Steerable instrument for endoscopic or invasive applications
AssigneeFortimedix Assets II B.V.
InventorMattheus Hendrik Louis THISSEN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A steerable instrument has a tube (3) extending in a longitudinal direction. The steerable instrument has a proximal end and a deflectable distal end. The tube (3) has a steering wire (16(j); 120, 130) which is made from the tube (3), separated by a slotted structure from the remainder of the tube (3), attached to the deflectable distal end and is movable in a longitudinal direction of the tube (3) such as to deflect the deflectable distal end The steering wire (16(j); 120, 130) has flexible portion located in a flexible zone (13) of the steerable instrument which is implemented by a series of adjacent chain links (1301(k); 1401(k); 1501(k); 1601(k); 1701(k)).
Claims22
A steerable instrument comprising at least one tube extending in a longitudinal direction, the steerable instrument having a proximal end and a deflectable distal end, the at least one tube comprising at least one steering wire which is made from the at least one tube, separated by a slotted structure from the remainder of the at least one tube, attached to the deflectable distal end and configured to be movable in a longitudinal direction of the at least one tube such as to deflect the deflectable distal end, the at least one steering wire having at least one flexible portion located in a flexible zone of the steerable instrument and implemented by a series of adjacent chain links.
-27. (canceled)
A method of manufacturing a steerable instrument comprising at least one tube extending in a longitudinal direction, the steerable instrument having a proximal end and a deflectable distal end, the method comprising:
- providing the at least one tube;
- making at least one steering wire from the at least one tube, wherein the steering wire is attached to the distal end of said tube, by forming a slotted structure in a wall of the tube, thereby separating the steering wire from the remainder of the tube, and
- providing the steering wire with a flexible portion located in a flexible zone of the steerable instrument, wherein the flexible portion is implemented by forming a series of adjacent chain links in at least a portion of the steering wire.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.