# US 10,441,748 B2 · Flexible and/or pushable tubular device > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,441,748 B2 - Document ID: US10441748B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/155,697 - Filed: 2016-05-16 - Published: 2017-11-16 - Granted: 2019-10-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-05-16 - Assignees: Gyrus ACMI, Inc. - Applicants: Gyrus Acmi, Inc. - Inventors: Tailin Fan; Jane Bareau - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10441748B2 ## CPC - A61M 25/0138: {having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils} - A61M 25/0054: {with regions for increasing flexibility} - A61M 25/0144: {having flexible regions as a result of inner reinforcement means, e.g. struts or rods} - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - A61M 25/0147: {with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires} - B29D 23/00: Producing tubular articles (B29D24/00 takes precedence) - A61M: DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY (introducing media into or onto the bodies of animals A61D7/00; means for inserting tampons A61F13/26; devices for administering food or medicines orally A61J; containers for collecting, storing or administering blood or medical fluids A61J1/05); DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY (surgery A61B; chemical aspects of surgical articles A61L); DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR {(Electrotherapy, e.g. producing anaesthesia by the use of alternating or intermittent currents A61N1/36021)} - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING - B29D: PRODUCING PARTICULAR ARTICLES FROM PLASTICS OR FROM SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE (making granules B29B9/00; making preforms B29B11/00) ## Abstract The teachings herein relate to devices for insertion into a cavity, opening or other passageway that requires the bending of the device to conform to a curved or even tortuous shape of the path. The devices include axial support components for translating forces for moving the device forward in the path. The axial support components preferably include adjacent components capable of rocking for tilting the device in one or more directions. The device preferably includes one or more lateral support components for limiting any lateral motion of an axial support component relative to an adjacent axial support component. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A medical device comprising: a tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface, an inner surface, a longitudinal direction along a length of the tubular member, a passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end extending along the longitudinal direction, and a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; wherein the tubular member includes i) a plurality of helical axial support components in a stacked arrangement including at least a first axial support component and a second axial support component located adjacent to and above the first axial support component in the distal direction, wherein each of the plurality of helical axial support components has a top edge surface facing the proximal end and a bottom edge surface facing the distal end, the top edge surface of the first axial support component has a first portion, a second portion, a third portion, and a fourth portion in sequential order around a circumference of the top edge surface of the first axial support component, the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component has a corresponding first portion, a corresponding second portion, a corresponding third portion, and a corresponding fourth portion in sequential order around a circumference of the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component, wherein the first and third portions of the top edge surface of the first axial support component contacts the corresponding first and third portions of the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component so that an axial force is translated between the adjacent first and second axial support components, and the second and fourth portions of the top edge surface of the first axial support component are spaced apart from the corresponding second and fourth portions of the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component so that the axial direction can bend between the adjacent first and second axial support components; and ii) one or more lateral support components in contact with the plurality of helical axial support components for reducing lateral movement between adjacent pairs of the plurality of helical axial support components. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the first axial support component and the second axial support component have the same shape. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the one or more lateral support components includes a central lumen having a passage therethrough for defining at least a portion of the inner surface of the tubular member. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the number of the plurality of axial support components is about 10 or more. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the one or more lateral support components includes a lateral support component connected to both the first and second axial support components. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device of claim 5, wherein the plurality of axial support components and the one or more lateral support components are formed of the same material. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the plurality of axial support components are formed of a first material and the one or more lateral support components are formed of a second material, wherein the first and second materials are different materials. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the second material has a Shore A durometer less than a Shore A durometer of the first material. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The device of claim 7, wherein the second material is a stretchable fabric. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the adjacent first and second axial support components are not directly attached at a point of contact between the opposing edge surfaces. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The device of claim 10, wherein the first axial support component rocks back and forth in a first direction relative to the second axial support component. ### Claim 12 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the first axial support component includes structural features for stiffening the first axial support component. ### Claim 13 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the tubular member has a porous wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 4) The device of claim 4, wherein the outer surface of the tubular member is coated with a hydrophilic coating. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The device of claim 1, wherein the device includes one or more control components extending the length of the tubular member for controlling a direction of bend of the proximal end of the tubular member. ### Claim 16 A medical device comprising: a tubular member having a proximal end, a distal end, an outer surface, an inner surface, a longitudinal direction along a length of the tubular member, a passage extending from the proximal end to the distal end extending along the longitudinal direction, and a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; wherein the tubular member includes, in an unbent configuration: i) a plurality of helical axial support components in a stacked arrangement including at least a first axial support component and a second axial support component located adjacent to and above the first axial support component in the distal direction, wherein each of the plurality of helical axial support components has a top edge surface facing the proximal end and a bottom edge surface facing the distal end, wherein a first portion of the top edge surface of the first axial support component contacts a corresponding first portion of the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component so that an axial force is translated between the adjacent first and second axial support components, and a second portion of the top edge surface of the first axial support component is spaced apart from a corresponding second portion of the bottom edge surface of the second axial support component so that the axial direction can bend between the adjacent first and second axial support components, wherein the first and second portions of the top edge surface of the first axial support component are at different locations along the circumference of the first axial support component; and ii) one or more lateral support components in contact with the plurality of helical axial support components for reducing lateral movement between adjacent pairs of the plurality of helical axial support components; iii) wherein the tubular member, starting in the unbent configuration, is capable of tilting in different directions, including a forward direction and a backward direction. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The device of claim 16, wherein when the tubular member is in a bent state, the first axial support component has two or more spaced apart contacts with the second axial support component.