US 11,730,921 B2
Flexible and steerable device
Petrus A. Besselink, Enschede (NL)
Filed by Petrus A. Besselink, Enschede (NL)
Filed on Jan. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/579,790.
Application 17/579,790 is a continuation of application No. 16/566,342, filed on Sep. 10, 2019, granted, now 11,241,557.
Application 16/566,342 is a continuation of application No. 15/756,729, granted, now 10,441,746, issued on Oct. 15, 2019, previously published as PCT/IB2016/001347, filed on Sep. 2, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/362,680, filed on Jul. 15, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/322,859, filed on Apr. 15, 2016.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/214,379, filed on Sep. 4, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0143362 A1, May 12, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61M 25/04 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 18/24 (2006.01); A61F 2/88 (2006.01); A61M 25/10 (2013.01); A61M 27/00 (2006.01); A61M 29/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/09 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 18/00 (2006.01); A61F 2/01 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0054 (2013.01) [A61B 1/0056 (2013.01); A61B 18/24 (2013.01); A61F 2/88 (2013.01); A61M 25/0051 (2013.01); A61M 25/0053 (2013.01); A61M 25/0138 (2013.01); A61M 25/0147 (2013.01); A61M 25/104 (2013.01); A61M 27/00 (2013.01); A61M 29/00 (2013.01); A61B 17/00234 (2013.01); A61B 2017/003 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00309 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00331 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 2018/00577 (2013.01); A61F 2002/016 (2013.01); A61M 25/04 (2013.01); A61M 25/09041 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0063 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A steerable device for converting an axial force into a torsional force, the device comprising:
a tubular sheath comprising:
a proximal end;
a distal end opposite the proximal end; and
at least one reconfigurable section disposed intermediate the proximal and distal ends and possessive of an increased flexibility, the at least one reconfigurable section comprising at least one helical slot formed through the wall thereof; and
at least one elongate control element defining a proximal end and a distal end, the at least one elongate control element attached to at least one part of the tubular sheath in order to enable an operator to impose a force at the proximal end of the tubular sheath to vary the length of the reconfigurable section in the tubular sheath, thus causing a relative tangential rotation between adjacent wall sections that define the slot, resulting in a known, limited, controllable torsional rotation of the distal end of the tubular sheath without torsional rotation of the proximal end of the tubular sheath.