Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
  • A61B1/00064—Constructional details of the endoscope body
  • A61B1/00071—Insertion part of the endoscope body
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
  • A61B1/00131—Accessories for endoscopes
  • A61B1/00135—Oversleeves mounted on the endoscope prior to insertion
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
  • A61B1/005—Flexible endoscopes
  • A61B1/0051—Flexible endoscopes with controlled bending of insertion part
  • A61B1/0052—Constructional details of control elements, e.g. handles
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B1/00—Instruments for performing medical examinations of the interior of cavities or tubes of the body by visual or photographical inspection, e.g. endoscopes; Illuminating arrangements therefor
  • A61B1/005—Flexible endoscopes
  • A61B1/0051—Flexible endoscopes with controlled bending of insertion part
  • A61B1/0055—Constructional details of insertion parts, e.g. vertebral elements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/00234—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for minimally invasive surgery
  • A61B2017/00292—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for minimally invasive surgery mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
  • A61B2017/003—Steerable
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/00234—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for minimally invasive surgery
  • A61B2017/00292—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets for minimally invasive surgery mounted on or guided by flexible, e.g. catheter-like, means
  • A61B2017/003—Steerable
  • A61B2017/00305—Constructional details of the flexible means
  • A61B2017/00309—Cut-outs or slits
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61B—DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION
  • A61B17/00—Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets
  • A61B17/28—Surgical forceps
  • A61B17/29—Forceps for use in minimally invasive surgery
  • A61B2017/2901—Details of shaft
  • A61B2017/2905—Details of shaft flexible
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/0105—Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/0105—Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning
  • A61M25/0133—Tip steering devices
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/0105—Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning
  • A61M25/0133—Tip steering devices
  • A61M25/0138—Tip steering devices having flexible regions as a result of weakened outer material, e.g. slots, slits, cuts, joints or coils
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
  • A61M—DEVICES FOR INTRODUCING MEDIA INTO, OR ONTO, THE BODY; DEVICES FOR TRANSDUCING BODY MEDIA OR FOR TAKING MEDIA FROM THE BODY; DEVICES FOR PRODUCING OR ENDING SLEEP OR STUPOR
  • A61M25/00—Catheters; Hollow probes
  • A61M25/01—Introducing, guiding, advancing, emplacing or holding catheters
  • A61M25/0105—Steering means as part of the catheter or advancing means; Markers for positioning
  • A61M25/0133—Tip steering devices
  • A61M25/0147—Tip steering devices with movable mechanical means, e.g. pull wires

Definitions

• the invention relates to a control device for precision mechanical or surgical applications, for example for use in endoscopes or the like.
• the invention relates to a control device for instruments for high precision mechanical or surgical applications in the minimally invasive field.
• Such control devices are known in the prior art and have a proximal, that is to say the user / surgeon, and a distal or distal end section, which in each case comprises a joint zone, and a central section, which is arranged between the end sections and is often rigidly configured. They further comprise an outer hollow-cylindrical shaft, an inner hollow-cylindrical shaft and a control element arranged between these shafts with two or more force-transmitting longitudinal elements extending essentially from the proximal to the distal end section of the control device.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are arranged substantially regularly in the circumferential direction of the control device and are connected to each other in the circumferential direction in the region of the proximal and the distal end section. Tensile and compressive forces can be transmitted via the longitudinal elements with which a pivotal movement can be converted at the proximal end section into a corresponding pivoting movement at the distal end section.
• Control devices of this type are known for example from WO 2005/067785 Al, in which a plurality of force-transmitting longitudinal elements in the form of wires or cables are used, which are arranged directly adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction and thus mutually guide laterally.
• a guide of the force-transmitting longitudinal elements is ensured in each direction.
• a hand-operated handle part is mounted in the rule, in its place, of course, motor-operated controls can occur, while at the distal end, which is also called head, functional components, in particular tools, cameras, lighting elements and the like can be connected.
• instruments containing the control device can be in the mechanical field, for example, complicated and difficult to access interiors, such as engines, machines, radiators and the like, inspect and repair or perform the above-mentioned operations in the minimally invasive area.
• Conventional control devices can be manufactured with different maximum allowable bending angles resulting from the structure of the articulation zones. This results in work areas of different sizes for the functional components connected at the distal end.
• the instruments provided with the control device must be removed from the work area and reinserted, whether to replace, clean, maintain or supplement the functional components mounted on the distal end portion. After reintroducing the instruments into the previous work area, it is desirable if the previous work position can be retrieved as easily as possible.
• the object of the present invention is to minimize the effort with which the instruments can be equipped for different and / or different sized work areas.
• the invention proposes in connection with the control device described above to solve this problem, that the control device comprises a holding device with which a part of a joint zone with respect to the longitudinal direction of the central portion of the control device or at its proximal or distal end portion subsequent functional unit is fixed ,
• the maximum bending angle of the distal joint zone can be adjusted variably by shortening the joint zone on the side of the proximal end section, resulting in a construction-related reduction of the maximum bending angle on the side of the proximal end section. Since the bending angle on the side of the distal end section and its joint zone depends on the bending angle at the proximal end section, the maximum bending angle of the distal end section is thereby also limited.
• the maximum bend angle can be readjusted or even changed during the application, so that e.g. During the endoscopic removal of pathological structures, a defined work area can be adjusted under the surgeon's view.
• the holding device comprises a rigid sleeve which is displaceable along the longitudinal axis of the central portion of the control device.
• the displaceable rigid sleeve can in principle be accommodated in the interior of the control device. However, it is preferred on the outer circumference the outer shaft, since it is easier to access and fixable here.
• the holding device comprises a part of the functional unit of the proximal end section, i. typically a control unit supporting support member, which brings with it the advantage that the area of the joint zone can be shortened from the proximal end side, so that the control device remains unchanged over a greater length and can be inserted, for example, in a trocar.
• the retaining element which is supported on the operating unit preferably contains a ring which can be displaced along the outer circumference of the outer shaft, and is held fixed by a web with a straight guide on the operating unit.
• the holding device is designed so that it can be positioned in one or more predetermined positions and preferably also fixed.
• the maximum bending angle can also be easily adapted to any problems arising during use of the control device according to the invention.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are arranged to be laterally spaced from each other. This avoids frictional forces between the longitudinal elements during an actuation. tion of the control device and ensures a power-saving operation of the same.
• control device it can be important to arrange spacers between the longitudinal force-transmitting elements, so that the longitudinal elements are held in a predetermined position along the length of the control device.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements along the longitudinal direction of the control device are arranged at least partially in direct contact with each other, in many cases thereby already sufficient lateral guidance or guidance is given in the circumferential direction.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are guided by the outer and the inner shaft in the radial direction, so that a particularly simple, yet accurate guidance of the longitudinal elements is given and, consequently, a precisely predictable bending movement of the distal end.
• control device has a control element which comprises a hollow cylindrical component whose cylinder wall is subdivided, at least in the region of a section between the proximal and distal ends, into two or more wall segments which form the force-transmitting longitudinal elements.
• the two or more wall segments at the distal end of the hollow cylindrical component can be firmly connected to each other via a collar.
• the two or more wall segments in the region of the proximal end of the hollow cylindrical member may be firmly connected to each other.
• the hollow cylindrical component is formed integrally.
• the handling during assembly of the control device is particularly simple.
• the one-piece component can be produced with particular precision with respect to the mutual alignment of the wall segments.
• Control devices with this embodiment have, in particular, a hollow-cylindrical component which is manufactured from a single tube, wherein the division of the cylinder wall into wall segments preferably takes place by means of laser beam cutting.
• Control devices of this type can be further realized with very small outer diameters, for example about 2 mm or less, in particular also about 1.5 mm, and still a sufficiently large lumen is obtained in the interior, can be realized through the other functions.
• the lumen is still sufficient to remove tissue pieces from the surgical area, in particular to be able to aspirate, or to bring a light source and associated optics to the operating area.
• control devices according to the invention are also possible with arbitrarily large diameters.
• steel alloys or nitinol are particularly suitable.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are at least partially helically arranged, so that their proximal and distal ends are fixed in the circumferential direction in different angular positions.
• the pivotal movement of the distal end can take place in a different plane than the pivoting movement of the proximal end, or also that the pivoting direction of the proximal end and the distal end are quasi against each other and the control direction assumes a kind of U-shape. This is the case when the proximal and distal ends of the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are fixed in an angular position different by 180 ° in the circumferential direction.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements can be designed differently and in particular in the form of cables or wires.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements may moreover have a banana-shaped cross-section.
• the force-transmitting longitudinal elements are formed from a hollow cylindrical component in which, for example by means of laser beam cutting, the cylinder wall slits over the largest part, in particular almost over the entire length in the axial direction to form the longitudinal force-transmitting elements is.
• the longitudinal elements are formed by cylinder wall segments, which have a circular arc shape in cross section.
• the wall segments preferably have a circular arc shape in cross-section which corresponds to an arc angle of approximately 20 ° or more, in particular 30 ° or more.
• the number of wall segments is preferably in the range of 4 to 16, more preferably in the range of 6 to 12.
• the distance between the wall segments in the circumferential direction of each other is measured in degrees, preferably about 2 ° to 15 °, more preferably about 4 ° to about 8 °.
• the slot width as produced by laser beam cutting, can be increased if necessary, so that the remaining strip-shaped wall segments can be moved without contact relative to each other. Due to the circular segment-like cross sections of the longitudinal elements of the non-contact state remains the longitudinal elements also in the case of tensile or compressive stress in the joint areas obtained; This is especially true in a leadership of the longitudinal elements in the radial direction between an inner and an outer shaft.
• the two end portions of the hollow cylindrical element remain uncut, so that the longitudinal elements remain connected to each other via annular collars.
• the proximal joint zone has an extension in the longitudinal direction of the control device, which is different from the extent of the distal joint zone.
• Such a measure allows to provide different gear ratios, so that a relatively large angular movement at the proximal end triggers a small change in angle at the distal end portion or vice versa.
• control device Another important aspect of the control device according to the invention is also that the aspect ratio of the proximal and the distal joint zone can be freely varied within predetermined limits.
• the aspect ratio can be adjusted as needed with a corresponding translation of the pivotal movement of the proximal end portion into a pivotal movement of the distal end portion and the functional unit held thereon.
• At least one of the joint zones is elastic, so that at least partially adjusts an automatic provision of the bent end portions after completion of the introduction of force.
• the articulation zones of the outer and / or inner shaft have a plurality of slots extending in the circumferential direction, which are separated from each other by wall areas in the circumferential direction or axial direction.
• integrally formed tubes may be used for the outer and inner shank.
• Control device placed control device such as grippers
• a gripper can be guided and rotated within the control device, without thereby changing the pivot angle and the position of the control element itself or the gripper function is affected as such.
• Rotary movements of 360 ° are easily possible.
• control devices can be easily disassembled, sterilized and reassembled.
• a respective wall section in the circumferential direction two or more, in particular three or more slots arranged one behind the other.
• the slots are preferably arranged in the circumferential direction at equal distances from each other.
• the joint zones of preferred control devices have three or more slots arranged side by side, wherein preferably the juxtaposed slots are arranged offset from one another in the circumferential direction.
• the distances in which the slots are arranged in the axial direction to each other spaced may be equal or vary, hereby the joint properties, in particular the bending radius, can be influenced.
• the slots are the cylinder wall completely penetrating slots.
• good bending properties can also be achieved if the slots do not completely penetrate the wall of the shaft, but in particular end before reaching the inner circumference.
• the wall of the shaft remains closed as a whole, which may be desirable in some applications, in particular the outer shaft.
• a preferred geometry of the slots is when the wall surfaces delimiting the slots are disposed at an acute angle to the radial direction.
• Preferably opposite wall surfaces of the same slot are arranged in mirror image, so that the outer circumference of a shaft results in a larger slot width than adjacent to the inner circumference.
• Slits spaced axially from each other are preferably overlapped in the circumferential direction but offset from each other so as to provide a regular arrangement of the slots.
• the wall surfaces of the slots may be inclined at an angle to the axial direction, which deviates from 90 °, so that the width of the slots on the outer circumference is greater than on the inner circumference of the outer shaft. This makes it possible to realize sufficiently large pivoting angles even with small slot widths without the number of slots having to be increased or the joint area having to extend over a greater axial length.
• Figure 1 with the sub-figures a, b and c the basic structure of a control device according to the invention of the three elements outer shaft, control element and inner shaft; Part Id shows an alternative control element; the partial figures Ie and If show cross sections of the control element of Figure Id and the control device of Figure 1; Figure 2: a typical movement behavior of the control device according to the invention;
• FIGS. 3A and B exemplary embodiments of joint zones of the control device of FIGS. 1a and 1c;
• FIGS. 4A and B show further alternative control elements for the control device according to the invention.
• FIG. 5 an overall view of a control device according to the invention.
• FIG. 1 shows the structure of a control device 10 as known from the prior art, for example WO 2005/067785 A1 and as it may also form the basis of the present invention.
• control device 10 comprises an outer hollow cylindrical shaft 12, an inner hollow cylindrical shaft 14 and a control element 16 arranged between these shafts.
• the outer and inner shafts 12, 14 and the control element 16 have substantially equal lengths and are dimensioned with respect to their outer and inner diameter or wall thicknesses so that the control element can be inserted accurately into the outer shaft and the inner shaft 14 fit into the interior of the control element 16.
• the interior of the inner shaft 14 remains free as a lumen for the introduction of instrument controls, leads to a camera or other optical elements, and the like.
• the control element 16 is guided in the radial direction through the walls of the outer and inner shafts 12, 14.
• the control device 10 has a proximal end portion 18 and a distal end portion 20, each comprising a hinge zone 22 and 24, respectively.
• the articulation zone 22, 24 is formed by a corresponding configuration of the outer and / or inner shank 12, 14, wherein in the prior art various proposals for this are listed, including in WO 2005/067785 Al.
• FIGS. 1 a, 1 b and 1 c the individual elements of the control device 10 of FIG. 1 are shown once again, wherein FIG. 1 a represents the outer shaft 12, FIG. 1 b the control element 16 and FIG. 1 c the inner shaft 14.
• the outer shaft 12 has in the areas corresponding to the hinge zones 22 and 24, a structure that ensures the flexibility or flexibility of the outer shaft 12 in this area.
• bellows-like structures can be used here, as previously mentioned.
• the wearability or flexibility can also be produced by weakening the wall of the outer shaft 12 in the sections corresponding to the articulation zones 22, 24.
• the inner shaft 14 in Figure Ic may have a similar structure as the outer shaft 12 in Figure Ia, so that reference can be made to the description of Figure Ia.
• the control element 16 of Figure Ib comprises a plurality, in the present example eight, force-transmitting longitudinal elements, which are arranged parallel to the longitudinal direction of the control element 16 and at the respective ends of the control element 16 are connected laterally in the circumferential direction to ring collars 28, 30.
• Figure Id shows an alternative embodiment of a control element 16 ', which is made of a one-piece tube 17, for example by laser beam cutting.
• the slots 19 formed in the tube 17 by laser beam cutting extend almost over the entire length of the tube 17, so that only at the proximal and distal end unslotted annular collars 28 ', 30' remain, which connect the force transmitting longitudinal elements acting wall segments 21 each.
• Figure Ie shows a cross section through a control element of the figure Id, in which, however, only four wall segments 21 are present.
• the circular arc segments of the wall segments 21 correspond to an arc angle ⁇ of approximately 82 ° to 86 °.
• the extent of the slots 19 in the circumferential direction corresponds to an angle ß of about 4 ° to 8 °.
• control device 10 The cross-section of the control device 10 is shown in FIG. If, with the control element 16 'of FIG. 1 being used as the control element, but with a number of four wall segments 21.
• the outer diameter D of about 2.5 mm and the inner diameter of about 1.8 mm may be mentioned.
• FIGS. 3A and 3B show two variants of related embodiments of the flexible sections, here in the form of the sections 22 'and 22 ", respectively, of an outer shaft 12.
• the same type of configuration is also suitable for the flexible sections of the inner shaft 14.
• a slot structure with circumferentially extending slots 47 in the hollow cylindrical shaft Preferably, two or more slots separated from one another via webs are present along a circumferential line. Since the arrangement of slots along only one perimeter line would allow only a very small pivoting angle, typical slot structures of hinge zone 22 'include a plurality of axially spaced circumferential lines with slots 47. Slits 47 which are arranged adjacent to one another in the axial direction are preferably offset relative to one another in the circumferential direction, so that bending possibilities result in several levels.
• FIG. 3B there are two slots 47 per circumferential line, which are separated from one another by webs 49.
• FIG. 3A there are three slots 47.
• the slot structure in both cases typically includes a plurality of slots 47 arranged along a plurality of imaginary and axially spaced circumferential lines.
• a pivoting of the distal joint portion in any other predetermined directions with respect to the pivoting movement of the proximal end, ie also in directions that are not in the same plane is possible with the use of a control element in which the force-transmitting longitudinal elements with their proximal and distal ends in angular positions in circumferential determined direction, which differ by a certain angular amount, for example by 180 ° as shown in the example in Figures 4A and 4B.
• FIG. 4A shows a control element 40 for the control device 10 according to the invention, in which eight force-transmitting longitudinal elements 42 are arranged helically over their entire length and fixed at an offset of 180 ° to proximal and distal annular collars 44, 46.
• the length of the control device is about 30 cm, the length of the associated control element 40, 40 'is thus also 30 cm.
• the outer diameter of the control element 40, 40 ' is typically 1.7 mm. If one chooses an angular offset of 180 °, with which the proximal and distal ends of the force-transmitting longitudinal elements 42, 42 'at the annular collars 44, 46 and 44', 46 'are fixed, so results in a helical shape of the longitudinal elements, in which the helix is inclined at an angle of about 0.5 ° to the longitudinal axis of the element.
• the control device has a length of, for example, 22 cm, which corresponds to the length of the control element 40, 40 '.
• the outer diameter of the control element 40, 40 ' is relatively large and is about 9.7 mm. With this shorter length of the control device 10 at the same time significantly larger diameter to obtain an angle of 3.9 °, with the helix, along which the force-transmitting longitudinal elements 42, 42 'are arranged, against the longitudinal axis of the control element 40, 40' inclined are.
• control elements for the control devices according to the invention are interchangeable, so that a control device 10 can be given different movement geometries merely by replacing the control element 16, 16 'or 40, 40'.
• FIG. 4B shows a variant of a control element 40 'which, like the control element 16' of FIG. 1 d, is formed from a one-piece tube by laser cutting.
• the resulting wall segments 42 ' are separated by slots 43' of each other and only in the region of annular collars 44 ', 46' positively connected to each other.
• the advantages of the helical course of the wall segments are the same as in the control element 40 with the helical longitudinal elements 42.
• FIG. 5 shows the present invention with reference to the control device 10, which is connected at its proximal end section 18 to a handling device 50.
• the articulation zones 22 and 24 are formed with substantially the same length, so that when the proximal end section 18 is bent by 18 °, e.g. 30 ° results in a corresponding bend of the distal end portion 20 also by 30 °.
• the direction in which the bend of the distal end portion 20 is made depends on the choice of the control element not shown in detail here and the determination of the ends of the force transmitting longitudinal elements, as described in detail above.
• the control device 10 shown in Figure 5 additionally has a holding device 52 in the form of a sleeve 53 which is arranged on the outer shaft of the control device 10 with the central portion 25 overlapping longitudinally displaceable.
• the permissible bending angle in the region of the distal end section 20 can be adjusted variably so that, for example, a defined working area can be adjusted under the surgeon's view during the endoscopic removal of pathological structures.
• FIG. 5 contains an alternative solution to the holding device 52 in the form of the holding device 56, which comprises a ring 58 which is fixed longitudinally displaceably by means of a doubly bent web 60 with a straight guide 62 on the handling device 50.
• FIG. 6 shows a control device 100 having a proximal end portion 102, a distal end portion 104, and an intermediate portion 106 therebetween. While the middle section 106 is designed to be resistant to bending, the proximal and distal end sections 102, 104 each include a hinge zone 108 or 110 having a length Li or L 2 measured in the axial direction. The length L 2 is chosen to be shorter than the length Li.
• FIG. 6 a shows the control device 100 in the basic position in which no forces act on the proximal end section 102.
• proximal end region 102 is pivoted out of the axial direction, as is illustrated in the illustration of FIG. 6b, an increased length of the joint zone 108 of Li + ⁇ i results in the proximal joint zone 108 at the outer radius of the bent end region 102; a shortened length of L 1 - ⁇ 2 .
• the distal end portion 104 with a length at the outer radius L 2 + ⁇ 2 and a length at the inner radius of L 2 - ⁇ i. Since the lengths Li and L 2 of the joint zones 108, 110 are different, an increased bending movement for the distal end section 104 necessarily results in being able to follow the length changes predetermined by the proximal end section.
• This effect can also be used, for example, in a proximally restricted work area with relatively small pivoting movements to allow full utilization of the distal given pivot radius and to make distally as large a work area available.
• This principle can be used variably with the present invention by varying the length of one joint zone in relation to the other by means of a holding device (see FIG.

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• 2009
  • 2009-09-14 DE DE202009012795U patent/DE202009012795U1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2009-09-14 DE DE102009042490A patent/DE102009042490A1/de not_active Withdrawn
• 2010
  • 2010-04-22 WO PCT/EP2010/055400 patent/WO2010136275A1/de active Application Filing
  • 2010-04-22 CN CN2010800232348A patent/CN102448359A/zh active Pending
  • 2010-04-22 EP EP10717107A patent/EP2434940A1/de not_active Withdrawn
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  • 2010-04-22 RU RU2011153010/14A patent/RU2506883C2/ru not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2011
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