Articulable Body Support for Flexible Medical Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flexible elongate devices for minimally invasive medical procedures face challenges in maintaining structural integrity and flexibility under axial loads, which can lead to distortion, compression, and collapse during manipulation.
Innovation Solution
The development of a flexible elongate device featuring an articulable body portion with an axial support structure composed of longitudinally stacked links, each with a hinge and socket configuration, and a braid sheath surrounding the axial support structure to provide additional support against tensile and compressive forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If an articulable body portion is designed to navigate through anatomic passageways, then flexibility and steerability are improved, but structural integrity and resistance to axial loads deteriorate, leading to distortion and collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The axial support structure is divided into multiple discrete links (first link, second link, third link, etc.) that are articulated together through hinge and socket connections. This segmentation allows each link to contribute to flexibility while collectively providing structural support, resolving the contradiction between flexibility and strength by distributing mechanical loads across multiple segments rather than requiring a single rigid structure.
2Ease of operation
If the articulable body portion is manipulated during medical procedures, then ease of operation is improved, but axial loads increase causing compression and collapse
Solution Approach 1:
The axial support structure employs a dynamic articulated mechanism with hinges and sockets that allows controlled movement and articulation in response to manipulation forces. This dynamic design enables the structure to adapt to operational requirements while distributing and managing axial loads through the articulated connections, preventing compression and collapse during procedure manipulation.
3Ease of operation
If pull wires are used to control articulation, then ease of operation is improved, but friction and stress on pull wires increase at hinge and socket interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge and socket structures serve as intermediary mechanical elements that facilitate articulation control while managing the transmission of forces from pull wires. The hinge protruding from one link and fitting into the socket of another link creates a controlled articulation point that reduces direct friction on pull wires by providing a mechanical advantage through the lever arm created by the hinge-offset configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Flexible elongate devices include an elongate body having an articulable body portion and an axial support structure within the articulable body portion. The axial support structure can include links longitudinally stacked on one another, where each of the links includes a body defining a plurality of pull wire openings, an outwardly protruding hinge, and a socket. The socket is circumferentially offset relative to the hinge and configured to receive the hinge of one of the links therein. The flexible elongate device can include a distal member disposed at a distal end of the axial support structure, a proximal member disposed at a proximal end of the axial support structure, and a braid sheath surrounding the axial support structure within the articulable body portion, where ends of the braid sheath are coupled to the distal and proximal members.