US 12,121,677 B2
Devices and methods to prevent inadvertent motion of dynamically rigidizing apparatuses
Garrett J. Gomes, Pleasant Hill, CA (US); Alexander Q. Tilson, Burlingame, CA (US); Charles Steele Love, Santa Barbara, CA (US); Mark C. Scheeff, Oakland, CA (US); and William J. Evans, San Francisco, CA (US)
Assigned to Neptune Medical Inc., Burlingame, CA (US)
Appl. No. 18/263,517
Filed by NEPTUNE MEDICAL INC., Burlingame, CA (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 31, 2022, PCT No. PCT/US2022/014497
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 28, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/165302, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 4, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/143,739, filed on Jan. 29, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0033484 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. A61M 25/01 (2006.01); A61M 25/00 (2006.01); A61M 25/06 (2006.01); A61M 39/22 (2006.01)
CPC A61M 25/0155 (2013.01) [A61M 25/0045 (2013.01); A61M 25/0136 (2013.01); A61M 2025/0681 (2013.01); A61M 2039/226 (2013.01); A61M 2205/18 (2013.01); A61M 2205/332 (2013.01); A61M 2205/3331 (2013.01); A61M 2205/581 (2013.01); A61M 2205/583 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An apparatus comprising:
a rigidizable member configured to convert between a rigid configuration and a flexible configuration;
a first sensor at a proximal end region of the rigidizable member, wherein the first sensor is configured to detect a force or acceleration indicating longitudinal and/or rotational movement of the rigidizable member;
a pressure sensor configured to detect pressure within the rigidizable member;
a controller receiving input from the first sensor and the pressure sensor, wherein the controller is configured to trigger a protection response when the rigidizable member is both in a rigid configuration based on the pressure sensor and when the first sensor detects the force or acceleration indicating longitudinal and/or rotational movement of the rigidizable member that exceeds a threshold value, wherein the protection response is one or more of: emitting an alert, locking the position of the rigidizable member, and converting the rigidizable member from the rigid configuration to the flexible configuration or a semi-rigid configuration.