Instrument and method for making the same

Abstract

A process for producing the actuating part of an instrument for endoscopic applications, which instrument comprises a tubular member having a handling end portion with a flexible portion and an actuating device located at another end portion, which actuating device comprises a cylindrical part connected to the handling end portion, a cylindrical part connected to the actuating device and a number of longitudinal elements for transferring the movement of the actuating device to the handling end portion, the actuating device being made beginning with a full cylindrical tube which is provided with a number of longitudinal slits thereby forming the longitudinal elements.

1 . An instrument for endoscopic applications comprising a tube-like member that includes three coaxial cylindrical members, namely an inner cylindrical member, an intermediate cylindrical member, and an outer cylindrical member;
 the inner cylindrical member including a first rigid inner member end part at a handling end portion of the instrument, a first flexible inner member part, an intermediate rigid inner member part, a second flexible inner member part, and a second rigid inner member end part at an actuating end portion of the instrument;   the intermediate cylindrical member having a first rigid intermediate member end part at the handling end portion of the instrument, and a second rigid intermediate member end part at the actuating end portion of the instrument that is connected to the first rigid end part via at least three longitudinal elements that are separated by at least three longitudinal slits, each of which longitudinal elements is connected to both the first rigid intermediate member end part and the second rigid intermediate member end part;   the outer cylindrical member including a first rigid outer member end part at the handling end portion of the instrument, a first flexible outer member part, an intermediate rigid outer member part, a second flexible outer member part, and a second rigid outer member end part at the actuating end portion of the instrument;   the three coaxial cylindrical members being arranged such that the longitudinal elements of the intermediate member are arranged to control a radial deflection of the handling end portion of the instrument by a radial deflection of the actuating end portion of the instrument through a movement of the longitudinal elements in a longitudinal direction; and   wherein each pair of adjacent longitudinal elements of said at least three longitudinal elements is interconnected by at least a first flexible bridge that is arranged at least in parts coinciding with flexible parts of the instrument.   
     
     
         2 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , said first rigid inner member end part, said first rigid intermediate member end part and said first rigid outer member end part being connected to each other. 
     
     
         3 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , said second rigid inner member end part, said second rigid intermediate member end part and said second rigid outer member end part being connected to each other. 
     
     
         4 . The instrument according to  claim 2 , said second rigid inner member end part, said second rigid intermediate member end part and said second rigid outer member end part being connected to each other. 
     
     
         5 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part. 
     
     
         6 . The instrument according to  claim 5 , comprising a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part. 
     
     
         7 . The instrument according to  claim 5 , wherein said at least first flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The instrument according to  claim 6 , further comprising a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument. 
     
     
         9 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;   a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and   a second flexible bridge;   
       wherein said at least first flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument. 
     
     
         10 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other. 
     
     
         11 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part, said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, wherein said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other. 
     
     
         12 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;   a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and   a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument;   
       wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other. 
     
     
         13 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;   a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and   a second flexible bridge;   
       said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument, wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge has the form of a short strip that is arranged to extend in a circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements, said short strip having a width in a longitudinal direction of the tube-like member which allows parallel movement of said pair of adjacent longitudinal elements with respect to each other. 
     
     
         14 . The instrument according to  claim 10 , wherein said short strip is provided with at least one recess for increasing a degree of flexibility of said short strip. 
     
     
         15 . The instrument according to  claim 14 , wherein said short strip is arranged to extend under an angle with respect to the circumferential direction of the tube-like member between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements. 
     
     
         16 . The instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein said angle is small. 
     
     
         17 . The instrument according to  claim 15 , wherein a series of said short strips are arranged to form a spiral. 
     
     
         18 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least first flexible bridge comprises
 two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and   two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.   
     
     
         19 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part, said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, wherein said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
 two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and   two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams.   
     
     
         20 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;   a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and   a second flexible bridge that is arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument;   
       wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
 two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and 
 two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams. 
 
     
     
         21 . The instrument according to  claim 1 , comprising:
 a first flexible part and a second flexible part, said first flexible part coinciding with said first flexible inner member part and said first flexible outer member part, said second flexible part coinciding with said second flexible inner member part and said second flexible outer member part;   a first rigid part being arranged to interconnect said first and second flexible parts, said first rigid part coinciding with said intermediate rigid inner member part and said intermediate rigid outer member part; and   a second flexible bridge;   
       said at least first flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first and second flexible parts of the instrument, and said second flexible bridge being arranged in one of said first flexible part, said second flexible part and said first rigid part of the instrument, wherein at least said at least first flexible bridge comprises:
 two cams that are arranged to extend between a pair of adjacent longitudinal elements and to abut in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements; and 
 two semicircular bands that are arranged to interconnect said two cams. 
 
     
     
         22 . The instrument according to  claim 18 , wherein said two cams are arranged to abut about halfway in the longitudinal slit between said adjacent longitudinal elements.