The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 27, 2012
Filed:
May. 30, 2007
Richard F. Spaide, New York, NY (US);
Richard F. Spaide, New York, NY (US);
Other;
Abstract
Steerable and flexibly curved probes are provided, primarily for A surgical applications. A probe with flexible distal portion is inserted through an incision or cannula and the flexible distal portion may be selectively bent or steered using a guide wire. The guide wire is extended through the probe on a radially offset axis, and affixed at its distal end to the distal end of the flexible distal portion. The curvature of the nitinol wire is induced by extending or retracting the wire from the proximal end of the flexible distal portion while the distal end of the guide wire remains affixed to the distal end of the probe. The guide wire is activated by a finger-actuated mechanism. A further embodiment is provided in which the guide wire is fixed at both ends of the flexible distal portion of the probe and has a normally curved conformation, and assumes such conformation after insertion through a straight cannula. Other embodiments and applications are similarly disclosed.