Elongate medical device with articulating portion
An articulating portion for an elongate medical device is disclosed. The articulating portion may include a plurality of segments movable relative to one another, and a plurality of hinges disposed between adjacent segments. The segments can be configured to bend at the hinges upon manipulation of a control member of the device. The segments and the hinges can also be a single continuous piece of material.
1. An articulating portion for an elongate medical device, comprising:
a plurality of segments movable relative to one another; and
a plurality of hinges disposed between adjacent segments, wherein the segments are configured to bend at the hinges upon manipulation of a control member of the device,
wherein the segments and the hinges are a single continuous piece of material, and
wherein at least one of the hinges includes a strip having opposing planar surfaces that twist about a longitudinal axis of the at least one hinge to form at least one twist portion.
2. The articulating portion of claim 1 , wherein the at least one twist portion includes a first twist portion and a second twist portion positioned at opposite ends of a central portion, and wherein the central portion is oriented perpendicularly to opposing ends of the strip.
3. The articulating portion of claim 2 , wherein the central portion of the at least one hinge is oriented perpendicularly to an adjacent side wall of one of the segments.
4. The articulating portion of claim 1 , wherein each hinge is positioned within a gap defined by edges of the adjacent segments.
5. The articulating portion of claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide element connected to a rim of one of the segments and configured to guide the control member.
6. The articulating portion of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the hinges comprises a first end aligned with a second end.
7. The articulating portion of claim 1 , wherein the adjacent segments comprise opposing rim portions each having contours configured to slope away from each other.
8. The articulating portion of claim 7 , wherein an area between the adjacent segments defines a gap having a diverging shape.
9. The articulating portion of claim 1 , wherein the strip has a rectangular cross-sectional shape.
10. An articulating portion for an elongate medical device, comprising:
a plurality of segments movable relative to one another; and
a plurality of hinges disposed between adjacent segments,
wherein at least one of the hinges comprises a strip of material having opposing edges that twist about a longitudinal axis of the strip to form at least one twist portion, and the strip also having a planar central surface oriented perpendicularly to opposing ends of the strip.
11. The articulation portion of claim 10 , wherein each of the segments comprises at least one tab having a hole configured to guide a control member therethrough.
12. The articulation portion of claim 11 , wherein the at least one tab comprises a first tab and a second tab, wherein the first tab is positioned 90 degrees from the second tab.
13. The articulation portion of claim 10 , wherein the opposing ends of the strip include a first end and a second end, the first end being aligned with the second end.
14. The articulating portion of claim 10 , wherein the at least one twist portion includes a first twist portion positioned at a first end of the central portion and a second twist portion positioned at a second end of the central portion, the second end of the central portion being opposite the first end of the central portion.
15. The articulating portion of claim 10 , wherein the adjacent segments comprise opposing rim portions each having contours configured to slope away from each other.
16. The articulating portion of claim 15 , wherein an area between the adjacent segments defines a gap having a diverging shape.
17. An articulating portion for an elongate medical device, comprising:
a plurality of segments movable relative to one another; and
a plurality of hinges disposed between adjacent segments, wherein the segments and the hinges are a single continuous piece of material, and
wherein at least one of the hinges includes two twist portions separated along a longitudinal axis of the device, at least one of the two twist portions extending between a first planar surface of the at least one hinge and a second planar surface of the at least one hinge, the first planar surface being perpendicular to the second planar surface.
18. The articulating portion of claim 17 , further comprising a guide element connected to a rim of one of the segments and configured to guide a control member, wherein the control member is configured to control bending of the segments at the hinges.
19. The articulating portion of claim 17 , wherein the at least one of the two twist portions is a 90° twist.