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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8133171 | Wire spring guide for flexible endoscope A medical device having a flexible shaft is provided, the flexible shaft including an active deflection section. The medical device also includes at least one control wire passing through at least a portion of the flexible shaft such that actuation of the at least o... | 03/13/2012 |
| 8123678 | Endoscope apparatus, actuators, and methods therefor The present invention provides, in part, a dexterous endoscope apparatus, referred to herein as a MicroFlex Scope (MFS). The MFS is an novel, small diameter, e.g., less about 1 mm to about 4 mm, about 1 mm to about 3 mm, etc., dexterous endoscope that allows for acc... | 02/28/2012 |
| 7367939 | Rotational, translational and torqueing control members for an endoscopic instrument A flexible endoscopic dip applier includes a flexible coil with a manual actuator coupled to one end and a jaw assembly coupled to the other end. A store of clips is arranged adjacent to the jaw assembly and a clip pusher is arranged adjacent to the store of clips. ... | 05/06/2008 |
| 7338441 | Superelastic/shape memory tissue stabilizers and surgical instruments A surgical instrument is used for temporary use in a medical procedure in a mammalian body. The surgical instrument is configured to be changed between two shapes upon application of one or both of heating and cooling. The instrument includes a first member, a secon... | 03/04/2008 |
| 7331922 | Method and device for the intermittent occlusion of the coronary sinus A method and apparatus are provided for the intermittent occlusion of a coronary sinus. The method includes occluding the coronary sinus with an occlusion device, continuously measuring the fluid pressure in the occluded coronary sinus and defining measured pressure... | 02/19/2008 |
| 7318829 | Methods and apparatus for transpericardial left atrial appendage closure Methods and apparatus for closing a left atrial appendage are described. The methods rely on introducing a closure tool from a location beneath the rib cage, over an epicardial surface, and to the exterior of the left atrial appendage. The closure device may then be... | 01/15/2008 |
| 7294102 | Method and apparatus for providing depth control or z-actuation A position control apparatus for controlling position along an axis, comprising: an extensible member that can be extended and contracted along said axis, comprising shape memory alloy locatable to expand and contract along said axis, heating means for controlling s... | 11/13/2007 |
| 7291127 | Variable manipulative strength catheter A catheter assembly comprises a catheter which comprises an inner shaft and an outer shaft, and at least one heat transmitting mechanism. At least one portion of at least one of the inner shaft and the outer shaft of the catheter has a predetermined longitudinal sti... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7261686 | Universal, programmable guide catheter A guide catheter apparatus that comprises the following: (a) a guide catheter portion that includes a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along its axial length and (b) a control unit coupled to the actuators and sending control signals to the actu... | 08/28/2007 |
| 7214183 | Endoscope apparatus having an insertion channel A structure having a proximal open end for inserting a treatment instrument into a channel of the insertion portion that opens to a display panel side, and is provided on the frame of the display portion, wherein the treatment instrument inserted from the proximal o... | 05/08/2007 |
| 7097615 | Robotic endoscope with wireless interface An endoscope apparatus and method of operating the same. The endoscope apparatus comprises an endoscope portion and a control and display unit. The endoscope portion preferably comprises: (i) a sensor disposed at a distal end of the endoscope portion and providing e... | 08/29/2006 |
| 7052473 | Body insert configuring device having tip portion with expandable joints A device for configuring a body insert, such as an electrode lead for a stimulation device, has a wire arrangement adapted to be inserted into the interior of the body insert for stiffening and bending the body insert. The wire arrangement has a tip section which, w... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6997870 | Universal, programmable guide catheter A guide catheter apparatus that comprises the following: (a) a guide catheter portion that includes a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along its axial length and (b) a control unit coupled to the actuators and sending control signals to the actu... | 02/14/2006 |
| 6966906 | Deflection mechanism for a surgical instrument, such as a laser delivery device and/or endoscope, and method of use A mechanism and method for steering a surgical instrument inserted into an endoscope such as a ureteroscope, nephroscope, or cystoscope, and/or for steering the endoscope, utilizes a shape memory structure secured to the surgical instrument or to the endoscope, the ... | 11/22/2005 |
| 6923757 | Endoscope having a lubricant An endoscope which has small bending resistance and is hard to be damaged or broken even when it is repeatedly used is disclosed. The endoscope includes a flexible insertion section 2 and an operation section 7 provided on the proximal end of the inser... | 08/02/2005 |
| 6770027 | Robotic endoscope with wireless interface An endoscope apparatus and method of operating the same. The endoscope apparatus comprises an endoscope portion and a control and display unit. The endoscope portion preferably comprises: (i) a sensor disposed at a distal end of the endoscope portion and providing e... | 08/03/2004 |
| 6764441 | Peristaltically self-propelled endoscopic device Expandable actuators surround a central conduit. Each actuator comprises a bladder that, when fluid is introduced, expands laterally while contracting longitudinally. A restorative spring can be placed inside a bladder and between the two ends to restore the actuato... | 07/20/2004 |
| 6740059 | Devices, systems and methods for patient infusion A device for delivering a fluid to a patient, including an exit port, a dispenser for causing fluid from a reservoir to flow to the exit port, a local processor programmed to cause a flow of fluid to the exit port based on flow instructions from a separate, remote c... | 05/25/2004 |
| 6679836 | Universal programmable guide catheter A guide catheter apparatus that comprises the following: (a) a guide catheter portion that includes a plurality of electroactive polymer actuators disposed along its axial length and (b) a control unit coupled to the actuators and sending control signals ... | 01/20/2004 |
| 6612982 | Fully-swallowable endoscopic system A fully-swallowable endoscopic system includes a rod-shaped endoscope body which can be swallowed entirely by a patient to be examined so as to be placed in a body cavity, at least part of the rod-shaped endoscope body includes a bendable portion which is... | 09/02/2003 |
| 6595914 | Electric bending endoscope device operating during power failures The electric bending endoscope device according to the present invention comprises: an endoscope having a bending portion; a bending control mechanism for electrically driving the bending portion of the endoscope; a power source voltage monitoring portion... | 07/22/2003 |
| 6569086 | Controllable bending endoscope An operational remote controller integrates a joystick for bending a bending portion of an inserted portion in an endoscope. A bending lever stands on the joystick. For every automatically returning of the bending lever to a neutral position, a CPU of the... | 05/27/2003 |
| 6468041 | Magnetically levitated apparatus There is provided a magnetically levitated apparatus wherein an impeller has one side supported by an electromagnet and the other side supported and magnetically levitated by an attractive force created between a permanent magnet and a permanent magnet of... | 10/22/2002 |
| 6450950 | Endoscope having stereo-lateral-view optics An endoscope having an endoscope shaft at the distal end of which a solid state image-recording system is disposed which is designed in the manner of lateral-view optics. The image-recording system has at least two image recorders, built in a distal regio... | 09/17/2002 |
| 6447478 | Thin-film shape memory alloy actuators and processing methods A shape memory alloy actuator array comprising a plurality of individually trained shape memory alloy actuators to provide relative movement of different actuator array portions and a thin-film heating element positioned adjacent at least one shape memory... | 09/10/2002 |
| 6402686 | Fully-swallowable endoscopic system A fully-swallowable endoscopic system includes a rod-shaped endoscope body which can be swallowed entirely by a patient to be examined so as to be placed in a body cavity, the rod-shaped endoscope body including two bendable portions having different leng... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6402687 | Fully-swallowable endoscopic system A fully-swallowable endoscopic system includes a rod-shaped endoscope body which can be swallowed entirely by a patient and placed in a body cavity; and a separate external device having no mechanical connection with the rod-shaped endoscope body. The rod... | 06/11/2002 |
| 6036636 | Endoscope with tip portion disposed on distal side of insertion portion In an endoscope, an elastic member made of a super elastic alloy, for instance, bridges the distal end portion of an insertion portion and the proximal end portion of a tip portion so that a space portion having a given interval is formed in between. A cu... | 03/14/2000 |
| 5897488 | Bending insertion instrument to be inserted into a body cavity through an endoscope An endoscope apparatus includes an endoscope having a distal end, a port at the distal end, and a channel extending through the endoscope to the distal end and communicating with the port; and a bending insertion instrument extensible through the channel ... | 04/27/1999 |
| 5885258 | Medical instrument with slotted memory metal tube A series of medical instruments can be made with the use of shape memory tube with a transformation temperature that is above or below the ambient temperature. In the first case, the material behaves with the shape memory effect and in the second case the... | 03/23/1999 |
| 5873817 | Endoscope with resilient deflectable section I An endoscope having a deflection control and a shaft connected to the deflection control. The shaft has a deflectable section operably connected to the deflection control by drive cables. The deflectable section comprises rigid rings and flexible connec... | 02/23/1999 |
| 5860914 | Bendable portion of endoscope A bendable portion for an endoscope includes a bending mechanism which minimizes the bendable portion diameter and allows a large degree of bending. A bending mechanism embodiment uses a shape memory alloy coil encircling the elastic body of the bendable ... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5810717 | Bending mechanism and stereoscope using same A bending mechanism for use with a stereoscope, comprises a tubular body or linear body having a bending part, a movable part which can move in the lengthwise direction of the tubular body or linear body, two actuators formed to act in opposition to each ... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5776114 | Flexible housing for intracorporeal use An elongated flexible housing for an atherectomy or other intracorporeal catheter which is formed of a shape memory alloy such ass an alloy formed predominantly of NiTi intermetallic compound. The housing preferably has an inner chamber with a tissue cutt... | 07/07/1998 |
| 5683348 | Endoscope An endoscope is disclosed which is flexible at least section-wise and comprises at least one picture guide with an objective arranged at the distal side, and an eyepiece as well as a light guide arranged at the proximal side and a shank surrounding these ... | 11/04/1997 |
| 5665050 | Apparatus for medical endoscopy with a superelastic element and method of making the same A medical endoscope has a superelastic-alloy force-transmitting element having at least one recess in its surface at a coupling site and being positively connected to a load-receiving component, the recess being formed by sublimation removal of material.... | 09/09/1997 |
| 5658238 | Endoscope apparatus capable of being switched to a mode in which a curvature operating lever is returned and to a mode in which the curvature operating lever is not returned A curvature section provided in an insertable section is curved in response to a curving instructing signal output by the operation of a curving operating switch. In case the curving operating switch is of a joy stick type having an operating lever, in re... | 08/19/1997 |
| 5645520 | Shape memory alloy actuated rod for endoscopic instruments A construction element that contains a shape memory element which changes shape in response to a change in the temperature of the memory element. The temperature is varied by a fluid which flows through channels adjacent to the shape memory element. The f... | 07/08/1997 |
| 5624380 | Multi-degree of freedom manipulator A multi-degree-of-freedom manipulator includes a flexible tube having a plurality of flex portions provided therealong, a plurality of actuators made of shape memory alloy and respectively provided near the flex portions to correspond to the flex portions... | 04/29/1997 |
| 5607435 | Instrument for endoscopic-type procedures The present invention is an instrument (10) which includes a tubular section (12) having a wall (13) made of a material exhibiting superelastic characteristics and a delivery tube (14) having a bore (15) through which the tubular section (12) passes. The ... | 03/04/1997 |
