INSTRUMENT AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME
A process for producing the actuating part of an instrument for endoscopic applications, which instrument comprises a tubular member having a handling end portion with a flexible portion and an actuating device located at another end portion, which actuating device comprises a cylindrical part connected to the handling end portion, a cylindrical part connected to the actuating device and a number of longitudinal elements for transferring the movement of the actuating device to the handling end portion, the actuating device being made beginning with a full cylindrical tube which is provided with a number of longitudinal slits thereby forming the longitudinal elements.
I. Technical Field
The invention relates to a process for producing the actuating part of an instrument for endoscopic applications or the like, which instrument comprises a tubular member having a handling end portion with a flexible portion and an actuating means located at another end portion, which actuating means comprises a cylindrical part connected to the handling end portion, a cylindrical part connected to the actuating means and a number of longitudinal elements for transferring the movement of the actuating means to the handling end portion.
II. Description of the Related Art
An instrument of the above described type has been described in EP-A-1 708 609 and is normally used for applications such as minimally invasive surgery, but it is also applicable for other purposes such as the inspection or repair of mechanical or electronic installations at locations which are difficult to reach. In the detailed description, the term endoscopic applications or endoscopic instrument will be used but the term must be interpreted as also covering other applications or instruments as explained above.
In this known instrument, the actuating part needed to steer one end of the instrument by movement of the other end is made out of a number of cables which are connected both to the first and second end portions. Connecting the cables to these portions is cumbersome and complicated in that each cable has to be connected separately and the tension in the cables must be the same for all of the cables so to obtain a reliable control of the movement. This makes the production of such an instrument complicated.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the invention to provide a process for producing the actuating part of an instrument of the above identified type in which this problem is avoided.
This object is achieved in that the actuating means is made beginning with a full cylindrical tube which is provided with a number of longitudinal slits thereby forming the longitudinal elements.
By having the longitudinal elements made as an integral part of the remaining parts of the actuating operating member, the separate connection of the different parts of this member is avoided and assembling becomes extremely easy.
The invention also relates to an endoscopic instrument using an actuating means obtained by the process according to the invention, in which different constructions are used in order to obtain a reliable operation of the actuating means.
Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will be clear from the following description, reference being made to the attached drawings.
In the drawings:
In
From
The intermediate part 33 of the intermediate cylindrical member 3 is formed by three or more separate longitudinal elements which can have different forms and shapes as will be explained below. After assembly of the three cylindrical members 2, 3 and 4 whereby the inner member 2 is inserted in the intermediate member 3 and the two combined members 2, 3 are inserted into the outer member 4, the end faces of the three members 2, 3 and 4 are connected to each other at both ends so as to have one integral unit.
In the embodiment shown in
The production of such an intermediate part is most conveniently done by injection molding or plating techniques or starting from a regular cylindrical tube with desired inner and outer diameters and removing these parts of the tube wall required to end up with the desired shape of the intermediate cylindrical member. This removal of material can be done by means of different techniques such as laser cutting, photochemical etching, deep pressing, conventional chipping techniques such as drilling or milling, high pressure water jet cutting systems or any suitable material removing process available. Preferably laser cutting is used as this allows a very accurate and clean removal of material under reasonable economic conditions. These are convenient ways the intermediate member 3 can be made in one process, without requiring additional steps for connecting the different parts of the intermediate cylindrical member as required in the conventional instruments, where the longitudinal members must be connected in some way to the end parts.
The same type of technology can be used for producing the inner and outer cylindrical members 2 and 4 with their respective flexible parts 22, 24, 42 and 44. A tube having flexible parts can be obtained in different ways. In
In the embodiment of
It will become obvious that other systems of providing a flexible part in a cylindrical tube wall may be used as well. More specifically, it is possible to use combinations of the systems described above. Otherwise, it will also become obvious that the advantageous process for producing such flexible parts in a cylindrical tube as described above may be used in the production of the intermediate part 33.
As described above in the first embodiment, the longitudinal elements 38 are formed by a number of parallel elements equally spaced around the circumference of the cylindrical member 3. As shown in
In a modified embodiment of the longitudinal elements this problem has been avoided in a different way. In this second embodiment shown in
In the other two portions 61 and 63 each longitudinal element consists of a relatively small and flexible strip 64, 65 as seen in circumferential direction, so that there is a substantial gap between each pair of adjacent strips, and each strip 64, 65 is provided with a number of cams 66, extending in circumferential direction and almost completely bridging the gap to the next strip. Because of these cams the tendency of the longitudinal elements in the flexible portions of the instrument to shift in circumferential direction is suppressed and the direction control is complete. The exact shape of these cams 66 is not very critical, provided they do not compromise flexibility of strips 64 and 65. In view thereof, any shape like a trapezium shape as shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In
In the fourth embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown, each strip 81 is on one side connected to a strip 83. As an alternative it is also possible to have a system in which as seen along the circumference of the intermediate cylindrical member this member is composed of a first set of strips 81 having both sides connected to a strip 83, and a second set of strips 81 which have no connection to such strips 83 and are as such comparable to the strips 38 of
A fifth embodiment has been shown in
The plates 96, 97 are completely free to move in their respective gaps 94, 95 respectively, but because of the selected dimensions only a movement in longitudinal direction is available. For the production of such a system as shown in
In
The seventh embodiment, shown in
In
In
The parts 121 and 123 are simple cylindrical tubes which have been provided with a flexible portion by one of the methods described above. The intermediate portion 122 is formed by a cylindrical tube in which, by one of the processes described above for removal of material, a number of tongues 124 have been made flexible by one of the methods described above. These tongues extend from both ends of a central portion and form bands which occupy the space between strips like the strips 111. Therefore the tongues are deformed at their connection with the central portion 125 so as to have a smaller diameter whereby these tongues fit into the spaces between the strips. In fact the tongues are deformed to form internal and external diameters substantially equal to the corresponding diameters of the strips.
After the different parts 121, 122 and 123 are produced as described, the parts 121 and 123 are moved over the tongues 124 and the respective abutting ends of the parts 121 and 123 are welded to the central portion 125 so as to form the external cylindrical member 4.
In
In the embodiment of
In the embodiment shown in
In
The main difference with respect to the embodiment of
A special application of the instrument according to the invention is shown in
In order to enable the instruments to be guided through such an S-shaped tube 201 or 202 or a tube with any curved shape, the intermediate rigid portion of the instruments 203 and 204 is provided with at least one additional flexible portion dividing the intermediate portion in rigid portions of a lesser length so as to allow some additional bending. If needed, more than one intermediate flexible portion may be included.
It is obvious that the invention is not restricted to the described embodiments as shown in the attached drawings, but that within the scope of the claims modifications can be applied without departing from the inventive concept.
Claims
1. An instrument for endoscopic applications comprising a tube-like member that includes three coaxial cylindrical members, namely an inner cylindrical member, an intermediate cylindrical member, and an outer cylindrical member;
- the inner cylindrical member including a first rigid inner member end part at a handling end portion of the instrument, a first flexible inner member part, an intermediate rigid inner member part, a second flexible inner member part, and a second rigid inner member end part at an actuating end portion of the instrument;
- the intermediate cylindrical member having a first rigid intermediate member end part at the handling end portion of the instrument, and a second rigid intermediate member end part at the actuating end portion of the instrument that is connected to the first rigid end part via at least three longitudinal elements that are separated by at least three longitudinal slits, each of which longitudinal elements is connected to both the first rigid intermediate member end part and the second rigid intermediate member end part;
- the outer cylindrical member including a first rigid outer member end part at the handling end portion of the instrument, a first flexible outer member part, an intermediate rigid outer member part, a second flexible outer member part, and a second rigid outer member end part at the actuating end portion of the instrument;
- the three coaxial cylindrical members being arranged such that the longitudinal elements of the intermediate member are arranged to control a radial deflection of the handling end portion of the instrument by a radial deflection of the actuating end portion of the instrument through a movement of the longitudinal elements in a longitudinal direction; and
- wherein each pair of adjacent longitudinal elements of said at least three longitudinal elements is interconnected by at least a first flexible bridge that is arranged at least in parts coinciding with flexible parts of the instrument.
2. The instrument according to claim 1, said first rigid inner member end part, said first rigid intermediate member end part and said first rigid outer member end part being connected to each other.
3. The instrument according to claim 1, said second rigid inner member end part, said second rigid intermediate member end part and said second rigid outer member end part being connected to each other.
4. The instrument according to claim 2, said second rigid inner member end part, said second rigid intermediate member end part and said second rigid outer member end part being connected to each other.
5. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part.
6. The instrument according to claim 5, comprising a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part.
7. The instrument according to claim 5, wherein said at least first flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument.
8. The instrument according to claim 6, further comprising a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument.
9. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising: wherein said at least first flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument.
- a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;
- a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and
- a second flexible bridge;
10. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other.
11. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part, said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, wherein said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other.
12. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising: wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other.
- a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;
- a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and
- a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument;
13. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising: said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument, wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other.
- a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;
- a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and
- a second flexible bridge;
14. The instrument according to claim 10, wherein said short strip is provided with at least one recess for increasing a degree of flexibility of said short strip.
15. The instrument according to claim 14, wherein said short strip is arranged to extend under an angle with respect to the circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements.
16. The instrument according to claim 15, wherein said angle is small.
17. The instrument according to claim 15, wherein a series of said short strips are arranged to form a spiral.
18. The instrument according to claim 1, wherein said at least first flexible bridge comprises
- two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and
- two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.
19. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part, said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, wherein said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
- two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and
- two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.
20. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising: wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
- a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;
- a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and
- a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument;
- two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and
- two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.
21. The instrument according to claim 1, comprising: said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument, wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
- a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;
- a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and
- a second flexible bridge;
- two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and
- two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.
22. The instrument according to claim 18, wherein said two cams are arranged to abut about halfway in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 4, 2015
Publication Date: Jun 4, 2015
Inventor: Marcel Antonius Elisabeth VERBEEK (Heerlen)
Application Number: 14/614,049