Back to results
US 10,208,925 B2Granted
Soft conformal laparoscopic instrument
AssigneeSoft Robotics, Inc.
InventorsCarl Everett Vause, Joshua Aaron Lessing, Ryan Richard Knopf
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A soft robotic instrument that is capable of changing its form factor (e.g., expanding and contracting) during use to facilitate minimally invasive surgery. The instrument may be formed wholly or partly of an elastomeric, electrically insulating material for mitigating the risk of injuring tissue and for mitigating the risk of electrical arcing during electrosurgery.
Claims19
A medical device, comprising:
- an actuator, comprising a flexible molded body portion formed of an elastomeric material, a plurality of interconnected fluid compartments embedded within the elastomeric material, and a strain limiting portion disposed opposite the flexible molded body portion, wherein the actuator is moveable between a first configuration characterized by a first internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments and a second configuration characterized by a second internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments, the second internal pressure being different than the first internal pressure, and wherein the flexible molded body portion is relatively elastic compared to the strain limiting portion to cause the actuator to bend about the strain limiting portion due to an increased elasticity of the flexible molded body portion relative to the strain limiting portion when moved between the first and second configurations;
- and
- a fluid conduit sized and shaped to couple to a fluid source, the fluid conduit in fluid communication with at least one of the fluid compartments and adapted to transmit fluid pressure between the fluid source and the at least one fluid compartment.
A medical device comprising:
- an actuator, comprising a flexible molded body portion formed of an elastomeric material, a plurality of interconnected fluid compartments embedded within the elastomeric material, and a strain limiting portion disposed opposite the flexible molded body portion, wherein the actuator is moveable between a first configuration characterized by a first internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments and a second configuration characterized by a second internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments, the second internal pressure being different than the first internal pressure, and the flexible molded body portion is relatively elastic compared to the strain limiting portion to cause the actuator to bend about the strain limiting portion due to an increased elasticity of the flexible molded body portion relative to the strain limiting portion when moved between the first and second configurations;
- a fluid conduit in fluid communication with at least one of the fluid compartments;
- a fluid source configured to couple to the fluid conduit;
- and
- a mechanism for moving fluid between the fluid source and the plurality of fluid compartments, thereby changing the configuration of the actuator.
2 more elements
A method of comprising:
- inserting, into a body of a patient, a medical device comprising:
- an actuator, comprising a flexible molded body portion formed of an elastomeric material, a strain limiting portion disposed opposite the flexible molded body portion, and a plurality of interconnected fluid compartments embedded within the elastomeric material, wherein the actuator is moveable between a first configuration characterized by a first internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments and a second configuration characterized by a second internal pressure within the plurality of fluid compartments, the second internal pressure being different than the first internal pressure, and wherein the flexible molded body portion is relatively elastic compared to the strain limiting portion to cause the actuator to bend about the strain limiting portion due to an increased elasticity of the flexible molded body portion relative to the strain limiting portion when moved between the first and second configurations;
- and
- a fluid source coupled to at least one of the fluid compartments and configured to pressurize and depressurize the at least one the fluid compartments.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.