Soft retractors
A soft material retractor includes at least two soft actuators, each actuator having at least one pressurizable interior space, wherein the actuator has a first flexible resting state and a second stiffer pressurized state; and a flexible sheet spanning the actuators such that the actuators can be spaced apart from each other by a distance selected to displace a volume of material of a body cavity. The retractor can be uses for holding open wounds or incisions, with trochars, or to displace anatomical features such as organs within a body cavity.
1. A method of forming a soft material device comprising at least a first and second soft actuators comprising a first and second pressurizable interior spaces, respectively, the method comprising:
providing a first mold comprising:
a first soft actuator mold body;
a second soft actuator mold body; and
a bridging channel connecting the first and second soft actuator mold bodies;
casting a first material having a first durometer into the first mold to form a molded part comprising a first and second actuators connected by a bridge; wherein the first and second actuators comprises the first and second pressurizable interior spaces, respectively;
transferring the molded part into a second mold comprising a plurality of cavities;
casting a second material having a second durometer higher than the first durometer into the cavities to form a plurality of structural features on at least a portion of the surfaces of the first and second actuators; and
removing the formed soft material device from the second mold.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising inserting a first and second rods into the first and second soft actuator mold bodies, respectively; wherein the first and second rods define the first and second pressurizable interior spaces, respectively.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising sealing the ends of the first and second elastomeric actuators.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second soft actuator mold bodies comprise a plurality of depressions.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second materials are each elastomeric material.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the first and second materials are each made from rubber.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first material is an elastomeric material and the second material comprises an inextensible fiber.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the second material comprises a plurality of composite sheets reinforced by the inextensible fiber.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and second soft actuators each comprise a plurality of pressurizable interior spaces.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second soft actuators are a finger actuator.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first and/or second soft actuators are a liner extending actuator.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising attaching a fluid line to the first and/or second pressurizable interior spaces.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the fluid line is attached to a pressurizing source.