Articulating medical instrument

摘要

An articulating medical instrument comprising of:
a substantially straight proximal segment;a substantially straight distal segment;an articulation mechanism having a straight configuration in which the proximal and distal segments form a substantially straight line and at least one articulated configuration in which the proximal and distal segments form an articulation angle of less than 180 degrees between the segments, the articulation mechanism being configured for increasing or decreasing the articulation angle; andone or more drive mechanisms configured for transferring force from the proximal segment to the distal segment, wherein the drive mechanism does not follow substantially straight lines between the proximal and distal segments passing through the apex of the articulation angle.

主权项

1. An articulating medical instrument comprising of:
a proximal segment having a first distal end and a first proximal end; a distal segment having a second distal end and a second proximal end, the second proximal end connected to the first distal end of the proximal segment; an articulation mechanism for changing an articulation angle between the proximal and distal segments and providing a straight configuration in which the proximal and distal segments form a line and at least one articulated configuration in which the proximal and distal segments form an articulation angle of less than 180 degrees between the segments, the articulation mechanism being configured for increasing or decreasing the articulation angle; and one or more drive mechanisms configured for transferring rotation from the proximal segment to the distal segment, at least one drive mechanism being contained within the segments in the straight configuration, wherein in the articulated configuration at least a portion of the at least one drive mechanism performs at least one of (i) exits the distal segment between the distal and proximal ends thereof and (ii) exits the proximal segment between the distal and proximal ends thereof, wherein the articulation mechanism comprises a lever and wherein at least one of the drive mechanisms is positioned between the articulation angle and the lever, wherein the articulation mechanism and drive mechanisms are two separate mechanisms and wherein activation of the one or more drive mechanisms does not change the articulation angle.