Flexible conduit with locking element
First Claim
1. A flexible conduit for insertion into a body lumen, comprising:
- a plurality of elements coupled end to end with lumens of the elements aligned to define a conduit lumen, the plurality of elements including;
a first element including a male portion and a female portion;
a second element including a female portion having an inner surface extending along a curve corresponding to a curve of the male portion of an outer surface of the first element so that, when the male portion of the first element is received within the female portion of the second element, the first and second elements form a first ball joint;
a third element including a male portion, an outer surface of the male portion of the third element being curved along a shape corresponding to a curve of an inner surface of the female portion of the first element so that, when the male portion of the third element is received within the female portion of the first element, the first and third elements form a second ball and socket joint, the male and female portions of the first element being adapted to frictionally engage respectively, the female portion of the second element and the male portion of the third element to establish a rigidity of the conduit sufficient to retain its shape and absorb forces applied thereto as a flexible instrument is inserted through the conduit lumen; and
a force applying mechanism received within the conduit lumen and being movable between a first retracted configuration and a second expanded configuration applying a force radially outward against the male portion of the first element to increase a frictional engagement between the male portion of the first element and the female portion of the second element and increase a stiffness of the flexible conduit.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A flexible conduit for insertion into a body lumen comprises a plurality of elements coupled end to end to define a conduit lumen. A first one of the elements includes a male portion and a female portion. A second element includes a female portion having an inner surface configured to engage a male portion of an outer surface of the first element to form a first ball joint. A third element includes a male portion, an outer surface of the male portion of the third element configured to engage an inner surface of the female portion of the first element to form a second ball joint. The male and female portions of the first element are adapted to frictionally engage the female portion of the second element and the male portion of the third element to establish a rigid connection therebetween.
1225 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A flexible conduit for insertion into a body lumen, comprising:
a plurality of elements coupled end to end with lumens of the elements aligned to define a conduit lumen, the plurality of elements including; a first element including a male portion and a female portion; a second element including a female portion having an inner surface extending along a curve corresponding to a curve of the male portion of an outer surface of the first element so that, when the male portion of the first element is received within the female portion of the second element, the first and second elements form a first ball joint; a third element including a male portion, an outer surface of the male portion of the third element being curved along a shape corresponding to a curve of an inner surface of the female portion of the first element so that, when the male portion of the third element is received within the female portion of the first element, the first and third elements form a second ball and socket joint, the male and female portions of the first element being adapted to frictionally engage respectively, the female portion of the second element and the male portion of the third element to establish a rigidity of the conduit sufficient to retain its shape and absorb forces applied thereto as a flexible instrument is inserted through the conduit lumen; and a force applying mechanism received within the conduit lumen and being movable between a first retracted configuration and a second expanded configuration applying a force radially outward against the male portion of the first element to increase a frictional engagement between the male portion of the first element and the female portion of the second element and increase a stiffness of the flexible conduit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11)
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8. A flexible conduit for insertion into a body lumen, comprising:
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a plurality of elements coupled end to end with lumens of the elements aligned to define a conduit lumen, the plurality of elements including; a first element including a male portion and a female portion; a second element including a female portion having an inner surface extending along a curve corresponding to a curve of the male portion of an outer surface of the first element so that, when the male portion of the first element is received within the female portion of the second element, the first and second elements form a first ball joint; a third element including a male portion, an outer surface of the male portion of the third element being curved along a shape corresponding to a curve of an inner surface of the female portion of the first element so that, when the male portion of the third element is received within the female portion of the first element, the first and third elements form a second ball and socket joint, the male and female portions of the first element being adapted to frictionally engage respectively, the female portion of the second element and the male portion of the third element to establish a rigidity of the conduit sufficient to retain its shape and absorb forces applied thereto as a flexible instrument is inserted through the conduit lumen; and a force applying mechanism received around the first and third elements, the force applying mechanism being movable between a first retracted configuration and a second expanded configuration applying a force directed radially inward against the female portion of the first element increasing a frictional engagement between the female portion of the first element and the male portion of the third element and increasing a stiffness of the flexible conduit. - View Dependent Claims (9)
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12. A flexible conduit, comprising:
a plurality of elements coupled end to end with lumens of the elements aligned to define a conduit lumen, the plurality of elements including; a first element including a male portion bonded to a female portion; a second element including a female portion sized to receive therewithin the male portion of the first element, an outer surface of the male portion of the first element being curved along a shape corresponding to a curve of an inner surface of the female portion of the second element to form a first ball and socket joint; and a third element including a male portion sized for reception within the female portion of the first element, an outer surface of the male portion of the third element being curved along a shape corresponding to a curve of an inner surface of the female portion of the first element to form a second ball and socket joint; a force applying mechanism applying varying force to the flexible elements to dynamically adjust a frictional force between the male portion of the first element and the female portion of the second element and the male portion of the third element and the female portion of the second element to adjust a longitudinal stiffness of the conduit; a first projection extending from one of the first and second elements to mate with a first receptacle formed on the other of the first and second elements to prevent relative rotation therebetween about a longitudinal axis of the conduit; a second projection extending from one of the first and second elements mating with a second receptacle formed on the other of the first and second elements, the second receptacle including a second slot a length of which in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the conduit is selected to permit a desired degree of movement of the first and second elements relative to one another axially while a width of the second slot is selected to snugly receive the second projection; and a third projection extending from one of the first and third elements mating with a third receptacle formed on the other of the first and third elements. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
Specification