Extensible and guidable apparatus
First Claim
1. An extensible and guidable endoscopic apparatus comprising:
- an extensive and guidable pressure-sealed endoscopic flexible tubular device, having a proximal end, a distal end, a flexible tubular shaft connecting said proximal and distal ends, a plurality of extension-spring-type coils, a stretchable conduit, a plurality of extensible channels and a medium of gas or liquid filling said endoscopic flexible tubular device, which is configured to be inserted into a lumen or a cavity of a living body to reach a target area the proximal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, connected to both said flexible tubular shaft and a power, control and display (PCD) unit, which controls said endoscopic flexible tubular device for longitudinal extension and shortening of said flexible tubular shaft, for pressure mediated bending of said distal end, for delivery of and suctioning of materials to and from said target area, for acquisition and display of visual information and for instrumentation to said target area;
the distal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, having a distal portion of said stretchable conduit, a distal portion of a plurality of said extensible channels, a plurality of non-elastomeric collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers, a distal end joint, a distal end cap with a solenoid assembly, an image sensor and a light source connected to electric cables, which provides pressure-mediated controllable bending of said distal end, delivery and suctioning of materials to and from the target area, acquisition of visual information and instrumentation to said target area;
the flexible tubular shaft, provided in a mechanical configuration, having a non-extensible tubular shaft connected distally and longitudinally in tandem to a reversibly extensible tubular shaft comprising a plurality of reversible extension segments, which provides controllable longitudinal extension and shortening and bending of said reversible extensible tubular shaft;
the extension-spring-type coil longitudinally placed inside each reversible extension segment, which provides said reversible extension segment with circumferential structural rigidity, longitudinal flexibility and recoil upon extension;
the stretchable conduit comprising electric cables, gas and water channels and pressure conduits, configured in a spiral coil longitudinally and in a concentric honeycomb circumferentially, which runs longitudinally from the PCD unit to the distal end and is longitudinally stretchable, and which delivers gas, water, negative suctioning and electricity to said distal end;
the extensible channels, configured in a cylindrically tubular bellows, which runs from the proximal end to the distal end and are longitudinally extensible, and which serve as conduit for longitudinally linear instruments and for delivering materials to the target area;
the medium, provided as one or a mixture of gas or of liquid including a gaseous phase of liquid, which fills the entire pressure-sealed internal space of said endoscopic flexible tubular device and is controlled for pressure and volume of said medium by the PCD unit, and which provides said endoscopic flexible tubular device with extension, shortening and bending;
a plurality of the collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end made of a plurality of non-elastomeric corrugated tubular walls, which is connected proximally to the distal end joint and distally to the complex of the solenoid assembly and the distal end cap;
the collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end are longitudinally and evenly separated from each said chamber by a longitudinal cylindrical gap along the longitudinal axis of the distal end from the distal end joint to the distal end cap;
each said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber of the distal end is connected to a conduit of the non-collapsible stretchable conduit through the distal end joint and is under control by the PCD unit for negative suctioning; and
each said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber of the distal end selectively and controllably collapses on negative suctioning of the medium from said pressure chamber by the PCD unit, resulting in shortening of a longitudinal length of said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber;
an outermost layer of said non-elastomeric corrugated tubular wall of the distal end is circumferentially surrounded by and glued to a flexible non-corrugated tubular wall; and
an innermost tubular chamber of said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end is a closed space bordered proximally by the distal end joint and distally by the distal end cap.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The current invention presents an extensible and guidable apparatus and methods to evaluate tubular or cavitary structure. The apparatus has a power, control and display unit and a flexible tubular device having a proximal end and a distal end. A stretchable conduit and a plurality of extensible channels run longitudinally inside the flexible tubular device. The flexible tubular device comprises a non-extensible tubular shaft and a reversibly extensible tubular shaft, connected longitudinally in tandem. The reversibly extensible tubular shaft comprises a plurality of reversible extension segments and is controllably longitudinally extensible and bendable by changes in pressure and volume of a medium in said reversible extension segments. Said tubular device is directionally bendable at the distal end by selective negative changes in pressure in said distal end. Said tubular device obtains visual information of target area and material samples, and is capable of manipulation of the target area.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. An extensible and guidable endoscopic apparatus comprising:
- an extensive and guidable pressure-sealed endoscopic flexible tubular device, having a proximal end, a distal end, a flexible tubular shaft connecting said proximal and distal ends, a plurality of extension-spring-type coils, a stretchable conduit, a plurality of extensible channels and a medium of gas or liquid filling said endoscopic flexible tubular device, which is configured to be inserted into a lumen or a cavity of a living body to reach a target area the proximal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, connected to both said flexible tubular shaft and a power, control and display (PCD) unit, which controls said endoscopic flexible tubular device for longitudinal extension and shortening of said flexible tubular shaft, for pressure mediated bending of said distal end, for delivery of and suctioning of materials to and from said target area, for acquisition and display of visual information and for instrumentation to said target area;
the distal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, having a distal portion of said stretchable conduit, a distal portion of a plurality of said extensible channels, a plurality of non-elastomeric collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers, a distal end joint, a distal end cap with a solenoid assembly, an image sensor and a light source connected to electric cables, which provides pressure-mediated controllable bending of said distal end, delivery and suctioning of materials to and from the target area, acquisition of visual information and instrumentation to said target area;
the flexible tubular shaft, provided in a mechanical configuration, having a non-extensible tubular shaft connected distally and longitudinally in tandem to a reversibly extensible tubular shaft comprising a plurality of reversible extension segments, which provides controllable longitudinal extension and shortening and bending of said reversible extensible tubular shaft;
the extension-spring-type coil longitudinally placed inside each reversible extension segment, which provides said reversible extension segment with circumferential structural rigidity, longitudinal flexibility and recoil upon extension;
the stretchable conduit comprising electric cables, gas and water channels and pressure conduits, configured in a spiral coil longitudinally and in a concentric honeycomb circumferentially, which runs longitudinally from the PCD unit to the distal end and is longitudinally stretchable, and which delivers gas, water, negative suctioning and electricity to said distal end;
the extensible channels, configured in a cylindrically tubular bellows, which runs from the proximal end to the distal end and are longitudinally extensible, and which serve as conduit for longitudinally linear instruments and for delivering materials to the target area;
the medium, provided as one or a mixture of gas or of liquid including a gaseous phase of liquid, which fills the entire pressure-sealed internal space of said endoscopic flexible tubular device and is controlled for pressure and volume of said medium by the PCD unit, and which provides said endoscopic flexible tubular device with extension, shortening and bending;a plurality of the collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end made of a plurality of non-elastomeric corrugated tubular walls, which is connected proximally to the distal end joint and distally to the complex of the solenoid assembly and the distal end cap; the collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end are longitudinally and evenly separated from each said chamber by a longitudinal cylindrical gap along the longitudinal axis of the distal end from the distal end joint to the distal end cap; each said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber of the distal end is connected to a conduit of the non-collapsible stretchable conduit through the distal end joint and is under control by the PCD unit for negative suctioning; and each said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber of the distal end selectively and controllably collapses on negative suctioning of the medium from said pressure chamber by the PCD unit, resulting in shortening of a longitudinal length of said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chamber; an outermost layer of said non-elastomeric corrugated tubular wall of the distal end is circumferentially surrounded by and glued to a flexible non-corrugated tubular wall; and an innermost tubular chamber of said collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers of the distal end is a closed space bordered proximally by the distal end joint and distally by the distal end cap. - View Dependent Claims (2)
- an extensive and guidable pressure-sealed endoscopic flexible tubular device, having a proximal end, a distal end, a flexible tubular shaft connecting said proximal and distal ends, a plurality of extension-spring-type coils, a stretchable conduit, a plurality of extensible channels and a medium of gas or liquid filling said endoscopic flexible tubular device, which is configured to be inserted into a lumen or a cavity of a living body to reach a target area the proximal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, connected to both said flexible tubular shaft and a power, control and display (PCD) unit, which controls said endoscopic flexible tubular device for longitudinal extension and shortening of said flexible tubular shaft, for pressure mediated bending of said distal end, for delivery of and suctioning of materials to and from said target area, for acquisition and display of visual information and for instrumentation to said target area;
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3. The extensible and guidable endoscopic apparatus comprising:
- an extensive and guidable pressure-sealed endoscopic flexible tubular device, having a proximal end, a distal end, a flexible tubular shaft connecting said proximal and distal ends, a plurality of extension-spring-type coils, a stretchable conduit, a plurality of extensible channels and a medium of gas or liquid filling said endoscopic flexible tubular device, which is configured to be inserted into a lumen or a cavity of a living body to reach a target area;
the proximal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, connected to both said flexible tubular shaft and a power, control and display (PCD) unit, which controls said endoscopic flexible tubular device for longitudinal extension and shortening of said flexible tubular shaft, for pressure mediated bending of said distal end, for delivery of and suctioning of materials to and from said target area, for acquisition and display of visual information and for instrumentation to said target area;
the distal end, provided in a mechanical and electrical configuration, having a distal portion of said stretchable conduit, a distal portion of a plurality of said extensible channels, a plurality of non-elastomeric collapsible concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube pressure chambers, a distal end joint, a distal end cap with a solenoid assembly, an image sensor and a light source connected to electric cables, which provides pressure-mediated controllable bending of said distal end, delivery and suctioning of materials to and from the target area, acquisition of visual information and instrumentation to said target area;
the flexible tubular shaft, provided in a mechanical configuration, having a non-extensible tubular shaft connected distally and longitudinally in tandem to a reversibly extensible tubular shaft comprising a plurality of reversible extension segments, which provides controllable longitudinal extension and shortening and bending of said reversible extensible tubular shaft;
the extension-spring-type coil longitudinally placed inside each reversible extension segment, which provides said reversible extension segment with circumferential structural rigidity, longitudinal flexibility and recoil upon extension;
the stretchable conduit comprising electric cables, gas and water channels and pressure conduits, configured in a spiral coil longitudinally and in a concentric honeycomb circumferentially, which runs longitudinally from the PCD unit to the distal end and is longitudinally stretchable, and which delivers gas, water, negative suctioning and electricity to said distal end;
the extensible channels, configured in a cylindrically tubular bellows, which runs from the proximal end to the distal end and are longitudinally extensible, and which serve as conduit for longitudinally linear instruments and for delivering materials to the target area;
the medium, provided as one or a mixture of gas or of liquid including a gaseous phase of liquid, which fills the entire pressure-sealed internal space of said endoscopic flexible tubular device and is controlled for pressure and volume of said medium by the PCD unit, and which provides said endoscopic flexible tubular device with extension, shortening and bending;the non-extensible tubular shaft of the flexible tubular shaft, provided as an operating device having a mechanical configuration as a flexible, longitudinally cylindrical tube comprising a non-extensible outer wall and a plurality of internal cylindrical channels, which is connected proximally to the proximal end and to the PCD unit in a Y-shaped configuration, and distally to the proximal side of the reversibly extensible tubular shaft, and which securely aligns and encircles the stretchable conduit and a plurality of the extensible channels; the internal cylindrical channels of the non-extensible tubular shaft, configured as a plurality of cylindrical channels of concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube along the longitudinal axis, which is connected proximally to the PCD unit and distally to a plurality of the cylindrical channels of the reversible extension segments and is filled with the medium controlled by said PCD unit; the reversibly extensible tubular shaft of the flexible tubular shaft, provided as an operating device having a mechanical configuration, which comprises a plurality of the reversible extension segments longitudinally attached to each said extension segment via a junction unit, which is connected proximally to the non-extensible tubular shaft and distally to the distal end, and which longitudinally extends and shortens and bends by controllable changes in the pressure and volume of the medium inside said tubular shaft controlled by the PCD unit; the reversible extension segment of the flexible tubular shaft, provided as an operating device having a plurality of longitudinal internal cylindrical channels in a concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube mechanical configuration, which comprises a plurality of non-elastomeric stretchable corrugated tubular walls with circumferential grooves, the extension-spring-type coil longitudinally placed inside one of said stretchable corrugated tubular walls and the junction unit on each proximal and distal tubular end of said extension segment; and the junction unit of the flexible tubular shaft, provided as an operating device having a mechanical configuration of doughnut-shaped concentric cylindrical tube-in-tube, which provides attachment for the tubular walls and the extension-spring-type coil and regulates flow of the medium to and from the reversible extension segments located on both sides of said junction unit. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- an extensive and guidable pressure-sealed endoscopic flexible tubular device, having a proximal end, a distal end, a flexible tubular shaft connecting said proximal and distal ends, a plurality of extension-spring-type coils, a stretchable conduit, a plurality of extensible channels and a medium of gas or liquid filling said endoscopic flexible tubular device, which is configured to be inserted into a lumen or a cavity of a living body to reach a target area;
Specification