Patent ID: 7578622

Claim:
A medical treatment handpiece, comprising: a treatment end coupled to a medical laser and constructed to facilitate emission of electromagnetic energy along an axis in a distal direction; and a tip ferrule having a concealed portion that is secured within the handpiece and an exposed portion that extends distally from the treatment end of the handpiece, the tip ferrule comprising an exposed groove with proximally-facing surface that is normal to the axis, the exposed groove at least partially surrounding the exposed portion of the tip ferrule and having a shape and accessibility, as a consequence of its degree of being exposed, that is sufficient to render the exposed groove capable of facilitating removal of the tip ferrule from the treatment end of the handpiece, and the tip ferrule further comprising a plurality of projections one or more of which establishes locking contact with an interior of the treatment end of the handpiece, the tip ferrule being constructed for reception and holding of a fiber tip by way of insertion thereof into the tip ferrule, and the tip ferrule being capable of receiving electromagnetic energy into the concealed portion of the tip ferrule and outputting electromagnetic energy from the exposed portion of the tip ferrule in the distal direction; wherein insertion of the tip ferrule into the treatment end of the handpiece provides an audible feedback as the one or more of the plurality of projections establishes the locking contact with the interior of the treatment end of the handpiece.