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US 2006/0217743 A1Published application
Medical instrument with a mechanical coupling
AssigneeEthicon Endo-Surgery, Inc.
InventorsJeffrey Messerly, Barry Jamison, Steven Smolik
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A medical instrument is disclosed having a flexible tube, an end effector, and an actuator. A control member, such as a control wire, can extend through the flexible tube. A mechanical coupling is disclosed for attaching the control member to the actuator. A method for mechanically coupling the control member to the actuator is also disclosed.
Claims23
A medical device comprising:
- a flexible tube;
- an actuator associated with a proximal portion of the flexible tube;
- at least one end effector associated with a distal portion of the flexible tube;
- at least one control member extending through the flexible tube for transmitting force to the end effector upon actuation of the actuator;
- and
- a coupling receiving the control member and conveying a force to the control member upon actuation of the actuator;
- wherein a portion of the control member is deformed in a first direction after being received by the coupling, and wherein the coupling comprises a retaining member extending in a second direction different from the first direction to maintain the position of the control member with respect to the coupling.
4 more elements
A medical device comprising:
- a flexible tube having a proximal end and a distal end;
- an end effector associated with the distal end of the flexible tube;
- an actuator associated with the proximal end of the tube;
- at least one control member extending through the flexible tube;
- a coupling for receiving the control member and conveying a force to the control member upon actuation of the actuator;
- wherein the coupling comprises:
- a receiver having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, and an exterior surface, the receiver defining:
- a first passageway for receiving the control member, the control member passageway extending along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end;
- a second passageway, the second passageway extending from the exterior surface of the receiver and intersecting the control member passageway;
- an third passageway, the third passageway extending from the exterior surface of the receiver and intersecting the control member passageway, the third passageway providing access for deforming a portion of the control member disposed within the control member passageway;
- and
- a retaining member insertable in the second passageway to maintain the position of the control member relative to the receiver.
9 more elements
A coupling assembly for transmitting a load to a control member, the coupling comprising:
- at least one control member;
- a receiver having a first end, a second end, a longitudinal axis, and an exterior surface, the receiver defining:
- a control member passageway for receiving the control member, the control member passageway extending along the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end;
- a second passageway, the second passageway extending from the exterior surface of the receiver and intersecting the control member passageway;
- a third passageway, the third passageway extending from the exterior surface of the receiver and intersecting the control member passageway, the third passageway providing access for deforming a portion of the control member disposed within the control member passageway;
- and
- a retaining member insertable in the second passageway to maintain the position of the control member relative to the receiver.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.