Instrument for endoscopic applications or the like
AssigneeFortimedix Assets II B.V.
InventorMarcel Antonius Elisabeth Verbeek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An instrument for endoscopic applications, including a tubular member having a handling end portion having a flexible portion and actuating devices located at the other end portion, and longitudinal elements for transferring the movement of the actuating devices to the handling end portion resulting in a change of orientation thereof, whereby the handling end portion includes at least two independent flexible portions, whereby the actuating end portion has a corresponding number of actuating devices, and whereby each actuating device is connected by its own set of longitudinal elements to a part of the handling end portion for effecting a change of orientation of one of the flexible portions.
Claims17
An instrument for at least one of endoscopic applications, mechanical applications, and electronic applications, comprising a tube like member having a handling end portion having at least a first rigid zone, a first flexible handling portion, a second rigid zone and a second flexible handling portion, and having actuating means located at an other, actuating end portion, said tube like member comprising at least an inner cylindrical element, a first an outer cylindrical element and a first cylinder, said inner cylindrical element, outer cylindrical element and first cylinder being coaxially arranged, the first cylinder comprising longitudinal elements, said first longitudinal elements being located in a first intermediate layer between said inner cylindrical element and said first outer cylindrical element and being connected to both the actuating means and to the handling end portion for transferring a movement of the actuating means to the handling end portion resulting in a change of orientation thereof, wherein the actuating means have at least a first and a second actuating means and the first longitudinal elements comprise at least a first and second set of longitudinal elements, the first set of longitudinal elements having respective handling ends connected to a first rigid ring, said first rigid ring being connected to at least one of said inner cylindrical element and said first outer cylindrical element in said first rigid zone, the second set of longitudinal elements having respective handling ends connected to a second rigid ring, said second rigid ring being connected to at least one of said inner cylindrical element and said first outer cylindrical element in said second rigid zone, and said first set of longitudinal elements being guided through openings in said second rigid ring, the first actuating means being connected to an actuating end of said first set of longitudinal elements, and the second actuating means being connected to an actuating end of said second set of longitudinal elements, of at least one of the first flexible handling portion and the second flexible handling portion, said longitudinal elements being formed by portions of the first cylinder, and wherein said inner cylindrical element and said first outer cylindrical element are continuous cylindrical elements, each of which having a tube wall that comprises rigid and flexible portions that coincide with respective ones of said first rigid zone, said first flexible handling portion, said second rigid zone and said second flexible handling portion, and wherein said flexible portions are obtained by locally providing slits in the respective tube walls of said inner cylindrical element and said first outer cylindrical element.
A system comprising a guiding tube and two instruments for at least one of endoscopic applications, inspection and reparation of mechanical or electronic installations,
- said guiding tube comprising a number of guiding tube sections, two of the guiding tube sections having a curved profile,
- each of the two instruments comprising a tube like member having a handling end portion having at least a first rigid zone, a first flexible handling portion, a second rigid zone, and a second flexible handling portion and actuating means located at an other, actuating end portion, at least an inner cylindrical element, an outer cylindrical element, and a first cylinder, said inner cylindrical element, outer cylindrical element, and first cylinder being coaxially arranged, the first cylinder comprising longitudinal elements for transferring a movement of the actuating means to the handling end portion resulting in a change of orientation of at least one of the first flexible handling portion and second flexible handling portion, said longitudinal elements being formed by portions of the first cylinder, each of the two instruments being flexible between the handling end portion and the actuating end portion such that they can be inserted into one of said guiding tube sections with said curved profile, and said inner cylindrical element and outer cylindrical element being continuous cylindrical elements each one having a tube wall comprising rigid and flexible portions that coincide with respective ones of said first rigid zone, said first flexible handling portion, said second rigid zone and said second flexible handling portion, and wherein the outer cylindrical element and the inner cylindrical element are tubes having tube walls and the flexible portions are obtained by locally providing slits in the respective tube walls of said outer cylindrical element and inner cylindrical element.
A system comprising an instrument for at least one of endoscopic applications, inspection and reparation of mechanical or electronic installations, comprising a tube like member having a handling end portion having at least a first rigid zone, a first flexible handling portion, a second rigid zone, and a second flexible handling portion and actuating means located at an other, actuating end portion, at least an inner cylindrical element, an outer cylindrical element, and a first cylinder, said inner cylindrical element, outer cylindrical element, and first cylinder being coaxially arranged, the first cylinder comprising longitudinal elements for transferring a movement of the actuating means to the handling end portion resulting in a change of orientation of at least one of the first flexible handling portion and the second flexible handling portion, said longitudinal elements being formed by portions of the first cylinder, the system also comprising a control system connected to the actuating means and configured to control said change of orientation of the first and second flexible handling portions, and said inner cylindrical element and outer cylindrical element being continuous cylindrical elements each one having a tube wall comprising rigid and flexible portions that coincide with respective ones of said first rigid zone, said first flexible handling portion, said second rigid zone and said second flexible handling portion, and the flexible portions are obtained by locally providing slits in the respective tube walls of said outer cylindrical element and inner cylindrical element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.