81 results about "Steering Wire" patented technology

A deflectable tube (312) has a deflectable tip section (301) and a bendable body section (309). The deflectable tube has one or more steering wires (16(i)) spiraling in the body section (309) in order to compensate path length differences occurring in the body section (309) when the body section (309) bends. To isolate axial loads in the body section (309) the deflectable tube (312) is provided with one or more longitudinal force isolation elements (322(k)) in the body section (309), which are running in parallel to the one or more steering wires (16(i)). The force isolation elements (322(k)) are attached at both ends to an outer tube (340) or inner tube (330) or to both.

A steerable instrument has a deflectable tip portion (13; 74; 75) at a distal side. A first steering wire (16(1); 429) is attached to the deflectable tip portion (13; 74, 75). The first steering wire (16(1); 429) is part of a tube (3; 102, 103; 121) and is separated from other parts of the tube (3; 102, 103; 121) by a first material removal pattern such that the first steering wire (16(1); 429) extends from a proximal end to a distal end of the steerable instrument. The steerable instrument has a steering unit with a control tube portion (301a(i); 302a(1,3); 431) coaxially arranged with the tube (3). The control tube portion (301a(i); 302a(1,3); 431) controls rotation of the first control tube portion (301a(i); 302a(1,3)) which causes longitudinal movement of the steering wire (16(1); 429) in order to deflect the deflectable tip portion (13; 74; 75)) in a first plane.

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)).

Medical devices and methods are disclosed. An example medical device for accessing a body cavity along a biliary and / or pancreatic tract may include an elongate member having a distal end and a proximal end. The medical device may have a flexible distal tip. The flexible tip may be steered by applying tension to one or more steering wires extending between the distal tip and a handle located at a proximal end of the medical device. The medical device may be a sphincter.

A prosthetic valve delivery system may include a handle, an inner catheter extending through an outer catheter, a nosecone attached to the inner catheter, and a balloon. The balloon may have a proximal portion fixed to the outer catheter, a distal portion fixed to either the nosecone or the inner catheter, and a center portion. A prosthetic heart valve may be configured to be received over the center portion of the balloon. A steering wire may have a proximal end operably coupled to the handle and a distal end coupled to the steering ring to form a deflection point, the deflection point being positioned distal to a point at which the proximal portion of the balloon is fixed to the distal end portion of the outer catheter.

Systems and methods are disclosed for an endoscope for use in a surgical procedure, e.g., a pediatric trans-nasal endoscopy procedure. The endoscope may include a handle for gripping by a user, and a shaft extending from the handle. The shaft may have a working channel extending longitudinally therethrough. The shaft may include an outer jacket defining an outer surface of the shaft, and an inner channel defining a working channel extending longitudinally through the shaft. The shaft defines an open space between the outer jacket and the inner channel, with an electrical wire for an illumination and / or a camera device extending longitudinally within the open space. The open space may improve the flexibility of the shaft along its entire length thereby improving patient comfort, and may also enable the steering wires to be positioned for improved up / down and left / right movement relative to the steering inputs provided by the user.

A method for tensioning endoscope steering wires includes providing a semi-assembled endoscope including a handle and an insertion cord having a distal bending section connected to a first steering wire and a second steering wire, each steering wire having a first wire end being connected at the bending section at a distal end thereof and arranged in a respective wire pipe extending from a proximal end of the bending section to the handle, each steering wire having a proximal end extending further out of the wire pipe, providing a wire tensioner comprising a first and second wire gripper, providing a wire fastener, securing the semi-assembled endoscope relative to the wire tensioner and wire fastener, arranging each wire gripper to grip a respective one of the steering wires, activating the wire tensioner to tension the steering wires, and activating the wire fastener to fixate the steering wires in the tensioned state.

A deflectable tube (312) has a deflectable tip section (301) and a bendable body section (309). The deflectable tube has one or more turning wires (16 (i)) that rotate helically in the body section (309) in order to compensate for path length differences occurring in the body section (309) when the body section (309) is bent. In order to isolate axial loads in the body section (309), the deflectable tube (312) is provided with one or more longitudinal force isolation elements (322 (k)) in the body section (309), the one or more longitudinal force isolation elements extending parallel to the one or more steering wires (16 (i)). Both ends of the force isolation element (322 (k)) are attached to the outer tube (340) or the inner tube (330) or both.

A steering mechanism includes an axial translation mechanism including an elongate shaft having first and second helical threads extending along the elongate shaft, a first carriage member operatively engaged with the first helical thread, and a second carriage member operatively engaged with the second helical thread. Rotation of the elongate shaft translates the first and second carriage members in opposite directions. A bi-directional steerable catheter includes a handle including the steering mechanism, and an elongate sheath extending distally from the handle. The axial translation mechanism is coupled to first and second steering wires extending within the elongate sheath. The first carriage member is coupled to the first steering wire, and the second carriage member is coupled to the second steering wire. The first helical thread may axially overlap the second helical thread. The elongate shaft may include clockwise discontinuous threading overlaid with counterclockwise discontinuous threading.

A catheter driving system is configured to navigate various medical catheters through complex narrow tissue openings or between organs and tissue planes, which may include lung bronchi pathway openings of 3 millimeters or less. These catheters may comprise one or more sections and optional steering cables. The catheter driving device comprises at least one rotary actuator configured to rotate at least one region of the catheter and at least one steering cable actuator configured to apply flexing force to control the direction of the catheter. To prevent the rotary actuator from tangling the steering cables, the system is further configured to rotate at least one steering cable along with the rotation of the rotated catheter region. This cable rotation may be 1:1 (e.g., synchronously) with the catheter rotation or may be configured to vary somewhat to accommodate catheter twisting, spring action, windup, and other effects.

Medical devices with articulation members are described, including a medical device that includes a shaft defining a working channel extending from a proximal end to a distal portion of the shaft. The distal portion of the shaft includes an articulation member comprising a plurality of segments radially outward of the working channel. Each segment may have an arc-shaped cross-section and define at least one aperture, e.g., aligned with the aperture(s) an adjacent segment for receiving a steering wire therethrough. Each segment is pivotable relative to the adjacent segment. The articulation member also includes a rib extending along a longitudinal axis of the shaft and coupled to, or integral with, each segment of the plurality of segments. The rib extends radially outward from the plurality of segments in a direction away from the working channel.

Disclosed herein are delivery systems and methods for delivering a prosthetic heart valve to a native heart valve of a heart. An exemplary delivery system may include a shaft portion having at least one shaft, at least one steering wire, and at least one pull wire. The system may further include a handle portion coupled to a proximal end of the shaft portion and a capsule portion coupled to a distal end of the shaft portion. The capsule portion may be configured to house the prosthetic heart valve. At least one portion of the delivery system may be configured to be engaged with the prosthetic heart valve when the prosthetic heart valve is implanted in the native heart valve of the heart.

A catheter handle for a steerable catheter. A catheter tube is connected to the catheter handle. A steering wire has a center point and two legs, the center point is affixed to a distal tip of the catheter tube, and each of the two legs of the steering wire is affixed to a respective rack of a pair of racks inside the catheter handle. Each of the racks of the pair of racks is toothed and slidable and the racks are mounted in opposition to each other within the catheter handle. A first gear is disposed between the racks and a gear train is positioned to engage the first gear. The gear train is sized to provide a transmission gain to the first gear. A knob is attached to the gear train and operating the knob rotates the gear train to engage the first gear and causes the racks to slide in opposite directions thereby pulling one of the two legs to deflect a distal end of the catheter tube.

An endoscope including at least one operating element, a steerable deflecting element located at the distal end, an endoscope tip, and a steering wire having a first portion, a second portion and an intermediate portion, wherein the intermediate portion is attached to the deflecting element or to the endoscope tip, operation of the at least one operating element to apply a drag force to the first portion moving the endoscope tip in a first direction, and operation of the at least one operating element or another operating element to apply a drag force to the second portion moves the endoscope tip in a second direction different from the first direction, and / or wherein the intermediate portion of the steering tie element is at least in part received in a clearance provided at / in a distal end portion of the deflecting element and / or at / in the endoscope tip.

Wire-controlled steering mechanism (10) of a surgical instrument (1) having a shaft (2) with a longitudinal axis (B) along the longitudinal direction of which steering wires (12) run, wherein a tool tip (6) which can be angled by means of a distal angling mechanism (9) can be arranged at a distal end (5) of the shaft (2), wherein each guide wire (12) can be connected at one end to the angling mechanism (9) of the surgical instrument (1) and is guided at the other end by a guide device (22), wherein the steering mechanism (10) has an associated linear motor (14) for each steering wire (12), to which an end of the steering wire (12) pointing out of the guide device (22) is connected, characterized by the fact that the linear motors (14) are fixed in a retaining disk (16), wherein the retaining disk (16) has a central axial through-opening (18) in which a main shaft (21) extending coaxially from a proximal end (3) of the shaft (2) is mounted in a rotationally fixed manner, and has a receiving opening (19) for each linear motor (14), wherein the receiving openings (19) are equidistant from each other on a circular line.

Systems and methods are disclosed for an endoscope for use in a surgical procedure, e.g., a pediatric trans-nasal endoscopy procedure. The endoscope may include a handle for gripping by a user, and a shaft extending from the handle. The shaft may have a working channel extending longitudinally therethrough. The shaft may include an outer jacket defining an outer surface of the shaft, and an inner channel defining a working channel extending longitudinally through the shaft. The shaft defines an open space between the outer jacket and the inner channel, with an electrical wire for an illumination and / or a camera device extending longitudinally within the open space. The open space may improve the flexibility of the shaft along its entire length thereby improving patient comfort, and may also enable the steering wires to be positioned for improved up / down and left / right movement relative to the steering inputs provided by the user.

The utility model discloses a pneumatic steering wire coil bracket, which relates to the technical field of cable production equipment and comprises a main body rack, a support table is fixedly arranged at the upper end of the main body rack, a bracket mechanism is rotatably mounted on the main body rack, and the bracket mechanism is attached to the support table in a horizontal state; a driving rotating frame is installed on the bracket mechanism, a driving mechanism is fixedly installed on the main body rack, and the driving mechanism is connected with the driving rotating frame and used for driving the bracket mechanism to rotate; the bracket mechanism comprises a bracket platen, a plurality of wire coil supporting plates used for storing wire coils are rotationally installed on the bracket platen, and a driving air cylinder used for driving the wire coil supporting plates to rotate is rotationally installed at the lower end of the bracket platen. The driving air cylinder drives the driving plate to rotate, the driving plate drives the supporting plate shaft to rotate so as to drive the wire coil supporting plate to rotate, the wire coil supporting plate rotates to adjust the relative position of the wire coil relative to the bracket platen, and therefore the wire coil can be loaded and unloaded conveniently.

Systems and methods are disclosed for an endoscope for use in a surgical procedure, e.g., a pediatric trans-nasal endoscopy procedure. The endoscope may include a handle for gripping by a user, and a shaft extending from the handle. The shaft may have a working channel extending longitudinally therethrough and a distal region configured to be inserted into a patient. The endoscope may also include a steering wire extending longitudinally through the shaft from the distal region of the shaft to the steering control mechanism of the handle. The steering control mechanism may have an actuation mechanism attached to the steering wire. The endoscope may include a steering tension braking feature that enables selective engagement and disengagement by the user to brake the steering tension force on the steering wire. The endoscope may also have a steering wire slack reduction member configured to reduce unintended slack from forming along the steering wires during use. The endoscope may also have a steering wire resting tension adjustment mechanism configured to adjust a resting tension on the steering wire prior to the user tensioning the steering wire during a surgical operation.

A medical catheter and its manufacturing method are presented, creating a single device from two distinct components. The catheter features a proximal shaft and a distal shaft with distinct polymeric material where the exposed braided structures are mechanically connected at a transition portion, resulting in a single shaft. A reinforcing assembly is integrated into the proximal shaft and includes reinforcing sleeves with helical coils creating a steering wire guidance system, and an anchor ring mechanically connected to the transition portion. The distal shaft incorporates an articulation structure with interconnected elements and steering wire lumens aligned with the reinforcing assembly. The manufacturing process involves selectively removing polymeric jackets of a proximal and distal shaft, exposing the braided structures, and mechanically connecting the braided structures. Such a medical catheter device and method of manufacturing addresses limitations of conventional joining methods, enhancing maneuverability and precision for navigating complex anatomies in various applications.

The invention discloses a wire distribution device with a wire falling prevention function for grating production, and relates to the field of automatic grating production, and the wire distribution device comprises a bearing base body, a rotary wire distribution mechanism and a rotary driving unit. Wherein the bearing base body is a rigid supporting frame, the rotary wire distribution mechanism is rotatably installed in the middle of the bearing base body through a rotary supporting assembly, and angle adjustment around the horizontal axis is achieved through a rotary driving unit; a wire pressing assembly corresponding to the movement track of the rotary wire distributing mechanism is arranged on the bearing base body and comprises main wire pressing mechanisms arranged in the same linear direction and auxiliary wire pressing mechanisms symmetrically distributed on the two sides of the main wire pressing mechanisms, and all the mechanisms independently achieve axial telescopic movement through a linear driving module. According to the wire distributing device, through the innovative collaborative pressing mechanism and structural design, the defect that in the prior art, wire falling is likely to happen to steering wire distribution is effectively overcome.

A control device for use with a steerable medical device comprises a steering shaft rotatable about a longitudinal axis thereof, a first steering cam is affixed to the steering shaft to rotate in unison therewith. A second steering cam is mounted on the steering shaft and freely rotatable about the longitudinal axis of the steering shaft independent of the steering shaft. A latch assembly is operatively connected to the first steering cam and the second steering cam and operable in an inactive configuration in which the first and second steering cams are positioned to maintain first and second steering wires in an un-tensioned or reduced tension state, and further operable in an active configuration in which the first and second steering cams are positioned to maintain the first and second steering wires in a tensioned state. A rotary knob assembly is also disclosed.

Medical devices with articulation members are described, including a medical device that includes a shaft defining a working channel extending from a proximal end to a distal portion of the shaft. The distal portion of the shaft includes an articulation member comprising a plurality of segments radially outward of the working channel. Each segment may have an arc-shaped cross-section and define at least one aperture, e.g., aligned with the aperture(s) an adjacent segment for receiving a steering wire therethrough. Each segment is pivotable relative to the adjacent segment. The articulation member also includes a rib extending along a longitudinal axis of the shaft and coupled to, or integral with, each segment of the plurality of segments. The rib extends radially outward from the plurality of segments in a direction away from the working channel.

A control assembly for a steerable medical device shaft, the control assembly may include a steerable-shaft handle; and an elongate docking translating base, including a first-end opening dimensioned to receive and operably engage a portion of a separate medical device handle and a second-end ball. The steerable-shaft handle surrounds a longitudinal passage extending distally from a first-end terminus that includes a socket dimensioned to engagingly receive the second-end ball. The longitudinal passage includes a path in mechanical communication with the first-end opening of the base. The base includes at least two steering wires that extend through the steerable-shaft handle in mechanical communication with a steerable length of a shaft length disposed distal of the steerable-shaft handle.

A prosthetic valve delivery system may include a handle, an inner catheter extending through an outer catheter, a nosecone attached to the inner catheter, and a balloon. The balloon may have a proximal portion fixed to the outer catheter, a distal portion fixed to either the nosecone or the inner catheter, and a center portion. A prosthetic heart valve may be configured to be received over the center portion of the balloon. A steering wire may have a proximal end operably coupled to the handle and a distal end coupled to the steering ring to form a deflection point, the deflection point being positioned distal to a point at which the proximal portion of the balloon is fixed to the distal end portion of the outer catheter.

Various aspects of the present disclosure may be directed toward apparatuses, systems, and methods that include a medical device including an elongate body having a proximal portion, a distal portion, and three mutually perpendicular planes. The medical device may include a first steering line and a second steering line and a first stiffening material and a second stiffening material. The first stiffening material and the second stiffening material may be configured to maintain planarity of deflection of at least the distal portion of the elongate body.

A medical catheter (100) and its manufacturing method are presented, creating a single device from two components. The catheter (100) features a proximal (104) and a distal shaft (106) with distinct polymeric material where the exposed braided structures are mechanically connected at a transition portion, resulting in a single shaft. A reinforcing assembly is integrated into the proximal shaft (104) and includes reinforcing sleeves with helical coils creating a steering wire guidance system, and a anchor ring mechanically connected to the transition portion. The distal shaft (106) incorporates an articulation structure with interconnected elements and steering wire lumens aligned with the reinforcing assembly. The manufacturing involves selectively removing polymeric jackets of a proximal (104) and distal shaft (106), exposing the braided structures, and mechanically connecting them. Such a catheter device (100) and manufacturing method addresses limitations of conventional joining methods, enhancing maneuverability and precision for navigating complex anatomies.

The invention relates to a dry-running vacuum pump (1) which has at least one flushing line (16) having two channels (17, 18) which are provided in the thickness of an intermediate stage half-transverse wall (9a) of a half-shell (4), wherein each channel (17, 18) opens from an end face (19) of the intermediate stage half-transverse wall (9a) through a respective opening (20, 21) into the interior of a pump stage (T1-T6), and which has a transverse groove (22) which is provided in the intermediate stage half-transverse wall (9a) in the area of ​​a mounting surface (13) of the half-shells (3, 4), wherein the channels (17, 18) are realized by tubular lines which are formed between an inclined plane (23) of the transverse groove (22) and the end face (19).

Method for tensioning the pull wires of an endoscope comprising: providing a semi-assembled endoscope with a handle and an insertion cord extending distally from the handle, the insertion cord having a distal bend connected to a first pull wire and a second pull wire, each pull wire having a first wire end connected to the bend at a distal end thereof and arranged in a respective wire tube extending from a proximal end of the bend to the handle, each pull wire having a proximal end extending further out of the wire tube; providing a wire tensioning device comprising a first and a second wire gripping device; providing a wire fixation device; securing the semi-assembled endoscope relative to the wire tensioning device and wire fixation device; and attaching each wire gripping device such that…that one of the tension wires is grasped at a time, the wire tensioning device is activated to tension the tension wires, and the wire clamp is activated to fix the tension wires in the tensioned state. Furthermore, an endoscope manufactured according to the method and a wire tensioning machine are disclosed.