IP Library Granted Patent US 11,058,291
Granted Patent B2
US 11,058,291 · App. 16/939,448 · Granted Jul 13, 2021

Devices, systems and methods for cleaning of elongated instrument surface

Inventors: Christopher Rylander (Austin, TX); Christopher Idelson (Austin, TX); John Uecker (Austin, TX)
Assignees: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM; ASCENSION TEXAS
A61B1/126A61B1/00135A61B1/3132A61B90/70A61B1/00096A61B1/127A61B2090/701
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,058,291
App. No.
16/939,448
Granted
Jul 13, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Devices, systems and methods for cleaning a surface of as elongated instrument held within a cavity. In particular embodiments of the device, a longitudinal wire member extends along an elongated instrument (e.g. a laparoscope) and a rotatable transverse member removes matter from a surface of the instrument (e.g. a lens).

Claims (32)

1. A laparoscope cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a retaining member adapted for having a laparoscope mounted thereon;

a handle attached to a proximate end portion of the retaining member;

a cleaning member adjacent to a distal end portion of the retaining member;

an actuation member translatably and rotatably engaged with the handle to enable independent axial translation movement and rotational movement of the actuation member, wherein the actuation member is coupled to the cleaning member to enable rotation of the actuation member to provide corresponding rotational movement of the cleaning member and axial translation of the actuation member to provide corresponding axial translation movement of the cleaning member, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the actuation member is skewed with respect to a longitudinal axis of a central aperture of the retaining member;

a longitudinal wire member having the cleaning member attached thereto at a distal end portion thereof and having the actuation member attached thereto at a proximate end portion thereof; and

a guide member attached to the handle, wherein an aperture extends within the guide member along a length thereof, wherein the longitudinal wire member extends through the aperture, wherein the guide member comprises a curved portion and wherein the guide member is positioned within the handle to cause a tangential axis extending through a first end of the curved portion extends approximately parallel with the longitudinal axis of the central aperture of the retaining member and to cause a tangential axis extending through a second end of the curve portion extends approximately colinear with the longitudinal axis of the actuation member, wherein:

the retaining member comprises a relief extending along at least a portion of a length of the retaining member;

a longitudinal axis of the relief extends approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the central aperture of the retaining member;

at least a portion of the longitudinal wire member between said distal and proximate end portions thereof is within the relief;

the retaining member comprises a slot therein at the proximate end portion thereof;

the slot intersects the relief; and

the first end of the curved portion of the guide member is at least partially within the slot.

2. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a longitudinal axis of the actuation member is an axis of rotation for said rotation of the actuation member and an axis of translation for said translation of the actuation member.

3. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the retaining member comprises a relief extending along at least a portion of a length of the retaining member; and

at least a portion of the longitudinal wire member between said distal and proximate end portions thereof is within the relief.

4. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the relief intersects the central aperture of the retaining member.

5. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the relief intersects the central aperture of the retaining member.

6. A laparoscope cleaning apparatus, comprising:

a tubular member adapted for having a laparoscope engaged therewith, wherein the tubular member comprises a relief extending along at least a portion of a length of the tubular member and wherein a longitudinal axis of the relief extends approximately parallel to a longitudinal axis of the central aperture of the tubular member;

a longitudinal wire member having a distal end portion and a proximate end portion, wherein at least a portion of the longitudinal wire member between said distal and proximate end portions thereof is within the relief;

a cleaning member located adjacent to a distal end portion of the tubular member, wherein the cleaning member is attached the distal end portion of the longitudinal wire member;

a handle attached to a proximate end portion of the tubular member;

an actuation member translatably and rotatably engaged with the handle to enable independent axial translation movement and rotational movement of the actuation member, wherein the actuation member is attached to the proximate end portion of the longitudinal wire member to enable rotation of the actuation member to provide corresponding rotational movement of the cleaning member and axial translation of the actuation member to provide corresponding axial translation movement of the cleaning member, wherein the longitudinal wire member extends contiguously from the cleaning member to the actuation member and wherein a longitudinal axis of the actuation member is skewed with respect to the longitudinal axis of the central aperture of the tubular member; and

a guide member attached to the handle, wherein an aperture extends within the guide member along a length thereof, wherein the longitudinal wire member extends through the aperture, wherein the guide member comprises a curved portion and wherein the guide member is positioned within the handle to cause a tangential axis extending through a first end of the curved portion extends approximately colinear with the longitudinal axis of the relief and to cause a tangential axis extending through a second end of the curve portion extends approximately colinear with the longitudinal axis of the actuation member, wherein:

the tubular member comprises a slot therein at the proximate end portion thereof;

the slot intersects the relief; and

the first end of the curved portion of the guide member is at least partially within the slot.

7. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein at least a portion of the relief intersects the central aperture of the tubular member.

8. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the longitudinal axis of the actuation member is an axis of rotation for said rotation of the actuation member and an axis of translation for said translation of the actuation member.

9. The laparoscope cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the relief intersects the central aperture of the tubular member.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 10, 2023
From: ASCENSION TEXAS
To: ASCENSION HEALTH ALLIANCE
Reel/Frame 063275/0115 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2021
From: UECKER, JOHN
To: ASCENSION TEXAS
Reel/Frame 056134/0166 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 4, 2021
From: RYLANDER, CHRISTOPHER; IDELSON, CHRISTOPHER
To: BOARD OF REGENTS, THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
Reel/Frame 056134/0180 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation PCTUS2019063369 · Nov 26, 2019
Provisional Application 62773060 · Nov 29, 2018
Related Publication 20200397272A1 · Dec 24, 2020