Controlling movement of distal portion of medical device
First Claim
1. A medical device, comprising:
- a handle configured to elastically deform in response to an applied force, the handle including a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of lumens extending therebetween, wherein the handle further includes an elongated flexible element disposed within the handle;
at least one pull wire extending through at least one of the plurality of lumens; and
an elongate member extending from the distal end of the handle, the elongate member including a deflectable distal region;
wherein the handle is configured to move from a first neutral configuration to a second tensile configuration upon the application of the applied force so as to move at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible element relative to the other of the proximal and distal ends of the flexible element; and
wherein the flexible element and the handle have substantially equal bend angles when the handle is in the second tensile configuration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A medical device allows movement control of a distal end portion of the medical device and is adapted for one-handed operation. The medical device is capable of omni-directional control of the distal end portion of the device. The device has an elongated member including a deflectable portion at a distal end portion of the elongated member. The device also has a control portion disposed on the elongated member. This control portion can be a handle for one-handed use by an operator of the medical device. The control portion comprises an elastic element and a flexible element. Angular movement of a first portion of the control portion with respect to a second portion of the control portion results in amplification of that angular movement in the deflectable portion of the device.
83 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A medical device, comprising:
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a handle configured to elastically deform in response to an applied force, the handle including a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of lumens extending therebetween, wherein the handle further includes an elongated flexible element disposed within the handle; at least one pull wire extending through at least one of the plurality of lumens; and an elongate member extending from the distal end of the handle, the elongate member including a deflectable distal region; wherein the handle is configured to move from a first neutral configuration to a second tensile configuration upon the application of the applied force so as to move at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible element relative to the other of the proximal and distal ends of the flexible element; and wherein the flexible element and the handle have substantially equal bend angles when the handle is in the second tensile configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A medical device, comprising:
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a handle configured to elastically deform in response to an applied force, the handle including a proximal end, a distal end, and a plurality of lumens extending therebetween, wherein the handle further includes an elongated flexible element disposed within the handle; an elongate member extending from the distal end of the handle, the elongate member including a deflectable distal region; a plurality of pull wires, each pull wire of the plurality of pull wires corresponding to and extending through a respective lumen of the plurality of lumens of the handle; a first locking element disposed on the proximal end of the handle, the first locking element attached to a proximal end of at least one pull wire of the plurality of pull wires; and a second locking element disposed on the distal end of the handle and defining a plurality of openings, each opening of the plurality of openings aligned with a corresponding lumen of the plurality of lumens such that a distal end of each pull wire extends through the respective opening of the second locking element, at least a portion of each pull wire slidable within its respective lumen in response to the elastic deformation of the handle; wherein the handle is configured to move from a first neutral configuration to a second tensile configuration upon the application of the applied force so as to move at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible element relative to the other of the proximal and distal ends of the flexible element.
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12. A method of operating a medical device, comprising:
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applying a force to an elastically deformable control portion of a medical device, the medical device including an elongated member having a deflectable region at a distal end of the elongated member, the control portion having a flexible element therein and defining a plurality of lumens extending between a proximal end and a distal end of the control portion, and at least one pull wire extending through at least one of the plurality of lumens, wherein the force causes the control portion to elastically deform and move from a first neutral configuration to a second tensile configuration so as to move at least one of a proximal end and a distal end of the flexible element relative to the other of the proximal and distal ends of the flexible element; wherein applying the force to the control portion further includes bending the control portion such that the flexible element and the control portion have a substantially equal bend angle when the control portion is in the second tensile configuration. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification