Medical tube clearance device
Methods and devices for actuating a clearance device to clear obstructive debris from medical tubes are disclosed. More particularly, a shuttle that includes a first primary magnetic element that is adapted to magnetically engage and translate a magnetic guide within a tube is disclosed. The first primary magnetic element is aligned so that a first primary magnetic field emanating therefrom is aligned substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tube when viewed from a side of the shuttle.
1 . A device for clearing obstructions, comprising:
a tube defining a passageway;
a guide member disposed within said passageway and configured to translate axially therein;
a shuttle disposed outside of said passageway and defining a tube passage that accommodates said tube therein, said shuttle being coupled to said guide member such that translation of said guide member depends on a movement of the shuttle; a first magnet disposed on the shuttle and emitting a first magnetic field having a first magnetic-field axis;
a second magnet disposed on the shuttle and emitting a second magnetic field having a second magnetic-field axis, said first magnet opposing said second magnet with respect to the tube such that said first and second magnetic-field axes are aligned along a common radial axis relative to the tube passage; and
an actuator configured to adjust a coupling strength between said guide member and said shuttle via a user input.
2 . The device of claim 1 , said shuttle being at least partially disposed about said guide member.
3 . The device of claim 1 , said shuttle and said guide member being coupled together via a magnetic attraction that is adjustable via said actuator.
4 . The device of claim 3 , said shuttle comprising a primary magnetic shield.
5 . The device of claim 4 , said primary magnetic shield being disposed radially between the actuator and the tube.
6 . The device of claim 5 , said shuttle further comprising a secondary magnetic shield disposed opposite to the primary magnetic shield with respect to the tube.
7 . The device of claim 3 , said shuttle further comprising a lateral magnetic shield that extends from one lateral side of said tube passage to an opposing lateral side of said tube passage.
8 . The device of claim 7 , the shuttle further comprising a passage body that defines said tube passage, said lateral magnetic shield comprising ferromagnetic material and being seated on a fin that extends laterally from said passage body.
9 . The device of claim 3 , said guide member having a third magnet, said first and second magnets along with the third magnet collectively yielding the magnetic attraction through a wall of said tube.
10 . The device of claim 9 , said first magnetic-field axis being substantially perpendicular to a third magnetic-field axis of a third magnetic field emitted by said third magnet.
11 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the adjustable coupling strength is adjusted by moving the first magnet between a first position remote from the third magnet and a third position proximate to the third magnet.
12 . The device of claim 11 , said actuator being configured to move the first magnet from the first position toward the second position against a spring bias of a spring.
13 . The device of claim 1 , said actuator being a button.
14 . The device of claim 1 , said actuator being a switch.
15 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a magnetic shield, wherein said shuttle comprises a passage body that defines the tube passage, and wherein said passage body has a protuberance configured to fit within an aperture of said magnetic shield.
16 . The device of claim 15 , wherein a center point of said aperture is offset from a longitudinal axis of said tube passage.
17 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a third magnet disposed on the shuttle and located adjacent to the first magnet in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the tube passage, said third magnet emitting a third magnetic field having a third magnetic-field axis, wherein said first and third magnetic-field axes are parallel.
18 . The device of claim 17 , wherein a south pole of said first magnet faces the tube passage, and wherein a north pole of said third magnet faces the tube passage.
19 . The device of claim 18 , wherein a south pole of said second magnet faces the tube passage.
20 . A device for clearing obstructions, comprising:
a tube defining a passageway;
a guide member disposed within said passageway and configured to translate axially therein;
a shuttle disposed outside of said passageway, said shuttle being coupled to said guide member such that translation of said guide member depends on a movement of the shuttle; and
an actuator configured to adjust a coupling strength between said guide member and said shuttle via a user input,
said shuttle and said guide member being coupled together via a magnetic attraction that is adjustable via said actuator,
said shuttle defining a tube passage that accommodates said tube therein,
said shuttle further comprising a lateral magnetic shield that extends from one lateral side of said tube passage to an opposing lateral side of said tube passage,
said shuttle further comprising a passage body that defines said tube passage, said lateral magnetic shield comprising ferromagnetic material and being seated on a fin that extends laterally from said passage body, the fin comprising a protuberance configured to fit within an aperture of said lateral magnetic shield.