US 12,329,473 B2
Dynamically rigidizing composite medical structures
Alexander Q. Tilson, Burlingame, CA (US); Stephen J. Morris, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Garrett J. Gomes, San Mateo, CA (US); Adam S. Wigginton, Sunnyvale, CA (US); Mark C. Scheeff, San Francisco, CA (US); Charles S. Love, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Viet Anh Nguyen, Burlingame, CA (US); Elias Eletheriades, Redwood City, CA (US); Jonathan Sindler, Burlingame, CA (US); Francisco G. Lopez, San Francisco, CA (US); and Andy C. Kiser, Presto, PA (US)
Assigned to Neptune Medical Inc., Burlingame, CA (US)
Appl. No. 17/604,203
Filed by NEPTUNE MEDICAL INC., Burlingame, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/US2020/013937
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 15, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/214221, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/854,199, filed on May 29, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/835,101, filed on Apr. 17, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0323166 A1, Oct. 13, 2022
Int. Cl. A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61M 25/09 (2006.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/30 (2016.02) [A61M 25/0113 (2013.01); A61M 25/09041 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00398 (2013.01); A61B 2034/301 (2016.02)] 13 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A robotic system, comprising:
a rigidizing first elongate cannula, wherein the rigidizing first elongate cannula comprises one or more pullwires or cables extending within the first elongate cannula that are configured to steer a distal end of the rigidizing first elongate cannula;
a rigidizing second elongate cannula wherein the rigidizing first elongate cannula is nested within the rigidizing second elongate cannula; and
a cassette attached to a proximal end of the rigidizing first elongate cannula, wherein the cassette comprises one or more disks configured to actuate the one or more pullwires or cables of the rigidizing first elongate cannula,
wherein the rigidizing first elongate cannula is configured to rigidize with the application or release of vacuum or pressure to a wall of the rigidizing first elongate cannula.