FLUID-EXPANDABLE BODY ARTICULATION OF CATHETERS AND OTHER FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES
    1.
    发明公开
    FLUID-EXPANDABLE BODY ARTICULATION OF CATHETERS AND OTHER FLEXIBLE STRUCTURES 审中-公开
    流体可扩展的导管和其他柔性结构的机构配合

    公开(公告)号:EP3274040A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-01-31

    申请号:EP16773852.5

    申请日:2016-03-25

    Abstract: Articulation devices, systems, methods for articulation, and methods for fabricating articulation structures will often include simple balloon arrays, with inflation of the balloons interacting with elongate skeletal support structures so as to locally alter articulation of the skeleton. The balloons can be mounted to a substrate of the array, with the substrate having channels that can direct inflation fluid to a subset of the balloons. The articulation array structure may be formed using simple planar 3-D printing, extrusion, and/or micromachining techniques. The skeleton may comprise a simple helical coil, and the array can be used to locally deflect or elongate an axis of the coil under control of a processor. Inflation fluid may be directed to the balloons from an inflation fluid reservoir of an inflation system, with the inflation system preferably including valves controlled by the processor. The articulation structures can be employed in minimally invasive medical catheter systems, and also for industrial robotics, for supporting imaging systems, for entertainment and consumer products, and the like.

    ARTICULATION SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR CATHETERS AND OTHER USES
    2.
    发明公开
    ARTICULATION SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS FOR CATHETERS AND OTHER USES 审中-公开
    用于导管和其他用途的辅助系统,装置和方法

    公开(公告)号:EP3274038A1

    公开(公告)日:2018-01-31

    申请号:EP16773849.1

    申请日:2016-03-25

    Abstract: Articulation devices, systems, methods for articulation, and methods for fabricating articulation structures will often include simple balloon arrays, with inflation of the balloons interacting with elongate skeletal support structures so as to locally alter articulation of the skeleton. The balloons can be mounted to a substrate of the array, with the substrate having channels that can direct inflation fluid to a subset of the balloons. The articulation array structure may be formed using simple planar 3-D printing, extrusion, and/or micromachining techniques. The skeleton may comprise a simple helical coil, and the array can be used to locally deflect or elongate an axis of the coil under control of a processor. Inflation fluid may be directed to the balloons from an inflation fluid reservoir of an inflation system, with the inflation system preferably including valves controlled by the processor. The articulation structures can be employed in minimally invasive medical catheter systems, and also for industrial robotics, for supporting imaging systems, for entertainment and consumer products, and the like.

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