US 12,167,903 B2
Methods of smoothly articulating medical devices having multi-cluster joints
James Michael Licht, Howell, MI (US); Shorya Awtar, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Deepak Sharma, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Zachary Zimmerman, Waterford, MI (US); Bruce Johnson, Elkins, NH (US); Christopher K. Holmes, Harvard, MA (US); Peter F. Costa, Winthrop, MA (US); Brian Douglas Larose, Cornish, NH (US); Randall Sullivan, Howell, MI (US); and Ryan Brook Rank, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to FlexDex, Inc., Brighton, MI (US)
Filed by FlexDex, Inc., Brighton, MI (US)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/216,662.
Application 17/216,662 is a continuation of application No. 15/286,489, filed on Oct. 5, 2016, granted, now 10,959,797.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/237,483, filed on Oct. 5, 2015.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/237,476, filed on Oct. 5, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2021/0212785 A1, Jul. 15, 2021
Int. Cl. A61B 17/29 (2006.01); A61B 1/005 (2006.01); A61B 34/00 (2016.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.01); A61B 17/00 (2006.01); A61B 90/00 (2016.01); B25J 9/06 (2006.01); B25J 9/10 (2006.01)
CPC A61B 34/71 (2016.02) [A61B 1/005 (2013.01); A61B 17/29 (2013.01); A61B 34/30 (2016.02); A61B 34/76 (2016.02); A61B 2017/00314 (2013.01); A61B 2017/00323 (2013.01); A61B 2017/2908 (2013.01); A61B 2034/306 (2016.02); A61B 2034/715 (2016.02); A61B 2090/031 (2016.02); B25J 9/06 (2013.01); B25J 9/104 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of articulating a multi-cluster joint at a distal end region of a medical device having a tool shaft, a proximal handle coupled to the tool shaft through an input joint, and an end effector at a distal end of the medical device, the method comprising:
moving the proximal handle of the medical device in pitch and yaw relative to the tool shaft;
transmitting the pitch and yaw motion of the handle through the tool shaft to the multi-cluster joint to articulate the multi-cluster joint, wherein the multi-cluster joint comprises a plurality of joint clusters, wherein each joint cluster has a joint cluster axis in a non-articulated state, and wherein each joint cluster provides two orthogonal degrees of rotational freedom, further wherein each joint cluster includes an opening passing through the joint cluster along the joint cluster axis;
preventing jumping of an end-effector transmission cable within the opening, wherein the opening passes through the each of the joint clusters orthogonal to a cluster plane for each of the joint clusters by preventing lateral movement of the end-effector transmission cable within the cluster plane of each of the joint clusters while permitting the end-effector transmission cable to move axially perpendicular to each cluster plane using a cable management guide routed through the opening passing through the each of the joint clusters orthogonal to the cluster plane so that there is a lateral gap between the openings of the plurality of the joint clusters and the cable management guide;
preventing buckling of the multi-cluster joint by resisting bending of each joint cluster due to the cable management guide, wherein the cable management guide has a longitudinal axis and a first lumen within which a first length of the end-effector transmission cable extends and a second lumen within which a second length of the end-effector transmission cable extends, wherein the cable management guide limits lateral movement of the first length of the end-effector transmission cable within each opening through the joint clusters while permitting the first length of the end-effector transmission cable and the second length of the end-effector transmission cable to move axially along the longitudinal axis of the cable management guide;
further wherein the cable management guide is secured to the plurality of joint clusters to prevent rotation of the cable management guide relative to the multi-cluster joint about the longitudinal axis of the cable management guide; and
actuating the end effector by pulling the end-effector transmission cable proximally.