US20020087148A1
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Flexible instrument
Assignee: Endovia Medical Inc
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Filing: 2001-11-16
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2021-11-16
Abstract
Abstract A remote control flexible instrument system, employing a shaft which supports a tool, is described in which the has proximal and distal ends with at least a portion thereof extending through a lumen of the human body so as to locate the shaft at an internal target site. A master station including an input device provides control of the instrument situated at a slave station. The master station can control at least one degree-of-freedom of the flexible instrument. A controller intercouples the master and slave stations and is operated in accordance with a computer algorithm that receives a command from the input device for controlling at least one degree-of-freedom of the catheter so as to respond in accordance with action at the input device. The flexible instrument further comprises a controlled flexible segment along the shaft, for controlled bending at the flexible segment to guide the shaft and to dispose the tool at an operative site.
Inventors
- 👤 David Brock
- 👤 Woojin Lee
- 👤 Gary Rogers
- 👤 Barry Weitzner
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 04:08
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61B; A61B17/00; A61B17/04; A61B17/0469; A61B17/0483; A61B17/064; A61B17/0644; A61B17/068; A61B17/0682; A61B34/00; A61B34/20; A61B34/30; A61B34/35; A61B34/37; A61B34/70; A61B34/71; A61B34/72; A61B34/77; A61B90/00; A61B90/36; B; B25; B25J; B25J3/00; B25J3/04; B25J9/00; B25J9/10; B25J9/104; A61B17/00234; A61B17/0487; A61B17/28; A61B17/29; A61B17/34; A61B17/3417; A61B17/3421; A61B17/3462; A61B2017/00017; A61B2017/00022; A61B2017/00026; A61B2017/00084; A61B2017/00088; A61B2017/00238; A61B2017/00243; A61B2017/00292; A61B2017/003; A61B2017/00318; A61B2017/00331; A61B2017/00477; A61B2017/00831; A61B2017/00876; A61B2017/00982; A61B2017/00986; A61B17/0401; A61B2017/0409; A61B2017/0414; A61B2017/0427; A61B2017/0437; A61B2017/0464; A61B2017/0645; A61B2017/0647; A61B2017/0648; A61B17/22; A61B2017/22051; A61B2017/22065; A61B2017/22069; A61B2017/2926; A61B2017/2927; A61B2017/2932; A61B2017/2939; A61B2034/2046; A61B2034/2051; A61B2034/2059; A61B2034/301; A61B2034/305; A61B2034/715; A61B34/74; A61B2034/742; A61B2034/744; A61B2090/364; A61B2090/365; A61B90/37; A61B2090/378; A61B90/50; A61B2090/506; A61B34/10; A61B5/00; A61B5/0059; A61B5/0082; A61B5/0084; A61B5/01; A61B5/015; A61B5/48; A61B5/4887; A61B5/4893; A61B90/361; A61F; A61F2/00; A61F2/02; A61F2/24; A61F2/2442; A61F2/2445; A61F2/2466
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
72 words
1 . A medical device comprising: a disposable mechanically drivable mechanism drivably coupled to a tool via a disposable shaft for insertion into a body vessel or cavity along a selected length of the shaft, the tool being operable to carry out a medical procedure, the shaft being disposable together with the mechanically drivable mechanism; and a receiver for receiving the mechanically drivable mechanism; and a drive unit coupled to the receiver.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
72 words
1 . A medical device comprising: a disposable mechanically drivable mechanism drivably coupled to a tool via a disposable shaft for insertion into a body vessel or cavity along a selected length of the shaft, the tool being operable to carry out a medical procedure, the shaft being disposable together with the mechanically drivable mechanism; and a receiver for receiving the mechanically drivable mechanism; and a drive unit coupled to the receiver.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
2 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the disposable shaft is flexible.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
32 words
3 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit is disposed at a first location which is remote from a second location at which the receiver is disposed.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
4 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the drive unit comprises a plurality of motors, each motor being readily drivably interconnectable to and disconnectable from the disposable mechanically drivable mechanism.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
25 words
5 . The medical device of claim 4 , wherein the tool is drivably interconnectable to and disconnectable from at least one of the motors.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
6 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the tool is drivably interconnected to the disposable mechanically drivable mechanism.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
35 words
7 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the tool is mounted on a disposable two degree of freedom movement mechanism which is mounted at the distal end of the disposable flexible shaft.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
8 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the disposable mechanically drivable mechanism, the flexible shaft and the tool are readily disposable as a single piece unit.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
41 words
9 . The medical device of claim 1 , wherein the disposable mechanically drivable mechanism is remote controllably drivable by a user via a user input device which is electrically interconnected to the drive unit through an electrical drive control mechanism.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
71 words
10 . A medical device comprising: a disposable implement, comprising: a disposable flexible shaft supporting a tool at its distal end, for insertion into a subject; and a disposable first drive interface drivably coupled with the tool through the shaft; a second drive interface for drivably coupling the disposable implement with a drive unit, the second drive interface being drivably engageable engageable with the disposable implement via the first drive interface.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
71 words
10 . A medical device comprising: a disposable implement, comprising: a disposable flexible shaft supporting a tool at its distal end, for insertion into a subject; and a disposable first drive interface drivably coupled with the tool through the shaft; a second drive interface for drivably coupling the disposable implement with a drive unit, the second drive interface being drivably engageable engageable with the disposable implement via the first drive interface.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
49 words
11 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the first drive interface is connected to a proximal end of the shaft and drivably interconnected to a flexible portion of the shaft via at least one cable, the cable being disposable as a unit together with the shaft.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
30 words
12 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the second drive interface is interconnected to a remotely disposed electronic control mechanism which controls operation of the drive unit.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
13 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the first and second drive interfaces are readily engageable with and disengageable from each other.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
14 . The medical device of claim 13 , wherein the disposable implement is readily manually portable.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
15 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the second drive interface is readily manually portable.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
17 words
16 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the drive unit is readily manually portable.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
17 words
17 . The medical device of claim 10 , wherein the disposable implement is readily manually portable.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
77 words
18 . A disposable medical device comprising: a disposable flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a disposable mechanically drivable interface connected to the proximal end of the shaft; a tool mounted at the distal end of the shaft; at least one disposable cable drivably interconnected between the mechanically drivable interface and the tool, the mechanically drivable interface being interconnected to a remotely disposed electronic control mechanism which controls drive operation of the device.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
77 words
18 . A disposable medical device comprising: a disposable flexible shaft having a proximal end and a distal end; a disposable mechanically drivable interface connected to the proximal end of the shaft; a tool mounted at the distal end of the shaft; at least one disposable cable drivably interconnected between the mechanically drivable interface and the tool, the mechanically drivable interface being interconnected to a remotely disposed electronic control mechanism which controls drive operation of the device.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
33 words
19 . The disposable medical device of claim 20 , wherein the flexible shaft includes a deformable portion connected to the cable, the deformable portion being controllably bendable by the electronic control mechanism.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
80 words
20 . A disposable electronically controlled surgical instrument comprising: a disposable flexible elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end on which is mounted a tool, the proximal end of the shaft being connected to a mechanically drivable interface; the disposable shaft including at least one disposable cable drivably interconnected between the mechanically drivable interface and the tool; the mechanically drivable interface being interconnected to a remotely disposed electronic control mechanism which controls drive operation of the device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
80 words
20 . A disposable electronically controlled surgical instrument comprising: a disposable flexible elongate shaft having a proximal end and a distal end on which is mounted a tool, the proximal end of the shaft being connected to a mechanically drivable interface; the disposable shaft including at least one disposable cable drivably interconnected between the mechanically drivable interface and the tool; the mechanically drivable interface being interconnected to a remotely disposed electronic control mechanism which controls drive operation of the device.
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