SURGICAL SYSTEM HAVING A CASSETTE WITH AN ACOUSTIC AIR REFLECTOR

摘要

A surgical cassette (10) is provided having a rigid fluid channel (34) formed into a rigid plastic component or housing (14). The piezoelectric crystals of an ultrasonic flow meter (120) are positioned on one side of the fluid channel. The side wall (35) of the fluid channel opposite the piezoelectric crystals is exposed to fluid in the flow channel on its interior side and is exposed to ambient air on its exterior side (39). The interface (41) between the wall and the air acts as an acoustic reflector for the operation of the ultrasonic flow meter.