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US 12,708,738 B2Granted
Medical tube clearance device
AssigneeClearflow, Inc.
InventorKenneth Chesnin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods and devices for actuating a clearance device to clear obstructive debris from medical tubes are disclosed. More particularly, a shuttle that includes a first primary magnetic element that is adapted to magnetically engage and translate a magnetic guide within a tube is disclosed. The first primary magnetic element is aligned so that a first primary magnetic field emanating therefrom is aligned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube when viewed from a side of the shuttle.
Claims20
A device for clearing obstructions, comprising:
- a tube defining a passageway;
- a guide member disposed within said passageway and configured to translate axially therein;
- a shuttle disposed outside of said passageway and defining a tube passage that accommodates said tube therein, said shuttle being coupled to said guide member such that translation of said guide member depends on a movement of the shuttle;
- a first magnet disposed on the shuttle and emitting a first magnetic field having a first magnetic-field axis;
- a second magnet disposed on the shuttle and emitting a second magnetic field having a second magnetic-field axis, said first magnet opposing said second magnet with respect to the tube such that said first and second magnetic-field axes are aligned along a common radial axis relative to the tube passage;
- and
- an actuator configured to adjust a coupling strength between said guide member and said shuttle via a user input.
4 more elements
A device for clearing obstructions, comprising:
- a tube defining a passageway;
- a guide member disposed within said passageway and configured to translate axially therein;
- a shuttle disposed outside of said passageway, said shuttle being coupled to said guide member such that translation of said guide member depends on a movement of the shuttle;
- and
- an actuator configured to adjust a coupling strength between said guide member and said shuttle via a user input,
- said shuttle and said guide member being coupled together via a magnetic attraction that is adjustable via said actuator,
- said shuttle defining a tube passage that accommodates said tube therein,
- said shuttle further comprising a lateral magnetic shield that extends from one lateral side of said tube passage to an opposing lateral side of said tube passage,
- said shuttle further comprising a passage body that defines said tube passage, said lateral magnetic shield comprising ferromagnetic material and being seated on a fin that extends laterally from said passage body, the fin comprising a protuberance configured to fit within an aperture of said lateral magnetic shield.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.