US 10,449,010 B2 · Steerable tube

Abstract

A steerable tube (100), comprising a hollow elongate tubular member (1) having a proximal end (2), distal end (3), a wall surface disposed between said proximal (2) and distal end (4), a bend-resistive zone (6) flanked by a proximal bendable zone (4) that forms a controller and a distal bendable zone (5) that forms an effector that moves responsive to movements of the controller, whereby the wall of the tubular member (1) in the bend-resistive zone (6) comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal slits (7), forming a plurality of longitudinal strips (8, 8′), the wall of the tubular member (1) in the proximal bendable zone (4) and the distal bendable zone (5) comprises a structure that is a plurality of longitudinal wires (9, 9′, 10, 10′), at least one strip (8) is in connection with a wire (9) in the proximal bendable zone (4) and a wire (10) in the distal bendable zone (5), such that translation by said wire (9) in the controller is transmitted via the strip (8) to said wire (10) in the effector, a proximal annular region (11) of the tubular member (1), proximal to the proximal bendable zone (4) to which the proximal wires (9) are anchored, a distal annular region (12) of the tubular member (1) distal to the distal bendable zone (5) to which the distal wires (10) are anchored.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A steerable tube, comprising a steering mechanism formed as a hollow elongate tubular member, one end being a controller comprising a proximal bendable part, the other end being an effector comprising a distal bendable part, wherein movements of the controller are transmitted via the hollow elongate tubular member to the effector which moves responsive to movements of the controller, the steering mechanism configured for omnidirectional control and movement of the effector and for axial rotation of the effector in the bent position.

A multi jointed steerable tube having a proximal end and a distal end, comprising at least two steering mechanisms,

a first steering mechanism formed from a first hollow elongate tubular member one end being a first controller comprising a first proximal bendable part, the other end being a first effector comprising a first distal bendable part wherein movements of the first controller are transmitted via the hollow elongate tubular member to the first effector which moves responsive to movements of the first controller, the first steering mechanism configured for omnidirectional control and movement of the first effector,
a second steering mechanism formed from a second hollow elongate tubular member one end being a second controller comprising a second proximal bendable part, the other end being a second effector comprising a second proximal bendable part, wherein movements of the second controller are transmitted via the hollow elongate tubular member to the second effector which moves responsive to movements of the second controller, the second steering mechanism configured for directional control and movement of the second effector,
wherein the two tubular members are mutually co-axially arranged, and
the first steering mechanism is configured for axial rotation of the first effector in the bent position, and/or
the second steering mechanism is configured for axial rotation of the second effector in the bent position,
and
the second controller is provided distal of the first controller and the second effector provided proximal of the first effector, or
the second controller is provided proximal of the first controller and the second effector provided proximal of the first effector and distal of the first controller.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Steerable tube

Life of this patent

Steerable tube

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18