Articulation mechanism for medical devices
First Claim
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1. A flexible articulation device having a generally even bend radius, wherein the device is adapted for attachment to a medical insertion instrument, the device comprising:
- a first elongated tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and a middle portion along its length therebetween, the first elongated tubular member also having, a plurality of ribs extending radially outward therefrom, adjacent ribs defining bending segments therebetween that are not all equal, wherein at least one of the bending segments adjacent the proximal end has a moment of inertia that is greater than the moments of inertia of the bending segments in the middle portion to restrict the magnitude of deflection of the proximal end of the articulation device relative to the middle portion;
a second elongated tubular member axially disposed within the first tubular member and extending along the length thereof; and
a flexible push/pull member extending along and joined to the articulation device near the distal end of the first tubular member such that the articulation device is selectively deflectable along the first and second elongated tubular members into a plurality of stationary, predetermined positions within the human body.
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Abstract
An improved articulating device for use with a medical insertion instrument comprising in part a first tube having a plurality of ribs defining a plurality of bending segments, a second tube axially disposed within the first tube, and means for transmitting an axial deflecting pull load. Such device has improved controlled for positioning an end of the device at a selected position within the body. The articulating device has a generally constant moment of inertia and a polar moment of inertia that generally decreases from its proximal to distal end.
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Citations
13 Claims
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1. A flexible articulation device having a generally even bend radius, wherein the device is adapted for attachment to a medical insertion instrument, the device comprising:
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a first elongated tubular member having a proximal end and a distal end and a middle portion along its length therebetween, the first elongated tubular member also having, a plurality of ribs extending radially outward therefrom, adjacent ribs defining bending segments therebetween that are not all equal, wherein at least one of the bending segments adjacent the proximal end has a moment of inertia that is greater than the moments of inertia of the bending segments in the middle portion to restrict the magnitude of deflection of the proximal end of the articulation device relative to the middle portion;
a second elongated tubular member axially disposed within the first tubular member and extending along the length thereof; and
a flexible push/pull member extending along and joined to the articulation device near the distal end of the first tubular member such that the articulation device is selectively deflectable along the first and second elongated tubular members into a plurality of stationary, predetermined positions within the human body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A flexible articulation device having a generally even bend radius, wherein the device is adapted for attachment to a medical insertion instrument, the device comprising:
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an elongated tubular member defining a first end, a second end, and a plurality of ribs extending radially outward along its length, wherein the ribs define bending segments each having a moment of inertia I, which results in a desired deflection Y according to the following formula;
Y=(F)(length3/4EI)+(M)(length2/2EI)where Y is the downward deflection at the end of the rib, F is the load imparted to the bending segment, M is the moment imparted to the bonding segment, length is the length of the rib, E is the elastic modulus of the material the rib is made of, and I is the section modulus of the bending segment; and
a flexible member extending axially disposed within the tubular member and extending along the length thereof, wherein the flexible member is adapted to selectively bend the flexible articulation device into a plurality of predetermined positions. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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Specification