Active catheter device and associated system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An active catheter device, comprising:
- an elongate catheter having multiple segments, including;
an elongate flexible tube member defining an axis;
a plurality of ferrule members operably engaged with the tube member, in successive spaced apart relation with respect to each other, such that the ferrule members are positioned at the ends of each segment and are not rotatable about the axis relative to each other; and
at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between adjacent ferrule members of a first segment along the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the first segment of the tube member; and
at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between a pair of non-adjacent ferrule members spanning more than one segment, including spanning the first segment and an adjacent segment, the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the pair of non-adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the segments, including further articulation of the first segment.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An active catheter device is provided. At least one elongate catheter segment includes an elongate flexible tube member defining an axis, and a pair of ferrule members operably engaged with and spaced apart along the tube member. The ferrule members are not rotatable about the axis relative to each other. At least one articulation member is operably engaged with and extends at least between the ferrule members along the tube member. Each articulation member is configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the ferrule members so as to articulate the tube member. Associated systems and methods are also provided.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. An active catheter device, comprising:
-
an elongate catheter having multiple segments, including;
an elongate flexible tube member defining an axis;a plurality of ferrule members operably engaged with the tube member, in successive spaced apart relation with respect to each other, such that the ferrule members are positioned at the ends of each segment and are not rotatable about the axis relative to each other; and at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between adjacent ferrule members of a first segment along the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the first segment of the tube member; and at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between a pair of non-adjacent ferrule members spanning more than one segment, including spanning the first segment and an adjacent segment, the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the pair of non-adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the segments, including further articulation of the first segment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. An active catheter system, comprising:
-
an elongate catheter device having multiple segments, including; an elongate flexible tube member defining an axis; a plurality of ferrule members operably engaged with the tube member, in successive spaced apart relation with respect to each other, such that the ferrule members are positioned at the ends of each segment and are not rotatable about the axis relative to each other; at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between adjacent ferrule members of a first segment along the tube member; at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between a pair of non-adjacent ferrule members spanning more than one segment, including spanning the first segment and an adjacent segment; wherein each articulation member being comprised of a superelastic material configured to undergo a material phase change from an unactuated configuration to an actuated configuration upon the application of a stimulus; and a controller having a processor and being in communication with a stimulus generator operably engaged with the articulation members of the first segment and articulation members of the more than one segment, the stimulus generator generating and selectively and discretely applying a stimulus individually to the articulation members such that the articulation members of the first segment and articulation members spanning the more than one segment change from the unactuated configuration to the actuated configuration in response to the respective selective stimulus, and thereby causes the tube member to substantially conform thereto. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. An active catheter system adapted to be applied to an anatomical pathway, the active catheter system comprising:
-
an elongate catheter having multiple segments, including; an elongate flexible tube member defining an axis and having a leading end and an opposed trailing end; a plurality of ferrule members operably engaged with the tube member, in successive spaced apart relation with respect to each other, such that the ferrule members are positioned at the ends of each segment and are not rotatable about the axis relative to each other; and at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between adjacent ferrule members of a first segment along the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the first segment of the tube member; at least one articulation member operably engaged with and extending between a pair of non-adjacent ferrule members spanning more than one segment, including spanning the first segment and an adjacent segment, the tube member configured to be actuatable to cause a change in a distance between the pair of non-adjacent ferrule members so as to articulate the segments, including enhance the bending of the first segment; and an axial advancement controller having a processor and being operably engaged with the articulation members, the axial advancement controller device determining a threading configuration of the multiple segments of the catheter device, in response to axial advancement of the catheter device. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
-
Specification