Articulating medical instrument
A patterned tube for use with a scope or similar medical device can include at least one flexible section. The at least one flexible section can include a plurality of first cuts having a first thickness, a plurality of second cuts having a second thickness. Particular ones of the plurality of second cuts can be located substantially opposite particular ones of the plurality of first cuts. The at least one flexible section can further include a plurality of bending moment transfer portions. Particular ones of the bending moment transfer portions can be located between particular ones of the first cuts and particular ones of the second cuts.
1 . A patterned tube permitting articulation of a medical scope, the patterned tube comprising:
at least one flexible section in between a proximal end of the patterned tube and a distal end of the patterned tube, the at least one flexible section including:
multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions;
multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned tube from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and
one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein:
particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members; and
a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned tube.
2 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein the one or more bending moment transfer members respectively include a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned tube and configured to transfer a bending moment to a switchback member formed in the patterned tube between a first particular one of the multiple first cuts and a first particular one of the multiple second cuts, wherein the first particular one of the multiple first cuts opposes the first particular one of the multiple second cuts.
3 . The patterned tube of claim 2 , wherein the switchback member is configured to cause the first particular one of the multiple first cuts to do one of widen or narrow and to cause the first particular one of the multiple second cuts to do the other of widen or narrow during an articulation of a portion of the patterned tube including the first particular one of the multiple first cuts and the opposing first particular one of the multiple second cuts.
4 . The patterned tube of claim 3 , further comprising:
an articulation member attached to an inside portion of the patterned tube.
5 . The patterned tube of claim 4 , wherein the articulation member is attached to the inside portion of the patterned tube by at least one guide configured to maintain a position of the articulation member along the at least one flexible section and to enable deflection of at least a portion of the at least one flexible section when the articulation member is retracted via a manipulator.
6 . The patterned tube of claim 4 , wherein the articulation member includes a cable or a wire.
7 . The patterned tube of claim 2 , wherein a neutral thickness of the multiple first cuts and a neutral thickness of the multiple second cuts are varied along at least a portion of the at least one flexible section.
8 . The patterned tube of claim 7 , wherein in a neutral state the first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the at least one flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the at least one flexible section.
9 . The patterned tube of claim 7 , wherein in a neutral state the first particular one of the multiple second cuts at a distal end of the at least one flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at a proximal end of the at least one flexible section.
10 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , further comprising:
a first flexible section; and
a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section.
11 . The patterned tube of claim 10 , wherein at least a portion of the second flexible section is constructed with at least one cut arranged at a rotational angle with respect to at least one cut in the first flexible section.
12 . The patterned tube of claim 10 , wherein the first flexible section is formed from a different material than the second flexible section.
13 . The patterned tube of claim 12 , wherein the material of the first flexible section and the material of the second flexible section have a different flexibility.
14 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein an outer diameter of the patterned tube at the distal end of the patterned tube is smaller than an outer diameter at the proximal end of the patterned tube.
15 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein at least one of a portion of a particular first cut or at least one portion of a particular second cut is tapered to accommodate a particular switchback member located within at least a portion thereof.
16 . A patterned tube for permitting articulation of a medical scope, the patterned tube comprising:
a first flexible section; and
a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section, wherein the first flexible section and the second flexible section include:
multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions;
multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned tube from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and
one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein:
particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members;
the one or more bending moment transfer members include a central beam and a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned tube and configured to cooperate in conjunction with each other to transfer a bending moment to a particular switchback member; and
a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned tube.
17 . The patterned tube of claim 16 , wherein a neutral thickness of the multiple first cuts and a neutral thickness of the multiple second cuts are varied along at least a portion of at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section.
18 . The patterned tube of claim 17 , wherein in a neutral state at least one of:
a first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the first flexible section; or
a first particular one of the multiple second cuts cut at the distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the first flexible section.
19 . The patterned tube of claim 17 , wherein in a neutral state at least one of:
a first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the second flexible section; or
a first particular one of the multiple second cuts at the distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the second flexible section.
20 . A patterned deflectable portion of a medical device shaft, the patterned deflectable portion comprising:
a first flexible section;
a second flexible section located adjacent to the first flexible section; and
an articulation member attached to an inside portion of the patterned deflectable portion by at least one guide configured to maintain a position of the articulation member along at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section and to enable deflection of at least a portion of at least one of the first flexible section or the second flexible section when the articulation member is retracted via a manipulator, wherein the first flexible section and the second flexible section include:
multiple first cuts having a first cut thickness, wherein each cut of the multiple first cuts has a bifurcated end bifurcating into two end cut portions;
multiple second cuts having a second cut thickness, wherein particular ones of the multiple second cuts are located substantially opposite laterally across the patterned deflectable portion from particular ones of the multiple first cuts and separated therefrom by switchback members, and wherein each cut of the multiple second cuts has an end portion positioned between the two end cut portions of the bifurcated end of an opposing first cut; and
one or more bending moment transfer members, wherein;
particular ones of the one or more bending moment transfer members are located between adjacent first cuts and also between adjacent second cuts and connect adjacent switchback members;
the one or more bending moment transfer members include a central beam and a circumferential portion extending about an outer circumference of the patterned deflectable portion and configured to cooperate in conjunction with each other to transfer a bending moment to a particular switchback member; and
a stiffness of the one or more bending moment transfer members is varied between at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along a length of the patterned deflectable portion.
21 . The patterned deflectable portion of claim 20 , wherein in a neutral state at least one of:
a first particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the first flexible section;
a first particular one of the multiple second cuts at the distal end of the first flexible section is wider than a second particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the first flexible section;
a third particular one of the multiple first cuts at a distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a fourth particular one of the multiple first cuts at a proximal end of the second flexible section; or
a third particular one of the multiple second cuts at the distal end of the second flexible section is wider than a fourth particular one of the multiple second cuts at the proximal end of the second flexible section.
22 . The patterned deflectable portion of claim 20 , wherein at least a portion of the second flexible section is constructed with at least one cut arranged at a rotational angle with respect to at least one cut in the first flexible section, and wherein the first flexible section is formed from a different material than the second flexible section.
23 . The patterned tube of claim 1 , wherein the variation in stiffness between the at least two longitudinally spaced apart bending moment transfer members along the length of the patterned tube allows for selection and adjustment of an articulation pathway and sweep path of the distal end.