FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE TIP BENDING MECHANISM USING OPTICAL FIBERS AS TENSION MEMBERS
First Claim
1. A flexible endoscope having a distal tip that can be selectively bent, comprising:
- (a) a flexible extrusion that is elongate, extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having a plurality of lumens formed therein, at least two lumens of the plurality of lumens being disposed on diametrically opposite sides of, and radially outward of a central lumen within the flexible extrusion;
(b) at least a pair of tension members, each tension member comprising an optical fiber that extends proximally through a different one of the plurality of lumens from an attachment point where the optical fiber is coupled with the flexible extrusion, each attachment point being disposed adjacent to the distal tip of the flexible extrusion, the optical fibers comprising the tension members being free to slide longitudinally within the lumens proximal of the attachment points, each optical fiber comprising a tension member also being employed for conveying a light signal in the flexible endoscope; and
(c) a central compression member disposed within the central lumen that is bonded to the flexible extrusion proximal of a distal portion of the extrusion, so that when tension is applied to a first tension member comprising an optical fiber relative to the compression member, the distal tip of the flexible endoscope is bent in a first direction, and when tension is applied to a second tension member comprising an optical fiber that is disposed generally diametrically opposite the first tension member, the flexible endoscope is bent in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, enabling the distal tip of the flexible endoscope to be selectively caused to bend in either of at least two generally opposite directions.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible endoscope includes an elongate flexible extrusion. A central lumen extends longitudinally through the center of the extrusion, and a plurality of other longitudinally extending lumens are spaced around the central lumen. An optical fiber disposed in the central lumen serves as a compression member and conveys light through the flexible endoscope. One or more pairs of optical fibers disposed around the central lumen convey light and serve as tension members. Applying a tension force to one of these optical fibers causes a distal tip of the flexible endoscope to bend in a first direction, while applying a tension force to the opposite optical fiber causes the distal tip to bend in an opposite direction. The second pair of optical fibers comprising tension members are orthogonally disposed relative to the first pair, and the first and second pair control tip bending in orthogonal directions.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A flexible endoscope having a distal tip that can be selectively bent, comprising:
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(a) a flexible extrusion that is elongate, extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having a plurality of lumens formed therein, at least two lumens of the plurality of lumens being disposed on diametrically opposite sides of, and radially outward of a central lumen within the flexible extrusion; (b) at least a pair of tension members, each tension member comprising an optical fiber that extends proximally through a different one of the plurality of lumens from an attachment point where the optical fiber is coupled with the flexible extrusion, each attachment point being disposed adjacent to the distal tip of the flexible extrusion, the optical fibers comprising the tension members being free to slide longitudinally within the lumens proximal of the attachment points, each optical fiber comprising a tension member also being employed for conveying a light signal in the flexible endoscope; and (c) a central compression member disposed within the central lumen that is bonded to the flexible extrusion proximal of a distal portion of the extrusion, so that when tension is applied to a first tension member comprising an optical fiber relative to the compression member, the distal tip of the flexible endoscope is bent in a first direction, and when tension is applied to a second tension member comprising an optical fiber that is disposed generally diametrically opposite the first tension member, the flexible endoscope is bent in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, enabling the distal tip of the flexible endoscope to be selectively caused to bend in either of at least two generally opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13)
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12. A method for enabling a distal tip of a flexible endoscope to be selectively bent, comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a central lumen that extends longitudinally through a center of a flexible elongate housing, and a plurality of longitudinally extending lumens that are disposed in the housing at spaced-apart positions around the central lumen; (b) passing a plurality of tension members comprising optical fibers that convey light through lumens comprising at least a portion of the plurality of lumens, so that the plurality of tension members are freely able to move longitudinally within the lumens through which they pass; (c) attaching a distal end of each of the plurality of tension members to the housing at points proximate to the distal tip of the flexible endoscope; and (d) passing a compression member through the central lumen, the compression member being mechanically connected to an inner surface of the central lumen for use in connection with any of the plurality of tension members comprising optical fibers, to which a tension force is applied, so that when a tension force is applied to one of the plurality of tension members relative to the compression member, the distal tip of the flexible endoscope is thereby caused to bend in a direction toward a point where the one tension member is attached to the housing, the compression member transferring a compression force to the housing to enable the bending of the distal tip relative to the optical fiber comprising the compression member to which the tension force is applied. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A flexible endoscope having a distal tip that can be selectively caused to bend in different directions, comprising:
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(a) a flexible extrusion that is elongate, extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having; (i) a central lumen that extends longitudinally through a center of the flexible extrusion; and (ii) a plurality of helical lumens formed within the flexible extrusion, spaced-apart from and around the central lumen; (b) at least a pair of tension members, each tension member comprising an optical fiber that extends proximally through a different one of the plurality of helical lumens and is connected to the flexible extrusion at an attachment point, each attachment point being disposed adjacent to the distal tip of the flexible extrusion, the optical fibers comprising the tension members each being capable of conveying light and being free to slide longitudinally within the helical lumens proximal of the attachment points; and (c) a compression member disposed within the central lumen and connected to the flexible extrusion within the central lumen, so that when tension is applied to an optical fiber comprising a first tension member relative to the compression member, the distal tip of the flexible endoscope is bent in a first direction, and when tension is applied to another optical fiber comprising a second tension member that is disposed generally diametrically opposite the first tension member, the flexible endoscope is bent in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, enabling the distal tip of the flexible endoscope to be selectively caused to bend in at least two opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A flexible endoscope having a distal tip that can be selectively caused to bend in different directions, comprising:
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(a) a flexible extrusion that is elongate, extending between a proximal end and a distal end and having a plurality of lumens formed therein, at least two lumens of the plurality of lumens being disposed on opposite sides of, and radially outward of a central lumen within the flexible extrusion; (b) at least a pair of tension members, each tension member comprising an optical fiber, and each optical fiber comprising a tension member extending proximally through a different one of the plurality of lumens from an attachment point where the optical fiber is connected to the flexible extrusion, each attachment point being disposed adjacent to the distal tip of the flexible extrusion; and (c) a compression member disposed within the central lumen and bonded to the flexible extrusion, so that when tension is applied to a first tension member relative to the compression member, the distal tip of the flexible endoscope is bent in a first direction, and when tension is applied to a second tension member that is disposed on an opposite side of the compression member from the first tension member, the flexible endoscope is bent in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction, enabling the distal tip of the flexible endoscope to be selectively caused to bend in at least two opposite directions. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification