Articulating torqueable hollow device
AssigneeBoston Scientific Scimed, Inc.
InventorsIsaac Ostrovsky, Jozef Slanda, Jeff Bean
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An articulating mechanism for use in a medical device, such as an endoscope or a catheter, includes a series of stacked links disposed adjacent to one another and movable with respect to each other. Each link includes a front face tapered to a pair of pivot points and a rear face defining a wedge shaped recess for receiving the pivot points of the adjacent link. Pull-wires provide tension and hold the staked links together while also allowing for controlled bending of the distal portion by movement of one or more of the pull-wires.
Claims22
An articulating mechanism for use in a medical device, comprising:
- a series of stacked links disposed adjacent to one another and movable with respect to each other, each link including a front face tapered to a pair of pivot points and a rear face defining a wedge shaped recess for receiving the pivot points of the adjacent link;
- and
- at least one pull-wire for providing tension to the articulation mechanism and holding the adjacent links together.
An articulation mechanism for use in a medical device, comprising:
- a series of stacked links disposed adjacent to one another and movable with respect to each other, each link including a front face tapered to a pair of pivot points and a rear face defining a wedge shaped recess for receiving the pivot points of the adjacent link, the wedge shaped recess radially offset from the pivot points;
- and
- at least one pull-wire for providing tension to the articulation mechanism and holding the adjacent links together.
An articulation mechanism for use in a medical device, comprising:
- a first articulation section, the first articulation section includes a first series of stacked links disposed adjacent to one another and movable with respect to each other, each link including a front face tapered to a pair of pivot points and a rear face defining a wedge shaped recess for receiving the pivot points of the adjacent link;
- a second articulation section, the second articulation section includes a second series of stacked links disposed adjacent to one another and movable with respect to each other, each link including a front face tapered to a pair of pivot points and a rear face defining a wedge shaped recess for receiving the pivot points of the adjacent link, the wedge shaped recesses of the first articulation section radially offset from the wedge shaped recesses of the second articulation section;
- and
- at least one pull-wire for providing tension to the articulation mechanism and holding the adjacent links together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.