US 11,969,565 B2
Programmable medical wire system and method
Keith E. Schubert, China Spring, TX (US); Linda Olafsen, Waco, TX (US); Jeffrey Olafsen, Waco, TX (US); Sunghwan Lee, West Lafayette, IN (US); Jason H. Huang, Temple, TX (US); Samantha Dayawansa, Temple, TX (US); and Jin-Woo Choi, Baton Rouge, LA (US)
Assigned to BAYLOR UNIVERSITY, Waco, TX (US); and SCOTT & WHITE HEALTHCARE, Temple, TX (US)
Filed by Baylor University, Waco, TX (US); and Scott & White Healthcare, Temple, TX (US)
Filed on Feb. 7, 2019, as Appl. No. 16/269,689.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/628,614, filed on Feb. 9, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2019/0247629 A1, Aug. 15, 2019
Int. Cl. A61M 25/09 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01); H01B 7/04 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01)
CPC A61M 25/09041 (2013.01) [A61B 17/00 (2013.01); A61M 25/0158 (2013.01); H01B 7/04 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00017 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00305 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00318 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00411 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00867 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00929 (2013.01); A61B 90/361 (2016.02); A61M 2025/09075 (2013.01); A61M 2025/09116 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0915 (2013.01); A61M 2025/09191 (2013.01); A61M 2205/0233 (2013.01); A61M 2205/50 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A programmable medical wire system, comprising:
a programmable wire assembly, comprising:
a core conductor;
a first selective conductor portion comprising a first set of selective conductors and a second set of selective conductors;
a first actuator portion comprising a first set of actuator conductors electrically coupled to the core conductor and the first set of selective conductors, the first set of actuator conductors being programmed to move toward a predetermined shape based on actuation by energy applied through selective conductors electrically coupled to the first set of actuator conductors;
a second selective conductor portion at a different longitudinal position along the programmable wire assembly than the first actuator portion and comprising the second set of selective conductors; and
a second actuator portion disposed at a different longitudinal position relative to the first actuator portion and configured to control movement of the programmable wire assembly independently of the first actuator portion, the second actuator portion comprising a second set of actuator conductors electrically coupled to the core conductor and the second set of selective conductors, the second set of actuator conductors being programmed to move toward a predetermined shape that is separate and independent of the predetermined shape of the first set of actuator conductors based on energy applied through the selective conductors electrically coupled to the second set of actuator conductors
wherein the energy applied through at least one of the sets of the selective conductors comprises resistive electrical energy for a heat increase that moves the actuator conductors electrically coupled to the set of selective conductors.