Patents by Inventor Lieven Maene

Lieven Maene has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20240138953
    Abstract: Provided is a stable mounting for a robotic arm, a tool changer for a robotic arm, a motion restrictor for a robotic-arm controlled steerable tool, a dispenser unit for applying a sterile drape over a robotic arm, and a tool radial actuation assembly (TRAA), a robotic arm fitting radial actuation assembly (FRAA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2023
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Lieven Maene, Bart Blanckaert, Cyriel Mabilde, Alain Kalmar
  • Patent number: 11832997
    Abstract: Provided is a stable mounting for a robotic arm, a tool changer for a robotic arm, a motion restrictor for a robotic-arm controlled steerable tool, a dispenser unit for applying a sterile drape over a robotic arm, and a tool radial actuation assembly (TRAA), a robotic arm fitting radial actuation assembly (FRAA).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Lieven Maene, Bart Blanckaert, Cyriel Mabilde, Alain Kalmar
  • Patent number: 11576735
    Abstract: A steerable instrument (100) controllable by a robotic arm (200), having a proximal end (20) and a distal (40) end comprising: a cylindrical shaft (130), a cylindrical bendable proximal part (120) and a cylindrical bendable distal part (140), a connector (110) configured for dismountable attachment to the robotic arm (200), attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable proximal part (120), an end effector (150) attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable distal part (140), the steerable instrument (100) configured such that: the bendable distal part (140) bends responsive to bending of the bendable proximal part (120), and the end effector (150) is rotatable when the bendable distal part (140) is in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the connector (110), the shaft (130) is pivotable around a fulcrum zone (134) on the shaft (130) and changes direction responsive to a complementary movement of the connector (110), thereby providing control of the shaft (130) direction, bending of t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Steerable Instruments N.V.
    Inventors: Bart Blanckaert, Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar
  • Patent number: 11457904
    Abstract: A longitudinal steerable tool (100) having a proximal (20) and distal (40) end comprising a sub-region that is a proximal amplifier region, PAR, (136) wherein the LMs (110) are arranged around a fictive tube (180) exhibiting size-decremental plane sections in a distal direction, and comprising a sub-region that is a distal attenuating region, DAR, (138) wherein the LMs (110) are arranged around a fictive tube (180) exhibiting size-incremental plane sections in a distal direction. Further provided is a longitudinal steerable tool (100) having a sheath unit (430) disposed at least partially over each of a bendable proximal part (130) and/or bendable distal part (134), the sheath unit (430) having less compliance in a radial direction compared with in an axial direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2022
    Assignee: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Bart Blanckaert, Cyriel Mabilde, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar
  • Publication number: 20210369359
    Abstract: A steerable instrument (100) controllable by a robotic arm (200), having a proximal end (20) and a distal (40) end comprising: a cylindrical shaft (130), a cylindrical bendable proximal part (120) and a cylindrical bendable distal part (140), a connector (110) configured for dismountable attachment to the robotic arm (200), attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable proximal part (120), an end effector (150) attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable distal part (140), the steerable instrument (100) configured such that: the bendable distal part (140) bends responsive to bending of the bendable proximal part (120), and the end effector (150) is rotatable when the bendable distal part (140) is in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the connector (110), the shaft (130) is pivotable around a fulcrum zone (134) on the shaft (130) and changes direction responsive to a complementary movement of the connector (110), thereby providing control of the shaft (130) direction, bending of t
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: December 2, 2021
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Bart Blanckaert, Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar
  • Publication number: 20210204941
    Abstract: Provided is a steerable fusing device (50) comprising: a steerable instrument (100) having a proximal end (20) and a distal (40) end comprising a shaft (130), a bendable proximal part (120) and a bendable distal part (140), the steerable instrument (100) configured such that the bendable distal part (140) bends responsive to bending of the bendable proximal part (120), fusing head (302) attached in fixed rotational relation to the bendable distal part (140) configured for fusing tissue captured between jaws (310, 320) of the fusing head (300), wherein the fusing head (300) is rotatable when the bendable distal part (140) is in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the bendable proximal part (120).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2019
    Publication date: July 8, 2021
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar
  • Patent number: 10962093
    Abstract: Disclosed is a steerable tool with proximal and distal ends comprising a mechanical transmission system (MTS), shaft region, omnidirectionally moveable bendable proximal part (BPP), and omnidirectionally moveable bendable distal part responsive to movement of the BPP, where the MTS comprises longitudinal members (LM) each having proximal and distal ends, arranged in a longitudinal direction around a fictive tube, and has a corresponding transmission shaft region (TSR), transmission bendable proximal part (TBPP) and transmission bendable distal part (TBDP), wherein a plane section of at least one LM has an anisotropic area moment of inertia, and the majority of the LMs are axially rotationally constrained at one or more constraining points along the TBDP or TSR, the LMs are longitudinally slidable with respect to each constraining point, and the MTS is configured such that the TBDP tip is axially rotatable in a bent position by a complementary rotation of the TBPP.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2021
    Assignee: STEERABLE INSTRUMENTS NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Alain Kalmar, Lieven Maene
  • Publication number: 20200397421
    Abstract: A longitudinal steerable tool (100) having a proximal (20) and distal (40) end comprising a sub-region that is a proximal amplifier region, PAR, (136) wherein the LMs (110) are arranged around a fictive tube (180) exhibiting size-decremental plane sections in a distal direction, and comprising a sub-region that is a distal attenuating region, DAR, (138) wherein the LMs (110) are arranged around a fictive tube (180) exhibiting size-incremental plane sections in a distal direction. Further provided is a longitudinal steerable tool (100) having a sheath unit (430) disposed at least partially over each of a bendable proximal part (130) and/or bendable distal part (134), the sheath unit (430) having less compliance in a radial direction compared with in an axial direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: December 24, 2020
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Bart Blanckaert, Cyriel Mabilde, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar
  • Publication number: 20200315738
    Abstract: Provided is a stable mounting for a robotic arm, a tool changer for a robotic arm, a motion restrictor for a robotic-arm controlled steerable tool, a dispenser unit for applying a sterile drape over a robotic arm, and a tool radial actuation assembly (TRAA), a robotic arm fitting radial actuation assembly (FRAA).
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2018
    Publication date: October 8, 2020
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Lieven Maene, Bart Blanckaert, Cyriel Mabilde, Alain Kalmar
  • Patent number: 10792061
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mechanical transmission system (100, MTS) having a proximal (20) and distal end (40), for a longitudinal steerable tube (500), which MTS (100) comprises a set of longitudinal members, LM, (110) arranged in a longitudinal direction around a fictive tube (180) maintained at an essentially constant circumferential and radial position with respect to the fictive tube (180) and being slidable relative to the fictive tube (180), and has a transmission bendable proximal part (134, TBPP), transmission bendable distal part (130, TBDP), and transmission shaft region, TSR (132) between the TBDP (130) and TBPP (134) wherein movements of the TBPP (134) are transmitted to the TBDP (130) along the TSR (132) by the LMs (110), wherein the MTS (100) comprises a sub-region that is a transmission amplifier region, TAR, (135) in which the fictive tube (180) contains at least one plane-section (182) larger than that (184) of the TBDP (130).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2020
    Assignee: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Alain Kalmar, Lieven Maene
  • Patent number: 10542878
    Abstract: The invention relates to a longitudinal member, LM, guide (300) for guiding a set of LMs (110) for a mechanical transmission system, MTS, (100) for a steerable tool (500), which LM guide (300) comprises a body (302) having a proximal side (342), a distal side (344) and an outside edge (316), wherein the body (302) of the LM guide (300) comprises a set of channels (310) arranged around a fictive tube (320), each channel (310) passing from the proximal side (342) to the distal side (344) of the body (302), configured to retain an LM (110) of the set in a fixed radial position around the fictive tube (32), being connected to the outside edge (316) of the body (302) via a slot (314), wherein the slot has a width (326) narrower than the channel (310) width (320).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2020
    Assignee: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Alain Kalmar, Lieven Maene
  • Publication number: 20180146841
    Abstract: The invention relates to a longitudinal member, LM, guide (300) for guiding a set of LMs (110) for a mechanical transmission system, MTS, (100) for a steerable tool (500), which LM guide (300) comprises a body (302) having a proximal side (342), a distal side (344) and an outside edge (316), wherein the body (302) of the LM guide (300) comprises a set of channels (310) arranged around a fictive tube (320), each channel (310) passing from the proximal side (342) to the distal side (344) of the body (302), configured to retain an LM (110) of the set in a fixed radial position around the fictive tube (32), being connected to the outside edge (316) of the body (302) via a slot (314), wherein the slot has a width (326) narrower than the channel (310) width (320).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Alain Kalmar, Lieven Maene
  • Publication number: 20170273702
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mechanical transmission system (100, MTS) having a proximal (20) and distal end (40), for a longitudinal steerable tube (500), which MTS (100) comprises a set of longitudinal members, LM, (110) arranged in a longitudinal direction around a fictive tube (180) maintained at an essentially constant circumferential and radial position with respect to the fictive tube (180) and being slidable relative to the fictive tube (180), and has a transmission bendable proximal part (134, TBPP), transmission bendable distal part (130, TBDP), and transmission shaft region, TSR (132) between the TBDP (130) and TBPP (134) wherein movements of the TBPP (134) are transmitted to the TBDP (130) along the TSR (132) by the LMs (110), wherein the MTS (100) comprises a sub-region that is a transmission amplifier region, TAR, (135) in which the fictive tube (180) contains at least one plane-section (182) larger than that (184) of the TBDP (130).
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Publication date: September 28, 2017
    Applicant: Steerable Instruments NV
    Inventors: Frank DEWAELE, Cyriel MABILDE, Bart BLANCKAERT, Alain KALMAR, Lieven MAENE
  • Publication number: 20170234411
    Abstract: A mechanical transmission system, MTS (100), for a steerable tool (500) which steerable tool (500) has a proximal end (20) and distal end (40) and comprises a shaft region (532), a bendable proximal part, BPP (534) that is omnidirectionally moveable, and a bendable distal part, BDP, (530) that is omnidirectionally moveable and moves responsive to movement of the BPP (534), which MTS (100) comprises a plurality of longitudinal members, LM (110) each having a proximal (20) and distal end (40), arranged in a longitudinal direction around a fictive tube (120), and has a corresponding transmission shaft region, TSR (132), transmission bendable proximal part, TBPP (134) and transmission bendable distal part, TBDP (130), wherein a plane section (114) of at least one LM (110) demonstrates an anisotropic area moment of inertia, and the majority of the LMs (110) are each axially rotationally constrained at 1 or more constraining points along the TBDP (130) or along the TSR (132) wherein the LMs are longitudinally slida
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2015
    Publication date: August 17, 2017
    Inventors: Frank Dewaele, Cyriel Mabilde, Bart Blanckaert, Lieven Maene, Alain Kalmar