Telescoping robot
AssigneeNeptune Medical Inc.
InventorsRoman DEVENGENZO, Spencer J. WITTE, Neal TANNER, Aren HILL
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatuses and methods for deploying and/or controlling movement of flexible tubular members such as endoscopes, using a sliding link assembly to support the flexible tubular member. For example, these apparatuses may include a base, a link assembly connected to the base and comprising: a plurality of links that are vertically adjacent to each other, in which adjacent pairs of links are each slidably coupled together by opposing flexible bands that extend around a cylindrical surface of a shuttle. A linear drive may drive extension and retraction of the links by engaging with just one shuttle of the link assembly.
Claims17
An apparatus for deploying a flexible tubular member, the apparatus comprising:
- a base;
- a bidirectional telescoping link assembly connected to the base comprising a plurality of adjacent links configured to extend proximally from a compact neutral configuration to a proximal extended configuration and to extend distally from the compact neutral configuration to a distal extended configuration;
- a driver configured to drive movement of the links of the telescoping link assembly;
- and
- a mount assembly coupled to the bidirectional telescoping link assembly, wherein the mount assembly is configured to couple to the flexible tubular member and further wherein the mount assembly comprises a mounting surface and one or more actuators configured to steer the flexible tubular member.
An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
- a telescoping link assembly comprising a plurality of adjacent links each configured to move relative to each other in a first axis;
- a first mount coupled to a first link of the plurality of adjacent links of the telescoping link assembly, wherein the first mount is configured to engage an overtube;
- and
- a second mount coupled to the first link and configured to engage an endoscope nested with the overtube, wherein the overtube and endoscope are configured to be moved in the first axis by distally advancing or proximally retracting one or more of the adjacent links.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.