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Extensible and guidable apparatus

  • US 9,186,049 B2
  • Filed: 10/25/2012
  • Issued: 11/17/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2012
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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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.

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