Integrated steering device

Abstract

A steering device for use in a body lumen of a patient, which comprises a flexible tube; a plurality of spaced-apart elements positioned along at least a portion of the tube; wherein the plurality of spaced-apart elements and the tube form a single integrated unit; and at least two steering wires having at least a portion passing through the spaced-apart elements and at least a portion passing within the tube. According to another broad aspect, there is provided a steering device for use in a body lumen of a patient, comprising: a flexible tube; at least two steering wires having at least a portion passing within the flexible tube; at least two spring-like sleeves; each spring-like sleeve at least partially enclosing a steering wire respectively; wherein the spring-like sleeve has a variable pitch along its length; such that the flexible tube comprises at least two portions having different bending properties.

1 . A steering device for use in a body lumen of a patient, the steering device comprising:
 a flexible tube having a distal end;   at least two steering wires passing within the flexible tube and rigidly fixed to the distal end of the flexible tube; and   at least two spring-like sleeves, each of the at least two spring-like sleeves at least partially enclosing a respective one of the at least two steering wires;   wherein each of the at least two spring-like sleeves includes a first non-bending portion having a closed coil spring portion and a second bending portion having an open coil spring portion such that the spring-like sleeve defines a variable pitch along a length thereof;   wherein the second bending portion is positioned at the distal end of the flexible tube to thereby enable the flexible tube to be bent only at the distal end thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein the closed coil spring portion includes a flexible closed coil spiral having at least one incompressible portion. 
     
     
         3 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein the open coil spring portion includes compressible coils with a non-zero distance between coils. 
     
     
         4 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two spring-like sleeves have a length longer than a length of the flexible tube. 
     
     
         5 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two steering wires is configured to bend the distal end of the flexible tube respectively in one direction. 
     
     
         6 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein the at least two steering wires includes four steering wires. 
     
     
         7 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the at least two steering wires includes one end that is rigidly fixed to the distal end of the flexible tube while the other end thereof is free to move. 
     
     
         8 . The steering device of  claim 7 , wherein the other end of the steering wire, being free to move, is connected to a wire pulling mechanism that enables full control of the bending of the flexible tube at any desired angle. 
     
     
         9 . The steering device of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible tube encloses a plurality of channels passing therethrough at least a portion of a spring-like sleeve being arranged for sliding movement through a channel respectively. 
     
     
         10 . The steering device of  claim 9 , wherein the flexible tube includes plurality of tubes, wherein the plurality of tubes include at least one of an electrical cable, a hollow tube shaped to define a lumen for passage therethrough of a tool; or a hollow tube shaped to define a lumen for passage therethrough of a fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The steering device of  claim 10 , further comprising a tool selected from at least one of an imaging device, an illumination device, a biopsy collecting tool, an optical device, a fluid device, of a treatment tool. 
     
     
         12 . The steering device of  claims 1 , being an integral part of an endoscopic system including an image capturing device that is steered to any desired destination to enable to image the body lumen.