Expandable devices, rail systems, and motorized devices
First Claim
1. An expandable device comprising:
- a. a first sac, wherein the first sac is expandable;
b. a rail in a lumen of the first sac;
c. a railed device coupled to the rail for movement there on; and
d. a motor for providing said movement of the railed device, wherein the motor comprises at least one electromagnet.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Provided herein are expandable devices, rail systems, and motorized devices. In one embodiment, an expandable device comprises an expandable sac having a tool housed therein. The expandable device is optionally configured for operation while inside a body cavity. The expandable device optionally comprises at least one rail in the sac, and at least one railed device coupled to the rail for movement there on. Movement of the railed device on the rail is provided by, for example, a motor such as an electromagnetic motor or an inch-worm type motor. Expandable devices can be used, for example, to perform minimally invasive medical procedures requiring access to a body cavity. Expandable devices can also be used, for example, to provide safe and stable transport of instruments to the body cavity.
75 Citations
33 Claims
-
1. An expandable device comprising:
-
a. a first sac, wherein the first sac is expandable; b. a rail in a lumen of the first sac; c. a railed device coupled to the rail for movement there on; and d. a motor for providing said movement of the railed device, wherein the motor comprises at least one electromagnet. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. An expandable device comprising:
-
a. a sac, wherein the sac is expandable; b. a rail in a lumen of the first sac; and c. a railed device coupled to the rail for movement there on, wherein the railed device is tethered to the first sac, whereby the first sac or a wall portion thereof can be moved by moving the railed device. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23)
-
-
24. An expandable device comprising a first sac and a second sac, wherein:
-
a. the second sac is in a lumen of the first sac; b. each of said sacs is expandable; c. each of said sacs comprises a port in a wall thereof; and d. the first sac is malleable, wherein the malleability of the first sac is configured such that the first can contour against a surface upon expansion, and the first sac remains expanded in the absence of a luminal pressure in the first sac. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26, 27, 28)
-
-
29. An expandable device comprising:
-
a. a sac, b. a rail in a lumen of the sac; and c. a railed device coupled to the rail for movement there on; wherein; i) the sac is expandable; ii) the sac is malleable; and iii) the malleability of the sac is configured such that the sac can contour against a surface upon expansion, and the sac remains expanded in the absence of luminal pressure in the sac. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33)
-
Specification