgical energy is emitted there from;
a source of light energy for generating the light energy and transmitting the same to the distal end via at least one waveguide;
a source of electrosurgical energy for generating the electrosurgical energy and transmitting the same by at least one electrically conductive element to the electrode; and
means for analyzing light energy characteristics for determining the amount of blood present in proximity to the electrode and for controlling the source of electrosurgical energy accordingly.
2. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the source of light energy generates light energy in at least one of the visible, near-infrared and infrared light spectrum wavelengths.
3. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the source of electrosurgical energy generates electrosurgical energy having at least one of a tissue division and a coagulation output waveform.
4. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the energy characteristics are selected from the group consisting of light intensity level, light scattering effects, and level of fluorescent energy.
5. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing is remotely located from the source of light energy and the source of electrosurgical energy.
6. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing communicates with the source of light energy via a network.
7. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing analyzes light energy characteristics using a method selected from the group consisting of Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, laser Doppler flowmetry, measurement of light scatter changes, and measurement of polarization changes.
8. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the light energy has a wavelength suitable for creating an ionized pathway between the distal end and the tissue of a patient, and the electrode is positioned near the ionized pathway such that the electrosurgical energy is conducted along the ionized pathway.
9. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing includes means for detecting the presence of at least one blood vessel in proximity to the distal end of the electrode.
10. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing light energy characteristics includes means for determining a ratio value by dividing a first parameter obtained by emitting light energy from the handpiece having a first wavelength from a second parameter obtained by emitting light energy from the handpiece having a second wavelength.
11. The electrosurgical system of claim 10, wherein the means for analyzing light energy characteristics further includes means for determining whether the ratio value is lower than, approximately equal to, or greater than a predetermined ratio value and for controlling the electrosurgical generator accordingly.
12. The electrosurgical system of claim 10, wherein the first wavelength is in the range of 620-700 nanometers and the second wavelength is in the range of 540-610 nanometers or 950-1050 nanometers.
13. The electrosurgical system of claim 1, wherein the means for analyzing and controlling the source of electrosurgical energy includes means for variably controlling the intensity of the current generated by the electrosurgical generator.
14. An electrosurgical system comprising:
means for generating and directing light energy on tissue;
means for generating electrosurgical energy and transmitting the same via an electrode to the tissue; and
means for analyzing characteristics of the light energy for determining the amount of blood present in proximity to the electrode and for controlling the means for generating electrosurgical energy accordingly.
15. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for generating and directing light energy generates light energy in at least one of the visible, near-infrared and infrared light spectrum wavelengths.
16. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for generating electrosurgical energy generates electrosurgical energy having at least one of a tissue division and a coagulation output waveform.
17. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the light energy characteristics are selected from the group consisting of light intensity level, light scattering effects, and level of fluorescent energy.
18. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for analyzing is remotely located from the means for generating light energy and the means for generating electrosurgical energy.
19. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for analyzing analyzes light energy characteristics using a method selected from the group consisting of Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, laser Doppler flowmetry, measurement of light scatter changes, and measurement of polarization changes.
20. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the light energy has a wavelength suitable for creating an ionized pathway between a distal end of the electrode and the tissue, and the electrode is positioned near the ionized pathway such that the electrosurgical energy is conducted along the ionized pathway.
21. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for analyzing includes means for detecting the presence of at least one blood vessel in proximity to a distal end of the electrode.
22. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for analyzing characteristics of the light energy includes means for determining a ratio value by dividing a first parameter obtained by directing light energy having a first wavelength from a second parameter obtained by directing light energy having a second wavelength.
23. The electrosurgical system of claim 22, wherein the means for analyzing characteristics of the light energy further includes means for determining whether the ratio value is lower than, approximately equal to, or greater than a predetermined ratio value and for controlling the means for generating electrosurgical energy accordingly.
24. The electrosurgical system of claim 22, wherein the first wavelength is in the range of 620-700 nanometers and the second wavelength is in the range of 540-610 nanometers or 950-1050 nanometers.
25. The electrosurgical system of claim 14, wherein the means for analyzing and controlling the source of electrosurgical energy includes means for variably controlling the intensity of the current generated by the electrosurgical generator.
26. A method for performing electrosurgery, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying light energy and electrosurgical energy to tissue via at least one instrument having a distal end; and
analyzing characteristics of the light energy for determining the amount of blood present in proximity to the at least one instrument and for controlling the delivery of electrosurgical energy accordingly.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of analyzing characteristics of the light energy includes the step of using a method selected from the group consisting of Near Infrared Spectroscopy, Infrared Spectroscopy, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, Raman Spectroscopy, Photoacoustic Spectroscopy, laser Doppler flowmetry, measurement of light scatter changes, and measurement of polarization changes.
28. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of sequencing the delivery of light energy and electrosurgical energy from the distal end for first creating an ionized pathway between the distal end and the tissue, and conducting electrosurgical energy along the ionized pathway.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein the analyzing step further includes the step determining the presence of at least one blood vessel in proximity to the at least one instrument.
30. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of analyzing characteristics of the light energy includes the step of determining a ratio value by dividing a first parameter obtained by supplying light energy having a first wavelength from a second parameter obtained by supplying light energy having a second wavelength.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of analyzing characteristics of the light energy further includes the step of determining whether the ratio value is lower than, approximately equal to, or greater than a predetermined ratio value.
32. The method of claim 30, wherein the first wavelength is in the range of 620-700 nanometers and the second wavelength is in the range of 540-610 nanometers or 950-1050 nanometers.
33. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of controlling includes the step of variably controlling the intensity of the current generated by the electrosurgical generator.
34. A surgical method comprising the steps of:
providing a surgical instrument configured for insertion within a patient;
providing a source of light energy for generating light energy and delivering the same via the surgical instrument; and
analyzing light energy characteristics for determining the amount of blood present in proximity to the surgical instrument.