CONTROLLED CURVABLE TIP MEMBER

• US 3,625,200 A
• Filed: 08/26/1969
• Issued: 12/07/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wolf F. Muller
• Original Assignee: Wolf F. Muller
• Inventors: Muller, Wolf F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gaudet, Richard A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Howell, Kyle L.
• Application Number:
  US04/853,147
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• Field of Search: 128/2.5R,2,3-8,328,303,349,348,356,DIG.9
• US Class Current: 600/585
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/0055 Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/003 Steerable
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/2905 flexible
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 2025/09175 having specific characteristics at the distal tip
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 25/09033 with fixed mandrils, e.g. mandrils fixed to tip; Tensionable wires

Abstract

A wire-controlled curvable tip for a spring guide comprising solid cylindrical links engaging each other with nonlocking balland-socket type of articulation and adjustable to varying degrees of curvature by means of wires, each wire passing through a series of matching tunnels lengthwise of the links, secured at one end in the most distally located link and manipulated by applying differential tension to the other ends of the respective wires at the proximal end of the spring guide.

Claims

1. A tubular spring guide having a curvable tip comprising a plurality of solid cylindrical links positioned along the longitudinal axis of said tip, successive links being adjacent and centrally pivotally engaging each other, a plurality of tunnels extending longitudinally and off center through each said link, a continuous wire extending freely through each said tunnel and secured to the most distally located of said links, the most proximally located of said links being adjacent the distal end of said spring guide, and each said wire extending through and to the proximal end of said spring guide whereby said tip can be controllably curved by selective tensioning of said wires.

2. The spring guide of claim 1 wherein said most proximally located link is provided with a recess that fits over and is secured to said distal end of said guide.

3. A spring guide according to claim 1 in which the tunnels through the most proximally located link lie at acute angles from the axis of said link, the distal end of each said angled tunnel being disposed opposite the proximal end of a tunnel through an adjacent link, and the proximal end of each said angled tunnel being closer to the axis and communicating with the bore of the tubular spring guide.

4. A spring guide according to claim 1 in which an individual control wire extending freely distally through an aligned set of tunnels is turned 180* in the most distally located link to return proximally through another aligned set of tunnels.

5. The spring guide of claim 4 wherein said links are each provided with six tunnels and there are three continuous control wires having six free ends available at said proximal spring guide end.

6. The spring guide of claim 4 wherein said distal link is provided with a blunt rounded cap secured beyond said tunnels and wires.

7. The spring guide of claim 4 wherein said disTal link has a recess at its distal end within which said distal link tunnels terminate and said wires turn laterally to reverse their directions.

8. In a spring guide formed from a continuously coiled wire, the improvement including a curvable tip positioned adjacent and longitudinally beyond the distal end of said guide, and a plurality of control wires extending from said tip through the bore and beyond the proximal end of said spring guide, said tip comprising a plurality of longitudinally positioned solid cylindrical links, successive links being adjacent and centrally pivotally engaging each other, a plurality of tunnels extending longitudinally and off center through each said link, the tunnels in each link being in alignment with the tunnels in each adjacent link, said control wires extending freely through each said tunnel and each being secured to the most distal of said links whereby said tip can be controllably curved from said proximal end of said spring guide by selective tensioning of said wires.

9. The spring guide of claim 8 wherein said pivotal engagement means are ball-and-socket elements at the joining surfaces of said adjacent link pairs.