Medical device using beam construction and methods
First Claim
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1. A medical device, comprising:
- a flexible shaft comprised of a first beam element having a first elongated cross section and a second beam element having a second elongated cross section, wherein the first and second beam elements are configured to permit relative movement therebetween, and the first and second beam elements are configured to bend the flexible shaft through relative movement between the first and second beam elements caused by application of a force to at least one of the first and second beam elements; and
an end effector, located at a distal end of the flexible shaft and actuated by relative movement between the first beam element and the second beam element.
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Abstract
A medical device is provided with a flexible shaft having a first beam element with a first elongated cross section and a second beam element having a second elongated cross section. An end effector is located at a distal end of the flexible shaft and actuated by relative movement between the first beam element and the second beam element. In another example, a handle is located at a proximate end of the flexible shaft. A first control is mounted on the handle and is directly coupled to the first beam element for placing the first beam element in tension relative to the second beam element to thereby cause bending of at least a portion of the flexible shaft toward the first beam element.
26 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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a flexible shaft comprised of a first beam element having a first elongated cross section and a second beam element having a second elongated cross section, wherein the first and second beam elements are configured to permit relative movement therebetween, and the first and second beam elements are configured to bend the flexible shaft through relative movement between the first and second beam elements caused by application of a force to at least one of the first and second beam elements; and an end effector, located at a distal end of the flexible shaft and actuated by relative movement between the first beam element and the second beam element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A medical device, comprising:
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a flexible shaft comprised of a first beam element having an elongated cross section and a second beam element having an elongated cross section; a handle, located at a proximate end of the flexible shaft; and a first control, mounted on the handle, and coupled to the first beam element for placing the first beam element in tension relative to the second beam element to thereby cause bending of at least a portion of the flexible shaft toward the first beam element; wherein the first beam element and second beam element each extend from the handle to a distal end of the flexible shaft wherein the first and second beam elements are spaced apart from one another. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22)
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19. A method of actuating a medical device, comprising:
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moving a control on a handle, the handle coupled to a flexible shaft; and in response to the act of moving the control, providing a desired result at a distal end of the flexible shaft by moving, within the handle and the flexible shaft, a first beam element relative to a second beam element, wherein the first and second beam elements are configured to bend the flexible shaft through relative movement between the first and second beam elements caused by application of a force to at least one of the first and second beam elements, wherein the first beam element and the second beam element each have a ratio between a cross-sectional height dimension and a cross-sectional width dimension of at least 10;
1, thereby providing the flexible shaft with a higher bending stiffness in a direction of cross-sectional elongation of the first beam element and second beam element than in a direction perpendicular to the direction of cross-sectional elongation of the first beam element and second beam element. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification