Patent · US Active

Method of determining the shape of a bendable instrument

US11096563B2 · kind B2 · utility

1Cited by
315References
9Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 20, 2017
Grant dateAug 24, 2021
Priority date
Expiry dateJan 28, 2038

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
  • CPC primaryA61B2090/064
  • WIPO fieldMedical technology
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A method for determining a shape of a bendable instrument can include placing the bendable instrument in a neutral position; moving a first control element a first amount until slack is removed from the first control element; moving a second control element a second amount until slack is removed from the second control element; sensing a position of the first control element after moving the first control element the first amount, the sensed position of the first control element being defined as a first control element calibration position; sensing a position of the second control element after moving the second control element the second amount, the sensed position of the second control element being defined as a second control element calibration position. The method can further include bending the instrument by moving one or both of the first control element and the second control element from the respective first control element calibration position and the second control element calibration position; and determining a resulting shape of the bendable instrument based on a distance one or both of the first control element and the second control element respectively moved from th…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.